David Stone's Blog

I'm open to suggestions for a subtitle here! (Really!)

Getting into the beta...

Brenton House is trying to figure out how to get on the Whidbey beta.

Begging on a weblog is a great way, actually. Going to the PDC and cornering the product manager is another. That's how I got on the Train Simulator beta.

[Robert Scoble]

I have another question...why aren't all the betas open to MSDN Universal subscribers? Take for instance, that VS.NET 2003 and Office 2003 were both open betas to MSDN Uni subscribers, but the Yukon beta isn't right now (not to my knowledge anyway...and I think I would have noticed "SQL Server 2003 Beta" on the Disks... ;) [Quick Check: It isn't available on Sub. Downloads].

So Robert (or anybody else who cares to answer), is there any rhyme or reason as to why we get some betas and not others?

And if begging on a weblog is a good way...then consider this begging. ;) I love living on beta software. There's the riskiness factor that reminds me to be religious about backing up my crucial data. There's the coolness factor that I use to get girls (I wish ;). And there's the wonderful feeling of upgrading everything to the RTM version and getting a fresh install of Windows...which Chris Maunder has so eloquently stated "feels like a new set of sheets".

[Update]As Erik Porter pointed out in the comments...Yukon is in Alpha. However, so is Whidbey. Thus what I really want is to get into Alpha programs. So consider my beta-begging ammended...Thanks Erik! :)[/Update]
Posted: Aug 01 2003, 01:54 PM by David Stone | with 11 comment(s)

Comments

HumanCompiler said:

It's not open to MSDN subscribers yet, because it isn't a Beta yet, it is currently in Alpha. Beta 1 will be public and will come with your MSDN subscription i would imagine.
# August 1, 2003 5:27 PM

David Stone said:

Ah, good point...I'll ammend the post to say that I want into all Alphas. :)
# August 1, 2003 5:28 PM

Ray Jezek said:

VS.NET 2003 wasn't available to subscribers until it was in FINAL Beta (not 1 or 2). I had to wait forever to get the updated compact framework final. :(

see: http://www.gotdotnet.com/Community/MessageBoard/Thread.aspx?id=53182
# August 1, 2003 5:46 PM

sirshannon said:

Yukon is in Beta 1, which is a "small, private" beta according to MS. Beta 2, this fall, is supposed to be a public Beta.
# August 1, 2003 6:07 PM

Robert Scoble said:

I'll tell you why: feedback from a widespread beta can overwhelm the team to the point that they can't get anything done. Plus, we're given very small marketing budgets for sending out CDs and such. Each team has to justify its budgets. Not easy.
# August 1, 2003 6:10 PM

David Stone said:

Ahh...thank you Robert. I hadn't thought of the cost aspect or the feedback issue before. Hmm...I guess keeping Alphas/Betas small is a good thing then. Okay, I'll just wait for betas to be released on MSDN...

Although if I could get my hands on the Whidbey Alpha..that would be cool.
# August 1, 2003 6:15 PM

Robert Scoble said:

You coming to the PDC? (Hint, hint). :-)
# August 1, 2003 6:57 PM

David Stone said:

I think we've had this discussion before...

I can't go to the PDC because:
1) $$$
2) School (Yes, the PDC is perfectly timed to be right in the middle of the Fall semester)
3) Transportation (I'm still a minor, so one of my parents would have to come along with me to wherever it's being held and neither of them can just take off to do that.

So unfortunately no. I so wish I could, but none of these obstacles are going to magically remove themselves.
# August 1, 2003 6:58 PM

Robert Scoble said:

Ahh, well, I'll see what I can do on your behalf. Bug me around the PDC time.
# August 1, 2003 7:37 PM

David Stone said:

Cool...thanks Robert. Will do. :)
# August 1, 2003 7:39 PM

TrackBack said:

SQL SERVER Yukon Beta 2 coming soon
# May 22, 2004 9:16 AM
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