Microsoft has begun accepting applications for beta testers for Fiji, the next version of Windows Media Center -- but get ready to answer sixty somewhat bizarre questions in the process.
 Windows Media Center: swimming slowly to the surface of mainstream PCs |
Windows Vista may only be three months old in the retail marketplace, but Microsoft is already seeking participants in the beta testing program for the next version of Windows Media Center, codenamed Fiji.
The software giant has begun accepting applications to test the new Media Center version via its Connect site. Digital media enthusiasts have until May 31 to submit their application, which takes the form of a sixty-question survey.
"I don't accept bribes, nor can I make promises that particular people will be chosen," program manager Jessica Zahn commented in a forum post. "We only have so many spots, and we need a diverse group of testers from across the US and from supported countries." The list of supported countries appears to include Australia, as APC wasn't rejected automatically when we attempted to sign up for the program.
Microsoft's sign-up survey, which asks about existing use of various digital media features, appears to have been designed in something of a hurry. For a large number of questions about usage, the first two options offered are "Never" and "1-5 times a week", with no choice for occasional or less frequent usage. Whether this means that Microsoft failed to plan the survey properly or is only interested in the viewpoints of hyper-enthused users who already burn DVDs at least once a week is an open question.
While the Windows XP version of Media Center was a separate product, for Vista Microsoft chose to include Media Center capabilities as base functionality within the mainstream releases. There's no official word yet on whether Fiji will be released as a standalone product or as an extender to the existing Vista release. Whatever the format, Microsoft is keen to promote the Media Center concept, which has had moderate success in the US but has been something of a damp squib in other global markets such as Australia.