Microsoft is sending out requests asking participants that are testing Windows 7 Beta to provide feedback and surveys for the three months. In return, Microsoft will give out free versions of Windows Vista or Office 2007 Ultimate (Small Business). I think that is ludicrous.

I have to say that I think it's actually quite generous. If, for example, you installed Windows 7 over your existing Vista Basic or Premium, you can install your free Ultimate when the time comes to abandon 7. Not so bad...

I haven't heard this; however, I'll welcome the Office 2007 or free Vista if offered. Although I prefer a free Win7, even if OEM.Where is the information about this offer? Is there a link?

ill4good said: Microsoft is sending out requests asking participants that are testing Windows 7 Beta to provide feedback and surveys for the three months. In return, Microsoft will give out free versions of Windows Vista or Office 2007 Ultimate (Small Business). I think that is ludicrous.Post the link and/or email to prove this.I am a professional developer and I am registered with Microsoft Connect. I am also a vegan. Economics and chess are two of my many interests.

I signed up for this when it came out but unfortuantely it is only for US residents.It is currently closed to new applicants.Link hereAnd here is a thread discussing it on this forum.Asrock K8NF6P, AMD64 3200+, 1.5GB RAM, Palit Geforce 8400GS 256MB, 500GB Maxtor SataII, Asus 1814BLT optical

It is actually part of the Windows Feedback Panelist Survey. Selection took place back in January and those panalists that joined the program were asked to download the Windows Feedback Panalist software and install it on their PCs. I have to admit I haven't seen mention of Windows Vista. According to the email I received panalistshave the choice of Streets and Trips, Expression Web or Office.John Barnett MVP: Windows XP Associate Expert: Windows Desktop Experience: Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

I do not care much for Vista, WIndows 7 is so much better. My key is retail and checking the license, its permanent. Works for me. I have sent zillions of bug reports and Microsoft has contacted me to thank me for the detailed reports. All I wanted was fixes and I have the ones that count.Defect, open a LAN based share (web site) caused BSOD, hotfix surfaced around Feb 15Defect, ATI freezes when resuming from screen saver, new 9.2 driver surfaced last week.A Microsoft game refuses to play, Dungeon Seige - Legend of Aranna, not like I do not have another game to play. Other period games work fine as do more recent titles from Microsoft Games Studio such as Halo, Freelancer and Rise of Nations. RON does crash sometimes and it may due to the video driver bugs. Lots of error reports.Even though this is a preview version, its way way better than Vista. Once all the kinks are worked out Apple will have some crow to eat with their Vista bashing. A friend has an Apple (I call it an iPod).Internally Microsoft has toiled like mad fixing all the issues that plagued Vista. Huge amount of new code that is unseen in security and performance. Windows 7 is quite fast. The boot has been cleaned up and made drastically smoother.Over at Connect, I have recently been invited to get some new games, yummy!I am a professional developer and I am registered with Microsoft Connect. I am also a vegan. Economics and chess are two of my many interests.

I got mine through Connect and Technet. Membership has its privileges.I am a professional developer and I am registered with Microsoft Connect. I am also a vegan. Economics and chess are two of my many interests.

John_Barnett said: It is actually part of the Windows Feedback Panelist Survey. Selection took place back in January and those panalists that joined the program were asked to download the Windows Feedback Panalist software and install it on their PCs. I have to admit I haven't seen mention of Windows Vista. According to the email I received panalistshave the choice of Streets and Trips, Expression Web or Office.John Barnett MVP: Windows XP Associate Expert: Windows Desktop Experience: Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.orgI got sent an invitation also, and mine offered the Vista Ultimate or Office 2007 choices for participation. I have no need for Office, so I chose Vista, however, I'm going to want to go to Windows 7 so I'm not sure what I'm gonna do with the copy of Vista. I sure would prefer to be rewarded for participation with a copy of 7.

