In the comments to an earlier post, Carl asks a good question:
Microsoft’s Windows beta programs have always been a mystery to me. I’ve worked with Windows as a Sysadmin for 9 years, and I still don’t know how to get into the Windows Beta program. I’m aware that the Vista beta is available to Technet Plus and MSDN customers, but I don’t need MSDN and don’t see the value of Technet Plus at the price Microsoft charges. I’d really like to test Vista, but don’t know how to do so legally. Any insight?
The secret is to think way ahead and to nominate yourself. Microsoft sent out the original invitations for the Windows Vista beta program last July, and the list was probably put together months before that. The team that runs the beta test program tries to put together a diverse group that represents a broad cross-section of potential customers, so having enthusiasm and a willingness to participate is more important than technical chops.
How do you get considered for a future beta program? Watch news sites to see when beta nominations open. Typically, you visit a Web site and log in with a publicly available user name and password. You fill out a questionnaire, and then you wait.
Don’t limit your request to just Windows, either. If you can get yourself invited into a related program and then actively participate in it by filing quality bug reports, you’re more likely ot get invitied to a future beta program.
Ed Bott 
I agree that these same ideas worked for me for the SQL betas, the Visual Studio betas and others. With this new CTP model, however, I’m not sure how MS will handle the public betas anymore – will applying for the beta be obsolete in favor of invitation-only betas?
I don’t think the two concepts are mutually exclusive, Scott. Applying for the beta only gave you an opportunity to be considered for an invitation, and for the tougher programs, there were a lot of disappointed people.
You’re right on the money, though, that the nature of beta testing is changing at Microsoft. It’ll be interesting to see how this all shakes out.
From my experience, each product has it’s own way of dealing with beta participants (with a common thread of interaction similar in each). Simply nominating yourself is a good start, but somewhat like a lottery — you’re grouped in with everyone else hoping someone takes notice.
I generally look for folks who can contribute great feedback to our platform and related SDK. That is, if you make a name for yourself in an online community you tend to get noticed and then perhaps invited without ever having to go through the nomination process. I added 6 individuals to our Media Center SDK beta for Windows Vista as a result of their Media Center development work bubbling up to my attention over the course of the past year.
But that’s just how I tend to get good beta testers — others may approach differently.
Thanks, Ed. It’s nice to finally get some insight as to how the process works. I always figured you’d have to know somebody. I’ll keep a look out from now on.