You didn't look at the DELL VOSTRO range then? Something for the desktop, laptop ... and with the mini, an excuse-for a-computer netbook, should you wish to be so crippled.
"I wanted a stylish but professional, lightweight PC with substantial RAM and disk space that wasn?t optimized for playing games and watching movies."
To the point of your article there is no such device ... the vendors haven't managed to design one yet. Either you accept the weight of something like a VOSTRO 1720 or the crippling of a netbook.
"Microsoft is working with PC makers including Dell, HP and Lenovo on them."
That will make a pleasant change: cooperating with OEM hardware designers.
"(The lag time between Windows 7?s general-availability date of October 22 and the availability of these new SMB PCs and guidelines isn?t a deal breaker.)"
Your parentheses. If you were to appear before my (any) (very small) board of directors announcing guidelines 'available 8 months after a flagship product release to the most important market segment' ... you would be looking for a new workplace
"For many SMB users, Windows 7 Professional is likely to be the right fit, Skinner said."
A small business is like a power user: both want remote desktop. We know it, M$ doesn't (or chooses to ignore the fact) and continues to twist itself and customers inside out with convoluted, unhelpful licensing constraints.
"Professional also includes XP Mode."
Thank you for the workaround ... but we just did remote desktop to an old PC running XP SP3 and it took less than a second intead of waiting for ages while the XP mode launched on the new. expensive 4-core PC we bought TO SPEED THINGS UP. Get back to us when you have a SOLUTION.
"Is Pro the right choice for every small business user? No, Skinner admitted."
Yes it is, Yes it is, Yes it is: everybody wants remote desktop. Have you got that yet?
"Watch for Microsoft to do more Windows 7 advertising to the SMB segment of the market."
Given M$'$ consistent record of crap advertising (the lovely Lauren excepted) ... can I pass?
"Any other SMB users have any feedback on what you would like to see, PC-wise and/or guideline-wise?"
We don't want no stinkin' watches. We don't want no stinkin' guidelines. We don't want no stinkin' marketing.
We want remote desktop, sensible licensing arrangements and decent hardware design.
When will you people learn?