I got sent an invitation also, and mine offered the Vista Ultimate or Office 2007 choices for participation. I have no need for Office, so I chose Vista, however, I'm going to want to go to Windows 7 so I'm not sure what I'm gonna do with the copy of Vista. I sure would prefer to be rewarded for participation with a copy of 7.So would we all...However I believe that is unlikely to happen.My preference was for Office 2007 as I already have a retail version of Vista home premium but as I don't live in the US I do not qualify :(Asrock K8NF6P, AMD64 3200+, 1.5GB RAM, Palit Geforce 8400GS 256MB, 500GB Maxtor SataII, Asus 1814BLT optical

The EULA makes it non-transferable. Its locked to a particular machine. I have complained bitterly as XP can be moved from machine to machine as I want.I have Office 2003, all I need. I have a retail key for Windows 7 ultimate so I feel adequately compensated for my help here.I am a professional developer and I am registered with Microsoft Connect. I am also a vegan. Economics and chess are two of my many interests.

Vegan Fanatic said: I have a retail key for Windows 7 ultimate so I feel adequately compensated for my help here.I am a professional developer and I am registered with Microsoft Connect. I am also a vegan. Economics and chess are two of my many interests.Interesting as it has not even hit RC stage yet...Asrock K8NF6P, AMD64 3200+, 1.5GB RAM, Palit Geforce 8400GS 256MB, 500GB Maxtor SataII, Asus 1814BLT optical

BrowniMFC said: Vegan Fanatic said: I have a retail key for Windows 7 ultimate so I feel adequately compensated for my help here. I am a professional developer and I am registered with Microsoft Connect. I am also a vegan. Economics and chess are two of my many interests. Interesting as it has not even hit RC stage yet... Asrock K8NF6P, AMD64 3200+, 1.5GB RAM, Palit Geforce 8400GS 256MB, 500GB Maxtor SataII, Asus 1814BLT optical I know, the connect link said retail key and the key is unlimited acording to the slmgr tool. So as far as I can tell this key is good for the next version, if not I will get a new one.I am a professional developer and I am registered with Microsoft Connect. I am also a vegan. Economics and chess are two of my many interests.

I am a registered user of the device driver SDK and the Logo Kit among many other tools I use. This is why I was sent an invitation. Its from connect, not technet.I am a professional developer and I am registered with Microsoft Connect. I am also a vegan. Economics and chess are two of my many interests.

Hmmm Asrock K8NF6P, AMD64 3200+, 1.5GB RAM, Palit Geforce 8400GS 256MB, 500GB Maxtor SataII, Asus 1814BLT optical

The device driver kit uses a different compiler, different API and manuals. It took me 3 years to develop adequate skills to develop drivers safely. Its not anything like applications programming.Drivers live in the kernal mode area, mistakes cause BSOD problems. Ask ATI and NVIDIA etc about those kind of errors.Motherboard chipsets also need drivers, and this is a specialized area.Forget C++, drivers are done with C and some Assembler.I am a professional developer and I am registered with Microsoft Connect. I am also a vegan. Economics and chess are two of my many interests.

Vegan Fanatic said: The device driver kit uses a different compiler, different API and manuals. It took me 3 years to develop adequate skills to develop drivers safely. Its not anything like applications programming.Drivers live in the kernal mode area, mistakes cause BSOD problems. Ask ATI and NVIDIA etc about those kind of errors.Motherboard chipsets also need drivers, and this is a specialized area.Forget C++, drivers are done with C and some Assembler.I am a professional developer and I am registered with Microsoft Connect. I am also a vegan. Economics and chess are two of my many interests.And the relevance to this thread is...Asrock K8NF6P, AMD64 3200+, 1.5GB RAM, Palit Geforce 8400GS 256MB, 500GB Maxtor SataII, Asus 1814BLT optical

I am also an active participant in the driver developer forums. Not just here. Microsoft knows who I am.I am a professional developer and I am registered with Microsoft Connect. I am also a vegan. Economics and chess are two of my many interests.

