why betas should be more open

>I think you'll find that an awful lot of people have legitimate copies of
>Windows Vista. Being careful in what I say, there's certainly a lot of
>people who "beta test" and many who use MSDN Subscriptions to get copies
>(but not necessarily beta test), but going off rough figures, there's well
>over 450,000 Microsoft Connect registered beta testers worldwide...
>
> ... so that's quite a few people, and don't forget there's a public
> preview next month as well )
>
> --
> Zack Whittaker
> » ZackNET Enterprises: www.zacknet.co.uk
> » MSBlog on ResDev: www.msblog.org
> » Vista Knowledge Base: www.vistabase.co.uk
> » This mailing is provided "as is" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights. All opinions expressed are those of myself unless stated so, and
> not
> of my employer, best friend, Ghandi, my mother or my cat. Glad we cleared
> that up!
>
> --: Original message follows :--
> "michael e dziatkowicz" <mnmma@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:drmdnRntbtfdJKbZRVn-rA@comcast.com...

>>I think betas should be more open because almost as soon as they are
>>released they find bugs they hadn't expected and they continue to find
>>bugs until the last person that used the program finally uninstalls it. I
>>know you will never totally get rid of all bugs but if the beta programs
>>were more open to the public from the get go and had more people filing
>>bug reports then maybe there would be less updates released a month after
>>the programs hit stores shelves because a critical bug was found.
>>
>> I'm not saying the answer is a totally open beta program because I'm not
>> sure what that would do the Microsoft's applications and how microsoft
>> could deal with that many people testing an application at once. I'm just
>> saying let more people test it. Don't limit it to 100,000 testers let
>> 1million test it if you can or it not 500,000 or 750,000 people test it.
>> Ok now let the comment period begin.
>>

>
>

> You SHOULDN'T have to pay for a BETA. It SHOULD be FREE. Sorry for the
> caps but I'm trying to make a point here. If it was release software then
> yes I'd be willing to pay for it, but since Microsoft won't let me into
> their operating systems or office betas I have to pay for their public
> previews. Also I can't afford to pay $700/year for msdn when they only
> release operating systems every 5 years now. What would I get in the other
> 4 years? I'm just trying to make a point. When I said a million I mean per
> application not whole company. Like 1 million testers for vista before it
> went public preview, same for office and ie. Then maybe when it goes to
> launch it wouldn't have so many critical bugs that cause x number of
> machines to crash when they install it on the first try.
>

> You don't have to pay for beta, you pay for MSDN which gets you a whole
> lot more than just beta software. The access to beta is just a bonus part
> of the package. Also, getting onto the full Tech Beta is free, you just
> have to be on the right website at the rigfht time, or know the right MS
> insiders.
>
> The only time I have ever paid anything for MS beta software was back in
> the Win98 public beta when I paid a shipping fee for the CD to be sent to
> me (no way was I going to download it with my dial-up).
>
> --
> </Slugsie>
> "michael e dziatkowicz" <mnmma@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:FaadnXEoWIYTX6bZRVn-gg@comcast.com...
>

>> You SHOULDN'T have to pay for a BETA. It SHOULD be FREE. Sorry for the
>> caps but I'm trying to make a point here. If it was release software then
>> yes I'd be willing to pay for it, but since Microsoft won't let me into
>> their operating systems or office betas I have to pay for their public
>> previews. Also I can't afford to pay $700/year for msdn when they only
>> release operating systems every 5 years now. What would I get in the
>> other 4 years? I'm just trying to make a point. When I said a million I
>> mean per application not whole company. Like 1 million testers for vista
>> before it went public preview, same for office and ie. Then maybe when it
>> goes to launch it wouldn't have so many critical bugs that cause x number
>> of machines to crash when they install it on the first try.
>>

>
>

> can someone here help me sign up for msdn so i can be a beta tester for
> Windows Vista?
>

> <banging head on wall>
>
> --
> </Slugsie>
> "Steven Wabik" <Stevenw45@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:O4$RZjYXGHA.752@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>> can someone here help me sign up for msdn so i can be a beta tester for
>> Windows Vista?
>>

>
>

> can someone here help me sign up for msdn so i can be a beta tester for Windows
> Vista?

> "Steven Wabik" <Stevenw45@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:O4$RZjYXGHA.752@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>> can someone here help me sign up for msdn so i can be a beta tester for
>> Windows Vista?

>
> Go to
>
> http://msdn1.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx
>
> and follow the directions. Be warned: It's not cheap!
>
> Tom Lake
>