You've gotta be on the Beta Program!

[Adam Young]

In order to qualify to get hold of the beta software, you've got to be on
the program. As far as I'm aware, the criteria are:

1. You've got to belong to an organisation with a suitable relationship with
Microsoft
2. You've got to agree to produce a real-live business application with it,
and draw up designs up front that have to be approved by MS.

There may yet be other criteria...

[Phil Weber]

> 1. You've got to belong to an organisation with a suitable
> relationship with Microsoft;
> 2. You've got to agree to produce a real-live business
> application with it, and draw up designs up front that have
> to be approved by MS.

Adam: How do you know this? Is it documented somewhere?
---
Phil Weber

[Robert Scoble]

> Adam: How do you know this? Is it documented somewhere?

That's not true, according to Microsoft.

The only way to get onto the beta at this time is to fill the form out:

NEW: You can now download the .NET Frameworks SDK (ASP+). This is a
"pre-beta" release and is the same build as the PDC bits. See
http://msdn.microsoft.com/net/ (the download is about 82MB and does NOT
include Visual Studio.NET).

NEW: The Visual Studio.NET beta will not be available online. If you would
like to beta test VS.NET, you must fill out this form
http://dapdweb.microsoft.com/vstudio...omination.asp.

Robert Scoble
http://www.vslive.com <<-- The Fall's Largest Visual Studio Conference

###

[Zane Thomas]

Robert,

>NEW: The Visual Studio.NET beta will not be available online. If you would
>like to beta test VS.NET, you must fill out this form
>http://dapdweb.microsoft.com/vstudio...omination.asp.

I did that last week and haven't heard anything from MS. You'd think
they'd want ISVs to be up to speed and making sure their products work in
the new environment.

Guess I gotta call around over there eh?



---
Z

You're just mad because the voices don't talk to you.

[Robert Scoble]

> I did that last week and haven't heard anything from MS. You'd think
> they'd want ISVs to be up to speed and making sure their products work in
> the new environment.
> Guess I gotta call around over there eh?

Yeah, you need to make some calls and plead your case.

Over in the Microsoft newsgroups I've given my "secret" way to get onto the
beta programs.

For instance, I just got onto Microsoft's Train Simulator beta program.

How did I do it?

1) I went to a conference where the product manager would be stuck in a
booth helping answer questions. I know you'll be going to VSLive! in a few
weeks, so we got that covered.

2) I did a cool Web site about the product
http://communities.msn.com/TrainSimulatorFanSite/

3) I emailed everyone on the team (I collected all their business cards in
step #1) and pointed out that my site has already had 1000 visitors (true
story, I have the logs to prove it).

That worked.

Now, for the price of a beer or two at the bar in Orlando I'll introduce you
to the product managers (one of them REALLY likes beer). Be careful here.
Last time I offered to buy a round I got stuck with a $250 bar tab (another
true story, I have the expense report to prove it).

Anyway, it just shows there are other ways to get on the beta than writing
into betareq@microsoft.com

Robert Scoble
http://www.vslive.com <<-- The Fall's Largest Visual Studio Conference

###

[Michael \(michka\) Kaplan]

(Robert should understand that the fact that he is posting this to the world
is going to have a negative impact on the ability of other to use this sort
if plan)

--
MichKa

random junk of dubious value at the multilingual
http://www.trigeminal.com/ and a new book on
i18N in VB at http://www.trigeminal.com/michka.asp

