Free copy of Vista

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Hi, I am hoping someone can help me. My son was invited to test Vista for
bugs and hacking and to submit ares needing improvement. This he did. He even
provided solutions to the problems he found. His reward was to receive a Free
copy of Vista. To date he has not received it. The address his responses
were forwarded to are a no reply address (it was in the Vista program). Does
anyone know who I may write to via Email? I only want to make this wrong a
right. Thank you to all who read this and/or helps me.
 
I'm not sure what p[rogram this might have been? Was it through the
Microsoft beta program?

I don't think that Microsoft had a program like this since even the beta
testers are not guaranteed a free copy of the software they are testing.

Can you provide any more details?
 
If your son was a member of the Vista beta program he should know who to
contact at Connect to resolve the issue. If not ... then he was not an
official beta tester and probably does not qualify for a copy. In any case,
the person or group that "invited" him would be the first, best contact.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
 
Matt's Mum said:
Hi, I am hoping someone can help me. My son was invited to test Vista for
bugs and hacking and to submit ares needing improvement. This he did. He even
provided solutions to the problems he found. His reward was to receive a Free
copy of Vista. To date he has not received it. The address his responses
were forwarded to are a no reply address (it was in the Vista program). Does
anyone know who I may write to via Email? I only want to make this wrong a
right. Thank you to all who read this and/or helps me.
Click to expand...
Hello Ronnie,
Thankyou for your question. Yes, my son informs me that it was Beta. He was
told a free copy would be his after he located errors within Vista and
supplied information/answers/formulas on how to overcome those particular
problems. It appears he was just used as were others I have now been reading
in this forum. The good work that all those people have done for Microsoft
in my opinion should not be left unrewarded. Thank you Ronnie for responding.
It was much appreciated. Have a great day, Matt's Mum.
 
Hi Matts Mum

There where a number of beta programmes for Vista each of which had
different
characteristics and rules. One of the largest beta programmes was, a Public
Beta
which your son may have been part of. None of the participants in this beta
got a free
copy of Vista.

However, even participants of the private beta programmes where not promised
any reward. In fact to become a Beta tester your son would have had to agree
to an email which stated that he was volunteering his time for NO reward or
profit.

Being a Beta tester is not about rewards but about learning new products and
being
part of a community who thrive on technical challenges, that is why so many
people
volunteer their time. They have not been used or misled by Microsoft, but
have
agreed to perform some testing purely to satisfy their own curiosity.

Undoubtedly Microsoft gain a great benefit from this, but it is always made
clear that
people are invited to take part, and that they should never expect any
material reward.

Your son will have gained rewards from participating in the Beta, as his
knowledge
and skill in using the latest software technologies will have been greatly
improved, and
he will also have learned how to communicate, share and express his views
and experiences
with a global technical community.

As things turned out in the Vista programme one of the small private groups
of Beta testers
where rewarded with a gifted copy of Vista, but even then this was
restricted to
a subset of testers who had reached a very modest level of participation
within the
group.

If your son was part of the private beta group he would have known it, and
would have
been sent an email back in November/December informing him that he was
entitled to
a gift.

Has was mentioned in an earlier response he should check his connect
account, and registered
email address.

If you still feel that he was part of one of the private beta groups, you
could perhaps
look at his connect account for him and post the title of the beta programme
as
that would give a good indication to those here if he was or wasn't in the
relevant group.
Although as mentioned above even being in the right group still does not
entitle anybody
to anything.
 
Richard G. Harper said:
If your son was a member of the Vista beta program he should know who to
contact at Connect to resolve the issue. If not ... then he was not an
official beta tester and probably does not qualify for a copy. In any case,
the person or group that "invited" him would be the first, best contact.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


Matt's Mum said:
Hi, I am hoping someone can help me. My son was invited to test Vista for
bugs and hacking and to submit ares needing improvement. This he did. He
even
provided solutions to the problems he found. His reward was to receive a
Free
copy of Vista. To date he has not received it. The address his responses
were forwarded to are a no reply address (it was in the Vista program).
Does
anyone know who I may write to via Email? I only want to make this wrong a
right. Thank you to all who read this and/or helps me.
Click to expand...


Good morning Richard,
Click to expand...
Thank you for responding . I have certainly learn't alot more than I
anticipated. I took advantage of looking up your "blog". The information
you provided for others would be valued by all who read it and it also made
me laugh a few times with your great sense of humor. I appreciated your time
and advice ...... I wish you all the best .... and I thank you again.
Matt's Mum
 
Buellpilot said:
Hi Matts Mum

There where a number of beta programmes for Vista each of which had
different
characteristics and rules. One of the largest beta programmes was, a Public
Beta
Click to expand...
which your son may have been part of. None of the participants in this beta
got a free
copy of Vista.

However, even participants of the private beta programmes where not promised
any reward. In fact to become a Beta tester your son would have had to agree
to an email which stated that he was volunteering his time for NO reward or
profit.

Being a Beta tester is not about rewards but about learning new products and
being
part of a community who thrive on technical challenges, that is why so many
people
volunteer their time. They have not been used or misled by Microsoft, but
have
agreed to perform some testing purely to satisfy their own curiosity.

Undoubtedly Microsoft gain a great benefit from this, but it is always made
clear that
people are invited to take part, and that they should never expect any
material reward.

Your son will have gained rewards from participating in the Beta, as his
knowledge
and skill in using the latest software technologies will have been greatly
improved, and
he will also have learned how to communicate, share and express his views
and experiences
with a global technical community.

As things turned out in the Vista programme one of the small private groups
of Beta testers
where rewarded with a gifted copy of Vista, but even then this was
restricted to
a subset of testers who had reached a very modest level of participation
within the
group.

If your son was part of the private beta group he would have known it, and
would have
been sent an email back in November/December informing him that he was
entitled to
a gift.

Has was mentioned in an earlier response he should check his connect
account, and registered
email address.

If you still feel that he was part of one of the private beta groups, you
could perhaps
look at his connect account for him and post the title of the beta programme
as
that would give a good indication to those here if he was or wasn't in the
relevant group.
Although as mentioned above even being in the right group still does not
entitle anybody
to anything.





Good morning Buellpilot,
Click to expand...
What a lovely response and your words have now thrown a completely different
light on it for me. I am in awe of the generosity of your time (unless you
can type alot faster than me !!!ha) explaining to me in detail "why" the beta
paticipants volunteer. I did not look at it the same way you did. I
actually feel ashamed that I didn't. Thank you again for your advice .......
time ........ etc. You are truley a wonderful and thoughtful person. I wish
you all the best in life.
"Cheers" Matt's Mum
 
Matts Mum

I can assure that my typing skills are far from being quick... :)
and I thank you for your response...

and I hope your son will still consider volunteering to in future
beta programmes, as I am sure he will enjoy the experience of once
again being ahead of his peers in being given access to future technolgies
before the public at large.
 
David

It's likely that Matt participated in the public preview. There was a lot of
FUD being slung around when Vista was first released in November. The
official beta testers who qualified were sent a free version and many people
who participated in the public preview were up in arms because they felt
that they also deserved a free copy. The public preview was simply a way for
anybody to try out the new OS and finding/sending bugs was not a mandatory
requirement, although some PP participants did do this.

Even if you are an official beta tester, there is never an assumption that
you will receive a free version of the final product. This decision is
always made by the beta team when the product reaches RTM.
 
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