I've been for the past few days trying to get my hands on the Windows 7 BETA legitimately.  When the story first broke, there were links to Technet which greys out the download and product key links, and another to the Microsoft Windows 7 Page which had delayed the release.


It took searching to find that Technet required a paid subscription to get access to its downloads (so much for "public" BETA, at least in the truest sense).


Microsoft has since, though, added its own link for download without the fee.  First try failed, as the page for downloads fails to load past the uniquitous spinning AJAX loading symbol.  Firefox fares better, making it to a page that gives a product key and a nice big DOWNLOAD NOW button.  A button that does nothing but refresh the page.


Enter Internet Explorer 8.  Pressing through the required Windows Live login and submission of made-up personal information, I get back to the page, only this time the button gets me to a page that fails to do anything because my security settings are above "Please Compromise My System."


I am now downloading the BETA using a direct link provided by Wired.