Why this article exists: Those three phrases appear throughout this help center, and they mean genuinely different things. Here is what each one should tell you.
Closed beta — the software exists and works, but access is limited to a group of testers rather than open to everyone. VIVON and ARCTIC are both at this stage. Expect issues; reports from testers are exactly what the beta phase is for. You can use it, but plan around it rather than depending on it.
In development — not generally usable yet. HELION, the browsing and routing layer, and LNS, the naming service tied to it, are here. Features and timelines may still change ahead of release. If you are planning a business around it, treat it as not yet something to commit to.
Prototype and concept stage — WYNIX hardware. Specifications and release timing are not final, and nothing about them should be read as a purchasing commitment.
What we try to do consistently: say which of the three applies, rather than describing everything as "coming soon". Where a timeline genuinely is not settled, we would rather write that here than let you find out later.
How to get into a beta: Write to [email protected] and say which one you are interested in — VIVON, ARCTIC or LNS. Mention what you would use it for; that helps more than a general request.
What to expect once you are in: Software that is not finished. Things will break. Send bug reports to [email protected] with the product, what you did, what you expected, what happened instead, and your device and operating system.
Where to follow progress: http://help.linkspreed.com is updated as products move from beta to general availability, http://blog.linkspreed.com covers milestones, and the LINKSPREED YouTube channel posts updates on features still rolling out.
For the current status of every product, see Which Web4 products can I use today, and which are still in beta?