our job?

[Ward Taylor]

Hello
I have installed the pre-rc 1 build 5536. The install was much smoother
than beta 2 simply because I knew what to expect. Still lacks built-in
drivers for my old promise u100 disk controller(using xp driver), lacks
built-in drivers for my 3com 980c nic, and lacks drivers for my old audigy
ls sound card(using xp driver again). I am not really having any problems.
I have been running boinc/seti@home 24/7 while using the machine, hasn't
crashed yet. I was wondering how best to help Microsoft (and us the end
user) finish this product? Just use it? Try to make it crash? Should we
use the feedback tool to make general comments?
Thank you for any and all replies

 

[Kevin Arthur]

I think our job here is to use the computers as we normally would, and
provide feedback on how it works. This helps Microsoft identify and fix
bugs that affect performance and usability, and can fix the less noticed
bugs later via Windows Update. Really, anything that will affect how many
people buy the product, Microsoft tries to fix before it ships.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Use the "sentiments" link accessed by the Feedback icon on your desktop.
Unless you find a showstopper, MS is more interested in your setup
experience this time. The main concern MS is expressing is that upgrades
from XP work. If you are not set up to do that in a test only environment,
don't worry about it.

RC1 itself is only days away in any case.

 

[Chad Harris]

Try as many features and parts of it as possible. Do whatever you think will
make it crash and if you do try to use Win RE's Startup Repair located on
the DVD setup screen after language options on lower left to fix it.

You can report anything via that Help icon on your desktop and you can also
best use the MBC tool to detail your feedback.

MBC/MSFT Beta Client Tool

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=43655

If they are IE specific use (e-mail address removed) and the MBC particularly if
they seem to be overlapping or speak to more than one area which includes IE
or if you aren't sure.

Include a detailed description of the problem and steps to reproduce the
problem (e.g. for site issues, a URL to the website and if possible a
screenshot of rendering issues). General machine configuration and installed
toolbars or extensions can also be useful as well--that's my suggestion.

The senseless aspect I'm critical of is that MSFT has such contempt for the
public that they won't give them access to bugs on Connect, let them search,
let them see other bugs, etc, and I don't get any sense that they give a
damn about public feedback despite their pious sanatised assurances. If they
did, they wouldn't hide their Beta chats, their Beta Live Meetings and
access to Connect bug reports which are a learning tool of their own.

They also would get off their butts and their community liasons and writers
would start making articles on so many aspects of Vista for which there is
nothing on Technet or MSDN or any MSFT site.

The blogs are not enough. The vast majority of people don't know MSDN and
Technet and other MFSTie blog venues exist.

It all works better if the public is more educated, and MSFT is doing what
it can to defeat this education. The OS is a lot less then people are
gusshing now with 5536.

Something as basic as Device manager is still not reliable for a device and
its driver's health or whether the device works.

CH

 

[Rock]

Hello
I have installed the pre-rc 1 build 5536. The install was much smoother
than beta 2 simply because I knew what to expect. Still lacks built-in
drivers for my old promise u100 disk controller(using xp driver), lacks
built-in drivers for my 3com 980c nic, and lacks drivers for my old
audigy ls sound card(using xp driver again). I am not really having any
problems. I have been running boinc/seti@home 24/7 while using the
machine, hasn't crashed yet. I was wondering how best to help Microsoft
(and us the end user) finish this product? Just use it? Try to make it
crash? Should we use the feedback tool to make general comments?
Thank you for any and all replies

Creative has a driver on their web site for Vista for the Audigy. I
installed it yesterday on build 5536 no problems.

 

[Ward Taylor]

I thought I tried that one and it told me that it didn't find any
supported hardware, I'll try downloading it again.
Thanks
Ward