Microsoft said late yesterday it had identified the person who had leaked the still-in-beta Windows Home Server to the Web. According to both the company and messages from the site where the beta was once posted, however, earlier reports that the leaker was a Microsoft MVP were incorrect.
Last week, several news outlets ran stories about a Microsoft investigation into a leak of the Windows Home Server (WHS) code to thehotfix.net Web site. The stories cited an e-mail sent by Kevin Beares, the Windows Home Server community lead at Microsoft, to all MVPs (Most Valuable Professionals) named "Richard." MVP is the Microsoft designation for a group of developers and others who the company believes make significant contributions to users; many MVPs are active in various beta tests that Microsoft runs.
According to the news reports, Beares" e-mail told all the Richards that their access to the WHS preview would be terminated until the source of the leak was determined.
"We take public distribution of pre-release software very seriously," wrote Charlie Kindel, a WHS product manager, on the team"s blog. "The leak was unfortunate, and we took action to find the parties responsible." Kindel also said that the culprit was not named Richard, and wasn"t an MVP. "We"re happy to clarify that no MVPs were involved in this breach," he added.
On thehotfix.net, meanwhile, two users owned up to posting the beta code. "I gave richard access to my account to access the private Beta to leak onto the web," wrote Jordan M., whose profile pegs him as hailing from Australia, on a message forum at thehotfix.net. "I have already contacted Microsoft appologised [sic] and they have termminated [sic] my access to the beta."
Additionally, Bink reports that Windows Home Server Build 06.00.1371 has officially been signed off by the team and is now build available to all Beta Participants. The download packages are available from download from MS Connect.