The Market Speaks
Hi all...Joel Sider here. I manage PR (Public Relations) for Home Server. It's great to see the blog getting going with visitors and comments.
One of the most exciting things about "unveiling" Home Server at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) last month was the response that began pouring in from potential customers. The team had done the market research, surveys and focus groups that Todd talks about below...but now we're really beginning to hear from our market! For example, today I received an email from someone who wrote:
I am very interested in this product. I am currently juggling 5 PC’s here at our house. One is away at college but DAD is responsible if anything goes wrong. This is a product I can use. When where, how?
By the way, if you're looking for a good walk through of Home Server, I suggest viewing the video at On10. It's a good virtual demo. Also, Paul Thurrott's preview/review provides some more meat about the product, too.
J
Comments
Anonymous
January 01, 2003
I think this is going to be a great success, and I can't wait for the beta to start!Anonymous
January 01, 2003
I personally can't wait for this program to launch. I've been waiting for an easy-to-use server app for a LOOOONG time now. Is it true that you aren't going to sell the software stand alone? I'm reading conflicting reports about that. Oh, and I'd love to be on the beta test too... ;-)Anonymous
January 01, 2003
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January 01, 2003
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January 01, 2003
Hey Arneh, If that's true it's fantastic news :) I am not sure where my source was that told me it was OEM only, but I am sure it was a reputable news site on the day of the announcement so this 'misinformation' should be corrected and quickly! Hoping it hits MSDN for download soon :)Anonymous
January 01, 2003
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January 01, 2003
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January 01, 2003
I really like the idea of this product. I am wondering what the situation is regarding print server support, onecare/vista backup integration, and windows/onecare/defender updates. For those of us that have USB printers we would like to share over the network, how would this work? Would you upload the print driver into the server somehow over a web interface? Would multi-function printers work? Will the server work with vista's new "offline folder" features? -dAnonymous
January 01, 2003
Count me in as a beta tester if needed, but I need one more feature that others have mentioned, and that's e-mail. I'd LOVE to have the integrated voice mail of Exch2K7 as well. If I could log in to OWA and get my e-mail and voice mail from my Home Server, and also have access to my digital photos and other files remotely, that would be the icing on the sugar free (I'm diabetic) cake. :) I'm currently running SBS, but that's overkill. Let me know when testing opens. Thanks, TowerDaveAnonymous
January 01, 2003
I hate to say this but... I would never both with a such a product unless it comes with shared calendar/tasks. It should be a toned down version of SBS not Win2k3!!! Lots of families would love to be on the same page as far as who is going where, when the garbage needs to go out to the curb, who has classes when, etc etc etc. Why not make use of the Calnedar/Mail clients that are included in Vista? (and make extra features available to outlook users obviously) It should also make use of basic things people need to do on the web: Blogs and Picture sharing (couple it up with Live Domains / Live EMail) Could be a very compelling product...even to more casual users....as long as it has REAL needs that it fulfills.Anonymous
January 01, 2003
Is there an official Features Wish List? A home server is a great idea however, I fear that Microsoft will miss very important ‘home functionality’ aspects. Here are things that I believe a home server should have.
- It should run media center. I don't watch TV on my computer, I use extenders (360's) However I can't use my computer intensively (gaming or video editing) while it is recording or playing video. This should be off loaded to the server. Cablecard also has to be supported.
- The home server should be able to act as a repository of 360 Game saves. My Live login should go through the home server, then when I go from one 360 to another, it pulls my saved game to the 'active Xbox'. Obviously it would have to support multiple live accounts as well.
- I am sure it will, but it needs to run gigabit Ethernet.
- An add-on on should be available to run a home version of the new exchange with the universal messaging voicemail, voice over IP stuff. Perhaps even host mail accounts. Not a full smtp server, but the ability to plug in your ISP settings and it relay through the Home server. Then the server hosts the email in an exchange store, or PST. Have some exchange features including webmail!
- Act as a firewall to protect home network using some cut down ISA Server? I have other Ideas too, but I doubt any of this will be included and I am probably just wasting my time with this anyway :-(
Anonymous
January 01, 2003
Oh and yeah where do we get into the beta :)Anonymous
January 01, 2003
brittony said: "2. The home server should be able to act as a repository of 360 Game saves. My Live login should go through the home server, then when I go from one 360 to another, it pulls my saved game to the 'active Xbox'. Obviously it would have to support multiple live accounts as well." I would want WinHoSer even more if it could accomplish this! Would there be Bluetooth capabilities on this as well?Anonymous
January 01, 2003
all I want to know is how to get on the Beta! this product sounds like something I've been wanting for a long time...Anonymous
January 01, 2003
Also, as Kevin Beares mentioned in his blog, http://blogs.technet.com/kevin_beares/archive/2007/01/15/where-are-we-with-the-windows-home-server-beta.aspx , keep an eye out in the public technet forums of WHS when they get started up as they may randomly post invitation codes for the beta.Anonymous
January 01, 2003
all I want to know is how to get on the Beta! this product sounds like something I've been wanting for a long time...Anonymous
January 01, 2003
Great product idea! Been thinking about Small Business Server but if a couple of features are added, I'd go this route instead...
- Basic group policies that make sense for the family (especially enforcing the new Vista parental controls from the server.)
- Roaming user profiles. Have my desktop and documents available at ALL computers.
- As others have said: A mini version of Exchange. I would love to have public folders, calendars, address books for the whole household - as well as the mentioned web access.
- Media Center Functionality for my extenders. Also a question... How friendly is this going to be for third party add-ons? I could see extended functions for home automation, security cameras, etc.
Anonymous
January 01, 2003
I'm and ISV and I want to integrate my apps, is there a dev program?Anonymous
January 01, 2003
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January 01, 2003
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January 01, 2003
Im all for just getting the home server hardware, not building squat and connecting it to my router so long as it: A. Works, and B. it is reasonably cheap. I like the idea of remotely accessing content :-) I like the idea of automated backups I like a real world solution that is simple Hopefully Windows Home Server can deliver the goodsAnonymous
January 01, 2003
Greetings, I like the idea of a home server. However this isn't as much of a home server, as it is a backup/file server. What is really needed is the ability to add things to the server to connect the home. VoIP, Media Center, Email, etc. If/When Version 1 is a failure, will there be a version 2?Anonymous
January 01, 2003
I was wondering if Windows Home Server will have a HOME Mail Server as well. I would ilke for my entire family to have a single domain name for there emails centralized on the Server. If this is not possible with this new technology can this be done?