It's not just you. Axton
On Fri, Oct 10, 2008 at 7:58 AM, Carey Matthew Black <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Alan, > > Maybe it is just me... but.... > > "Open beta" should not require me to get "approved" by the vendor. I > should be able to go to their web site (like here: > http://www.bmc.com/beta_program/public/available_betas.cfm) and get > the software. > > > Oh look... it is not just me.... > > Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_test#Beta > " > Developers release either a closed beta or an open beta; closed beta > versions are released to a select group of individuals for a user > test, while open betas are to a larger community group, usually the > general public. The testers report any bugs that they found and > sometimes minor features they would like to see in the final version. > " > > But the article does go on to say this too... > > " > When a beta becomes available to the general public it is often widely > used by the technologically savvy and those familiar with previous > versions as though it were the finished product. Usually developers of > freeware or open-source betas release them to the general public while > proprietary betas go to a relatively small group of testers. > Recipients of highly proprietary betas may have to sign a > non-disclosure agreement. A release is called feature complete when > the product team agrees that functional requirements of the system are > met and no new features will be put into the release, but significant > software bugs may still exist. Companies with a formal software > process will tend to enter the beta period with a list of known bugs > that must be fixed to exit the beta period, and some companies make > this list available to customers and testers. > " > > So I guess what BMC means by "Open beta" must be more along the lines > of the "proprietary beta" process. Which really sounds like a "closed > beta" to me. (AKA: "released to a select group of individuals for a > user test") Maybe they will someday make the switch to an open beta > and use their entire customer/partner base. Maybe they could do that > in the form of a "Patch" site download? That should keep the faint of > heart and the "non-paying customers" out of the beta. > > > Shrug. I asked my sales rep to be included in the beta... then he left > the company. So I guess my request to be in the Alpha/beta likely left > with him. I is simply "to hard" to know when and how to request access > to a closed beta. > > > > FWIW: In a very general way, I have these thoughts on "Beta testing > programs" from any software manufacturer: > > I think the "benefits" of the closed beta programs are so limited to > almost be "self fulling prophesy" for the company. If you only ask > your customers that only use your OOB applications and they only test > your OOB applications, then the company has a good shot at being able > to do that same testing in Alpha and knowing the results before the > beta starts. But that also means that you learned almost nothing by > expending all of those resource outsourcing (to the customer) the > testing that you have already done internally. > > However, if all of the existing customers were to test what they do > with the product, then the company is likely to not have tested all of > the strange and special ways that those crazy customers out there end > up making the product fit that square hole problem. And trust me the > crazy customers want/need to test the next version because they know > that they are pushing the envelope of the product and are on the > (often) bleeding edge of the tech. So those testers are more likely to > participate than the "just OOB" customers anyway. > > However those crazy customers will likely result in more known > issues/bugs and a decrease in customer confidence due to the well > known broken state of the next version. That hurts sales of the new > version and thus hurts the company. So the company decides to keep the > beta testers more "exclusive" to avoid the pain points and to try to > keep the customers "happy with the non-existent experience" instead of > "satisfied with the quality of the product that they used in the > testing program". > > But maybe it is just me..... Maybe some day when I am running my own > software company.... :) > > -- > Carey Matthew Black > Remedy Skilled Professional (RSP) > ARS = Action Request System(Remedy) > > Love, then teach > Solution = People + Process + Tools > Fast, Accurate, Cheap.... Pick two. > > > On Thu, Oct 9, 2008 at 3:09 PM, Alan Blake <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> ** >> >> The open BETA started beginning of Sept. You can send an inquiry here >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> Alan > > <snip> > >> ----- Original Message ---- >> From: Alan Blake <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Thursday, October 9, 2008 12:26:58 PM >> Subject: Re: AR System 7.5 >> >> ** >> >> The BETA test is still underway. I understood they are targeting early next >> year. >> >> Alan > > _______________________________________________________________________________ > UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org > Platinum Sponsor: www.rmsportal.com ARSlist: "Where the Answers Are" > _______________________________________________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org Platinum Sponsor: www.rmsportal.com ARSlist: "Where the Answers Are"
