While poking around I found a log in place for our Live stuff, it's Windows Live Home. It's great for a one stop log in for several things like OneCare, Spaces and Live Hotmail. We're really starting to get organized now, hats off to the Microsoft Live Team for the page.

 

Another goodie I found was a sight for gadgets for Windows Vista! It's located here.

 

Anyone have any neat sites that you've come across, please don't hesitate to jot them in the comment section.

First off, let me say sorry for the lack of posts for a while now. I haven't been in the blogging mood and find it hard to find a topic to write about so that's why there has been a great lack of posts.

 

I wanted to say THANK YOU to Microsoft and the Windows Vista Team for the free copy of Windows Vista Ultimate. I have it downloaded and it's all ready to go. No more beta, it's RTM (Gold) version. I'm totally estactic about getting a free copy of the operating system I've been beta testing for so long now I forget how long it's actually been. I know I have a stack of Vista DVD's from the first released build to the gold version, which should be available in retail stores the end of January.

 

Again, thanks Microsoft for the generous gift. :)

On Friday of this past week, I got a very big surprise from Microsoft in the mail - one of the few times getting US Postal Mail can be fun! There wasn't any paperwork with it but it appears to be a notebook/laptop bag or book bag. By all accounts a notebook would fit perfectly in it and I can't wait to show it off. I have a steel case for my notebook, but room is tight and my notebook barely fits in it, especially with all the extras like phone lines, networks cables, a mouse and power cord, etc. What a fantastic and very kind gesture from Microsoft saying thanks for beta testing Windows Live Messenger. Thanks Microsoft!!! ... I'll be sure to put it to good use! :) Like myself, Most beta testers don't expect tokens of thanks for testing, but it really goes a long way when we do. :) The picture doesn't do the bag justice, it's well build and very light!

 

Again, thank you Microsoft and the Windows Live Messenger Team for just a generous gift!!!

 

PS - I wish I would have been more helpful with bug reports, but I wasn't having any problems with Live Messenger, so you can't bug what you don't have issues with. Simply means better code! Applause to the Live Messenger Team!

 

Finally Microsoft has begun to roll out the new Spaces Live. It's totally different that what we were used to but sometimes change isn't always bad. I haven't figured out all the new features and toys as yet but like us all, we will in time.

 

Congrats Spaces Team on a job well done so far.

 

Now if I could only figure out how to add friends to my friends area! Damnit!

Just as Chris blogged about here and here with regard to MSN\Windows Live beta programs and the status of so many MSN Beta Butterflies ... I too lost my wings in what can only be called a very badly handled situation for anyone who was easily axed by the team leaders. Both Chris's posts make a lot of sense and carry the same sentiment I have with regard to loosing my wings. Will I stop beta testing? No. But I know for a fact I'm not the only one with a bad taste in my mouth on how my contributions were handled. I'm not a beta tester who uses a program and then talkes endlessly about it private newsgroups set aside for us testers, it's just not my style. Does loosing my wings opt me out from Microsoft beta testing programs period? No., Just the Live program group - which everything is being switched over to anyway. I guess it's Microsoft's way of saying thanks, but no thanks.

 

Can you just feel the love. 

Microsoft Internet Explorer Beta 3 has been released, drop by here if you wish to download this item.

 

Here is a list of downloads, some beta that have been released to the general public that I thought I'd pass along to you in case you were interested in downloading/trying out.

 

Windows Live Messenger (Not Beta)

 

Windows Media Player 11 (Beta)

 

Office 2007 (Beta 2)

 

Windows Vista (Beta 2) 

 

Windows Defender (Beta 2) 

 

Remember beta software is just that, beta. The bugs haven't all been worked out but they are certainly worth the try and for the most part all work quite well. It's always a good idea to create a System Restore point before installing any beta software, just in case problems arise.

 

Happy Downloading! 

Windows Live Spaces is set to roll out July 15th. Hopefully the change won't knock Spaces off course and everything will go smoothly.

 

For more info, read the article here.