“Thousands of Microsoft customers are running into problems understanding and applying the myriad Microsoft Daylight Saving Time (DST) patches required in order to keep their Windows, Exchange Server and other systems up-to-date when DST takes effect on March 11,” Mary Jo Foley blogs for ZDNet.
Foley reports, “Microsoft’s online DST chat room — which Microsoft is currently keeping open from 6 a.m. PST to 9 p.m. PST to handle customers’ questions — is full of customers who can’t get their DST patches to work. Microsoft support phone lines are jammed with users with DST problems.”
“‘The workstation patches are easy, the stand alone Outlook tool is no big deal. If you’re running Exchange and you try to run the Exchange update tool 930879, good luck. It’s a crap shot,’ said Microsoft customer Paul Marsh,” Foley reports.
Foley reports, “Users with Windows 2000, Exchange 2000 and Exchange 5.5 — products that are no longer in mainstream support and thus are no longer covered under standard Microsoft support agreements are realizing that they need to pay Microsoft $4,000 in order to obtain DST patches for these products.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “JadisOne” for the heads up.]
Thousands of Microsoft customers running into problems is clockwork.
If they haven’t already, Windows-only suffers should be coming to a sad realization. Cancel or Allow?
MacDailyNews Note: On February 15, Apple released free Daylight Saving Time Updates for Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and 10.3 Panther which addressed recent changes in the way Daylight Saving Time will be observed in the U.S. and Canada beginning in March 2007 and includes the latest time zone information for the rest of the world.
Apple’s Daylight Saving Time Updates are available via Software Update and also as standalone installers:
• Daylight Saving Time Update (Tiger): http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/daylightsavingtimeupdatetiger.html
• Daylight Saving Time Update (Panther): http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/daylightsavingtimeupdatepanther.html
Daylight Saving Time Fix 1.0 for earlier versions of Mac OS X: http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macos/32030
Related article:
Apple releases Daylight Saving Time Updates (10.4 Tiger and 10.3 Panther) – February 15, 2007
Too damn funny, No Squirt For You!
Oh, and No Squirt For You, your post is vaguely reminiscent of the humor of someone who went by the name of Ampar. Ampar suddenly disappeared from the MDN forums back in the fall. Hmmmmmm……
FYI, the Microsoft problem with DST patches actually does affect Mac users; those who use Entourage from Microsoft Office.
See: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/dst_prodlist
I switched to Mac about two weeks ago and installed Microsoft Office 2004 for compatibility with an employer who uses Word.
This makes me very happy I chose to use Mail rather than Entourage.
Keepin’ it vague, Cubert. Just like a good, twisted Mac freak.
Yes, but Windows does not come with the built in ability to sync to a time server. I know 2000 does not and I don’t think XP can either.
So you mean where it says, “Sync with internet time server” in the Date and Time settings in my Windows XP workstation somehow doesn’t work? That’s news to me.
It seems some people can screw up a wet dream. We applied the DST patches to our Windows Server and Exchange boxes at work with nary a glitch. The client boxes were automatically updated via Windows Update. 14 servers, 390 workstations, all running Windows, not one problem.
Move on – nothing to rant and rave about here except sys admins that don’t know how to read.
Just leave them in the dark—Oh, wait–they’re already there.
But seriously, folks, has MS ever said what the frickin’ $4000 is for? Certainly can’t just be for the patch. That would be rediculous. Just plain rediculous.
Okay, I just answered my own question here:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=288
And I must say, IT IS JUST FRICKIN’ RIDICULOUS!
My favorite part was this:
Microsoft explains:
“For products that have entered into the Extended Support phase, Microsoft will provide customers with the opportunity to purchase the DST 20007 hotfix at a reduced price of Four Thousand Dollars (US $4,000). Customers will only be charged a single fee of $4,000 to obtain all hotfixes, for products in Extended Support phase, needed to update their systems for DST 2007.
“For customers who have previously purchased DST 2007 hotfixes for products in Extended Support, Microsoft will reimburse the difference to them under the new pricing category.”
A Microsoft spokesman said that the $4,000 price represents a substantial discount.
“Originally, all the out-of-support patches were $40,000 each. However, we realized this hardship and lowered the price to $4,000 for ALL THE DST PATCHES for our customers best interest. The $4,000 is to just cover costs,” he said.
Any self-respecting Windows apologist would have to admit that Microsoft charging for updating DST is blatantly avaricious and bungling the job indefensible. Daylight savings time or not, the clock is ticking for Microsoft.
The reason I asked about OS 9 is that I have clients still running it on production systems.
We all like to talk about how long Macs last compared to Windoze boxes. These customers are living proof. As long as it still works and gets the job done, they are not going to spend the money to replace those olds Macs. Upgrades cost money, and they are in business to make money. Always remeber that when contemplating upgrades.
One of the keyboards has been used so much, there is a “dent” in the right side of the spacebar from being pressed probably millions of times.
I’m amazed Microsoft hasn’t patented time…
…after all, they copy everything else and try to own it!
It’s 4:30 something and my Mac’s got the right time on it.
First question with MS is getting the patch.
Second question: Does it work?
We’ll find out in a few hours, I’d wager. Or at the latest, Monday morning.
Looks like DST worked without a hitch on my machines.
no problem here, either
no problem here, either
no problem here, either
@ BJH : nicely stated. Journalism is supposed to be objective and unbiased. Not Fannoy coverage.
Fanboy : pardon my thumbs.