1. Microsoft’s Tyler Bryson

By far the most far-reaching story of the week was the headache caused by looming changes to Microsoft’s partner program. Partners say the revamped program has unrealistic conditions to achieve the same recognition they now hold. Adding to partners’ angst is the Oct. 1 date Microsoft has established for the new program to take effect. Because that’s less than six months from now, partners say they have little time for them to prepare.

Tyler Bryson, Microsoft’s corporate VP for U.S. global partner solutions, made waves for saying that the pushback didn’t surprise him. Speaking to a ballroom of partners during a keynote session at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, Bryson said: “We know change is hard.” He went on to emphasize: “This is not the removal of benefits for anyone. This is about starting, in October, a means for our partners to really start to differentiate themselves in our six course solution areas.”

Read Jeffrey Schwartz’s story to discover what criticisms partners have about the program.