It was but three months ago that
Microsoft opened the flood gates to beta signups for
Windows Live for TV, and now the mega-corp is soliciting the help of free laborers yet again to test out a potentially buggy and likely frustrating piece of forthcoming software. If you're still intrigued, Microsoft is holding an open signup to beta test Windows Media Center update for
Vista, but we certainly hope you weren't counting on even a partial list of features, as the curiously bland signup page doesn't relinquish much of anything beyond procedural instructions. So if you're hankering for something new to try out, and don't mind replying to Microsoft's "surveys, bug reports, and other means as required," feel free to hit the read link and toss your name in the hat.
[Via
BoyGeniusReport]
posted Apr 19th 2007 7:30PM
Darn! I just saw this about 20 minutes ago and signed up. It appears I signed up just minutes before the crowd. Now that it's widely publicized, you're far less likely to get in.
I'm still waiting for my Joost beta though.
I've been using Joost for a few weeks now..it's awesome but kinda empty right now. Amount of content is still the biggest problem with digital distribution.
..Please don't turn this into another Joost invite request thread
Could you be more unbiased about this? Seriously, you ripped on everything you possibly could without actually trying it.
-tjackson
Why does this post sound so sarcastic? Oh, maybe becuase it is. I don't exactly see what's wrong with signing up for a beta. Everybody knows the risks and work handling betas, but it does feel great to at least have some of the first looks and experience with something new. Yes, beta users don't get paid, but who says I want to get paid? Some companies even charge you to try their beta. I help find problems for free, and they allow me to work with something new and great for free. Did you ever think that maybe there isn't a list of features yet, because maybe they're not ready yet? I think Microsoft has at least learned from several mistakes in the past, to allow things to fully work, before they start shooting off their mouths about new features. "surveys, bug reports, and other means as required," are just part of the beta experience. If you haven't read my stuff already, there's good stuff to seeing a beta too. Obviously, you don't seem very interested in writing this post. Well, if you don't like it so much, then maybe you should give it to someone else. I usually expect higher standards from Engadget when posting this kind of stuff, and not crude and sarcastic tones in the reading. If you don't like Vista, or Media Center betas, then why don't you try the impressive Leopard beta? Oh wait, they don't have one. You'll have to wait until the end of the year before you can do so. That's all I have to express. I'll be sure to try this beta, regardless of your obvious opinion about this beta.
or you could just stop reading engadget...
I agree with michael. If this was Apple doing some sort of a beta test, it would have been written up with excitement as if this was the beginning of a new age.
Betas are buggy and frustrating? No kidding. It's the hope to try out a new and forthcoming product that brings the excitement to the table.
Rather than throwing in your personal feelings about the beta, why not just objectively post about the facts without throwing in the opinions that downplay the potential that this software has?
I agree with Michael. This post seemed bitter and so not on par with what most Engadget standards of postings. If the person who posted this does not know the meaning and reasoning behind Beta programs, then why on earth is he/she even posting on Endgadget?
Wish the media centre wasn't 80% bloat.
Perhaps while they're at it, they'd care to fix Vista Media Center's absolutely nonsense handling of video thumbnails/album art. Yes, I certainly ENJOY waiting 2+ minutes when opening either videos or albums menu for you to load thumbnails/art that have already previously been generated/cached, and, in the case of videos, regenerating half the thumbnails for no reason.
And this is on a local drive. God help you if you're trying to do it over a network.
Anti-Vista flamebait need not reply to this post:
I was in the Vista beta test, did my job by filing a couple bugs, and was rewarded with a $300 piece of software I was probably going to buy anyway. I just got invited to another beta (which I believe I'm under NDA for, so I won't go into further detail) but it provides me with a service for free as long as I test beta.
Beta tests are good things. While unfortunately beta-ing an MMORPG usually just means free play during that period, beta testing software and doing a good job (or winning a contest, in some cases) gets you free stuff. If you don't like free stuff (you may or may not have paid for anyway), then, well.
i don't get it. doesn't vista ultimate have most of these media center features? what's the point?
I agree with the other "Michael:"
And to Dave: why would anyone stop reading for one whiney blogger?
I used MCE 2005 for a good couple years. It worked flawlessly with my crappy college cable, was somewhat stable, and not that hard to setup, versus my multiple attempts with Myth. Sage? Ugly. I liked my MCE remote, as well. Comfortable, well thought out, and not tiny buttons. I press a button, MCE launches. People call it bloat, but I don't see it. It functions the way it looks. I could set up to have it not record reruns, but new programs. It downloaded enough data ahead of time.
What's the problem? Just because it's MS? I tried Myth again, last weekend, using install guides, and it still doesn't set up easy (flame suit on). MythDora and Ubuntu. I use to run Redhat 7.1 in high school, but maybe I've lost my tolerance for endless .conf files of configuration and have become windowized. Or maybe it's because I'm a MS system admin. Either way, I'd rather spend my time watching TV that I've recorded versus configuring it.
And I signed up for the beta.
Gmail is currently in beta.
What a pathetic posting.
If this was anything to do with Apple it would read something like "we bent over and took one up the ass from Apple again this week...like usual".
As the old saying goes: if you have nothing useful to say, then shut the f**k up.
Yes, Media Center is a part of Vista Home Premium and Vista Ultimate.
However Media Center is an "out of band" release, in that updates for it are not released only with new versions of the Operating System. There were three different versions of Media Center based on Windows XP, and this is a beta test for the next version of Media Center, under Windows Vista.
Thanks for the headsup! I'm in the WHS beta right now and really digging it. Hopefully this update has to do with managed copy and QAM/DCTs judging by the questionnaire. :)
wow, well, i actually USE media center to watch tv, and here in aus, its pretty minimalistic. i had to get some plugins going to get an EPG and such, but now, it works, which is a rarity for a m$ program.
I've read somewhere else they purposely rushed media center into vista so they'd have something to work on before the first service pack.
in any case, as an actual MC user, im staying the HELL away from this ms beta. MC is the one good ultimate extra, and im certainly not going to stuff it up by messing around with some beta junk.
Nicely balance article Muphie: "and now the mega-corp is soliciting the help of free laborers yet again to test out a potentially buggy and likely frustrating piece of forthcoming software."
I take the point Shawn O makes, but the way this is written, I'm really thinking Muphie is too darn stupid to do that. A buggy piece of betaware? Oh ... my ... god . Did Muph just complete his GED? Of course it'll be buggy. Gee, maybe that's why it's called beta, ya think?
I love the way whenever engadget puts any slant or editorial content on a post they get slammed. Personally, that's part of the reason I like this site. Perhaps I just don't have as much emotional investment in my tech as some of the other people around here. Or perhaps some of them just need to lighten the fuck up.
If you never used betas then you could not use 95% of google products
I have heard from very reliable sources that the writer of this blog was born when his partents where trying out a beta condom.