"Gerry Cornell" <gcjc@tenretnitb.com> wrote in message
news:%23ucoG5VPHHA.1248@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Alexander
>
> I cannot speak Russian so that closes off one means of communicating <G>!
>
> I have no contact with Microsoft employees, living in a UK backwater.
> Occasionally one encounters an employee in a newsgroup or forum but this
> is infrequent and haphazard.
>
> To beta test and be safe you need a separate computer. Something I do not
> have! As I use my computer for work ,although tempted, I have held back
> from beta testing.


The fact that you have only one computer is not necessarily a hindrance to
beta testing. A dual boot will serve you well under these circumstances,
along with an imaging program suich as Acronis True Image. Even if you have
only one HD, if it is large enough, you can have your 'work partition' and
your 'beta partition'. ANd if not, HDs are pretty cheap these days. All
this, of course, is assuming your machine meets the hardware requirements
for the OS you would test.

James




>
> I have a friendly relationship and contact with a number of MVPs. They
> are, however, bound by the terms of a non-disclosure agreement. You can
> make them aware of problems but you cannot expect feedback. They are
> helpfull but they cannot say what Microsoft are doing to resolve a
> problem, until it is in the public domain. In any event their voices are
> often ignored. The compacting problems with Outlook Express is a perfect
> illustration of how they were ignored for so long. However, the belated
> changes may well have come about through the efforts of Tom Koch and
> others.
>
> In making any representations they are more likely to be heeded if they
> relate to a flavour of the month issue for Microsoft. Microsoft are
> involved with so many products and issues it is hard for a non-Microsoft
> person to know which subject might get results and which will be
> sidelined.
>
> My experience has been that Feedback forms produce no feedback!
>
>
> --
>
> Regards.
>
> Gerry
> ~~~~
> FCA
> Stourport, England
> Enquire, plan and execute
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> Alexander Suhovey wrote:
>> "Gerry Cornell" <gcjc@tenretnitb.com> wrote in message
>> news:u5xV6HVPHHA.4280@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>> Alexander
>>>
>>> That's amazing. An instance of Microsoft responding to customer
>>> requests. You were lucky. Have you ever commented on a Knowledge
>>> Base Article and wondered whether any KB Article has ever been
>>> rephrased or changed as a result of customer comment?
>>
>> Well, I guess I am. I didn't have much of interactions with Microsoft
>> but when I reported an error on their web page some time ago I've got
>> prompt human response. I think when you deal with the company of that
>> size, it really depends on the communication channel you use.
>>
>> I also had a good experience with several beta programs though I
>> cannot say I was super-active beta tester :-)
>>
>> For example, there's a thread on one of most popular russian computer
>> forums where Microsoft employees have asked for customer feedback on
>> problems and errors specific to localized versions of Windows and/or
>> MUIs. It is now several pages of not only feedback but actual
>> conversation with MS reps. Didn't look at it for some time though so
>> can't say how it is going now.
>> I'd say if you wish your voice to be heard there are several options
>> in the order of effectiveness:
>> * Direct communication with MS employee (known personally or via
>> blogs) * Participating in beta programs (again, it's relatively direct
>> commnication with dev teams)
>> * Direct communication with appropriate MVP (which adds another layer
>> between you and actual feedback target but has it's pros since MVPs
>> represent users before Microsoft and it listens to them more closely)
>> *...
>> *...
>> * Using "submit feedback" forms on MS web site (I can only guess how
>> much layers of bureaucracy, filtering and merging your feedback will
>> go through)
>