Hi thebigdintx,It maybe that there are a number of emails circulating with different incentives, as i said, the one I received doesn't include a copy of Vista. I think the chances of you getting a copy of Windows 7 for your participation in the feedback survey are pretty grim. Many beta testers voice the same opinion that, because they are testing the software, they should be entitled to a copy of Windows 7. Sadly when beta tester sign up for the relevant beta test they are expected to do the service without any expectation of reward. The only reward you can safely say you have got is the reward of "satisfaction" knowing you help makeWindows 7 the 'best windows operating system ever'John Barnett MVP: Windows XP Associate Expert: Windows Desktop Experience: Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

Egads,I agree, I can't for the life of me understand why Microsoft would offer Vista in the first place; they may as well have stuck to the products mentioned in the email that i got - i.e., Expression Web, Office and Streets and Trips. I already have Expression web and Office, I also live in the UK so the offer doesdn't apply to me - well from what i gather it is for US residents only.John Barnett MVP: Windows XP Associate Expert: Windows Desktop Experience: Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

Hi JohnI also agree that is very strange.If you look at the links from my post on the first page that will probably just add to the confusion !Heres onehttp://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itprogeneral/thread/b5ecc051-1af0-44b0-8b36-8b4584b99f70/Asrock K8NF6P, AMD64 3200+, 1.5GB RAM, Palit Geforce 8400GS 256MB, 500GB Maxtor SataII, Asus 1814BLT optical

Hi BrowniMFC,I actually used my Gmail account to sign up, I also live in the UK, but didn't get a refusal. The problem is we sign up for these things and don't always read the small print. The reward to me is immaterial as i am used to Microsoft requesting information off my PC during the course of the many betas I participate in.Of course, another problem with sending gifts to other parts of the world is the inevitable carriage and import taxes. At least by only sending the rewards to US resident Microsoft only have surface postage to pay. It isn't much fun getting a parcel via DHL only to find that a month or so later you get an invoice drop on your mat for 80 or so for import duty. You may also not always be that lucky that you get an invoice, it may simply be a case that the driver pulls up, knocks on your door and say 'i have a parcel for you, but before you can have it, i need 80 in cutoms duty.' Mind you in situations like that you can at least politely say, then return it to sender:-)John Barnett MVP: Windows XP Associate Expert: Windows Desktop Experience: Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

Hi John,To clarify matters, the only time I got refused was when trying to install the automated reporting software. I have received and completed one online survey already.I am also used to sending feedback to Microsoft as I participated in the XP64 beta progam and always enable the CEIP feature for Microsoft products.As for DHL knocking on your door and asking xx for a parcel, is the physical media really necessary in these days of fast broadband ? Obviously once something is downloaded you create your own copy for backup purposes. Not too sure about the legalities of emailing a product key and download location and import duties though.I've got to agree with egads though, help test Windows 7 and get a copy of Vista is a bit ironic :)Asrock K8NF6P, AMD64 3200+, 1.5GB RAM, Palit Geforce 8400GS 256MB, 500GB Maxtor SataII, Asus 1814BLT optical

Hi BrowniMFC,I set the DHL scenario up as an example; however, Microsoft haven't said how they are going to distribute these rewards. The only thing they have said is that if you haven't received it by august (I think, I haven't got the email open as I type this) then email them to let them know. If, on the other hand, they are distributing via download then why the restriction to US Residents only? Being able to download the 'reward' would allow anyone to participate. I'm a UK citizen, but I also do have a US social security number, perhaps that makes me entitled to the reward:-) I doubt it:-)John Barnett MVP: Windows XP Associate Expert: Windows Desktop Experience: Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

Oh, I don't know. If it IS actually legit, and you get a copy of Ultimate after July.... Voila! Free Win7. :)

SandmanXX said: Oh, I don't know. If it IS actually legit, and you get a copy of Ultimate after July.... Voila! Free Win7. :)That would be nice, but I bet the only copies of Vista that will be eligble for the upgrade to Windows 7 will be purchased retail versions of Vista or purchase of a computer loaded with an OEM copy of Vista after the magic date.

ill4good said: Microsoft is sending out requests asking participants that are testing Windows 7 Beta to provide feedback and surveys for the three months. In return, Microsoft will give out free versions of Windows Vista or Office 2007 Ultimate (Small Business). I think that is ludicrous. Post the link and/or email to prove this. I am a professional developer and I am registered with Microsoft Connect. I am also a vegan. Economics and chess are two of my many interests. Unfortunately, I discarded it. I never thought to keep it as proof. I was under the impression that others received the same offer. In any case, it is now May 2010 and it doesn't matter anymore. Quite frankly, it didn't matter then. I just thought that it was weird to offer a failing OS, that most people wished to dump, for free.