ATTENTION: Select beta testers get free Windows Vista Ultimate

To everyone that took part in the Windows Vista beta test (as far as I know, about 20,000), only those that submitted at least 1 bug report will be offered a complimentary copy of Windows Vista Business or Ultimate.

Microsoft sent out a mail to those testers just a few minutes ago which specified that it is being offered as a download only. No media will be mailed, and only currently active, invited members of the Windows Vista technical beta program who filed at least one bug are receiving this offer.

Kudos to Microsoft! I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that they have really shown their appreciation towards the people that actually took the time to submit the bugs that were eventually worked out of the final code, some bugs that were submitted by beta testers didn't make the final, among those is the now infamous explorer folder selection bug* where the folder remains selected in the tree view, deleting a file or folder in the folder view (right pane) actually deletes the selection in the tree menu!

Microsoft had already announced that this was too late to be included in the signed off code and it will be fixed with a patch update.

*Workaround = Click on an empty area in the right pane first before deleting anything.

Source

^^^ WOW, thats cool from Microsoft, though I didnt get any mail... I am so sad now....

i didnt even submit one bug when i found many just because i thought it must be filed already, my bad, i feel like crying now....

I missed it....

Microsoft did this this with Windows XP x64 edtion too. I was testing Office and I hope I will get a copy of that cuz I did send some stuff.

Great news ... sad am not one of them.

awesome,,!!
are there any other beta products at present which require testing???

sadly i only posted here on programs that worked and didn't worked with vista beta, should had posted to microsoft also.

"Ab pachtaaye hote kya jab chidiya chug gayi khet!"

Too bad, I did not receive the mail. That's indeed great on MS's part. I too tested the Beta-2 and submitted only one bug.

. Windows Vista Ultimate being distributed for free...8). That's indeed great on Bill Gates's part...

A

I did not receive the mail.
I too tested the rc1 and submitted three bug.

visit the newsgroups and send a email to wendy with ur Connect ID and feedback code which u get after submitting the bug.

Feedback code, u can get on Connect site.

BTW, Free Vista offer applies only to official beta testers who have connect access and not to those who downloaded public beta...

I wonder.. why u guys go for anything that comes new in the market ??
I am sure lots here use winxp or win98 still.. With winVista - u sure have to upgrade the system in a major way cause its system requirement is very heavy. Still for users like me who are already capable of using Vista.. why worry so much.. let it launch nicely 1st and im sure everyone will get their shares

Have Fun !

Umm... they are getting an OS costing Rs. 20,000 for free. Anyone who gets it would be excited. Even if they do not have the hardware to install it, they can always preserve the installation media and use it when they upgrade their hardware.

A

good move on the part of micr$oft.

gud news...but feel sad .I hv also nt sent any bug repoet.Felling very sad.

nothing good abt getting a 20000 OS for free. its just released. and if i know microsoft they release bugfixes every month in heaps .. so that will be the same case with Vista.. Lets say - microsoft wants the beta testers to still keep testing .. lol

M

Hey , vishal do they give any stuff like certificates of appreciation or something like that to the selected beta testers (dwnld doesn't matter to me neways ) .

Guys its an official release. This same OS will be released to masses in Jan 2007 and would be sold at retail prices.

PrinceHeart said:
nothing good abt getting a 20000 OS for free. its just released. and if i know microsoft they release bugfixes every month in heaps .. so that will be the same case with Vista.. Lets say - microsoft wants the beta testers to still keep testing ..

The RTM is no more a beta product, its the final released product. Bug fixes, patches etc are part of any software, even till today we have updates to XP, don't we? So Vista is no more into testing. And the big deal is beta testers are getting an Genuine Licence costing around 20k so they don't have to use pirated copies like u would do later on, after its release.

mehra.rakesh said:
Hey , vishal do they give any stuff like certificates of appreciation or something like that to the selected beta testers (dwnld doesn't matter to me neways ) .

