Here's how Microsoft could reward CPP participants!

[Newsie]

Let us buy Vista! Not in Jan. '07 when it appears at retail. But in Nov.
when the RTM code is finalized and made available to OEMs, businesses,
etc.

Just use the public CPP infrastructure, which is already in place, and
treat it just like another Vista build. Except this ISO would be final RTM
code. CPP participants are already registered with MS. In fact, they
already have a credit card number on file for me for OneCare Live.

Sell me a new product key for the Vista version I want (probably Home
Premium). Then I can download the ISO, burn a DVD, and use the product key
to activate.

Allowing CPP participants to receive the final RTM code several months
before it is available at retail would be our reward for participating in
the testing process.

 

[Brian Wescombe]

Let us buy Vista! Not in Jan. '07 when it appears at retail. But in Nov.
when the RTM code is finalized and made available to OEMs, businesses,
etc.

Just use the public CPP infrastructure, which is already in place, and
treat it just like another Vista build. Except this ISO would be final RTM
code. CPP participants are already registered with MS. In fact, they
already have a credit card number on file for me for OneCare Live.

Sell me a new product key for the Vista version I want (probably Home
Premium). Then I can download the ISO, burn a DVD, and use the product key
to activate.

Allowing CPP participants to receive the final RTM code several months
before it is available at retail would be our reward for participating in
the testing process.

i'd go along with that

 

[Bachrach, Daniel A]

Let us buy Vista! Not in Jan. '07 when it appears at retail. But in Nov.
when the RTM code is finalized and made available to OEMs, businesses,
etc.

Just use the public CPP infrastructure, which is already in place, and
treat it just like another Vista build. Except this ISO would be final RTM
code. CPP participants are already registered with MS. In fact, they
already have a credit card number on file for me for OneCare Live.

Sell me a new product key for the Vista version I want (probably Home
Premium). Then I can download the ISO, burn a DVD, and use the product key
to activate.

Allowing CPP participants to receive the final RTM code several months
before it is available at retail would be our reward for participating in
the testing process.

Hell of an idea. MS? What say you?

 

[BChat]

Let us buy Vista! Not in Jan. '07 when it appears at retail. But in Nov.
when the RTM code is finalized and made available to OEMs, businesses,
etc.

Just use the public CPP infrastructure, which is already in place, and
treat it just like another Vista build. Except this ISO would be final RTM
code. CPP participants are already registered with MS. In fact, they
already have a credit card number on file for me for OneCare Live.

Sell me a new product key for the Vista version I want (probably Home
Premium). Then I can download the ISO, burn a DVD, and use the product key
to activate.

Allowing CPP participants to receive the final RTM code several months
before it is available at retail would be our reward for participating in
the testing process.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Interesting idea but will probably never happen.
Partly because of the large numbers of CPP participants.
And also because many CPP participants contribute nothing...which is all
that is expected of CPP participants anyways.

There are already the Technical Beta, TAP etc that do require
participation...somewhat.

 

[Richard Urban]

If you submitted 25 bug reports you are on the list for a roll of
monogrammed TP.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Jeff;
I never said they all did.
If you think I did, you need to read my post again.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org

 

[Will]

I think the CPP has probably contributed as much as anyone else
even without sending bug reports just by the mere fact that their using it,
Seeing everytime there's an error the data of that error goes to MSFT for
then to look at and try to find a solution
and without that happening they would have far less data comming in and
problems would take a lot longer to solve.
And also I believe the CPP's secondary purpose was to use it as a marketing
tool in order to expose the maximum amount of potential buyers to their new
OS and surely that has to be worth something
I say giving the CPP the oportunity to buy the OS in advance is a good idea
seeing nobody is suggesting they give it away. MSFT really has nothing to
loose and it would be a fitting reward for those who have used the new OS in
it's beta form and have become a part of MSFT's marketing strategy

 

[Jeff]

Jupiter,
Ya kill me.
Many Tech people contribute nothing too.
Too funny;

Jeff

 

[Jeff]

yeah yeah saw it correctly after the post

Jeff;
I never said they all did.
If you think I did, you need to read my post again.

 

[John Jay Smith]

Don't kid yourself. The quality of the RTM will "beta".... vista will not be
ready when it goes to RTM...
but MS cant do anything to avoid releasing it.

I will install it and use it but I know that I will be getting updates from
MS daily....

I must do it so I can know what troubles it will cause other people so I can
assist them.

their logic is release it now.. and well keep working on it in the
meantime...

In the meantime I will customize it, because its out of the box experience
is very bad.
Perhaps with enough effort it will be usable.

