AbiWord is a cross-platform (XP) product, which runs natively on a wide and
growing number of platforms. To support the maximum number of users, we try
to release binaries that will Just Work on your platform of choice.
However, that's a big task, because we have to meet that goal, in parallel,
for a bunch of independently-created platform-specific packages. We've
taken pains in designing the product so as much functionality as possible
gets done in XP code, but there are always platform-specific glitches to be
tracked down.
Thus, for each release we need to have a set of known people with fast net
connections who'd be willing to test specific packages at release time. For
an overview of the requirements, see:
http://www.abisource.com/mailinglists/abiword-dev/01/August/0401.html
For a current set of "must have" packages, see:
http://www.abisource.com/mailinglists/abiword-dev/01/August/0687.html
http://www.abisource.com/mailinglists/abiword-dev/01/August/0726.html
However, we'd love to have a much broader range of packages, so we're
looking for volunteers who'd be willing to regularly and reliably verify a
specific package or set of packages.
job description
---------------
As we get close to each release, the packager for your platform will be
releasing one or more candidate builds. You'll be downloading and verifying
complete packages, so a fast net connection would help.
Your job is to verify that they've created clean packages (the MD5s match,
the product launches and runs), and that the release works as advertised,
with no nasty surprises. If not, you'll need to:
- work closely, in real-time, with the packager and/or the maintainer
to figure out what's wrong, and
- confirm that the next package does indeed fix the problem.
At minimum, this means that we need one release tester per package, and for
safety's sake, this needs to be someone *other* than the packager. Since
testing the product more thoroughly can be a huge job, the more volunteers
we have to test each package, the better. [1]
status
------
So far, the following people have volunteered to be testers:
Win32 Randy Kramer, Alan Keefer
Mandrake 8 Alan Keefer
For details, see:
http://www.abisource.com/mailinglists/abiword-dev/01/August/0746.html
(Alan's post doesn't seem to have made it to the archives)
If I've missed anyone, let me know.
bottom line
-----------
If you're willing to be an AbiWord tester, please send us a message at
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (you'll need to subscribe first), introducing
yourself, and describing the packages you'd like to be responsible for.
Thanks!
Paul
motto -- many hands make light work
[1] Note that we do *not* necessarily expect you to test every feature and
function in AbiWord on short notice. That kind of in-depth testing is a
separate ongoing activity, centered around carefully examining specific
features and finding stuff to add to Bugzilla.
Ideas and volunteers for that activity are also welcome, too, so if you're
interested in doing so, that'd be great. I just want to be clear that it's
not what I'm recruiting for today. ;-)
