December has always been a meaningful month. A month of firsts, which is ironic for the last month of the year. For many it is a time for reflection – looking back on the year that was while looking ahead to the year that will be. December is a month of holidays and relaxation, which is preceded by the mad dash to get our work projects done before the holidays, our holiday shopping finished before we stop to spend time with our families. It is on December 31st that Old Man Last Year hands the baton off to Baby New Year.
While so much of December may feel hectic, it is the balance between frantic and relaxation, the old and the new that best demonstrates the balance that we need to enjoy our lives. We start the month with angst and end it with festivities. We need to balance our lives if they are to be sustainable.
In December we think back to those we have worked with over the year, and hopefully with fondness remember those who have helped us. The IT Evangelism Team at Microsoft Canada has worked with so many communities and individuals across the country that it is easy to lose track. We have spoken at user group events in almost every city across the country, held IT camps in almost as many, and even thrown a party or two here and there.
And as we close out the year we want to express our appreciation to you and say Thank You! Thank you for your help, your support, your feedback and most importantly your engagement!
Get 800 Microsoft points to redeem for movies, games, TV shows and more….Hurry, time and quantities are limited
As you may have seen over the past couple of months we have been doing our best to provide hands on experiences with Windows Server 2012, one of the best ways we've found to do this is by promoting our free software evaluations (trials) of those products. This is no different, we really want to make sure that everyone gets a chance to get hands on and try out Windows Server 2012 for themselves. As an extra incentive to get that download, we're offering 800 Microsoft Points to the first 1450 Canadians who do it before December 31, 2012.*
There are a few key steps to follow to make sure you get your points:
Step 1: Start with this link: http://www.microsoft.com/canada/web/windows-server/ and Sign in with your Microsoft ID (the old Windows Live ID, like the one you use for Hotmail, or Xbox) and fill in any missing information on the page. We need this info to get you your points and for reporting.
Step 2: Fill in any missing info on the page, read the Terms and Conditions and then click on Finish at the bottom of the page.
Step 3: You’ll be taken to the Download page for Windows Server 2012. Click on the Download Now button for either the ISO or VHD evaluation.
Step 4: Another page will pop up with the info you already entered from before, all you need to do here is make sure the information is accurate, especially the email address. It needs to be the same as what you used earlier. That’s what we use to match the registration to the download and that’s how we send you your Microsoft points.
Step 5: Finish the download and you’ll be sent your Microsoft points in a few weeks (or so) and you can enjoy some great entertainment like Movies, Games or TV Shows. But hurry, we have a limited number and they run out on December 31st, 2012!
We thank you for all of the work you have done over the past year to make your communities flourish. Thank you for helping us to succeed in your city. Now we hope that you take time off to spend with your friends, family, loved ones. Relax a little – you deserve it. There will be plenty of time to resume the work-life balance in January; for the last half of December take some time to enjoy yourself.
From our families to yours – from Ryan, Chris, Pierre, Mitch, and all of the people who support us – thank you, and have a happy holiday season whatever holiday you celebrate.
* For complete Terms and Conditions, please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/canada/web/windows-server/. Offer good only in Canada to legal residents of Canada who have reached the age of majority in his/her province of residence. Offer runs from 12:01AM EST, December 17, 2012 until 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time, December 31, 2012, or when all the 1,450 gifts have been awarded.