Do You Deploy Windows with Floppy Disks?
Of course not, if you do, you're dumb. Please unsubscribe from my RSS feed now please. During a late night after-party recap, me and James started talking about cool stuff *deployment? Where's Kanye?* that people should do but don't, stuff that is really practical to IT Pros and partners too. Our philosophical discussion revolved around why Microsoft even bothers sending out DVDs in their Vista and Windows Server software. Microsoft should really be sending distributing software on flash drives. Did you know it only takes 5 minutes to install Vista using a bootable flash drive? It only takes 5 minutes from bare metal to "ready to go" desktop.
After experiencing my first 5 minute OS install, I am sold that for Microsoft to distribute Vista in tiny "iPod mini" style boxes with a 1GB memory stick would be the biggest customer satisfaction win ever. The added cost of the stick would easily be offset by the volume of units per crate; think IKEA for software.
Expand this further, TechNet subscribers could save so much time and effort if they'd just carry their top 10 applications on a 4GB memory stick. It is an easy sell to you boss. This is how you phrase it, "Boss? Is quadrupling my productivity worth $70?"
So here is your chance to leave some feedback. Would you be happier if everyone got Microsoft software on a USB stick instead of a DVD? Would it make your life easier? Do you see any problems with people installing by USB? Leave a comment on my blog and I'll role it up.
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Ladies and gentleman, back from the grave...your moment of zen.
Comments
Anonymous
January 01, 2003
good point keith, hadn't thought of that, though I was thinking about microsoft deployment models moving forward with Vista, Windows Server 2008 etc.Anonymous
January 01, 2003
Don't throw away that floppy drive just yet. Tried to install WinXP or Windows Server 2003 lately on one of the fancy schmancy new laptops with SATA drives and controllers? I so wish those operating systems supported installing drivers during setup from a USB stick or external USB attached drive.Anonymous
November 07, 2007
The comment has been removed