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How to join Vista beta program without paying $$?

One of the MS guys here said that the Vista Beta program is going public within the next few weeks. That's what I am waiting for...
 
Still, I think that means that the general public can have the privilege to pay $30-$50 for a Beta copy, and *may* get an offer to upgrade to a final copy after the official release.
 
How pathetic! :roll:

It's bad enough people out there pirate released software, but now we see some loser trying to get away with not paying for a Beta that Microsoft offers at a minimal price. Truly sad. :|
 
Still, I think that means that the general public can have the privilege to pay $30-$50 for a Beta copy, and *may* get an offer to upgrade to a final copy after the official release.
Click to expand...
I never heard anything about charging to run the beta (so long as you download it and dont expect media).

They have made no official "offer to upgrade" (even to those of us who have been beta testing since early on).
One of the MS guys here said that the Vista Beta program is going public within the next few weeks.
Click to expand...
That's correct, the public beta will happen very soon.
 
WHoever said you need to pay for the beta needs shooting in the head

Whoever believed them needs some help too...
 
Microsoft HAS charged to participate in specific beta programs in the past. Also, in the case of XP x64, final-version software was offered to the beta program participants. This is a common practice.
 
Seriously.... I know of no product that they or any other company in the world has charged for a beta version.

XP64 was available as a free public download for months (6 months trial version if I remember right)
 
Originally posted by: Ichinisan
Still, I think that means that the general public can have the privilege to pay $30-$50 for a Beta copy, and *may* get an offer to upgrade to a final copy after the official release.
Click to expand...

WTF are you talking about?
 
Originally posted by: CZroe
...in the case of XP x64, final-version software was offered to the beta program participants. This is a common practice.
Click to expand...
Yes this is somewhat common, but the MSFT folks will neither confirm or deny that it will happen with Vista.
 
Originally posted by: Seeruk
Seriously.... I know of no product that they or any other company in the world has charged for a beta version.
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I remember Microsoft charging $20 or so to deliver the MS Office 2003 Beta around June of 2003. But this was more of a "Preview" version of Office 2003, rather than a "beta". I think that the Gold version of Office 2003 was pretty much the same as this paid beta.
 
Originally posted by: timswim78
One of the MS guys here said that the Vista Beta program is going public within the next few weeks. That's what I am waiting for...
Click to expand...
It did, last week for a few hours. I downloaded Vista. I discussed this in another thread. Luck click, I guess.

 
Originally posted by: CZroe
Microsoft HAS charged to participate in specific beta programs in the past. Also, in the case of XP x64, final-version software was offered to the beta program participants. This is a common practice.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I beta'd Windows Defender and was offered a retail version for $19.95 about three weeks ago.

 
Originally posted by: Billb2
Originally posted by: timswim78
One of the MS guys here said that the Vista Beta program is going public within the next few weeks. That's what I am waiting for...
Click to expand...
It did, last week for a few hours. I downloaded Vista. I discussed this in another thread. Luck click, I guess.
Click to expand...
Microsoft either made a mistake, or (much more likely) you are in a special beta program. It most certainly did not "go public" in any normal fashion, as you have been told in the other thread already.
 
I was in the XP open beta and I never got charged a cent. I did have the option to pay like $6 bucks and have them ship me a CD with XP on it.
 
Originally posted by: ProviaFan
Originally posted by: Billb2
Originally posted by: timswim78
One of the MS guys here said that the Vista Beta program is going public within the next few weeks. That's what I am waiting for...
Click to expand...
It did, last week for a few hours. I downloaded Vista. I discussed this in another thread. Luck click, I guess.
Click to expand...
Microsoft either made a mistake, or (much more likely) you are in a special beta program. It most certainly did not "go public" in any normal fashion, as you have been told in the other thread already.
Click to expand...

OK, if you have MSDN you should already be running Beta 2.

If you don't have MSDN, you probably signed up for the MS Technet crap, which is effectively everyone else in this world who cares to run Vista..

You can't get it for free YET.. unless you resorted to illegal measures.
 
[/quote]
Microsoft either made a mistake, or (much more likely) you are in a special beta program. It most certainly did not "go public" in any normal fashion, as you have been told in the other thread already.[/quote]

OK, if you have MSDN you should already be running Beta 2.

If you don't have MSDN, you probably signed up for the MS Technet crap, which is effectively everyone else in this world who cares to run Vista..

You can't get it for free YET.. unless you resorted to illegal measures.[/quote]Wrong on both counts. I just wandered over to MS, looked for a beta Vista download, signed up to be a Vista beta tester (was not technet, which I am familiar with) and downloaded....really, I'm just a civilian.

 
Originally posted by: Billb2
Click to expand...
Microsoft either made a mistake, or (much more likely) you are in a special beta program. It most certainly did not "go public" in any normal fashion, as you have been told in the other thread already.[/quote]

OK, if you have MSDN you should already be running Beta 2.

If you don't have MSDN, you probably signed up for the MS Technet crap, which is effectively everyone else in this world who cares to run Vista..

You can't get it for free YET.. unless you resorted to illegal measures.[/quote]Wrong on both counts. I just wandered over to MS, looked for a beta Vista download, signed up to be a Vista beta tester (was not technet, which I am familiar with) and downloaded....really, I'm just a civilian.

[/quote]



if what you say is true, please provide us a link to where we can sign up at.
 
Originally posted by: SKORPI0
Originally posted by: sonoma1993
...........................
if what you say is true, please provide us a link to where we can sign up at.
Click to expand...
here
Click to expand...


When you go there it states:

The Windows Vista Beta is not yet available. The Beta Experience newsletter will inform you about the availability of the Windows Vista Beta.
Click to expand...

pcgeek11
 
Actually, Here

You must have a Live or Passport account. You may apply to be a tester (not assured of being accepted). Also note that Connect folks are allowed to apply to many other betas. I am also doing some of the Expressions betas (so open, some CTP).

As for paying, not. Free. There are cases where if you want the physical media, you will be charged. That is true with SPs too. In the latest CTP, by selecting NOT to get the media (DVD), we were allowed to enter a drawing for a trip for 2 to the Vista intro.
 
Originally posted by: gsellis
Actually, Here

You must have a Live or Passport account. You may apply to be a tester (not assured of being accepted). Also note that Connect folks are allowed to apply to many other betas. I am also doing some of the Expressions betas (so open, some CTP).

As for paying, not. Free. There are cases where if you want the physical media, you will be charged. That is true with SPs too. In the latest CTP, by selecting NOT to get the media (DVD), we were allowed to enter a drawing for a trip for 2 to the Vista intro.
Click to expand...



Nada.. its not availabe as one of the Connect programs to apply for beta testing..
wrong again..


 
Originally posted by: jlbenedict
Originally posted by: gsellis
Actually, Here

You must have a Live or Passport account. You may apply to be a tester (not assured of being accepted). Also note that Connect folks are allowed to apply to many other betas. I am also doing some of the Expressions betas (so open, some CTP).

As for paying, not. Free. There are cases where if you want the physical media, you will be charged. That is true with SPs too. In the latest CTP, by selecting NOT to get the media (DVD), we were allowed to enter a drawing for a trip for 2 to the Vista intro.
Click to expand...

Nada.. its not availabe as one of the Connect programs to apply for beta testing..
wrong again..
Click to expand...
I have it in My Participation, so I will take your word that you can no longer apply.
 
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