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What's wrong with this picture?
Answer: Nothing is wrong with this picture. There's nothing new here. Six years ago, Apple made a beta version of OS X available to anyone who wanted a copy.

Marketing gimmick? Not from my perspective. I thought it was pretty friggin' brilliant. The public beta gave customers a first-hand, hands-on preview of OS X, and opened up a huge feedback channel that enabled Apple to transform OS X into a stable, functional, more user-friendly product when it was finally released. If Microsoft uses feedback from Vista's public beta in the same way, it's hard to see how that can be anything other than mutually beneficial, both to Microsoft and its customers.

The timing on the Vista public beta does seem a bit short, though...at least relative to Apple's timing on the OS X public beta. Apple released the public beta in mid-September, 2000; OS X 10.0 was released in March, 2001. Given Microsoft's November 2006 business release and January 2007 consumer release targets, it's not entirely clear how Microsoft will incorporate all the changes prior to the proposed release targets even if only 5% of the beta testers (500,000 users) provide feedback.

Ah, well...perhaps Mikey's rep will be able to provide some valuable insight on that point.
Posted by: slingzenarrowzuvowtrayjissforchin   Posted on: 09/14/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Microsoft wants more Vista testers  Loverock Davidson | 09/14/06
Yeah special alright .  Intellihence | 09/14/06
You're wrong, he is special  Shelendrea | 09/15/06
Msoft can go to heellll  KrazyGuy | 09/18/06
Vista Testers  shiip47 | 09/18/06
M$ tester = sucker  Linux Geek | 09/14/06
Since when do people who use Linux  Shelendrea | 09/14/06
Intel Pays Them  mighetto | 09/14/06
O'damn Shelendrea ,  Intellihence | 09/14/06
No change actually  Shelendrea | 09/14/06
Big corporations take from Linux and not give back  HypnoToad | 09/14/06
This is not right, as many big companies have to and do  michael_t | 09/14/06
People who use the free OO s/w can contribute  michael_t | 09/14/06
You call me a sucker? Take it back.  Grayson Peddie | 09/14/06
Pay for Them Then  savatar | 09/14/06
People actaully PAY to be a MS tester  barsteward | 09/14/06
I didn't..  rabscuttle | 09/15/06
Testers discount  pmuller@... | 09/15/06
After all these years MICROSUCKS still can't buy a clue  BeGoneFool | 09/14/06
Snd & Fury, Signifying Nothing  savatar | 09/14/06
RE: MICROSUCKS still can't buy a clue  Protagonistic | 09/15/06
It's a marketing gimick...  Linux User 147560 | 09/14/06
...that costs them nothing, but....  jheine | 09/14/06
Ironically that is the  Linux User 147560 | 09/14/06
Vista Tester  bigjohnt@... | 09/18/06
error  bigjohnt@... | 09/18/06
Vista Tester  bigjohnt@... | 09/18/06
Vista Tester  bigjohnt@... | 09/18/06
Linux User is Linux Geek  Linux User 1 | 09/14/06
Southern Pride is Southern Fried  Shelendrea | 09/15/06
I agree . . .  jlhenry62 | 09/20/06
Addendum . . .  jlhenry62 | 09/20/06
marketing gimmick  rider of the storm | 09/14/06
Hey I don't get Vista betas  Michael L Hereid Sr | 09/15/06
What's wrong with this picture?  slingzenarrowzuvowtrayjissforchin | 09/14/06
Hence why it's a gimick...  Linux User 147560 | 09/14/06
The resident expert on things?  Linux User 1 | 09/14/06
Only thing is...  rabscuttle | 09/15/06
Yes this may be true  Linux User 147560 | 09/15/06
Nothing wrong with the timing  NonZealot | 09/14/06
But given their track record and the fact that  Linux User 147560 | 09/14/06
Mikies Rep  DarbyOhara | 09/14/06
I'm not Mike Cox, but . . .  jlhenry62 | 09/20/06
How much will they pay beta testers?  HypnoToad | 09/14/06
Resource Hog  majoritywhip | 09/14/06
Microsoft wants more Vista testers  vinay@... | 09/14/06
pay???????????  djlemas@... | 09/15/06
If 5,000,000 are needed to stomp out the BUGS, HOW MANY BUGS are  michael_t | 09/14/06
The more the merrier  rabscuttle | 09/15/06
I am willing to feedback to free s/w developers of any defects I run  michael_t | 09/15/06
Stop and think about it-with more than 17Million + XP computers  Michael L Hereid Sr | 09/15/06
Ofcourse the more the crash dummies used the more defects  michael_t | 09/15/06
hardware is the problem here.......  amj2006 | 09/15/06
Actually, . . .  jlhenry62 | 09/20/06
Sounds like a job for an engineer  BALTHOR | 09/15/06
Have you tried RC1 yet  Michael L Hereid Sr | 09/15/06
Ain't so  bigjohnt@... | 09/18/06
What's the benfit?  erik.deyo@... | 09/15/06
Yes  TripleII | 09/15/06
RC1 will work till June of 2007  Michael L Hereid Sr | 09/15/06
Vista is a pain  Roostin | 09/15/06
You're right...  rabscuttle | 09/15/06
I don't think UAC is annoying in RC1  Michael L Hereid Sr | 09/15/06
Been down this road before. Why they have to beg for more testers.  craiglarry@... | 09/15/06
Why they have to beg for more testers.  linkerm@... | 09/15/06
Believe it or not  Herb3 | 09/18/06
Not!.  E34touring | 09/20/06
I will test Vista when...  TimeBomb | 09/15/06
give Windows Vista a try.  stephengoteven@... | 09/16/06
vista  twest_z | 09/18/06
Vista RC1 installation problem  gwthornt | 09/18/06
I might be tempted  jflash_z | 09/18/06
Vista Beta testers  pupuk@... | 09/18/06
Looks nice: but then.....  mistywindow | 09/18/06
do you get Vista for free if you test?  glassangel | 09/18/06

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