Since leaving the XML team last year I haven't paid much attention to the various betas and CTPs of Visual Studio.NET 2005 that have been made available over the past year. Thus I don't have a position on the article Developers seek third beta release for Visual Studio 2005 from InfoWorld which states
After having been stalled several times already, it would seem that the last thing developers would want for the Visual Studio 2005 toolset is another delay. Nonetheless, a request from some developers for a new beta release would, if granted, potentially hold back the product set yet again.... In launching an effort for a third beta release, developers are citing bugs and performance issues with existing prereleases. A suggestion posted on the MSDN Product Feedback Center seeks support for a third beta release of Visual Studio 2005 and Visual Studio 2005 Team System in late September. "Push back RTM (release to manufacturing) if you have to," the online suggestion states. "RTM December 31st or push it to 2006 (just keep the 2005 name then, no big deal)." The release-to-manufacturing date signifies the product’s impending general availability for customers. "There are still way too many bugs and performance issues. Too many issues get resolved as 'postponed,'" the online request continued. "Developers won't care about when the RTM date was a few months after RTM if the product is full of bugs." Seventy-two people had voted on the suggestion as of Friday afternoon. "I would much rather that Microsoft push this release back and get things right," according to one person who commented. "A Beta 3 is absolutely required," stated another person who signed the petition. "There are so many outstanding bugs and issues that a Beta 3 is required to ensure stability of the final release." Microsoft released a prepared statement via e-mail Friday noting the planned November 7 release date. "Microsoft appreciates feedback from all users. For this version of Visual Studio, Microsoft has continually solicited product feedback by issuing multiple betas and Community Technology Previews (CTPs) and encouraging the community to provide feedback via the MSDN Product Feedback Center. The community of 6 million Visual Studio developers and more than 240 Visual Studio Industry Partners (VSIP) have been providing a great deal of valuable feedback and telling Microsoft that they are very excited [about] the November 7 launch."
After having been stalled several times already, it would seem that the last thing developers would want for the Visual Studio 2005 toolset is another delay. Nonetheless, a request from some developers for a new beta release would, if granted, potentially hold back the product set yet again.... In launching an effort for a third beta release, developers are citing bugs and performance issues with existing prereleases. A suggestion posted on the MSDN Product Feedback Center seeks support for a third beta release of Visual Studio 2005 and Visual Studio 2005 Team System in late September.
"Push back RTM (release to manufacturing) if you have to," the online suggestion states. "RTM December 31st or push it to 2006 (just keep the 2005 name then, no big deal)."
The release-to-manufacturing date signifies the product’s impending general availability for customers.
"There are still way too many bugs and performance issues. Too many issues get resolved as 'postponed,'" the online request continued. "Developers won't care about when the RTM date was a few months after RTM if the product is full of bugs."
Seventy-two people had voted on the suggestion as of Friday afternoon.
"I would much rather that Microsoft push this release back and get things right," according to one person who commented.
"A Beta 3 is absolutely required," stated another person who signed the petition. "There are so many outstanding bugs and issues that a Beta 3 is required to ensure stability of the final release."
Microsoft released a prepared statement via e-mail Friday noting the planned November 7 release date.
"Microsoft appreciates feedback from all users. For this version of Visual Studio, Microsoft has continually solicited product feedback by issuing multiple betas and Community Technology Previews (CTPs) and encouraging the community to provide feedback via the MSDN Product Feedback Center. The community of 6 million Visual Studio developers and more than 240 Visual Studio Industry Partners (VSIP) have been providing a great deal of valuable feedback and telling Microsoft that they are very excited [about] the November 7 launch."
Interesting feedback. The number of votes on the issue have doubled to about 143 votes as at a few minutes ago when I checked on the issue entitled Suggestion Details: Release .Net 2.0 Beta 3 on the MSDN Product Feedback Center.
Despite how negative this seems, it is great that customers can give such direct feedback to Microsoft product teams in such a transparent manner. The developer division faces a tough challenge if the claims being made by the commenters are valid. I wish them luck.