Alpha build spam email warning

[nandrews10]

I have just received an email offering me access to the Alpha build version of MSFS. This is surprisingly coincident with my pre-ordering the release version of MSFS!

Prudent checking tho' showed that all the links in the email offer were to the domain go.sparkpostmail1.com, which on checking shows to be a known source of spam!

So I mention this in case any of you think MSFS has arrived early for you!

[stinger2k2]

I have just received an email offering me access to the Alpha build version of MSFS. This is surprisingly coincident with my pre-ordering the release version of MSFS!

Prudent checking tho' showed that all the links in the email offer were to the domain go.sparkpostmail1.com, which on checking shows to be a known source of spam!

So I mention this in case any of you think MSFS has arrived early for you!

Thanks for the heads up.

 

Stinger

 

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

[nandrews10]

I posted this also to another FS forum where it has received a number of responses. Some of which say this is a legitimate offer! I wouldn't expect MS, being such a big company, would have such arrangements as to send obscure links.

[g7rta]

I’m sure you’ll know how to spot if it’s fake or not. Firstly there are usually obvious things like.. is it addressed to you personally or does it simply say “dear customer” or “dear client” etc

Does it have spelling mistakes?

Have you even applied to be an alpha tester?

 

I can’t remember the address my (genuine) email came from. Some say it should be from noreply@microsoftstudios.com - maybe mine did but I honestly don’t know.

I know the email started with something like “you’re cleared for take off!”

 

Regards

Steve

[nandrews10]

Thanks for that and are you saying you followed the links and did get the official MSFS Alpha download?

The evidence is slowly building that this is genuine after all. Though there are still nagging doubts.

I am thinking I should be able to 'bypass' the email and go to a recognised MS site, login to my account there and see the offer, if it's genuine.

I have logged into XBox Insider Hub but all that is offered there, by way of software is to do with Minecraft!

I think I did apply way back last year to join the development program. But had nothing back and assumed my profile, PC spec wasn't upto what they wanted.

I chucked the offer email, but actually still have the links from it! But I am so uncertain what to do.

[nandrews10]

Heh! Just refreshed my Insider Hub and it shows the MSFS Alpha under Insider Content. But it wasn't there a couple of hours ago!

[g7rta]

Heh! Just refreshed my Insider Hub and it shows the MSFS Alpha under Insider Content. But it wasn't there a couple of hours ago!

 

That’s great news :)

I remember when I got the invite it took a while for it to appear on the Insider Hub too

 

Regards

Steve

[nandrews10]

This matter shouldn't be bothering me at this time, but I do wonder. I have pre-ordered the full version last week. But now I am on the Alpha does that mean I get the full version free on release, or at any rate some kind of discount?

[g7rta]

Nope, sorry.

No free sim and no discount. I too ordered it last week & I can’t wait.

 

This question has come up so many times and I always think... “how many of us would have paid to test the alpha?” - I know I would have.

I received the invite to test it back in February, right on my birthday! It was the best pressie ever :)

 

It’s a privilege to be part of the testing process. I know you’ll barely have a month of testing but I bet you are thrilled to have been chosen?

Many here would love the chance.

 

Regards

Steve

[nandrews10]

Yes I understand, no hard feelings. Of course the Alpha is not without conditions, inc' not divulging and accepting any bugs present aswell as feeding those back to the team. But as you say at the same time we get an early look at the product.

I have asked MS Store online and they have escalated the inquiry.

[zswobbie1]

Well, if you pre-ordered, you get free bragging rights. That alone is worth something, as does being an Alpha tester. You want more? have you fully tested the Alpha release & contributed anything?

 

For free, you got the thrill of being part of testing the sim, without paying a cent for doing so.

[loki]

I wouldn't expect MS, being such a big company, would have such arrangements as to send obscure links.

 

Even though Microsoft is a big company, it doesn't mean that they do everything themselves. Sparkpost looks to be an email management and analytics service, which is probably why Microsoft is using them.

 

Glad you've sorted it out. Enjoy the early preview!

[nandrews10]

We are encouraged to be vigilant and not be deceived by spam etc. So I think it is a real problem that companies stick a link in their emails without providing a way to prove it is legit. Especially when it doesn't refer to the company.

If theirs had been an MS link, which might have forwarded to wherever the store is, I would have been none the wiser. But I think I was wise to baulk at what seemed to be spam. In the end, it turns out, I didn't need to follow the links and got to it thru the Xbox Insider app.

[nandrews10]

Could anyone else who has the Alpha say where I can post problems or at least read up the known problems.

 

I'm stuck in tutorial one, because I can't hand back to the instructor (Ctrl+Alt+X). For me that key combo just brings up a small grid over the cursor position!

 

 

 

Thanks

[loki]

The only place at the moment to post problems are in the official alpha/beta tester forums.

 

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/

 

If you're having trouble getting access to the forums, you can contact them through their ZenDesk page.

 

https://flightsimulator.zendesk.com

[nandrews10]

Thanks for that.

 

New subject

 

I have just noticed the message that all Alpha testers are invited to d/l the Beta until the end of today!