No, Beta testers won't be getting any certificates or anything. Getting a Genuine copy of Vista with price tag of $399(Ultimate Version) is much more than getting a certificate. I am sure u are not part of beta testers otherwise u would not even talk about this point of getting certificate in lieu of Genuine Licence....

PrinceHeart said:
nothing good abt getting a 20000 OS for free. its just released. and if i know microsoft they release bugfixes every month in heaps .. so that will be the same case with Vista.. Lets say - microsoft wants the beta testers to still keep testing .. lol

What, are you joking, man! They are getting the official retail version which costs Rs. 20,000 for free! Any updates to the product that will follow do not play into the equation because those will be free for every user of Vista. What are you trying to say! I don't use Windows but if I had the option, I would surely like to get a copy for free, and so would you.

I won't say no if someone give it to me as an xmas present

And nah .. im a Microsoft user since `96. I like it lots. But when it comes to distributing a 20k software to beta testers, well .. they know .. almost 80% of this planet's population will use cracks and patches after the release anyway, so why not give it free to as many as we can, just to advertise it thru them free of cost. Microsoft is not dumb, im sure they got plans and know what they are doing.

Did any beta tester here get their free copy yet ? Im sure they are gonna ask for shipping charges or maybe they can take care of that also.. i dunno. All I know, that im not amongst them, so its a lil disapointment. I can see myself using Vista after a couple of yrs in the future when all my pc component got its drivers and when the price will get low also.

So it really depends, if microsoft succeeded in making vista a major hot product, then it will take time for the prices to drop. same like ps3 right now. that ppl are fighting for that video game and paying abt 4 lakhs indian rupees for 1 console. Then if Vista is not a hot product, prices will drop and normal ppl can afford it also. That's what i think its all about - To make money and make it BIG !!

M

Hey imran don't mind buddy but why do you guys always have to act as Mr. Know All , i was actually a beta-tester and i checked and i had received my e-mail yesterday .

I was asking because I am in college and i have no proof to brag to my friends and more importantly to any teachers or companies . Also i have a laptop which vista rates as being lousy. So i have to wait anyways for my b'day which happens to be on 29th of jan for an upgrade .

I knew that something was in store but not something like this
Neways a BIG THANKS TO THE GR8 PHILANTHROPIST MR.BILL GATES ...

mehra.rakesh said:
Hey imran don't mind buddy but why do you guys always have to act as Mr. Know All , i was actually a beta-tester and i checked and i had received my e-mail yesterday .

Care to explain that statement of ur's dear? The reason I said what i said in my earlier post was because if you read Newsgroups of Vista, there are many people who are cribbing about MS giving them only 1 license even though they submitted 100+ bugs and other people who submitted only 1 bug are also getting same reward. But out of so many people nobody wanted a certificate for beta testing Vista

.

Well maybe because you are just a college student and want to showoff to ur classmates and teachers and prove ur superiority, its understandable at ur age....

now now guys !!!
See what this Vista is doing to all you guys ?

Think we all now know this news and Good Luck to those beta testers who will get free Windows Vista

Have Fun !

Just a quick question, will Vista be available for free download to the beta testers or will a physical copy be shipped to them by Microsoft? I suppose it will be the latter, right?

I think it will be a free download.. or microsoft can ship it for a cost.

They won't charge you for the shipping. That's rubbish.

aryayush said:
Just a quick question, will Vista be available for free download to the beta testers or will a physical copy be shipped to them by Microsoft? I suppose it will be the latter, right?

Vista is available to beta testers for download only. No physical copy is available even if one is ready to pay for shipping cost....

What is important is the License Key, anyone can get the OS if not via legal download than otherwise but won't be able to activate his/her copy without a valid license key.

Well microsoft sure looks very clearcut with the os validation these days .. even with winxp.. so for winvista .. its surely gonna be tough working on a cracked version of the winvista .. so better be in the safe side and try to get a valid genuine product key.

