Print - Windows Vista Public Release on Tap ... But When?

Around the world, millions of eager Windows users waited for the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC), held last week in Seattle. Microsoft used WinHEC as the platform for the release of Windows Vista Beta 2, which will eventually be shipped to the public as part of a Customer Preview Program (CPP). A week after Microsoft announced the release of Vista Beta 2, users are still wondering when they can get their hands on it.

The answer is vague. Microsoft will promise to deliver Windows Vista Beta 2 only "in the coming weeks," and the company has yet to announce how it plans to distribute the release to users. I've been told privately that Microsoft plans to distribute Vista Beta 2 to more than 2 million people around the world, although it's unclear whether Microsoft will let users download the release or offer it via DVD.

Whenever and however Vista Beta 2 is distributed, eager users might be in for some nasty surprises. Despite huge reliability gains in pre-Beta 2 builds, Beta 2 has proven to be less than satisfactory on my test systems in the past week, with numerous hang-ups, crashes, and even blue screens. It's unclear what happened, but Microsoft would be smart to quickly issue a more stable post-Beta 2 build to users. If Vista Beta 2 is released to millions of people worldwide in the shape it's in, the outcry will be deafening. Vista Beta 2 isn't an OS that can be used as a day-to-day replacement for Windows XP.

That said, Vista Beta 2 is greatly improved compared to last year's Beta 1 build and the Community Technology Preview (CTP) builds Microsoft issued at the end of 2005. In February 2005, prerelease versions of Vista were deemed "feature complete" and since then, Microsoft has been working on improving the quality, fit, and finish. Hardware and software compatibility have also seen steady improvement.

if beta software were meant to be as reliable as RTM then it would be RTM. I understand your expectations may be high but instead of conentrating in fixing beta two MS should continue finishing the product. Beta is beta.

BETA is BETA but dey cant even deliver a BETA to public on time, its almost 7 days off schedule now...

"BETA is BETA but dey [sic] cant [sic] even deliver a BETA to public on time, its almost 7 days off schedule now..." Actually, I don't think they made any promises about when Vista Beta 2 would be released to the public. They said, soon after the WINHEC release, Beta 2 would be released to the public too. From what Paul T has to say about it, it doesn't look like Vista is ready for a public beta release. If users keep seeing the BSODs, I don't think it's going to help the company's image in any way. Better to delay the Beta by a couple of weeks than to ship an unstable product. That said, I agree with guruguru that MS should work overtime to fix all the problems with Vista and ship it out on time.

I haven't seen the BSOD since Windows Me. It'll be sad to see it make a comeback in the final version of Vista. I don't think my PC with XP Professional has ever crashed in the last 3 years. The system has hanged occassionally, but it recovered soon after.

"I agree with guruguru that MS should work overtime to fix all the problems with Vista and ship it out on time" It's hard to do that when you're spending all your time trying to copy Google. ;-) But y'all are right--a "Beta 2" version that features the BSOD would be a public relations nightmare--one far worse than taking a couple extra weeks or so to distribute it. After all the years of development and numerous delays (oops...I forgot. Vista has "never been delayed") this product has been through, a poorly-performing Beta 2 would be a bad thing indeed.

"Actually, I don't think they made any promises about when Vista Beta 2 would be released to the public." I hear what you're saying, but based on Paul's coverage of WinWhatTheHeck, I can see how some folks would expect otherwise: "During his keynote address at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) 2006.. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates...announced the immediate availability of Vista Beta 2... executives at the show proclaimed they were 'confident' Vista would not be delayed further." I think the words "immediate availability" made many think it would be IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE. Silly people. :-)

Lotsa, Vista Beta 2 was indeed available at WinHec. In fact, they distributed copies signed by Jim Allchin :). "I think the words "immediate availability" made many think it would be IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE. Silly people." Indeed. People were silly enough to assume that it was immediately available to the public. Paul also said, "Microsoft will make this release available to the public in the coming weeks through a preview program aimed at IT administrators, developers, and technology enthusiasts."

"It's hard to do that when you're spending all your time trying to copy Google. ;-)" Definitely. Google is the most innovative and original company out there. They take familiar applications like an IM client, internet email, photo editor, etc. and add google search to it. There you go! Perfect! :-)

Microsoft takes it one step ahead - it takes a familiar product, adds msn search, and a "live" prefix.

I agree that the BSOD is not good for Microsoft's image. In keeping with the new Vista theme, Microsoft should change it to a black/ gray screen of death and ship the product. It'll look cooler!

"I haven't seen the BSOD since Windows Me. It'll be sad to see it make a comeback in the final version of Vista." What Paul failed to mention here is that third-party drivers caused the BSODs. I had an issue with my Creative sound card that would cause it to BSOD. However, I blame Creative for releasing the driver that caused the BSOD instead of Microsoft. Vista, by itself, using Microsoft certified drivers, NEVER shows a BSOD.

