I've been accused of vulgarity. I say that's bullshit - Mel Brooks
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HP dumps Windows Home Server
FLOGGER OF EXPENSIVE PRINTER INK HP has pulled out of the Windows Home Server (WHS) market.
Its Mediasmart boxes had been faring well, offering a relatively well priced option to those who wanted a bit more than a basic network attached storage (NAS) box, but no longer. HP announced that it will stop developing products that run WHS, and will just sell off existing inventory and honour warranties.
The firm revealed that the Mediasmart development team has been disbanded and redeployed to other projects, including WebOS related projects.
Microsoft recently announced it will drop drive extender, a key feature of WHS, in its upcoming WHS 'Vail' release. That announcement was greeted with near universal consternation and now it seems that HP has dropped Microsoft.
HP recently signed an agreement to sell Data Robotics' well marketed but overpriced Drobo NAS box through its direct sales website. This tends to suggest that instead of using resources to produce its own consumer storage products, HP will be reselling other manufacturers' products in that market.
HP apparently is also redirecting its software development resources to embrace WebOS and will be working to get some truly interesting products out the door.
For Microsoft, HP's announcement is likely to be a bitter blow as it readies the launch of its next version of WHS with a least one less feature. Although it has other partners, HP's extensive retail channel provided a significant showcase for WHS.
This shows that OEMs are starting to join customers in shunning the Vole's operating systems and repetitive churn marketing model for extracting large amounts of cash into its coffers. µ
Tags: Microsoft
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I currently have a WHS (2003) system and a FreeNAS system, and was testing WHS (Vail) beta. There's no longer any reason for me to continue to test Vail, since MS has removed the only thing that made it desirable. My existing WHS system will be relegated to merely providing remote access to my home network, and all data moved to the FreeNAS server.
Only the crappy little frills that make for little more constant nuisance and security holes. But M$ has so little sense that now it's ripping out *major* features.
So I'm one of those consternated... er, consterned? (My old-fashioned off-line dictionary informs that -nated is correct.) -- Anyway, I'm puzzled. My only guess is that M$ thinks, in their characteristic sole focus on money, that dropping the feature will somehow lead to more sales of WHS.
It was a product that was so expensive any technically competent person would avoid and substitute an open-source OS for.
That's fixed it
This does not show that OEMs are starting to join customers in shunning the Vole's OSs- What is shows is that consumers didn't understand the product, couldn't afford the product (as it cost $400+) and didn't buy the product.
Sales were abismal and stores that carried it quickly STOPPED carrying it.
It is a product that is just too techy for everyday people.