Windows Now

Now that is a good looking logo.  I wish we had the time/resources/creativity to make icons like that!

Heh. I wish I made it. That's Microsoft's handiwork... I just ripped it off the web page with the round cutting tool in Photoshop. It totally rocks though.

Uff. It's only for US residents. :(

Only for US residents...! Why!

U.S. only - booo!

US Only... AGAIN!!!! AARGH!!

When does MS learn the world is a little bit bigger then just the US!?!?!!?

It would be nice, if the server didn't always say, "Sorry, a System Error occurred".

If this is legit, why is the domain / whois registered address Flat 13, somewhere in London?

if it's US only why is the domain registered to someone's home in the UK? Why isn't it hosted on a Microsoft owned server? Why isn't the domain owned by Microsoft, or done through their domain registrar?

I'm sorry but this really smells. Badly. Especially when it asks for your SS number. You may well have had an email from someone internal to MS, but it really doesn't add up.

the scam issue is a possibility.  that's why i'm passing this offer.  there's other market i can get it for cheaper & w/o providing my SS #

this is from planet USA... rest of the world need not apply or care...

If you read the fine print, you'll notice that Microsoft Partners and members of the Microsoft Developer Network are not eligible...

"...You are not eligible to receive these offers if you or your employer is a participant in the Microsoft Partner Program or the Microsoft Developer Network...."

There is no need to post the domain registration, I know who it is registered to. the site is hosted for Microsoft by a third party in the UK. the reason you need your SSN to register is because Microsoft has to claim any gift over $600 in taxes, and so do you. It's taxable income. Again, it is a legitimate site, a Microsoft employee passed it along to me.

But there's no real reason for it to be registered in the UK, or by a UK citizen. And even then you'd think the 3rd party would be a company, not an individual with his home address. Especially if it's a US only offer, why on earth would it need to be registered in the UK? Why wouldn't registering it to Microsoft UK be an option and not some unknown individual.

And you'd think that it would be well written enough and tested so that it doesn't crash on signup. Or there it would use the usual microsoft.com privacy policy. Or a link *from* microsoft.com. As for $600 the Ready for Launch software didn't have that SSN restriction on it as far as I am aware.

I'd like to be wrong but it really really smells.

Yeah, it would be nice if it did not take forever to load and errors did not occur every few minutes; it will be worth the wait though :)

OK we finally got a MS employee to claim the promotion on Channel9 (not wishing to disbelieve you Robert but the post was a little more concrete than word of mouth), http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=261537

I guess it's legit after all, apologies for the paranoia.

THANK YOU SO MUCH WINDOWS-NOW FOR LETTING US KNOW EARLY...I GOT MY WEBCASTS AND COPIES ENSURED.

I keep getting a "Sorry, a System Error Occurred" when registering.

Also, this deal only lasts until "supplies are out" meaning as soon as this gets dugged or slashed... you can just forget about getting a copy.

well, I've watched three sessions and all I get are "pending" icons on the "my stuff" tab on the together main page.  I have a fourth unviewed session which I can't see due to network timeouts.

Dose the "pending" on the three sessions qualify me?  There is no notification that I have satisfied the requirement to view three sessions.  Just this:

"Shipping Info

When you’ve completed your required activities, your gift will be shipped to: "

-d

I should have said, I have watched three OFFICE sessions, which according to this:

"Don’t forget that after you’ve watched three 2007 Microsoft Office system Webcasts, you will receive* a free, full-licensed copy of Microsoft Office Professional 2007. Your gift will ship within 6-8 weeks of the it’s release to manufacturing"

should be enough, but as I mentioned earler, I just get "pending" icons by the three that I have seen.

Same here, I'm getting the "system error occurred" message... anyone find a way around it?

I got through for Office (eventually) but I am unable to watch any of the webcasts which I signed up for...I just get the error message again and again.

Im going to try to come back later, hopefully the demand will settle down, but it worries me becuase it does say limited quanities of teh product available, I guess I have to wait and see...

I got both same errors from the Windows Vista and MS Office 2007.

.... with a minor hitch. You have to watch some webcasts. See the details over at Robert McLaws blog. Apparently...

Great promotion, shame it is only for US citizens though (what's the deal with that!?)! :(

Does anyone have any ideas if MS are doing something similar in Europe (i.e. UK)?! ;)

This looks like a great promotion and I would like very much to take advantage of it. However, I get a 'system error' every time I try. :( It is also very slow. I fear that the traffic may have beaten me to it.

I have finally registered for the Office 2007, an completed one webinar (now showing Pending status), and trying to register for the Vista one, but keep getting System Error...  

