How Do I Know When the Upgrade Is
Coming Out?
First, discount any "early upgrade" reports almost entirely, before
an upgrade begins to roll out; some people like to stir up trouble and make people
think they're being left out. Be patient, eventually the rumors will stop when
an upgrade is actually beginning to roll out (as I write this, 5/11/99, there
is an upgrade in the process of being released to Plus and Classic users; most
Classic users have already received it–if you don't have it yet, you will very
soon).
How will you know for sure that an upgrade is being released? Check in the
WebTV Users newsgroup–if the moderators are confirming that an upgrade
is coming out, you can believe it; read any notes appended by them to posts
in the group.
Very Important Note: There is no announced actual date
for the release of a "big" upgrade this year–it is likely there will be
one (based on comments by Steve Perlman, archived here.
Information about what any upgrade will contain swirl all over the place,
but there are no facts available on a precise release time, or the exact
upgrade features, until it's been rolled out.
(The following is based on past upgrades.)
How Will I Know When the Upgrade's Available to Me?
Soon after an upgrade's available, you'll turn on your box and connect to the
service (or switch users), and you'll see a screen telling you there's an update
available to you, offering you the option to (a) update now, or (b) update later.
For the sake of your sanity, take it!! Why not wait? Because the upgrade
is offered randomly, on a first-come, first-served basis.
How Long Will I Have to Wait Before It's My Turn?
Once it's rolling out, the upgrade will be made available to people randomly.
There are a limited number of connection "slots" to the upgrade server(s), not
everybody can download it at the same time. So, if you connect at a time when
the upgrade servers are completely busy, you won't get the offer to take it; if
you connect and a slot is available, there you go-take it.
The last upgrade (Summer '98) took several weeks to be distributed to everyone,
this time I expect it will be least three weeks (maybe four) after the rollout
resumes before all subscribers will have the new software (there are a lot more
subscribers now than then).
...is brought to you by...
get your free homepage today