ANYWAY vista is the way to go.... even if it will have problems, it is a
shaky step forward,
even though it could have been 1000 times better. Perhaps they will improve
it with service packs,
or a second edition.

Although I do have many disagreements with the way MS is going with vista, I
am not sure if my way would be the best way for the future of computing
either.

 

[Will]

I agree vista still has a very long way to go
I remember back when windows95 got released I was using windows 3.11
I had pre-ordered windows95 to make sure I had it as soon as it hit the
shelves and windows95 was a total nightmare
I constantly had BSODS it was that bad that I had no choice but to format my
hdd and reinstall 3.11
and I didn't use windows95 at all anymore and pretty much skipped it and
went onto windows98 which was much more stable
I hope I won't have a similar experience with Vista
So far vista has been very good for me though I have not had a single BSOD
at all yet

 

[Intel Inside]

You said "do require participation...somewhat"
What happens to the ones that do not not meet the requirements?. Sweet
bugger all.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

I am no where near the people that make that decision.
This is largely speculation based on what I have seen and heard from various
sources in and out of Microsoft.

Those that do not contribute at least to a certain level may not be asked to
other Betas.
AFAIK, they are not removed from a Beta simply for lack of contributions.
People are removed from Betas for other reasons such as inappropriate
behaviour.

Remember there are many things that come into play.
For example, the active group of Beta testers may be much smaller than the
total number of Beta testers.
Many are in because of their business and other reasons known only to
Microsoft.
So nothing can be assumed just because it seems some do not participate.
Their contribution may not be so visible to others.

 

[SAM-R]

That will never happen. The only reason the CPP Program happens is because
it is a marketing tool. The Cpp can thank marketing for the builds they get.

 

[Guest]

I agree with JJ there. Many of us will send in every bug report, many of us
will not. Simple show of that is by looking at the room. I mean, how many
people do you see here, probably 1% if even that much of CPP participants.
Now I do agree, it would be nice to get it earlier, or at some kind of
discount. But look, if you want 5728, you can get it, with the code on
E-mule, and the code is good for 10 computers, if I remember correctly.
Moreover, RC-1 is still available at the vista site. Every day, you can
guess, as the buzz gets out, more and more people are downloading it. more
people are becoming CPP participants. It just wouldn't be profitable.
I mean, I am thankful to have gotten the chance to try the new windows
before distro. I am not complaining a bit. When it comes out, I will be the
first person at the store with a copy. Maybe Microsoft will allow us to buy a
download version, if so, right on! If not, I will just use my RC-1 (hopefully
RC-2) until distro and buy it at Best Buy.

 

[Intel Inside]

As a matter of interest Gene, how many bugs have you submitted for Vista?.
And are you part of the CPP?

 

[Steve Urbach]

I stopped sending in bug reports because as a CPP user I get Zero
Feedback on my efforts (filling forms, painstakingly describing
steps). All I see is a successful transfer message.

IMHO *all* bug (non-anonymous) reporters should be able to review
relevant bug reports (after filling out the first screen) and add
additional observations if needed, a "me too" button would simply add
the reporting machine configuration to the reported bug.
MS would need to update and refine the bug reporting tool categories
and reclassify reported bugs accordingly.
My 2 cents

 

[Richard Urban]

Seeing what Microsoft is doing about my bug report is not important to me.
It is of no concern. The fact that they are doing something is important.
And I have seen may of the items addressed in these groups, submitted as bug
reports, taken care of during subsequent builds. Microsoft "does" look at
the reports. They may NOT digest what is in these newsgroups - then again
they may.

I would guess that they work on the priorities first. It just like all the
faults in a CPU (and they all have them). The ones that are critical, and
would affect the majority of users, are addressed first.

And if what I report is in the bottom 1%, Microsoft may not deem it
important enough to repair.

Look at the problem with Windows XP, where a popup was hidden by the system
tray. Of no consequence really. A reboot solved the problem. It has been
with XP since the beta days.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[David Wilkinson]

I stopped sending in bug reports because as a CPP user I get Zero
Feedback on my efforts (filling forms, painstakingly describing
steps). All I see is a successful transfer message.

IMHO *all* bug (non-anonymous) reporters should be able to review
relevant bug reports (after filling out the first screen) and add
additional observations if needed, a "me too" button would simply add
the reporting machine configuration to the reported bug.
MS would need to update and refine the bug reporting tool categories
and reclassify reported bugs accordingly.
My 2 cents

Absolutely!! I find entering bug reports into a vacuum totally
frustrating. I have never received any feedback in any form from any of
my bug reports (and there have been a lot of them). And I am an MVP/MSDN
subscriber, not a CPP member.

David Wilkinson