Longhorn Beta invites are out!

NetRyder

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Joined
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Dear Microsoft Beta Tester,

We are pleased to offer you an early preview of Windows, Code-Name "Longhorn," by extending this invitation to join the Longhorn beta program. Your participation is completely voluntary. Longhorn Beta Program participants will preview software for the next generation of Windows as well as Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. If you choose to participate you will have the opportunity to provide Microsoft with feedback as we continue work on these exciting new releases.

What is Windows Code-Name "Longhorn"?

The next version of Windows, Code-Name "Longhorn," promises to be the most secure and intuitive Windows release to date. It delivers on the promise of allowing people to use their computers more effectively and confidently to achieve their goals and pursue their passions. It offers new tools to help protect the integrity of your system and your information, easier ways to find, visualize and organize your information, and provides better integration across applications, devices and systems.

Longhorn will provide advancements in the following key areas:
A strong focus on the fundamentals of the operating system, including advancements in reliability, performance, deployment, and ease of use.
Major improvements to help PC users to work smarter and provide exciting new experiences for home users.
The next-generation developer platform to make it easier for developers to create breakthrough applications.

What you can expect if you choose to participate:

You will be notified by email this summer when the software becomes available to test. The beta software will be available via download. If you elect to receive mailed releases, only major milestone releases (Beta1, Beta 2, etc) will be sent to you.

Participants can expect access to Windows, Windows Server, the Windows Driver Kit the Platform Software Development Kit as well as Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. We may make other software available as well, and it's important to note that some of the above software may not be available immediately after the program gets underway.

If you choose to participate, we ask that you install the software once it is received. At a minimum we ask that you provide us feedback about your experience by reporting bugs that you encounter. We have other activities planned such as private discussion groups, online chats and chances for you to help the Windows development team test some of the new Longhorn features. More details on these will follow if you choose to join the beta.

<-snip->
Rock on!
grin.gif
 
Ready to go, also signed an NDA today which means I can't talk about longhorn for 5 years, unless the information becomes available elsewhere lawfully first... :)
 
I tried signing up for that stuff and never got a confirmation email from them ..
 
Seems like these invites (perhaps the first set?) were only sent out to WinHEC attendees then? And people who asked attendees to sign up for them at the booth... *cough* :p

No worries though.
1) Beta 1 will probably leak...heh.
2) Beta 2 will be more interesting from an end-user standpoint, and as a result, might be more widely available.

Electronic Punk said:
Ready to go, also signed an NDA today which means I can't talk about longhorn for 5 years, unless the information becomes available elsewhere lawfully first... :)
I'll have to sign one of those sometime soon too, as part of the MSA program...
 
We are talking about a special forum, on another site beginning with ne, where we will be able to provide feedback on longhorn etc, if we don't like newsgroups. I don't like newsgroups at all!
 
Hmm, I wonder what forum that would be :p
 
After working with some beta stuff?


No thanks.
 
Electronic Punk said:
We are talking about a special forum, on another site beginning with ne, where we will be able to provide feedback on longhorn etc, if we don't like newsgroups. I don't like newsgroups at all!
Oh, so this section you're talking about will be restricted to people in the technical beta only then? Is it officially supported by Microsoft?
Sounds cool. I'm not a fan of newsgroups either. :)
 
Well it's rather expensive, expecially if one can't get it education discounted. But MSDN subscribers get the stuff shipped to them by release candidate status at least. They didn't ship an NDA with the shipment of CDs either...

Though winXP did come beta 1, most things don't, so the subscribers wouldn't typically get it so soon...
 
Hi Nets,

I read Thurrott's report on Longhorn. I do have a question. Why does MS fork beta builds? Why have bug-filled builds running, when everyone should concentrate on making one build bug-free?


Heeter
 
Heeter said:
Hi Nets,

I read Thurrott's report on Longhorn. I do have a question. Why does MS fork beta builds? Why have bug-filled builds running, when everyone should concentrate on making one build bug-free?


Heeter
Short answer - because it would take forever to get future builds out. :)

Long answer - Since Beta 1 is being sent out for external testing, the sole emphasis in that branch is to check in fixes for any bugs that are marked as beta1-blockers. Think of it as a feature-frozen build where no feature additions are being made.

Meanwhile, development has to continue if the team has to meet future deadlines (such as the PDC build in September, Beta 2, and so on). The Beta 2 trunk is where any new features are being checked in. Following such a system makes sure that no new bugs are introduced into the builds leading up to Beta 1 as a result of feature additions.
 
Got it, Bud.

Thanks for the explanation.

Heeter
 

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Also Hi EP and people. I found this place again while looking through a oooollllllldddd backup. I have filled over 10TB and was looking at my collection of antiques. Any bids on the 500Mhz Win 95 fix?
Any of the SP crew still out there?
Xie wrote on Electronic Punk's profile.
Impressed you have kept this alive this long EP! So many sites have come and gone. :(

Just did some crude math and I apparently joined almost 18yrs ago, how is that possible???
hello peeps... is been some time since i last came here.
Electronic Punk wrote on Sazar's profile.
Rest in peace my friend, been trying to find you and finally did in the worst way imaginable.

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