Microsoft Sending Windows 7 SP1 Beta Invites
Many Windows 7 users may get an early invitation to the SP1 Beta.
Reports are indicating that Microsoft is now sending out invites to potential Windows 7 SP1 beta testers. The email--which began making its rounds on Tuesday--is informing the potential candidates that they are receiving the invitations "based on the quality of feedback you have provided on previous Windows programs." The select number of testers were picked by the Windows Customer Connection Team.
As Microsoft previously indicated, SP1 will not offer Windows 7-specific features, but rather serves as a culmination of updates released since the OS hit the market--a few additional hotfixes thrown into the mix. For Windows Server 2008 R2, the new service pack will provide RemoteFX, a 3D graphical experience for remote users, and Dynamic Memory, a feature that allows Windows Server Hyper-V to "dynamically allocate more or less memory to each VM as needed, provided a more scalable and better performing VDI environment."
Although SP1 isn't expected to "ship" until the end of the year, Microsoft said earlier this month that the public beta will go live by the end of July. However the technical beta testers--those now receiving the emails--are expected to receive their portions by the end of the month. An earlier build of SP1 was even leaked onto the Internet back in April, and is currently residing on file-sharing sites (build 7601.16556 and others).
While Microsoft is now sending out emails to beta testers, hackers will more than likely do the same. Windows 7 users will need to pay close attention to received SP1 emails and evaluate where they're from, where they go (in regards to links), and their overall appearance. While this is common sense, it's also common knowledge that hackers will go all out to fool users into handing over personal information.
This guy seems legit.
Please send your name, ssn, birthday and mailing address with optional credit card info (#, expire date and security code in the back) to imahackergonnastealyouridandmoney@hotmail.com) and you will receive Windows 7 SP1.
Please send your name, ssn, birthday and mailing address with optional credit card info (#, expire date and security code in the back) to imahackergonnastealyouridandmoney@hotmail.com) and you will receive Windows 7 SP1.
This guy seems legit.
Because like any patch, there is always the possibility that you break something in the process of trying to fix something else.
The beta is just to let any new problems shake out before final release.
Not.
http://imagemacros.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/its_a_trap.jpg
what's there to beta test? this a re-release of stuff we're already using.
You'd be surprised. Stuff magically breaks for seemingly no good reason. Can't tell you how many times I've done something in a dev environment that works perfectly and then completely breaks in a test environment.
Personally, I rather have them run a beta test first instead releasing it to the world now only to find that I have a whole new set of Windows 7 computers that don't run. But thats just my opinion.
Personally, I rather have them run a beta test first instead releasing it to the world now only to find that I have a whole new set of Windows 7 computers that don't run. But thats just my opinion.
but these aren't new updates, these are updates they already released individually. it's a little late to just now start beta testing.
SP1 is important because that when most professional IT departments will adopt a new OS. This is also why SP1 is early this time...
Is true. I develop on my local machine, then test on a dev server, then test on a mirror of the production server, then finally put code into production. I often ask certain users to test out fixes / new features for a while before they hit production. Its better than paying more testers, and its better real-world conditions.
"based on the quality of feedback you have provided on previous Windows programs."
Does that mean that people actually use that "Send Error Report" button? O.o
I often send messages like 'Fuck you Microsoft and your buggy-ass software'. I wonder why I haven't received my invite yet?
well considering those are anonymous, it might be difficult. i want windows 7 to get rid of that "searching for a solution to the problem" thing and just send a report in the background that way i can fix it myself because iu usually know what the problem i already