Microsoft To Skip Vista Beta 2

Spinner

Microsoft is planning to rely more on Community Technology Previews for development feedback on Windows Vista, and has two new test builds planned for the next two calendar quarters. There will be no single, catch-all Beta 2 of Vista. Instead, Microsoft is planning to rely increasingly on the CTP builds to get its feedback from Windows testers.

The latest and next two Vista CTPs all will be labeled as "Beta 2" releases. But Allchin said there won't be a single, traditional Beta 2 or any kind of usual "Release Candidates" for Vista as the product moves toward its release to manufacturing, which is still on track for the second half of this year. It will be all CTPs from here on out.

Source: Microsoft Watch

Qeldroma

Spinner wrote:

... Microsoft is planning to rely increasingly on the CTP builds to get its feedback from Windows testers. ...

I'm an MSDN subscriber with a handful of others in my department doing things from GUIs to device drivers- and I/we have no idea who these people are. EDIT ADDED: More fundamentally, I don't think they have much of an idea of who we are either :END EDIT. We only get the betas. I think "we will get more of what Microsoft wants" and not the other way around.

Shorty

CTP are publically downloadable "timebombed" versions of future product. The testers are the people who download & try the software. Microsoft seem more keen than ever to get everyone interested in their next gen products... using them even at beta stages

Qeldroma

Shorty wrote:

CTP are publically downloadable "timebombed" versions of future product. The testers are the people who download & try the software. Microsoft seem more keen than ever to get everyone interested in their next gen products... using them even at beta stages

Shorty, you are right and I respect you greatly- hope you're still "walking" great BTW. Just know my thoughts of you as I write this.

I was an XP RC tester and fundamentally- this is no different- except MS now doesn't even have to spend the $ on DK releases.

Professionally speaking- in your profession, you may be able to have things spoonfed to you over the internet, but in mine we can't afford to have a critical update to the autopilot while it is in Autoland. Basically we MUST do things in stages where lots of people on big airplanes are concerned. It is also a trillion dollar industry that M$ is only vaguely aware of. Removing beta and release builds in an industry that basically has to do things on such a basis ... well- it's difficult to manage.

Personally- once again it is a release that I think closes out at least as much of the mainstream public because 1. They don't have the gear, and 2. They don't have the desire, time, or patience to deal with issues they would give to the service department. And these are the people who have the "sense" we would like to see in the software. It IS a tough proposition- but my experience with RC was that MS was more interested in trying to convince me of its ideas and design than listening to mine.

I guess I've just seen too many good ideas I got used to removed or abstracted- (we called it FUBARed).

I think what M$ really needs more than anything else is marketshare competition with a Short-Media attitude that will give them a swift kick in the financial @$$.

QCH

Shorty... You need to start your own OS... We have enough talent here to help you. I'll do the keyboard typing testing....;D

Gobbles

MS is going to release what would be a RC through its employees. They have a program called friends and family where MS employees can sign up friends and family members to test for functionality. My friend signed me up. The email I got said I should see a copy sometime in late feb. or March.