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By Ina Fried
Posted on ZDNet News: Jun 8, 2006 12:45:00 AM

After months of limited testing, Microsoft late Wednesday made a beta version of Windows Vista publicly available for download.

The company kicked off what it called its "Customer Preview Program," a testing period in which the software maker hopes millions of tech enthusiasts will kick the tires on the new operating system.

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"Microsoft today kicked off the Windows Vista Customer Preview Program (CPP), providing the broadest access yet to pre-release test versions of Windows Vista," the company said in a statement. Microsoft is aiming to wrap up testing and development of Vista later this year in hopes of a broad launch in January. The company released Beta 2 last month to a more limited group of testers and had promised the broader test would come shortly.

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The software maker is still cautioning that Vista is not ready for the average consumer, pitching the CPP as suited for developers and tech workers, as well as hard-core enthusiasts who don't mind a few bugs and have a spare machine for testing. Microsoft also recommends those interested in the CPP run its recently released adviser tool, which helps detect how Vista-ready a PC is.

People can either download the software from Microsoft's Web site or pay a small fee to get it on DVD.

Although Microsoft is looking for millions of testers, it has said it may cap the test program at some point.

  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 211 Talkback(s)
WOOW
COOL (Read the rest)
Posted by: VIREN.CHAVAN Posted on: 12/06/06 You are currently: Logged In | Log out
Microsoft releases public download of Vista Loverock Davidson   | 06/07/06
January Release? BUWAHAHAHAHAHH!!! itanalyst   | 06/08/06
Same question of you: answer honestky if you can John Zern   | 06/08/06
Vista Terrifies Me?? Oh PUH-LEEZE!! itanalyst   | 06/08/06
You dont even know what your talking about. Cayble   | 06/08/06
Yeah, keep telling yourself that itanalyst   | 06/08/06
hmm hopefulcoder   | 06/08/06
Yes, And You're A Complete Fool itanalyst   | 06/08/06
You think corporations will care if employees have Aero? GG4rest   | 06/08/06
Ha! What a joke. Cayble   | 06/08/06
And you do? Chad_z   | 06/08/06
THANK YOU!! itanalyst   | 06/08/06
Actually, it is hilarious watching YOU!! NonZealot   | 06/08/06
Your off the mark Cayble   | 06/08/06
Cayble, I agree except for one thing mdsmedia   | 06/08/06
Microsoft management doesn't care mighetto   | 06/08/06
If you will remember... Russedl   | 06/08/06
My 6 year old Dell is running Vista right now! ajole   | 06/08/06
Fords Suck, Chevy Owns!!! :) nucrash   | 06/08/06
O'DOYLE RULES!!! itanalyst   | 06/08/06
Not cars, Trucks! ajole   | 06/08/06
Grow up OhMyGosh   | 06/08/06
Here is my class act ! Intellihence   | 06/08/06
Ummm... why not? Russedl   | 06/08/06
True OhMyGosh   | 06/08/06
Ye, this "Windows copied Mac" thing is getting boring mdsmedia   | 06/08/06
The "terror" of Vista... Wolfie2K3   | 06/08/06
So, so wrong...... linux_for_me   | 06/08/06
Linux Applications Russedl   | 06/08/06
alot of words, but worthless in every sense. Monkey_MCSE   | 06/08/06
What does Mac have to do with Linux? mdsmedia   | 06/08/06
Serious question NonZealot   | 06/08/06
it all depends on your opinion... Monkey_MCSE   | 06/08/06
Amarok v. iTunes mdsmedia   | 06/08/06
Sorry, I think you're way off the mark.. mdsmedia   | 06/08/06
If this is as good as it gets for you, georgep_z   | 06/08/06
WOOW VIREN.CHAVAN   | 12/06/06
yoyoyo hopefulcoder   | 06/07/06
Busy servers Tiggster   | 06/07/06
