WOTC needs playtesters, not yes-men. If John isn't psyched about DDN, wouldn't the playtest be a great way to give him a taste of what it looks like?
He cannot be *given* a taste. He must reach out and take it when it is offered. There's a minimum level of engagement required of a playtester, and anyone doing broad testing has a need to track feedback. Signing up is a minor action any playtester should be willing to do once.
They don't have to send you a "sorry we didn't accept you" letter, they just won't send you anything at all.
And exactly how many "Hey, I signed up to playtest, and I haven't gotten *anything* from them!!!1!" notes have we seen on these boards that haven't been resolved?
Evidence, or it didn't happen, dude.