Softwares-Supplier

Because of the Exchange, Office and Vista product "eat dog food" bring significant effect testing, Microsoft began to promote it, called "7 x 24 promote" activities. Microsoft says, as long as its employees to be able to use these Microsoft Office 2007 software products 24 months, can save a total of 7 million hours of production time. Markezich smile said the company’s official estimates or too modest, the conclusion is at least less well for 10 million hours.

But, Markezich also admitted that when you try to push those who have their own daily assignments to complete the company staff to search for potential software Bug, things don’t always so smoothly.

"A lot of times, as the company’s CIO, you will be received an angry employees to you. He will be able to complain loudly roar loud: you you fucking kill me! I was going to do to the customer product introduction, it is for this damn new Office 2010 software out of the question, I will do anything! Whenever this time, we had to comfort them: you actually through this thing for the company to create more value, the value than you can from the client body created to more much. Because you find a potential problems and improve the quality of the products, so that 10 million other customers won’t encounter in the future to the same question."

When it comes to the future planning, Markezich is expected to have more and more products in Microsoft Office 2007 will carry on internal "eat dog food" test. And, he also said in the requirements of the harsh business applications use Beta Co., is actually very software worth the money.

Finally, he humorously said: "I am very anxiously waiting for one day we can psu on Xbox on to eat dog food testing. Although the board of directors of the company still has not approved the request!"

There are 1000 Microsoft employees are running the company code "stone bow (Crossbow)" the next generation of Office 2007 Windows Mobile operating System, and 7000 sets of formerly known as "Systems Management Server v4", now named "System Configuration Center Manager 2007" of the System are running. In addition, there are more than 3000 computers running Microsoft Operations Manager "next generation" of the computer is being deployed in.

When we ask him to elaborate on Microsoft from "eat dog food" plans that won any good, Mr. Markezich eyes once become excited. He said the up, his team is not only in Microsoft products have the best guarantee quality aspects played a crucial role, Microsoft itself in the first time to use the best of the latest software.

"Once we launched in 2003, I transactions through eat dog food, will run the test old version of the Exchange 74 servers, cut to 7 machine running the Microsoft Office 2007 new Exchange server. Now, I just need to 4 sets running the latest version of Exchange server, can be completed before the same work." Mr. Markezich explained, "so, in fact, I eat dog food, means that I will be the fastest speed in the new software for the most benefits."

"I found that my employees and customers, the most satisfied with those who are our most stressed eat dog food testing." he emphasized that said, "to be honest, when an employee found a problem, we will be very glad to–as long as this occurred in the RTM before."

Once Windows XP Service Pack 2 in internal test, Microsoft has more than 60000 computer running the system. Markezich hope in Vista issued a formal, at least before have the same number of computers in the test Vista. According to Markezich statistics, to the middle of June this year, Microsoft has more than 16000 of Windows Vista Beta Co., and the 2 test 25000 Office 2007 Beta Co. two of those tested.

"Every product, we all have a dedicated team is responsible for its test in the management process." Mr. Markezich said. "when we begin to Microsoft Office 2007 Vista Beta Co. test of the 2, we would rush to the hallway to shout: hey, you guys, come to rob new released Vista 2!!!!! The work of Beta Co. role as missionaries, half you want to summon people to trial new products; and the other half, like a mouthpiece, you need to give the product development team to collect and organize information feedback-in the end, we will decide what a version of the software will be formally to market."

Generally speaking, a software product from the original alpha stage to the final production (RTM), will experience eight different stages of the testing. And then, in the final production, Microsoft will also be comprehensive in internal company deployed this software products.

Although now Markezich supervision and great number of Microsoft Office 2010 products simultaneously "eat dog food" inspection, but he is still in an orderly way. In addition to the processing of the above mentioned Vista and Office outside, now there are 12 in Exchange to run on a 6000 email, and more than 30 Longhorn running the web server suite.