Not Microsoft's servers. toadlife   | 06/07/06
quit your whining, folks luciphercolors   | 06/07/06
Didn't help when Offie 2007 Beta 2 was released Confused by religion   | 06/08/06
Download ralphdb@...   | 06/10/06
Don't waste your time, download are real OS: ubuntu.com DonnieBoy   | 06/07/06
dont irritate hopefulcoder   | 06/07/06
Be a slave if you want, others want freedom. Come on, try it, catch the DonnieBoy   | 06/07/06
Why does Vista terrify you so much? John Zern   | 06/08/06
Look, there's a parrot on ZDNet itanalyst   | 06/08/06
Nice, try, but you haven't answered the question... John Zern   | 06/08/06
I agree with you Michael Kelly   | 06/08/06
misspelling plumnilly   | 06/09/06
Great teach, and your grammer is crap Cayble   | 06/12/06
Good points and... BlazeEagle   | 06/12/06
I use :Linux SUSE. One thing Linux is not is... Cayble   | 06/08/06
Have you tried Michael Kelly   | 06/08/06
Do you live in a micro bus? ajole   | 06/08/06
and you could use Xubuntu.... mdsmedia   | 06/08/06
I'll tell you Arkyn1   | 06/11/06
and you're making Ubuntu look bad. mdsmedia   | 06/08/06
Ubuntu will support my 100+ windows apps? EricTheO   | 06/09/06
WINE JulesLt   | 06/09/06
Isn't a be all solution Boot_Agnostic   | 06/09/06
Proper english please? Tiggster   | 06/07/06
These days maybe you should voska   | 06/08/06
Er...Right.. Wolfie2K3   | 06/08/06
nope petteyg359   | 06/08/06
I didn't think English expression was a prerequisite mdsmedia   | 06/08/06
N00buntu? toadlife   | 06/07/06
Not everybody Michael Kelly   | 06/08/06
hehe toadlife   | 06/08/06
Only thing I don't like about FreeBSD, swoopee   | 06/08/06
Not much of an argument toadlife   | 06/08/06
Bad experience with FreeBSD, installer got stuck. ajole   | 06/08/06
Re: Don't waste your time, download are real OS: ubuntu.com royalstream   | 06/08/06
agree! Linux Geek   | 06/08/06
because... eric@...   | 06/08/06
A few points to quibble... Linux Advocate   | 06/08/06
Re eric@...   | 06/08/06
ROFL... Wolfie2K3   | 06/08/06
Really? Linux Advocate   | 06/08/06
Wow, you really are scared spitless aren't you. No_Ax_to_Grind   | 06/08/06
Are you really just a MS shill? Cooter_Davenport   | 06/08/06
Until I see... BFD   | 06/08/06
But... Wolfie2K3   | 06/08/06
maybe you should read my replies to him then. mdsmedia   | 06/08/06
Ubuntu and SuSe - Adventures in LinuxLand dnelson@...   | 06/08/06
if you used correct ENGLISH jimiznhb   | 06/08/06
English utututututut   | 06/15/06
Let the media frenzy begin! Tiggster   | 06/07/06
this could go either way for them... Monkey_MCSE   | 06/08/06
Already happened with the Beta of Offie 2007 Confused by religion   | 06/08/06
Barge Pole Gregory.J.Bradley@...   | 06/08/06
Do with your time what you want Boot_Agnostic   | 06/08/06
This is great, I've bought one ($20 on DVD) and I can test my software stevey_d   | 06/08/06
You have to BUY it? labarker   | 06/08/06
Buying it... Wolfie2K3   | 06/08/06
It just the cost of media voska   | 06/08/06
Try downloading it now... BitTwiddler   | 06/08/06
It's to make you hunger for it more.... itanalyst   | 06/08/06
That is so stupid zmud   | 06/08/06
Torrent available already Furiousrog   | 06/08/06
Thousands of PCs crashing as I type itanalyst   | 06/08/06
Most of us are smart enough... BitTwiddler   | 06/08/06
I'm talking about average Joe AOL user itanalyst   | 06/08/06
"My computer is broked..." Spicoli the Cannoli   | 06/08/06
Average Joe AOL user can burn a DVD from an iso image??? dpmcmull@...   | 06/08/06
They figured out how to use the wizard... itanalyst   | 06/08/06
You don't have to burn a DVD, you don't need to wipe your system Qbt   | 06/08/06
Peter, Any chance you can send cglrcng@...   | 06/08/06
please can you help me babygirl0212   | 06/08/06