A

it is not for cpp beta tester
i give three bug to ms but no mail in my inbox

ankitsagwekar .. cause bill gates saw that u don't love microsoft so much and u use linux as ur forum avatar

M

^^ Good one prince .

.

I think the CPP userz will also get something , otherwise why wud they open up their servers for users to dwnld Vista and ship away CD's .
You may say that MS wanted people to try out Vista so that they do not think twice buying a 20k OS .but people will buy it neways either by paying Rs.20k or Rs.20 .

@imranais i tried submitting bugs under different names . but sadly got only one copy .
Though no downloads for me until my tests are over .
I still can't believe that i wud actually be using a Windows .

Hey is anyone generous enough to send me their ID and pswd for BSNL brdband . i have 250 plan from BSNL .

You cannot log into someone else's account even if you have the username and password. Each account is tied to the phone number it is registered with.

G

hmm.....

just came back, & got my vista copy in beta testing mail, the single license can be used to install Vista on 10 PCs i guess, provided that it is running & installed on one PC only at one time

Now waiting for the Technet Mail....Lolzz...2 copies i would say

WOW!! Care to give one license to me! Plz plz plz!

I really ought to have participated in the testing!!!

G

just checked, as being a beta tester, i will get only a downloadable edition, i will need to burn a DVD of my own. But will get a license

for technet, well, i maybe able to get a physical DVD( i wish for that coooooooollllll retail package MS

)

Not downloading yet, must resist temptation till 17

^^^^^^^

kalpik said:
WOW!! Care to give one license to me! Plz plz plz!

can you give Me one too.

G

sorry, can't do that

Hehe.. was only kidding man! Why would you gimme $399 worth OS

i was just about to type that i was jus Kidding, you^^ too posted

.

By the way is Vista Home Premium's price gonna come down to under 10K by atleast MAY (month).

kalpik said:
Hehe.. was only kidding man! Why would you gimme $399 worth OS

cause he got it free ???

< that's 1 very good reason though

i got Windows Vista Ultimate RC1 Product key if anyone want - i have already shared it with 5 others, still 4 can do more... if interested.

Cheerz

gxsaurav said:
hmm.....

just came back, & got my vista copy in beta testing mail, the single license can be used to install Vista on 10 PCs i guess, provided that it is running & installed on one PC only at one time

Thats not correct AFAIK, Beta testers have been given a single license to activate on single PC. Its not possible to activate more than one pc with the license which beta testers got. Its a single user license and not a corporate license key....

G

imranais said:
Thats not correct AFAIK, Beta testers have been given a single license to activate on single PC. Its not possible to activate more than one pc with the license which beta testers got. Its a single user license and not a corporate license key....

corporate license keys are different all together, i was just assuming cos the Vista RC1 DVD I got from MS has it written that u can install it on upto 10 PCs, i assumed that it is also the case of retail vista & the one we beta testers get. I Have the license now, but haven't downloaded the ISO yet so can't test

^^^Yes RC1 and RC2 could be installed on multiple pc's even I had installed it on pc and laptop. But thats when MS wanted maximum people to test for them for FREE.

And now its RTM version and its a reward ($399 worth) so u can activate on only one pc and not more.... Its a single user license!

A

good disscusion going on.. but i have a question ..
The CEO of microsoft is Steve Ballmer and not Bill gates ( retired , i think)
so , why everyone credit or critic bill gates policies ....
are not they ballmer's decisions ............. ????

or are they like our sonia and manmohan....
just kidding !!
__________

PrinceHeart said:
cause he got it free ??? < that's 1 very good reason though

i got Windows Vista Ultimate RC1 Product key if anyone want - i have already shared it with 5 others, still 4 can do more... if interested.

