Why oh Why did I stay up to get Vista?

Oh, that's easy. I wanted to see how many other crazy small business people stayed up to midnight to get Vista. Has Microsoft created "froth" in the small business community?

Strolled down to the local Best Buy just before Midnight to find out. Should have been in bed, but a personal invitation from my Best Buy for Business guy overrode my practical judgement.

There were 35-45 non staff in the store, looking like lost sheep waiting for some one to open the gate to their favorite pasture. Mostly hobbiests and geeks. Did not see anyone I would classify as accountants and business owners. Perhaps they bought a "Geek" outfit so they could be there incognito. Susan Bradley, our beloved accountant/geek mix, could probably tell us. My Best Buy for Business guy was NOT there, How did he get out of this? He invited me! Ryan, I will wring your neck!

Midnight came and went with no Vista. Maybe the truck was late? Flat tire on the Interstate? Cargo hijacked and driven to Mexico where the duplicating factories are waiting? Oh, good. They brought out the boxes! Best Buy's version of a dramatic pause, I guess. Finally, they started selling at 12:15. Darn, I did not win the HP laptop giveaway. Now I needed something to lift my spirits. Good that I found a couple of things...

1) I got to buy a "Signature Edition" copy of Vista. I didn't even know about these. Bill is supposed to have signed all 25K copies himself. Yep, it has a serial number on the front to tell which one it is out of 25 thousand. I dunno. If he signed it, he is the lightest writer I have ever seen. Hold it so the light reflects off the signature area and you will see NO indication of indention. Looks printed to me.

2) Ran into a Windows MVP in the parking lot and found out about the "Family Pak". If you have multiple computers at home, this is a great deal! If you buy any retail copy of Vista Ultimate (Full or Retail), you can go to this website and buy up to TWO copies of Home Premium upgrade for $50 each. The product keys will be digitally delivered to you and you can use your Ultimate media to install the Home Premium copies.

CAUTION : Do not get IMPATIENT while loading Vista. This public service announcement (eh, WARNING!) was handed to everyone that purchased Vista. Nice of Best Buy to make sure that your first experience with Vista is not a blown computer.

Yes, folks. The Ultimate Edition comes in Black. I guess that makes it as exclusive as American Express's "Black Card". Thanks to Brian for his Vista modeling skills. He is really taken with the shiny case. I would call him a monkey, but then I would need to go to Vlad's School of Monkey Management. Brian really is a great guy. Brian, remember this at raise time.

** After all the fun I had, did I answer my question? Is business waiting for Vista? About as much as a poke in the eye with a sharp stick! Forced change, while beneficial in the long run, is painly in the near term and always distracts from sales, marketing, and customer service. In regards to Vista, very few businesses will embrace it today. That is today's answer. Perhaps it will be different 6 months after the launch.

EDIT - 1/31/2006
Thanks Susan for those wonderful comments. Yes, I am an Uber Geek. But a Business Uber Geek. That means that, since I run my own company, I can relate to my clients about how the introduction of new technology can affect the immediate cash flow in the form of lost productivity. A new technology must be compelling to get a client to suffer that pain. We will have to talk them into it by the use of practical examples that WE have experienced.