What Is Microsoft's CTP Program?

Community Technology Previews can be used for Beta Testing Software

Microsoft uses the acronym CTP for their Community Technology Previews. These are releases of software in a pre-beta form for developers, IT professionals and journalists to have prior to official releases.

Beta Testing

Beta testing is done via a small release of software to developers and IT professionals to allow them to check that the software functions correctly before it is released for general sale to the public.

CTP Releases

CTP releases are sent to a very small number of professionals, who have signed up for the CTP in advance. Sign-ups for the CPT program are offered by Microsoft periodically prior to any large new offering, and the actual CPT happens well in advance of beta releases; for example, the Office 2010 CPT release was in July 2009.

Community Technology Previews

Community Technology Previews allow journalists to comment on software before its release and also allow a certain amount of testing; a dialogue between the recipients and Microsoft is encouraged. However, there is no certainty that what is presented as a CTP and what is released will match, and often CTPs are cut-down versions of the final product, so much functionality is missing.

References

• Techreviewsource.com: Microsoft Office 2010 Consumer Technical Preview (CTP) Review
• Network World: CTP, betas, Vista
• MSDN Blogs: Microsoft Visual Basic CTP for Windows Phone Developer Tools Tutorial
• MSDN Channel 9: Announcing Microsoft's U-Prove Community Technical Preview (CTP)