Microsofts Hardware

[techpro]

Who supplies Microsofts hardware i.e. PCs, Servers, Printers etc?

I was just wondering I have no particular reason for asking. It would be interesting to know.

Thanks

Matt

[Kareeser]

Could you be more specific? I don't think Microsoft makes PCs, Servers, or Printers :)

[techpro]

Sorry the hardware they use at the company itself, in their offices.

[mairving]

I'm pretty sure that they use Mac's, hehe.

[blue60007]

Heheh, I'm sure they use whatever was cheapest.

[Panama Red]

Somewhere I've seen pics of MS offices and I remember a bunch of Dell stuff.

[HAL9000]

I'll e-mail my cousin and ask him what they are using in their Dallas office.

[Kareeser]

I just asked my cousin, and indeed, she claims that most of the desktops they use are Dells. (She's in the Redmond area)

Perhaps they get special discounts and better tech support :P

[HAL9000]

Probably, but with OEM copies of Windows, they would get thier Windows support from Dell :rolleyes:

[blue60007]

Haha, I bet they did outsourc their Windows support to someone else. :rolleyes:

[techpro]

Hehe Dell, Thanks Guys

[mbossman2]

BTW, Microsoft has very strong ties and relationships with most of the major hardware and software vendors and while they do have "standardized" equipment (like Dell), they also have significant installations (for testing purposes) of just about every other piece of mainstream hardware as well as software.

[HAL9000]

OK.. got my reply...looks like Dell is quite commonly used.

[David M]

Interesting....I wonder just how much beta testing they do of their own software on machines other than Dell's?....perhaps this is part of the problem?...not enough? Do the beta testers outside the company have much if any impact on software design? Sorry to get a little off topic but this does bring up the question.

[mbossman2]

from a networking perspective, MS tests their changes to the O/S's against a wide range of equipment to ensure adherence to the major interpretations of the various networking standards (believe it or not, even tho standards are that, there are slight variations amongst vendors + some select enhancements as competitive differentiators).

I know that the reverse also takes place: hardware(actually software) changes play well with the various flavors of windows.