(boring analagy:) I remember a presidential race some time back where the polls indicated a certain win. But it didn't happen. The polls were wrong. Why? Because, as it turns out, the polsters did it by telephone and got a biased result... because only the "rich" people had telephones as that time. I certainly don't have all the information I need to make this remark, but beta-testor choices seem to be the ones who are the "greats". The skilled ones. The ones likely NOT to make "general" mistakes. The ones with the most powerful PCs. So, IMHO, the beta-testing results would be flawed from the beginning. i.e., NOT representing the general purchasing crowd. Like the presidential poll I referred to. NDA (Non-Disclosure-Agreement). What shit! I realize it is boilerplate stuff, but it's like lobbyists choosing elected officials...they KNOW they are there to do the "employer's" bidding. And because the "company" (CL in this case) has complete control of what a testor says. If other business was done like this, then district attorneys would be able to choose ALL the jurors and KNOW how they were going to vote ahead of time. Side notes: Not that I have a DB of companys who made patches to programs, but I don't think I have EVER seen 2 patches THIS fast. That should tell you something right away. CL made a miscalculation. It assumed it had the resources and "power" (skill) to produce a complicated 3d tool. They misjudged and "bit off more than they could chew." Like the Nielson "familys". Has anyone EVER known one? Who the hell ARE these people that catapault crap to the TV lineup anyway? Where IS the list of betatestors? Not that it matters...they are NOT free to divulge any damaging information anyway. I agree with Ironbear. Not that he needs MY support...he speaks well enough by himself. I only dillute what he says.