Letters to Redmond
January Reader Letters: VMware Beware
In his November column ("Is VMware the Next Netscape?"), Doug Barney asked readers: "What's your take on the future of VMware?" Here, readers reply.
Nope, VMware is not the next Netscape -- but it is the next Novell. VMware will still be around in 10 years due to the cost of its product, but will be considered a dinosaur by the IT industry. Microsoft has name and flair, Citrix has performance and a tight relationship with Microsoft. VMware won't be able to keep up with performance, won't have the Microsoft name and will price itself out of the market.
Alan Lantz
Rogers, Ark.
We're a small business with 60 to 70 users, and we use VMware for our virtualization solution. My hope is that the company doesn't take the entire product to a level that leaves me having to reinvent the wheel and switch to another hypervisor. At this time we're happy with the performance and the VMware product. It will be interesting where the company heads next.
Edward L. Bailey
Livonia, Mich.
The vCloud API created by VMware is a Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) open standard and will provide the ability to use any hypervisor -- even Microsoft Hyper-V. Also, the hypervisor itself is not the issue anymore. Everyone gives it away for free, including VMware -- the value is now about all the additional capabilities that provide elasticity, availability, mobility and so on.
Also, in regard to Microsoft taking down Netscape: One reason it won't be the same for VMware is Paul Maritz. Let's not forget that he knows the Microsoft game quite well; look up his background. VMware is well-positioned to combat Microsoft's fear, uncertainty, doubt -- and its marketing machine.
But Barney's point about arrogance is well taken. VMware needs to continue to innovate and remain modest and be open to media, partners and customers.
Rupen
received via e-mail
2010 Improvements
In our December cover story, "10 for 10," Redmond editors compiled a list titled "10 Best Things Microsoft Did in 2010." Here, readers share their reactions to the list.
Visual Studio has improved dramatically and in my opinion is an awesome product. SQL Server 2008 is very easy to install and use as well. I found the migration from ASP 3 to ASP.NET easy to do with the tools provided in Visual Studio. Good job Microsoft.
Denny
Murrieta, Calif.
I sure miss some of the features that Visual Studio 2010 doesn't include -- like a usable help system. As a C++ server developer, most of the other features just don't do much for me. Visual Studio 2010 doesn't allow me the option to only install the components I want -- another step down from Visual Studio 2008. I can understand why more and more companies are abandoning Microsoft server development.
Frank
New York City, N.Y.
I'm so sick of the "cloud" buzzword being used for anything that has a tangential relationship to the Internet. That said, the Office Web Apps are very good. They're still not desktop office replacements, but they're way better than Google Docs. Windows Azure is a cool idea in theory, but with virtualization getting so cheap and easy, I think adoption will be a lot slower than maybe some realize. Still, I think Windows Azure is a fantastic choice for small shops.
Timothy
posted online
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This page is compiled by the editors of Redmond magazine from your letters. Write to us at [email protected] and if your letter is printed in the magazine, you'll be entered into a drawing for a free Redmond T-shirt.