Archive for November, 2011

Note: Be careful with AppleTV remote. It’s a IR transmitter and it can be used to communicate with the MacBookPro. Get these two in close vicinity as you scroll down the AppleTV menus, you will find yourself turning the sound down on your MBP!

Today I did (YET) another AppleTV update. Each time one pops up my heart beats with hopeful expectation that this £99 unit will actually one day meet my excessive expectations.

So here’s what does & doesn’t work:

(more…)

Today I want to start a campaign within the VMware Community…

I would like to see VMware re-instate the “VMTN Subscription”. You might ask, what the hell is that? That would be fair enough because it was withdrawn many years ago, and never re-instated by VMware.

The VMTN Subscription (I found this link on Google which is still active posted in 2005) was similar to Microsoft MSDN or TechNet – where for relatively small yearly fee you could download the core enterprise software and run it for 1year. Right now there is whole legion of home-labbers out there that have to make do and mend with evaluations that expire after 60-days. Sadly, the VMTN Subscription program was cancelled in 2007 and never re-instated.

Now as former VMware Certified Instructor and vExpert – if I wanted NFR style licenses I can get to them. Although I would have to say throughout all my time working with VMware its been also been a struggle gaining access to software and licenses – as independent guy not affiliated to partner…. That’s mainly because an evaluation download doesn’t always give me access to ALL the software I need to do my kind of work. It’s often been a frustration, and I’ve often need to call upon my personal network to get hold of bits that seemed impossible to get through legitimate means. My concern is not so much for myself as I’m generally a well-connected dude – but for the many thousands of loyal VMware supports in their homelabs. VMware has one of the best user communities on the planet. I personally believe that without the “bottom up” support of thousands of enthusiasts who teach themselves VMware in their home labs, who then go on to recommend software to the customers, clients and businesses – VMware wouldn’t be as half as successful as it is without this legion of unpaid evangelist for their cause.

So, VMware. Bring back the VMTN Subscription or make it part of the VMUG Advantage package.

If you want to register your thoughts/views/opinions for this idea – add your +1 to this forum post here.

Before I begin a big thank you to all the sponsors of this years SwagBag…

A particular thanks goes to the Dell Equallogic team who brought over a huge cooler bag of goodies!

…AND MANY MANY MORE!

(more…)

Yesterday saw the first ever UK-wide VMware User Group Summit/Conference. We kicked off the night before with a vBeers and vCurry at the event location – The National Motorcycle Museum.

The next day we kicked off with the event itself.