Cheerz

and now I wish that u have original licensce key (not rc1 or rc2) so that u can share that with me

A

gxsaurav said:
hmm.....

just came back, & got my vista copy in beta testing mail, the single license can be used to install Vista on 10 PCs i guess, provided that it is running & installed on one PC only at one time

Now waiting for the Technet Mail....Lolzz...2 copies i would say

ya it true i get rc1 as cpp bete tester i activate vista rc 1 with same cd key about 7 time

Akhil Jain said:
and now I wish that u have original licensce key (not rc1 or rc2) so that u can share that with me

If i had that genuine license of the final product, im sure i would not be sharing it with anyone

R

*www.securityfocus.com/columnists/423

I recommend everyone ( esp.. Vista fans) to look at this article.

Can I have one copy too.
What's the procedure to get it.
Try for me.

G

sorry, the beta testing phase is now over. I guess MS will be opening Vista SP1 testing soon next year, maybe by august, u can try then.

Neeraj Singh said:
Can I have one copy too.
What's the procedure to get it.
Try for me.

Yes sure the procedure is pretty simple:

1) Wait till January 2007
2) Visit any computer shop which deals in genuine software.
3) Pay cash or pay with credit/debit card.
4) Get ur genuine copy of Vista (Ultimate/home/home premium etc).

Simple procedure isn't it? 8)

gx is right...about upto 10 pcs...ven i got my vista/xp keys of all its difrnt editions ... it did say upto 10 pcs on the site...

ravi.madabhushanam said:
*www.securityfocus.com/columnists/423

I recommend everyone ( esp.. Vista fans) to look at this article.

Thanks for the link! I hope Windows' users read the whole article. It will open their eyes to Microsoft's corrupt way of dealing with their customers.
I hope that you guys realise that in case someone does not have an internet connection, he/she cannot use a genuine version of Vista even after purchasing it.

G

aryayush said:
I hope that you guys realise that in case someone does not have an internet connection, he/she cannot use a genuine version of Vista even after purchasing it.

Ever heard of Phone activation, it's there in Vista RTM

Edit: & yes, Microsoft licensing terms do suck, even i say that. But it's not the only company out there who does this, so don't blame then only

Activation is there to reduce piracy, there is nothing wrong in protecting their software, however these terms are indeed bad

R

gxsaurav said:
Ever heard of Phone activation, it's there in Vista RTM

Edit: & yes, Microsoft licensing terms do suck, even i say that. But it's not the only company out there who does this, so don't blame then only

Activation is there to reduce piracy, there is nothing wrong in protecting their software, however these terms are indeed bad

If there is phone activation, then soon we will find Keygen as well. Then , how can M$ can ensure that it is still not pirated.

G

we already have WGA, soon gonna have WGA vista

A

PrinceHeart said:
If i had that genuine license of the final product, im sure i would not be sharing it with anyone

nor would i.
but i can dream & THAT makes me happy.

G

well, i just got my ISO downloaded today, busy till 3rd decembar, & got my beta tester key too, will be installing in a few days

^^ I got my TechNet Plus subscription DVD pack of November today, but it doesnt contain the Vista RTM DVD, it only contains 5 DVDs of softwares

ravi.madabhushanam said:
If there is phone activation, then soon we will find Keygen as well. Then , how can M$ can ensure that it is still not pirated.

Windows Updates.
Windows is more like a virus you see, connects to net when you sit there not even knowing about it sometimes.

A

it only contains 5 DVDs of softwares

[/quote]

what software 5 dvds contain?

G

vishal, i have yet to get that package, & i guess the RTM DVD will be given after JAN 30 only

Thats very sad

coz I can't download the DVD image from Technet site on my slow net connection!

imranais said:
Yes sure the procedure is pretty simple:

1) Wait till January 2007
2) Visit any computer shop which deals in genuine software.
3) Pay cash or pay with credit/debit card.
4) Get ur genuine copy of Vista (Ultimate/home/home premium etc).

Simple procedure isn't it? 8)

Wow thank you very much imranais.....I didn't knew that I also have an option to buy
Vista.......?????? Very funny

thats great but i'm sad i missed it