Peter please can you help me babygirl0212   | 06/08/06
ummm....and you think average Joe can do that??? mdsmedia   | 06/08/06
If they are dumb enough nucrash   | 06/08/06
I'm as skeptical about M$ as the rest but really dude... Bill F.   | 06/08/06
The average Joe AOL user shouldn't be trying it! Russedl   | 06/08/06
To the WIZ babygirl0212   | 06/08/06
Actually, they double click on the icon of the download ajole   | 06/08/06
How do you know how many are smart enough to do a michael_t   | 06/08/06
hmm hopefulcoder   | 06/08/06
Awww...Another Angry Ballmer Henchman itanalyst   | 06/08/06
Don't bother hopefulcoder. Itty's mad as... John Zern   | 06/08/06
Actually your attempt at disparging this person fails... Linux Advocate   | 06/08/06
LA, a word of wisdom for you Monkey_MCSE   | 06/08/06
Monkey_MCSE, Thank you for your input... Linux Advocate   | 06/08/06
ooh, not the ones you set up, Boot_Agnostic   | 06/08/06
Or, more likely John Zern   | 06/08/06
crash webnews10@...   | 06/12/06
Ran a Beta Version. No probs. Thanks for the nonsense Cayble   | 06/12/06
Windows Vista williampack@...   | 06/08/06
A couple mirrors eric@...   | 06/08/06
Downloading Vista Public Beta 2 cglrcng@...   | 06/08/06
Oh well.... doc_cotton   | 06/12/06
beta OS fpost2000@...   | 06/08/06
I may be a Linux fan but ... yyuko@...   | 06/08/06
yyuko puppadave   | 06/08/06
Great post, Thank You. No_Ax_to_Grind   | 06/08/06
*BLUSHING* yyuko@...   | 06/08/06
ABSOLUTELY!!! No_Ax_to_Grind   | 06/08/06
only time that cause a problem voska   | 06/08/06
You don't have to compromise yyuko@...   | 06/08/06
True True voska   | 06/09/06
Excellent rapson   | 06/08/06
No Betta for me voska   | 06/08/06
XP With a Paintjob... pj_mouse   | 06/08/06
ho ho ho webnews10@...   | 06/12/06
Gamers Are Already Pissed Off Over Vista itanalyst   | 06/08/06
GET a life you and Shilendada SouthernPride   | 06/08/06
Incorrect statement yyuko@...   | 06/08/06
Not neccessarily true... Linux Advocate   | 06/08/06
I think you are right... ajole   | 06/08/06
This is one of those times where I wish Linux Advocate   | 06/08/06
Halo 3 is an X-box 360 game is it not? voska   | 06/09/06
I might agree with you if... Blackdog_z   | 06/09/06
Message has been deleted. hopefulcoder   | 06/08/06
Why? rapson   | 06/08/06
You are a true Bozo! ajole   | 06/08/06
Obviously not a gamer TonyMcS   | 06/08/06
Not sure what you mean by *nix cultist but... mdsmedia   | 06/08/06
Not just halo - any thing on DirectX Gibberstein   | 06/10/06
NEWS FLASH PEOPLE Shelendrea   | 06/08/06
STOP IT! You can't use common sense in the talkbacks. No_Ax_to_Grind   | 06/08/06
Message has been deleted. SouthernPride   | 06/08/06
Listen up drunkard ! Intellihence   | 06/08/06
Sober here SouthernPride   | 06/08/06
As compared to what? Shelendrea   | 06/08/06
What happened here? SouthernPride   | 06/08/06
Umm, could be the drug and alchohol voska   | 06/08/06
Whatever you say sheeple . I'm Ye, the MS SHILL .   | 06/08/06
You understand that once again you are Linux Advocate   | 06/08/06
Right ON Mate! nerdnick   | 06/08/06
Message has been deleted. SouthernPride   | 06/08/06
Why do you come here SouthernFried? John Zern   | 06/08/06
In Total Agreement enginepainter@...   | 06/08/06
ROTFLMFAO Shelendrea   | 06/08/06
What is ROTFLMFAO? SouthernPride   | 06/08/06
Gang talk , you've got to be kidding . I'm Ye, the MS SHILL .   | 06/08/06
If you're gonna educate someone... Wolfie2K3   | 06/08/06
Actually it was Shelendrea   | 06/08/06
Where did my message go? SouthernPride   | 06/08/06
It went in the garbage can . I'm Ye, the MS SHILL .   | 06/08/06
Calling all BETA TESTERS! Calling all michael_t   | 06/08/06
I dunno know. Why waste money restoring an old car? John Zern   | 06/08/06