 

I have looked and found a Beta invite in my Insider app, but when I choose Show in store that just shows me the Alpha version.

 

Anyone got the Beta and can say how they did it?

 

I suppose I have to uninstall the Alpha myself before adding the Beta?

[flytv1]

Nope, sorry.

No free sim and no discount. I too ordered it last week & I can’t wait.

 

I received the invite to test it back in February, right on my birthday! It was the best pressie ever :)

 

It’s a privilege to be part of the testing process. I know you’ll barely have a month of testing but I bet you are thrilled to have been chosen?

Many here would love the chance.

 

....For free, you got the thrill of being part of testing the sim, without paying a cent for doing so.

 

Really!!! why would anyone give up their valuable time to a for profit company that gives you nothing in return?

 

I donated many hours of my time to developers for free addons, and then some decided to sell, but at the time I did not know that, but I would NEVER give up any of my time to someone that sells a product without being compensated.

 

I have no problem donating time to Real and sim aviation but if you make a profit from my work PAY ME.

 

Where is the trill? Do you consider yourselves that value less?

[Kapitan]

well there is a reward so as to speak

 

they are getting the game earlier

supply and demand

 

the value of beta testing is set by the thousands of simmers eager to do it for free

 

Tom doesnt want to do it? alright, we'll ask Harry

 

thou i bet those that find important flaws will get at least the game for free

 

the simmers are proud of being beta testers.

Though a t-shirt "beta tester for MS2020" would have been a decent reward too haha

Edited July 30, 2020 by Kapitan

[zswobbie1]

Though a t-shirt "beta tester for MS2002" would have been a decent reward too haha

 

That would have been a good year 18 years ago..

[MrUnSavory]

My email invite to the beta came from norply@flightsimulator.com. If anyone is worried about getting scammed check if your invite came from this address.

[flytv1]

 

the value of beta testing is set by the thousands of simmers eager to do it for free

 

Tom doesnt want to do it? alright, we'll ask Harry

 

thou i bet those that find important flaws will get at least the game for free

 

the simmers are proud of being beta testers.

 

I to agree with you, and I am for helping the sim community for the Free and Donation ware, that benefit them from new developments and better testing.

My opinion is that if a co like M$$, A$$obobo, LR.. that are making money from your effort they should pay you for it.

Asking you to do something, and not paying you for your efforts, it's a form of slavery, communism, prostitution.. and people that accept that will perpetuate this process and are underestimating their self worth.

In addition I am not sure if it's completely legal, I am not sure if congress.. knows about it?

 

M$$ is contracting this work to some outside developer. Why? To make more profit for themselves. They do not have your personal best interest at heart, they do it for their best interest, stock holders, their own pockets.

No for profit company, entity, should be allowed to exploit other people's efforts, regardless if the people are willing. They should know better.

The least they can do is reimburse them in some fashion.

If you make something to sell, it should only be your efforts alone that are involved. It's getting to the point that this exploitation is becoming an everyday occurrence.

A few days back a for profit developer, on another site, asked for people to do their testing for free, with impudence, as if they were doing them a favor.

There are also people that propagate the idea that if someone knowingly releases something that is half baked and later on they fix things that should have been done right to begin with, are doing you a favor.

This method is very pervasive and unless people awake up and appreciate their self worth it will never stop.

Why is your time and effort worth less than some A$$obobo's employee?

Edited July 31, 2020 by flytv1

[plainsman]

I am afraid i totally disagree with both the tone and the import of this post! First, I suspect some of you may have flown in a payware aircraft that had an .air file I constructed, but for which I was deliberately not credited. I got no compensation for that work, although one very appreciative designer sent me a joystick as a Christmas present one year. On the train simulation side, I can assure you that almost everything for MSTS and much of Open Rails, uses work which I spent many hundreds of hours to create and research, none of which was compensated save a few designers giving me a free copy of their beautiful artisanship. I freely released all that work to encourage the community to develop new and innovative models and products that benefit us all! I did it because I was passionate about creating more realistic behavior in the models using my math and science input, as I have no artistic skill at all! It was a way to CONTRIBUTE to the community to encourage this hobby remains healthy and vigourous! Very few payware developers get wealthy from their efforts. Most do it to foster a healthy community with products we can all enjoy, they barely break even. I am always more than happy to test and work with developers to create an optimum product, it is good for everyone! Once you create momentum for more accurate development, everyone becomes more energized to try and use a more accurate design and physics. I am in my early seventies, and keyboarding large volumes of data is no longer quite as easy. That said, I am still always eager to test and tune products for developers if the product will benefit the greater community.

BTW, in a broader context, you seem very unhappy about the concept of stockholders and profits. While you may see those as unfair, I can assure you that those living under that system enjoy a lifestyle that is the envy of those under the other systems. Socialism is fair, everyone is impoverished, save a handful of political elites. I don't malign profits, to the contrary, as long as the profit was generated in a legal and reputable fashion, I am happy the company, and my IRA or 401K are thriving. We all benefit from a profitable industry! Nonprofits don't foster innovation and advancement!