If Paul Flessner and his SQL Server team have their way, traditional beta releases may soon be a thing of the past. And they aren't the only Softies who are pushing to overhaul the way Microsoft builds software to more closely emulate the open source process.
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,2180,1938275,00.asp Could this also mean the death of betas for other microsoft products too such as Windows, Office and Visual Studio.NET? Microsoft announced a month ago that it will not issue a public beta for Windows Vista and instead roll them both into the forms of CTP's (Corporate and Consumer Test Program) or CPP (Corporate and Consumer Preview Programs ). Highly unlikely. To me software tests conducted by CTP or no CPP its still beta to me. It looks as if the open source gang has had an influence in how microsoft is beginning to rethink how it develops its software inside and out. From what I've read most software engineers at Microsoft liked the idea of issuing CTP or CPPs instead of betas becuase form their point of view the CTP and CPPs return results more rapidly than the betas. This means that maybe a slightly shorter test cycle could be in order through the use of deploying CTP and CPPs as single test vehicles themselves. This also brings into question how microsoft says its innovating and yet we see the company innovate and it just innovates and innovates and yet delays, delays and delays while we wait, wait and wait for a new product as it goes from development, test to release. Haven't they innovated enough already? Enough with the innovating and get with the testing and releasing already. Yes I know that Office and Windows are very complicated products in of themselves and take time to develope but when was the last time Microsoft released a new product (Besides Windows and Office 2003?) Windows XP was released in 2001 and its been 5 years since then. Apple meanwhile has updated its OS 10 product 3 times inside of 2 years and Microsoft slogs along slowly all the while Apple is way ahead of the OS game in terms of releases. After all IMHO its better to wait than to ship a bad product late. IMHO issuing CTP or CPPs instead of betas means that you won't have to test numerous builds as they get released, no more post beta RC's to deal with and most of all the CTP and CPPs are near or feature complete by the time you get them. Don't get me wrong but I think beta software will be around for quite a while no matter what form CTP or CPP its in. Besides after all its still beta to me. ;) Marc Sims Data Technician I Prince George's Community College -- ---------------------------------------- The WIN-HOME mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
