Thanks!

Gerald

Next up are implementation of the last features we're getting ready for launch.  Should be an exciting couple weeks with new and useful functionality coming your way!

Afternoon folks!  Another update and this one is a big honking bag of bugfixes (and status on bugs I was unable to duplicate), among other things.  Without further ado, here's the skinny:

• In the sweeps list and the bookmarks list it was possible for the bookmark and notify buttons to be enabled when a contest was expired.  They should appropriately show as disabled from here on.
• When a contest is expired, or has not yet started the date in the listing will be highlighted in red to hopefully catch your attention if your current search is showing expired contests.
• Went over SweepsUnleashed with a fine-toothed comb, there were two reports.  First was that there are times when there would always be 1(or more) contests that would stay in the Unleashed batch.  This one threw me for a loop for a bit but it turns out that it's when there is a contest with unlimited entries it adds it back to unleashed every time it's started.  This is appropriate behavior.  The second issue was that Unleashed was freezing at the end of a run.  I ran it probably 100 times and was not able to duplicate this.
• The Next and End pager controls on all lists pages were starting off showing as disabled (though they actually worked).  This has been corrected and all paging controls seem to function correctly now.
• There was a bug when trying to remove a bookmark from your bookmark list.  This has been fixed and you can now remove bookmarks again.
• The Home option in the top navigation will no longer be highlighted when in the SMS
• The position of the status bar (where status messages are displayed in the SMS) was off when using different resolutions.  This has been corrected and the bar should always look as intended.
• The URL for the SMS has changed.  If you had any deep links directly to the SMS they will no long function.  FYI, it is NOT recommended to bookmark pages within the SMS as they may change at any time and you get bounced back to the main site to log in anyway.
• There was a report that in the notification emails the "Last Entered" information wasn't updated correctly and always said "Never".   I was unable to duplicate this and closed the ticket.
• Had a tickets regarding errors in beta applications.  I was unable to duplicate this but it may have very well been solved with some earlier changes to the system.
• I'd filed a ticket about an error when entering contests through bookmark notifications.  I believe this was corrected with the authentication rewrite.

If I said I couldn't duplicate something and you can, please do let us know so maybe you could help us out.  If I can't duplicate it, I can't fix it.

As always we appreciate your bug reports and feedback, please keep 'em coming and feel free to even ramp it up and nit-pick us (please).

Next up for 1.0b.005 release are some highly requested items.  It will begin storing preferences for sorting and searches among other things and bookmarks and notifications are getting a LOT of love.  Going to be barely recognizable when it's finished.

Thanks!

Gerald

On Friday, April 2, 2010, at approximately 7:00am EST, SweepsU.com will be CLOSED to all testers while some major improvements to our website are being loaded. We do not expect to re-open until Saturday morning or whenever Gerald feels that everything has been properly tested and passed his critique. This shutdown will include the daily email notifications which many of you receive. The links in your email notifications will not work until he has restored SweepsU.com to full functionality.

When you are able to log in to SweepsU.com again on Saturday, April 3, 2010, you will notice many changes. Some will be cosmetic and several will go much deeper. For example: many of the functions on the website will be noticeably faster than before. Menus will be changed, especially in the Sweeps Management System. Scrolling within the Sweeps List as well as your personal Bookmarks list will be slightly different, but much more efficient. The wording under listed sweepstakes will change to icons. You will find that Gerald has incorporated many of the suggestions we have received from our testers such as the default when you view the Sweeps List will be those expiring soonest. He has also simplified the SweepsUFound submission form, making it quick and easy to send in new sweeps. These are just a few of the changes happening this week, there are even more planned for the future.

