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MS: Beta Software Good Enough for Production Use

Posted by timothy on from the not-like-they-indemnify-you-for-damages-anyhow dept.

RMX writes "CNet is reporting that Microsoft is starting to license test software for real-world use . In particular, Visual Studio 2005 and the April "community technology preview" of SQL Server 2005 are both supposed to be released sometime in the second half of the year. But Microsoft is claiming the pre-release versions are stable already, so they're licensing the pre-released versions on the grounds that they 'are already suitable for running production business applications.'"

5 of 411 comments (clear)

  1. Nothing new here. by Ridge · · Score: 4, Informative

    Microsoft had a go live license for Visual Studio 2002 as well.

  2. Free beta CD by DigitlDud · · Score: 5, Informative

    Just FYI, you can order a FREE (no s&h) CD of Visual Studio 2005 Beta 2 here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/getthebetas/

    If you want to distribute programs you make with it, you have to sign the GoLive aggreement here: http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/vs2005/golive/licens e/

  3. Re:One born every minute by captain_craptacular · · Score: 3, Informative

    RTFA,
    No one is paying for shit. Microsofts BETA liscence forbids you from running production servers on beta software. They are simply offering an exemption from this restriction. They are not charging for the software, they are simply letting you go live with the beta software before the production version is ready if you wish to do so. Then, you will buy the production liscence when available (ie when it's released).

    --
    They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty nor security
  4. Re:One born every minute by hkb · · Score: 4, Informative

    Yet another stupid moderation. Someone should probably point out to the parent the fact that the betas are free.

    Oh wait, nevermind. I just did.

    --
    /* Moderating all non-anonymous trolls up since 2004 */
  5. Re:Accountability by tokabola · · Score: 3, Informative

    Well, lets see. When I was looking to see which OS would perform best on my graphics station I used three pieces of software for testing. All three work on both Windows and Linux. They are the GIMP, Blender, and Povray.

    These apps performed tasks on average 17 percent faster on Mandrake 10 community edition than they did on Windows. On Gentoo (with only O2 optimizations, not riced out) they performed on average 22 percent faster than Windows XP.

    I could probably reduce XP's performance deficit by shutting down the firewall, anti-virus, and other protective wares, but I have an always on connection so it would be pretty stupid to do that. Besides, the Linux distros were tested with the firewall on, as well as some network monitoring daemons, and don't need all the other stuff Windows needs to be reasonably secure.

    The tests I used were all based on rendering speeds, which are not dependent on the video card or any drivers, and since I used the same PC (literally, the same box) for all three OS's the speed difference can only be caused by the OS. It was, after all, the only variable.

    Therefore, I must call bullshit on your calling bullshit.

    Tommy
    --
    Open Source for Open Minds