Installing the public beta - anyone else having a nightmare?

[me]

ok so I know there's no tech support for the public beta, but I've just spent
2 hours navigating how to download the beta files, which shouldn't be
difficult but it seems overengineered to an extreme...

I've finally managed to install "smartsource for microsoft office downloads"
(whatever that is). Then it asks for my email address, then it says "invalid
email address", and "contact customer support". What customer support??? Who
on earth wrote this stuff? How can it be an invalid email address if you
register with Passport?

Why not keep it simple and rather than installing a complex download manager
- which doesn't work - can't we just do a right mouse click and install a
time limited file?

It doesn't give me high hopes for the product itself....

 

[Jesse C]

I'm having the same problem, think the servers are swamped because so many
people want in. Just have to keep trying I guess.

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Maybe because if it was simple everyone and their brother will try to
download it and ignore all of the warnings that accompany using betas? Just
a thought.

 

[Cindy]

I keep having the same problem. I can get to 50% and it will tell me that it
is unable to obtain the user profile for the given user.??????? There is not
link for SmartSource support....

Anyone????
Cindy

 

[me]

I can see the front end to download smartsource is busy, but I've got past
there
Are you in Smartsource too? Are you getting "invalid email address" when you
type in the right email address?
You'd think they'd just write it so Smartsource posts "we're busy , come
back later", rather than say "you're invalid, contact customer support"

So I've done what they said, and hunted down their customer support (its
well hidden)

I've logged a fault with licensetech, I suggest everyone does the same

http://www.licensetech.com/4_contact.asp

 

[Cindy]

Yes, am using SmartSource. I have beta tested previous software from
Microsoft but this is the first time using that software. Do not like it at
all... You'd think that if you were a previous beta tester, it would be
easier.

 

[Andrew]

I am having similar problems, however I cannot even get past opening the
program... once I double-click the SmartSource icon, i get a pop-up with a
stopsign with an exclamation point inside and it just says "Error!". I don't
know what I'm doing wrong. Anyone have a suggestion?
Andrew

 

[me]

Then flag that issue on the front page instead of hiding it in the smallprint.

Bottomline is the software for the download manager looks poorly written,
and it looks to me like Microsoft didn't write the download manager

Maybe because if it was simple everyone and their brother will try to
download it and ignore all of the warnings that accompany using betas? Just
a thought.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

ok so I know there's no tech support for the public beta, but I've just
spent
2 hours navigating how to download the beta files, which shouldn't be
difficult but it seems overengineered to an extreme...

I've finally managed to install "smartsource for microsoft office
downloads"
(whatever that is). Then it asks for my email address, then it says
"invalid
email address", and "contact customer support". What customer support???
Who
on earth wrote this stuff? How can it be an invalid email address if you
register with Passport?

Why not keep it simple and rather than installing a complex download
manager
- which doesn't work - can't we just do a right mouse click and install a
time limited file?

It doesn't give me high hopes for the product itself....

 

[John]

i just re-applied for the beta and this time I got direct links to
downloading the installer files

 

[BOBIROC]

When you reapplied did you use a different email address. I cannot go
anywhere and MS support was no help. They gave me there is no support with
beta software routine.

 

[John]

Nope. I used the same email address.

Went to http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/beta/download/en/default.mspx,
chose my country, i was asked for the email address and language to use,
chose the products and was given serial numbers and direct download links

 

[Andrew]

Thanks alot, i dont know if those download links were there before and i just
didn't see them, or they switched the download style, but i appreciate your
help.

 

[John]

they weren't there before. i think the SmartSource system was trashed

 

[k_m99]

I've tried several times through out the day to access the beta with
SmartSource with no luck, over a 7 hour period. Will try again tomorrow
hoping the servers aren't as busy, or the issue has been resolved.

