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PC REPORT

Friday, February 13, 1998

Uncle Bill Wants YOU

In an unprecedented move, Microsoft next week throws its Windows 98 beta test program open to consumer testers everywhere. The company's Windows 98 Consumer Beta Preview kicked off January 7th, when a select group of domestic Microsoft customers were invited to join the beta program. Now Microsoft is opening the beta to all comers, via a Web-based sign-up process.

Up to 100,000 consumer users will be accepted into the beta test for a $29.95 sign-up fee. The fee reportedly covers packaging and technical support costs. The "open beta" is not targeted at business users, but many early testers have already smuggled the code into corporate environments.

One practice manager of a $50 million Philadelphia-based business consulting firm told me he's been running the Windows 98 beta 3 on his corporate network for two weeks, with no problems whatsoever. Because Windows 98 looks exactly like Windows 95 with Internet Explorer 4 installed, nobody notices the difference.

Information about the beta program is located at http://www.microsoft.com/windows98.

Rich Levin, KYW Newsradio.

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Rich Levin, Senior Editor
InformationWeek magazine -- CMP Media, Manhasset, NY

Reporter - KYW Newsradio 1060 AM (CBS) -- Philadelphia, PA

Host - CBS Radio's Computer Talk -- WPHT Philadelphia 1210 AM

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