"Robert Scoble" <rscoble@fawcette.com> wrote in message
news:399891e4$1@news.devx.com...
> > I did that last week and haven't heard anything from MS. You'd think
> > they'd want ISVs to be up to speed and making sure their products work
in
> > the new environment.
> > Guess I gotta call around over there eh?
>
> Yeah, you need to make some calls and plead your case.
>
> Over in the Microsoft newsgroups I've given my "secret" way to get onto
the
> beta programs.
>
> For instance, I just got onto Microsoft's Train Simulator beta program.
>
> How did I do it?
>
> 1) I went to a conference where the product manager would be stuck in a
> booth helping answer questions. I know you'll be going to VSLive! in a few
> weeks, so we got that covered.
>
> 2) I did a cool Web site about the product
> http://communities.msn.com/TrainSimulatorFanSite/
>
> 3) I emailed everyone on the team (I collected all their business cards in
> step #1) and pointed out that my site has already had 1000 visitors (true
> story, I have the logs to prove it).
>
> That worked.
>
> Now, for the price of a beer or two at the bar in Orlando I'll introduce
you
> to the product managers (one of them REALLY likes beer). Be careful here.
> Last time I offered to buy a round I got stuck with a $250 bar tab
(another
> true story, I have the expense report to prove it).
>
> Anyway, it just shows there are other ways to get on the beta than writing
> into betareq@microsoft.com
>
> Robert Scoble
> http://www.vslive.com <<-- The Fall's Largest Visual Studio Conference
>
> ###
>
>

[Robert Scoble]

> (Robert should understand that the fact that he is posting this to the
world
> is going to have a negative impact on the ability of other to use this
sort
> if plan)

Oh, I don't think this will go away anytime soon. I notice that the product
managers always get swamped (and never seem to have to pay for their own
beer <g>) at conferences.

But, yes, it might just raise the bar slightly. If you think you can outdo
my Train Simulator site, go right ahead and try. Luckily the beta game isn't
a zero sum one.

Robert Scoble

###

[Leon Kernan]

I'm guessing you had to sign a big NDA for that one, or are you able to to
talk about the sim when you get it?

> For instance, I just got onto Microsoft's Train Simulator beta program.
>
> How did I do it?
>
> 1) I went to a conference where the product manager would be stuck in a
> booth helping answer questions. I know you'll be going to VSLive! in a few
> weeks, so we got that covered.
>
> 2) I did a cool Web site about the product
> http://communities.msn.com/TrainSimulatorFanSite/
>
> 3) I emailed everyone on the team (I collected all their business cards in
> step #1) and pointed out that my site has already had 1000 visitors (true
> story, I have the logs to prove it).
>
> That worked.
>
> Now, for the price of a beer or two at the bar in Orlando I'll introduce
you
> to the product managers (one of them REALLY likes beer). Be careful here.
> Last time I offered to buy a round I got stuck with a $250 bar tab
(another
> true story, I have the expense report to prove it).
>
> Anyway, it just shows there are other ways to get on the beta than writing
> into betareq@microsoft.com
>
> Robert Scoble
> http://www.vslive.com <<-- The Fall's Largest Visual Studio Conference
>
> ###
>
>

[Robert Scoble]

> I'm guessing you had to sign a big NDA for that one, or are you able to to
> talk about the sim when you get it?

I've signed so many NDAs that I'm not sure whether I'm allowed to tell you
the sky is dark outside right now.

The beta hasn't started and the NDA I'm sure is on the way.

Robert Scoble

###

[Patrick Meader]

Hi Robert:

>>I've signed so many NDAs that I'm not sure whether I'm allowed to tell you
the sky is dark outside right now.<<

So you're going to just look out the window and tell us, eh? :-)

[Michael \(michka\) Kaplan]

The sky is gray over the Microsoft campus. :-)

(NDA be damned, at least in this case!)

--
MichKa

random junk of dubious value at the multilingual
http://www.trigeminal.com/ and a new book on
i18N in VB at http://www.trigeminal.com/michka.asp

"Patrick Meader" <pmeader@fawcette.com> wrote in message
news:39998a0a@news.devx.com...
> Hi Robert:
>
> >>I've signed so many NDAs that I'm not sure whether I'm allowed to tell
you
> the sky is dark outside right now.<<
>
> So you're going to just look out the window and tell us, eh? :-)
>
>
>
>
>
>

[Robert Scoble]

> > >>I've signed so many NDAs that I'm not sure whether I'm allowed to tell
you
> > the sky is dark outside right now.<<
> So you're going to just look out the window and tell us, eh? :-)

Heheh. Absolutely. What, is Jim gonna take away my modem
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