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Smartsource has been disabled so try downloading it the normal method that
you use. I used the right click on the link and selected "save target as"
to get the items.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, k_m99 asked:

| I've tried several times through out the day to access the beta with
| SmartSource with no luck, over a 7 hour period. Will try again
| tomorrow hoping the servers aren't as busy, or the issue has been
| resolved.
|
| "me" wrote:
|
|| ok so I know there's no tech support for the public beta, but I've
|| just spent 2 hours navigating how to download the beta files, which
|| shouldn't be difficult but it seems overengineered to an extreme...
||
|| I've finally managed to install "smartsource for microsoft office
|| downloads" (whatever that is). Then it asks for my email address,
|| then it says "invalid email address", and "contact customer
|| support". What customer support??? Who on earth wrote this stuff?
|| How can it be an invalid email address if you register with Passport?
||
|| Why not keep it simple and rather than installing a complex download
|| manager - which doesn't work - can't we just do a right mouse click
|| and install a time limited file?
||
|| It doesn't give me high hopes for the product itself....

 

[Bill Faulkner]

I think you're off base here JoAnn. The KEY to a PUBLIC Beta is for MS to get
a broad range of experiences involved to help decide if the software needs
tweaking. Remember that Marketing will always default to the lowest common
denominator in their recs.

I know this from many years of experience in the industry.

This Smartsource is a non starter. I know they are using a third party to
manage this but MS has got the wrong group in muy opinion. They have had
months to test and ramp up. Yet they are still not ready to run. MS Marketing
this is a big blackeye.

IMHO
bill

Maybe because if it was simple everyone and their brother will try to
download it and ignore all of the warnings that accompany using betas? Just
a thought.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

ok so I know there's no tech support for the public beta, but I've just
spent
2 hours navigating how to download the beta files, which shouldn't be
difficult but it seems overengineered to an extreme...

I've finally managed to install "smartsource for microsoft office
downloads"
(whatever that is). Then it asks for my email address, then it says
"invalid
email address", and "contact customer support". What customer support???
Who
on earth wrote this stuff? How can it be an invalid email address if you
register with Passport?

Why not keep it simple and rather than installing a complex download
manager
- which doesn't work - can't we just do a right mouse click and install a
time limited file?

It doesn't give me high hopes for the product itself....

 

[Echo S]

they weren't there before. i think the SmartSource system was trashed

Yes, SmartSource was disabled.

 

[Rob]

I too am also having problems (both yesterday and today - 24th and 25th May)
and smartsource is not recognising my e-mail. I have downloaded what I want
from the normal method of download instead via the website, but it would be
interesting to see just what the smartsource would be like once it did
identify me (as I do exist) :/

Rob

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

The smartsource option for downloading has been disabled.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Rob asked:

| I too am also having problems (both yesterday and today - 24th and
| 25th May) and smartsource is not recognising my e-mail. I have
| downloaded what I want from the normal method of download instead via
| the website, but it would be interesting to see just what the
| smartsource would be like once it did identify me (as I do exist) :/
|
| Rob
|
| "Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:
|
|| Smartsource has been disabled so try downloading it the normal
|| method that you use. I used the right click on the link and
|| selected "save target as" to get the items.
||
|| --Â
|| Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]
||
|| Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
|| unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
|| reading.
||
|| After furious head scratching, k_m99 asked:
||
||| I've tried several times through out the day to access the beta with
||| SmartSource with no luck, over a 7 hour period. Will try again
||| tomorrow hoping the servers aren't as busy, or the issue has been
||| resolved.
|||
||| "me" wrote:
|||
|||| ok so I know there's no tech support for the public beta, but I've
|||| just spent 2 hours navigating how to download the beta files, which
|||| shouldn't be difficult but it seems overengineered to an extreme...
||||
|||| I've finally managed to install "smartsource for microsoft office
|||| downloads" (whatever that is). Then it asks for my email address,
|||| then it says "invalid email address", and "contact customer
|||| support". What customer support??? Who on earth wrote this stuff?
|||| How can it be an invalid email address if you register with
|||| Passport?
||||
|||| Why not keep it simple and rather than installing a complex
|||| download manager - which doesn't work - can't we just do a right
|||| mouse click and install a time limited file?
||||
|||| It doesn't give me high hopes for the product itself....