I read this somewhere: Q. What's the difference between Windows Vista and OS X Leapord? A. OS what? I thought especially Bonch would enjoy this. Don't blame me if you don't find it funny, thought - I just found it on the net.

Booble, tee-hee, thats funny shark... This is a Beta product and these types of problems are usually driver related - even with the O/S guru Paul.

Yahoo: First of all, let's spell things correctly. It's Leopard, not Leapord. Secondly, I find the joke Paul came across several months ago more funny. It was posted in the Windows Vista Developers' blog BY a Windows Vista developer. It went: Q. What's the difference between Windows Vista and Mac OS X? A. Microsoft employees are excited by OS X. I personally love the BSOD. Everytime I see it I get to laugh at some poor sucker and breath a sigh of relief that it wasn't ME who just lost 4 hours of work! I've been told this makes me an ***, but I disagree. When you have an alternative to Windows that doesn't crash and you don't take it, you become an object of humor.

bdkjones, I'm sorry that you didn't find the joke funny. Someone sent it to me in the mail and I copied and pasted it. It was, I believe, in response to the original joke. I thought it was pretty funny and shows you just how popular OS X is (no offense meant here - after all, I use a mac too).

"Secondly, I find the joke Paul came across several months ago more funny. It was posted in the Windows Vista Developers' blog BY a Windows Vista developer." Need I ask why? :-)

:-O I never knew mac users had a sense of humor - well, lotsa does, actually, but it's all directed at the poor "convicted monopolist" - but to make fun of OS X??? Wouldn't that classify as blasphemy? ;-)

For some of the best Mac humour around, visit: http://www.crazyapplerumors.com/ Good stuff.

I'd really love a MAC but the whole operation to lose your sense of humour and take yourself far too seriously puts me off. Sometimes I find the comments on this board funny, othertimes it just reminds me of OS/2 versus Windows zealots. How much wasted effort went into that one. Anyone that prefers one OS to anotherm needs to get out more. Producing some hard figures on how much one OS "costs" versus another is time consuming and frankly difficult. Thats why anyone reading subjective rubbish thats spoted here lse interest (except for the occasional humour nugget) No one reads the comments for enlightenment or even an informede opinion; I find the more subjectivity in the comments the less fun to read, rant vs rant = dull dull dull Not niave enough to recommend anyone grows up etc, but many of us have seen this all before and are bewildered by the lack of history shown and the logarithmic return on energy invested commenting on OS bigots. Isn't it possible to stay on track for two or three posts before becoming embroiled in rehashed posts from whenever. Distilling the comments from MSc users over the past 6 months probably gets 8 unique posts (subjective but bear with me), and a similar number for Vista posts from fans. Original thinkers beware, you'll not be welcome here. It's a cartoon without the incisive commentary.

"Isn't it possible to stay on track for two or three posts before becoming embroiled in rehashed posts from whenever." Are you kidding? This is the Internet after all. Keep the flame wars burning :-)

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=151250154&size=o HAHHAHAHA...welcome to good ol' Microsoft design. This is the crap you guys willingly tolerate. I just don't get it. Microsoft is dying.

Haha, that was a good one bonch! Btw, I went to microsofts site, and it said BETA 2 available to technet suscribers and i am a technet suscriber, but have recieved no information as to how to download or order it, this is really annoying.

Bonch, that no longer exists in Beta 2. I do get one (1) additional security confirmation dialog, but I definitely do not have to confirm the deletion five times. By the icons on the dialogs, I can guess that this is an earlier beta, maybe build 5308 or earlier.

I looked closer at the dates on the "delete" dialogs and it looks like he is using either the December beta or earlier. That would explain the seven steps; today it has narrowed to around two.

Yup, I the deletion process has narrowed down to 2-3 steps depending on what type of file u r deleting. BTW, I am a technet suscriber and as yet I have recieved no information on as to when or how I will be able to download the windows vista BETA 2. Are most of the guys MSDN suscribers? Its $2000 per month ? Kool Any way please tell me how to download vista beta 2 please. Thanks Akshay

"This is the crap you guys willingly tolerate. I just don't get it." It's a beta including a brand new security mechanism. They're fixing things like this. Microsoft has a usability team, ya know. There's a VERY good chance they're not going to let the final product ship like that. You must be desperate if you're clinging to every anti-Vista thing you can find. "Microsoft is dying." The "Big Lie" technique (Joseph Goebbel's version) didn't work for Hitler in the end, and it won't work for you. I guess some people just don't learn from history... "Any way please tell me how to download vista beta 2 please." I don't think you can get it legally at this time unless your a paid Technet or MSDN subscriber. If you must have it though, look into BitTorrent clients.