I'm VERY happy about this promotion, as I cannot afford to fork out the $600!  

Thanks Microsoft!

Same as dugbug:

I've watched three sessions and all I get are "pending" icons on the "my stuff" tab?

The contact/FAQ page claims it should say completed? Is anyone getting the "Completed" icon?

I saw reports of this yesterday and thought, like most, yeah right! But this has been confirmed by two

The catch? Just attend 3 WebCasts within 30 days of entering… Read more…

The offer is no longer valid. A lot of people are reporting that all the free copies are already sold out for the offer.

I still don't like that they ask for my social security number and other personal information.

It's only for US residents. :(

I guess no one else in the world would want a copy!

ITFellow: Since they're having so many issues with the site, I doubt that is the case. Most people can't even watch the webcasts at the moment because they're getting bombarded with traffic. So I don't think Microsoft would be able to close it without serious public outcry. Give them through tomorrow to work out all the issues and keep checking in periodically.

They already explained why it's US only. MS has to claim any "gift" over $600 to any individual on their taxes, regardless of where they live in the world. If people get both items, it's considered one "gift". Since other countries have different ways of tracking this, and they outsourced the work to a partner company, it was cost-prohibitive to try to offer it to every country. So they instead decided to offer more free copies and make it a US-only offer.

It's a legitimate reason so I don't see why so many people are complaining. Geez.

Is the offer valid for both products, or can you only apply to win one? Hate to sound greedy...but it would be cool to snag both. And quite honestly I find the webcasts very enlightening and entertaining, so I don't mind the viewing requirements. In fact I'll probably watch MORE than 3!

Where is the SSN required? I filled out the entry for Office 2007 Pro and all it asked for was my mailing address and phone.

Question: I am a Connect member, and I already qualify for a free copy of Vista Ultimate for participating in the beta program. So does this mean I am disqualified from this offer?

I keep getting the system error has occured, has any ever found this to go away, if they were receiving it initially?

Thanks,

Nick

Well, one of mine actually changed to completed; so it is possible. I am not sure how it is different from the other five webcasts I watched, but it is possible for it to change from pending to completed :)

Whats really odd is that is the most recent one I did, so it was about 12 hours ago, while the other ones I did about 24 hours ago are still Pending. I dunno

Hej folkens Så ser det ud til at Microsoft endnu engang forkæler et amerikanske folk ved at køre promoverings

Well after viewing each a few times... The icons in "my stuff" have all changed to "completed"!

Nothing left to do but wait.

Also after completion it states:

"we will ship your gift within 6-8 weeks of the release to manufacturing of Windows Vista."

The thing to note in the wording is RTM.

I think that was around 11/9 or so? So I guess the clock is ticking.....

Well, the site is certainly a pain in the butt to use.  For those of you that think this is a scam, nobody would waste so much time making a scam like this.  Thanks for the heads up!

i like to have this :)

as usual ... only for united states .... maybe one day in the old europe ...

I just finished all 6 yesterday...the letting them play again method, worked (most changed to completed on the second time)

Does anybody know whats up with the w9 form and all that? I read on the site I should be getting an email, but that hasnt happened yet.

Vista offer sold out. :-(

only us what about Canada next they'll do it for the EU and they'll forget Canada

we should be with you guys!!

I watch all 6 yesterday and they said pending. Trying to get back on the site today to see if they had been updated to completed. However, I am unable to get onto the site. Is the site down? If anyone can give me an answer I would greatly appreciate it.

Both offers are now closed if you haven't registered yet.

I avoid the SS# snafu by setting up two different accounts, names, etc.. No biggie.

Rich, the sites flooded. Allegedly thery're giving away 30,000 copies of each program.

Individuals at slickdeals.net who signed up have been going from Pending -> Completed -> Congrats! so we just need to be patient.

As Ina Fried reports , Microsoft's free Vista & Office giveaway at PowerTogether.com is over. Apparently,

Hello Robert,

Do you know of anyone receiving any software yet? If anyone receives anything please post here...

Thanks,

Reggy

Reggy- I recently received a confirmation email, and another email implying they'd be shipped in early Jan.  Still haven't received anything yet, though.

bitpicnic- I have also just received the same email.

I guess I will see the software soon... I hope.

Did you fax your W-9? Or did you just go for 1 of the 2 offerings?

Anyone else receive anyting yet?

Yeah, I mailed in the W-9...  Even with all the assurances that it's legit, makes you kind of nervous, no?  

I received my package from Powertogether.com, Vista and Office, Came 2 days ago on the 29th, Awesome!!!

Office is just a Key, and aURL to Download, Vista came with a DVD for 32bit only But still way awesome :)

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