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Darn, now what do I do with my iPod since I get much cooler 1 ? radio with Office stamped in it. I bet you can scratch that Office-text off pretty easil:(:(

But don't get me wrong, my girl friend will love that radio. Thanks MS, I'll work harder during the next beta and maybe then I'll be in that 0.4% who gets something nic;);)

And let's NOT start arguing about the percentages, ok?:angry:y:

Listen all, I didn't intend to start a maelstorm of activity over the comment I posted. I was simply adding in another line stating I, too, was a little disappointed over my CrackerJack prize. I've dealt with MS on lots of business-level dealings in the past--all professional--and even received some unsolicited goodies (Polo shirts, USB Pen drives, etc). When I received my noticed from MS in August this year I would receive a gift, I figured it would be something as I mentioned before. Don't get me wrong, the AM/FM radio works (battery included!!) and it's something I can use when I go walking or running. Sure beats my bulky Walkman. :yes: I appreciate the kind words of support.

Listen all, I didn't intend to start a maelstorm of activity over the comment I posted. I was simply adding in another line stating I, too, was a little disappointed over my CrackerJack prize. I've dealt with MS on lots of business-level dealings in the past--all professional--and even received some unsolicited goodies (Polo shirts, USB Pen drives, etc). When I received my noticed from MS in August this year I would receive a gift, I figured it would be something as I mentioned before. Don't get me wrong, the AM/FM radio works (battery included!!) and it's something I can use when I go walking or running. Sure beats my bulky Walkman. :yes: I appreciate the kind words of support.

That's it man. Look at the bright side of whatever happens and then you won't be dissapointed.

Just look at this beta as a road to a really Kick *** version of Office, Version 12. Yeah! Longhorn wave. (Y)

eh...There's no thaksgiving in Hungary  :whistle:

And btw, I think i'M the youngest Office 2003 tester:I'm only 14...(I've tested with my father's name, he allowed me to do it :))

hmm, i'm the only tester from Bulgaria and i'm 13! anyway, how many bugs did you find?

the isn't any thaksgiving in Bulgaria, too. does s.o. know when the american testers received their gifts?

just curious, and that was . . . ? what did they do? :huh:

The already try that. I was on the Mira PC and tablet PC beta test, and was told every was free, including the hardware. Then they told us they were changing things and things and we were getting the hardware at 30% off, and needed our credit card numbers. I quit those beta, I was unwilling to dump about $3000 on the beta hardware, which end up not be worth anything.

i was in beta 2 only, do i get a gift 2? and when do i get it if iam in the Netherlands?

They hounded the testers for info, then start charging them for the shipping of media. They also started treating us as we were 'leaches' (a term that they would use a lot), which I have have start to hear from MS reps about the beta testers.

is the beta test still avaible ?  :blush:

damn i am so stupid .. how i didnt know that <_<

would be more beta tests like this ?  :blink:

how do you guys learn about this  :crazy:  :angry:  :pinch:

silly am i ;)

1. No, it went final on October 21.

3. Maybe in a future version of Office.

4. Many people were beta testers. ;)

EDIT: Ok, CdCViRus beat me to it :pinch:

They can afford it.  It costs them ~50 cents to stamp out a CD if not less.  15000 testers, do the math ;)

And if Office 2003 Pro is priced at about $390 a copy, then they are losing tens of thousands, if not MILLIONS of dollars. 15,000 testers you say; Let's do the math, shall we?

According to Amazon.com, the full edition of Office 2003 Pro is priced at about $390.

If all 15,000 testers would have received Office 2003 Pro:

15,000 x $390 = $5,850,000

But they only sent it to 60 testers:

60 x $390 = $23,400

Amount of money saved by sending to only 60 testers:

$5,826,600

;) :)

Edited by oqwarrior
And if Office 2003 Pro is priced at about $300 a copy, then they are losing tens of thousands, if not MILLIONS of dollars. 15,000 testers you say; Let's do the math, shall we?

According to Amazon.com, the full edition of Office 2003 Pro is priced at about $390.

If all 15,000 testers would have received Office 2003 Pro:

15,000 x $390 = $5,850,000

But they only sent it to 60 testers:

60 x $390 = $23,400

Amount of money saved by sending to only 60 testers:

$5,826,600

;) :)

Ok you totally missed the point. Does it cost MS $300 to make the CD's of office 2003? HELL NO. Most of that money is raw profit anyway. So what i said before holds true, it would cost MS a minimal amount of money out of their pockets to give us the full version as a gift.

And if Office 2003 Pro is priced at about $300 a copy, then they are losing tens of thousands, if not MILLIONS of dollars. 15,000 testers you say; Let's do the math, shall we?

According to Amazon.com, the full edition of Office 2003 Pro is priced at about $390.

If all 15,000 testers would have received Office 2003 Pro:

15,000 x $390 = $5,850,000

But they only sent it to 60 testers:

60 x $390 = $23,400

Amount of money saved by sending to only 60 testers:

$5,826,600

;) :)

The professional edition costs $500 each at microsoft.com, so:

If 15000 received it: 15000 x $500 = $7,500,000

If only 60 people received it: 60 x $500 = $30,000

Amount of money saved: $7,500,000 - $30,000 = $7,470,000

;)

EDIT: Now I get it, according to Chris123NT's post. :)

what the hell is the point? microsoft has money to send to all 15,000 beta testers

look at logitech for instance, they were giving away their elite wireless keyboards to over 30,000 people

but generous enough to send it to 10,000 more b/c all that filled up too quick

The way I see it.

The company save tons of money by getting people to test there software. HOW?

They dont have to pay them at all. And they get great feedback on errors and codes and so on.

So in my opinion giving each beta tester that has give them great infos and so on...they deserve a full package of office 2003.

400 bucks for the value of the software compare to 100 to 200 dollars a day to pay testers is a huge diffrence.

And the 400 dollars alot of that is profit.

So companies that give out beta softwares or games, do save tons of money by getting unbelievable infos to make there product worth while to sell.

So to give out a game or the software to thoses beta testers, they dont loose not more than you think.

Do you think the 14940 tester got $500.00 laying around. I for one will not buy it! this "leaches" as M$ is calling beta tester has to put food on the table & bills to pay.

MS Office is way way overpriced and we all know it. I hope MS is forced to lower their ridiculously high prices. I mean really what kind of an office suite is worth MORE than an OS?

MS Office is way way overpriced and we all know it.  I hope MS is forced to lower their ridiculously high prices.  I mean really what kind of an office suite is worth MORE than an OS?

I wish Microsoft would only realize that. The only moderately-priced version of Office is the students and Teachers Edition. The 2003 edition costs only $150 (US), and includes the basics: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. The best part of this suite is that it can be installed AND activated up to three times. This is great for me, being a ninth grade student. the liscense is rather weird, however because if my parents use it, it is illegal (according to the EULA). I guess it doesn't matter who you are if you buy it; I mean they aren't going to do background checks on you. Or let's hope not! Now I'm just waiting for lower prices on FrontPage 2003...

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