You wouldn’t do that to us, right? 
Of course not. 
A new beta will be out before 029 expires and betas will continue to be available until the 1.0 release.
Oh, thank God! I’ve just discovered Scrivener, it’s a blessing, and I’m already addicted. 
Glad you’re enjoying it. Welcome aboard!
I have just discovered Scrivener and feel like all my Christmases have come at once! I LOVE it. I have a 3000 work university assignment that is about 30 percent complete on Word and due to be handed in in 3 weeks time (mid October). Should i trust the beta version and use Scrivener for the first time on this assignment or finish on Word. Just not sure how reliable beta versions are. Decisions!!
2 reasons spring to mind why I would finish in Word if I was in your position:
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you have a short deadline project of high importance and permanent implications if it goes wrong. In these conditions, I would be reluctant to switch to ANY new system. Scrivener is easy to use and intuitive to learn, but unless there are specific functions that Word lacks and Scrivener provides, I’d stick to the existing software which you are familiar with. Which brings me to…
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with only 2,000 words left to write, you may find scrivener to be an Aston Martin sportscar for a drive round the corner. The Aston will get you there in style but over that distance may be no easier or faster than walking.
This said, my personal experience with the beta has been great. I’ve had no problems. If you aren’t bothered by the learning curve inherent in any new system, and / or want the extra power then using scrivener is not an irreversible decision. Make sure you have back ups in several forms and formats.
Although, this is true of non-beta software as well. I was using Word on a computer in a hotel last week and lost 4 pages of prose when the software crashed. I wasn’t able to recover a single letter. So whatever you use, save regularly in different formats and in different places. That includes not just a couple if copies on your hard drive. They fail too.
When I was at Uni I stayed up until 2am finishing priece of coursework due at 5pm the next day. At 3am (give or take) I was burgled and my laptop stolen.
At 9am, the Uni refuse to give me an extension even with a crime number, so I spent the rest of the day trying to recreate a couple of weeks work from memory.
I’ll say it one more time: whatever you use, save often, in several formats and in several places. Keep a print out as well as a last resort.
Of course, unlike an actual Aston Martin, you can try it for free 
As much as I love Scrivener, I’m getting a little impatient with having to keep pressing ‘try’ ‘reset’ every time I want to use it.
May I request that the next beta issue dispenses with the ‘registration’ box, which memory serves was added (just) for testing.
[Or let us buy a licence NOW !!! 
]
I only press “Try” each time. I recently pressed “Reset” once because it said I had 1 day left. Now I have something like [28 days left or Sept. 30]. Sept. 30 will happen first, obviously.
Personally, I’m glad the dialog is there and it doesn’t bother me at all. It lets me know L&L is thinking about licensing early enough in the process and testing their solution so that when the software is released, registration and licensing will be bug free.
@maureent I have just used Scrivener to create and submit a 10000 word draft for my PhD. I had started in Word but after a little soul searching decided to prepare it in Scrivener and compile to Word as a final pass and I have found some aspects invaluable. The ability ito break it up into individual pieces and work on them as time, reading and inclination dictated was really useful. I had no problems with stability or loss of data even though it is in Beta.
If you want to try it out in a ‘real’ situation your 3000 words in 3 weeks sounds reasonable, it will give you sufficient time to get to grips with the program although at a basic level that shouldn’t take too much time. There are a few caveats though:
I use OneNote to accumulate notes etc and cutting and pasting from there is a pain (this is dicussed in another strand here) it is, however, managable by going OneNote -> Word -> Scrivener.
Allow plenty of time to compile your final version to Word and do the tidying up as there will be some to do. If you use ENDNOTE Cite-While-You-Write for referencing you will need to do that in Word so remember to put indicators as to where the citations are required in Scrivener as you go, otherwise its a big job to do at the end.
HTH
Keith
I hope I’m in the right forum here - as it’s a similar topic I’ll add to this than make a new one. 
I’m still holding my NaNoWrimo winner’s codes from last year. So far I’ve been given 3, one that expired in May(?), another Sept 5th, and a final(?) Sept 9th. Hoping they extend the codes again since it’s still not out yet.
That said, I love the beta version but I’ve not committed to more than just dabbling in it. Like Mike I’ve been nervous the version would end before release and my work would be locked or at least put on hold. Good to know that at least won’t be an issue. :S
The second Nanowrimo 2010 coupon code–which I believe was extended to Sept 9th–has been extended again to the end of the year (though this isn’t noted on the Nanowrimo website), so it will still be useable when Scrivener for Windows is released. Just make sure you copy it off your Winner’s page, since they’ll be wiping everything on the site probably at the beginning of October to make way for this year’s Nano.
Yikes …
I’m so glad you mentioned that … runs quickly … >>>>>>>
In addition to my own discount code for Scrivener from 2010 (woo hoo!)… I got two more codes from Mac people… with plans to give those to family members. I hate to bother those people who were kind enough to give me their codes, to have them get updated codes (and, of course, they might not even be active on the nano boards at this point).
Am I correct in understanding that those codes issued in November 2010 won’t work, when the real, purchasable version comes out?
Laurie
Hi Laurie,
The original coupon codes that were given out early in December 2010 have expired, yes; new coupons were issued for the Windows version when those were nearing their expiration date (sometime in the mid to late spring; I’m sorry I don’t remember the exact date) since Scrivener for Windows hadn’t yet been released so PC users hadn’t been able to use the coupons. If you got your codes recently then they’re the good ones; otherwise, I’m afraid you’ll need to have those users sign onto the Nanowrimo site to check the goodies page and copy out the new code.