Microsoft now considering Windows 10 patch notes — but only for enterprise customers
When Microsoft rolled Windows 10 out a month ago, it declared that patches and updates would be handled cumulatively, without much in the way of explanation, and that such patches would be mandatory for all Home users.
Pro users would be able to defer MS patches for a limited time, while Enterprise customers would have more flexibility.
In all cases, however, Microsoft decided to largely stop providing patch notes or any kind of information that detailed the contents of a non-security update, feature, or patch.
Now, the company is reportedly reconsidering that stance, but only for enterprise customers.
Jim Alkove, a VP in the Windows Group, has indicated that Microsoft is evaluating user feedback about its new policies.
“We’ve heard that feedback from enterprise customers,” Alkove said, “So we’re actively working on how we provide them with information about what’s changing and what new capabilities and new value they’re getting.”
The original plan, of course, was to provide no information at all for non-security updates.
Microsoft has been in the enterprise software industry for decades.
Windows NT 3.5 is twenty-one years old.
Redmond is fully aware that hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of servers and software infrastructure depend on its software for mission-critical uptime.
Its Server and Tools division delivers billions in yearly revenue and the company has prominently staked its future on cloud platforms and services, from Windows Azure to cloud-assisted rendering for the Xbox One.
Microsoft knows the enterprise market — and that means people within the company knew that the “Thank you sir, may I have another” approach to patching wasn’t going to sit well with enterprise customers.
The reason why such data isn’t being disclosed at this point is because Microsoft made a decision to cease offering them.
A recent Tweet from Gabriel Aul, VP of Windows Device Group Engineering Systems, may shed some light on why.
GabrielAul
If Microsoft isn’t maintaining this information, it stands to reason that it can’t release it.
The responses from various users, however, indicate that enterprise customers did find value in the previously provided information and want it to continue, particularly since updates are now mandatory.
The idea that the company is just learning about these issues for the very first time is farcical.
What actually happened is far more straightforward. Microsoft wanted to get rid of maintaining a database of information it feels adds very little value.
I don’t know how they arrived at that determination, or who championed it, but we can guess at why they did it.
Things like patch notes and update articles destroy the illusion of Windows-as-a-service.
Remember, according to Microsoft, there is no “Windows 10 w/ Service Pack 1.” There’s only Windows 10 — now, tomorrow, and forever.
Every version of Windows 10 is the only version of Windows 10. If the company has to provide patch notes or advanced information, it means acknowledging that not every device runs the latest version of Windows 10 in lockstep, and while MS has had to allow enterprise users the ability to configure their own patch practices to some extent, it clearly wants the Fortune 500 to swallow what it ships as quickly as possible.
Now that enterprise customers are demonstrating that no, they actually want this data, the company is backpedaling on the problem, but doesn’t want to admit having made a mistake.
Instead of saying “We screwed up,” it’s hiding behind the feedback excuse — as though looking ignorant is better.
For now, it looks like whatever information MS may release will be enterprise only.
There’s no word on whether the merely mortal will have access to the same pools of information or not.
Source
Pro users would be able to defer MS patches for a limited time, while Enterprise customers would have more flexibility.
In all cases, however, Microsoft decided to largely stop providing patch notes or any kind of information that detailed the contents of a non-security update, feature, or patch.
Now, the company is reportedly reconsidering that stance, but only for enterprise customers.
Jim Alkove, a VP in the Windows Group, has indicated that Microsoft is evaluating user feedback about its new policies.
“We’ve heard that feedback from enterprise customers,” Alkove said, “So we’re actively working on how we provide them with information about what’s changing and what new capabilities and new value they’re getting.”
The original plan, of course, was to provide no information at all for non-security updates.
The feedback excuse
The idea that Microsoft is just now learning that its enterprise customers want to know what’s in the patches they’re supposed to manage is so asinine, it beggars belief.Microsoft has been in the enterprise software industry for decades.
Windows NT 3.5 is twenty-one years old.
Redmond is fully aware that hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of servers and software infrastructure depend on its software for mission-critical uptime.
Its Server and Tools division delivers billions in yearly revenue and the company has prominently staked its future on cloud platforms and services, from Windows Azure to cloud-assisted rendering for the Xbox One.
Microsoft knows the enterprise market — and that means people within the company knew that the “Thank you sir, may I have another” approach to patching wasn’t going to sit well with enterprise customers.
The reason why such data isn’t being disclosed at this point is because Microsoft made a decision to cease offering them.
A recent Tweet from Gabriel Aul, VP of Windows Device Group Engineering Systems, may shed some light on why.
GabrielAul
If Microsoft isn’t maintaining this information, it stands to reason that it can’t release it.
The responses from various users, however, indicate that enterprise customers did find value in the previously provided information and want it to continue, particularly since updates are now mandatory.
The idea that the company is just learning about these issues for the very first time is farcical.
What actually happened is far more straightforward. Microsoft wanted to get rid of maintaining a database of information it feels adds very little value.
I don’t know how they arrived at that determination, or who championed it, but we can guess at why they did it.
Things like patch notes and update articles destroy the illusion of Windows-as-a-service.
Remember, according to Microsoft, there is no “Windows 10 w/ Service Pack 1.” There’s only Windows 10 — now, tomorrow, and forever.
Every version of Windows 10 is the only version of Windows 10. If the company has to provide patch notes or advanced information, it means acknowledging that not every device runs the latest version of Windows 10 in lockstep, and while MS has had to allow enterprise users the ability to configure their own patch practices to some extent, it clearly wants the Fortune 500 to swallow what it ships as quickly as possible.
Now that enterprise customers are demonstrating that no, they actually want this data, the company is backpedaling on the problem, but doesn’t want to admit having made a mistake.
Instead of saying “We screwed up,” it’s hiding behind the feedback excuse — as though looking ignorant is better.
For now, it looks like whatever information MS may release will be enterprise only.
There’s no word on whether the merely mortal will have access to the same pools of information or not.
Source
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