Once the changes have been implemented and SweepsU.com is up and running again, we NEED to hear from our Alpha & Beta Testers. You have been given free use of the website for a reason. Your input is invaluable to us, especially now with all the upgraded features. We need to know what works and what does not work from the people using these programs daily. We want to know what you like and what you dislike and we need DETAIL! If you experience a problem with anything on the website we want to know about it, but we want more than a simple “this doesn’t work”. Please include specifics such as where you were (on the website) when the problem occurred. What sweepstakes were you viewing? Were you in the Sweeps List or your Bookmarks? The more details you provide, the better our chances of isolating a problem and correcting it.

While Gerald is busy updating the website, I will be rewriting the Quick Start instructions to assist you with all of SweepsU.com’s features, old and new. It would probably make the adjustment much easier for each of you if you were to read or print this document out the first time you log in after the website upgrade. To get to it on the SweepsU.com website just click on Sweeps University – SweepsU.com Basics – QUICK START.

We hope that all of you will take the time to visit SweepsU.com on Saturday, April 3^rd or shortly thereafter to view the changes and improvements, many of which were inspired by your own comments! We appreciate all of our testers who have stuck with us and assisted in improving SweepsU.com. We will be giving each of you an additional three months of free usage on SweepsU.com until we launch the website around the end of June 2010. Please continue to invite your friends to sign up as Beta Testers during this time period and if they sign up through an invitation you sent them, you will receive credit in our SweepsU.com Sweepstakes/Contest which does not end until we launch the website.

Gwen Beauchamp

Along with all the great Sweeps already listed on SweepsU.com we're starting a good one of our own. Gerald has removed the wait time for new Beta Testers, which means everyone gets on as soon as they are approved. SO BRING 'EM ON! Send invitations to your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, bowling team, carpool, Sunday School class, PTA members...you get the idea!

Everyone who signs up using the link you sent them earns you an entry towards winning some great prizes. At the same time, you will be giving your friends the advantage of using SweepsU.com at no charge during Beta Testing. So what are you waiting for? Read the rules below and start sending your invitations out now.

Gwen

SweepsU.com Beta Tester Sign-Up Sweepstakes & Contest

Eligibility: Open only to registered SweepsU.com Alpha and Beta Testers. Previous winners are eligible to win again.

Promotion Start Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Promotion End Date: Will be the same as the Beta Testing end date currently scheduled for the 1st quarter of 2010.

Promotion Drawing Date: Within five (5) business days of the end of the promotion period.

Entry Limit: There is No limit to the number of entries submitted by any one person.

How to Enter: Login to SweepsU.com and click on "Sweeps Management System" (SMS). Once you are in the SMS you will see a new heading, "Invite Friend." Click on it and type in the first and last name and email address of a friend you think would like to be a Beta Tester at SweepsU.com. You can also include a personal message to your friend if you would like. Click on "Send Invitation" and you are done.

You will receive one (1) entry into the Sweepstakes and one (1) entry into the Contest for each new Beta Tester who signs up as the result of your invitation.

Each new person who signs up to be a Beta Tester for SweepsU.com will be eligible to enter the Contest and Sweepstakes by inviting their own set of friends.

There will be two (2) Grand Prize winners. The person who has the most people sign up as Beta Testers for SweepsU.com will be awarded the Contest Grand Prize. The Sweepstakes Grand Prize will be awarded to the person who is randomly drawn from all the entries received throughout the Promotion Period. The Sweepstakes winners will be selected in a random drawing using www.random.org. If there is a tie for the Contest Grand Prize, the winner will be determined by a random drawing of the tied entries. The Contest Grand Prize winner is not eligible for the Sweepstakes Grand Prize. There is a limit of one (1) prize per person.

PRIZES:

One (1) Contest Grand Prize: An Acer Netbook (ARV $300) and a Life-time subscription to SweepsU.com (ARV: Priceless!)

One (1) Sweepstakes Grand Prize: An Acer Netbook (ARV $300) and a Life-time subscription to SweepsU.com (ARV: Priceless!)

Two (2) Sweepstakes Runner Up Prizes: Five (5) large bars of Scharffen Berger Premium Milk Chocolate (courtesy of TuttiFoodie.com)
(ARV $20)