Author: Landon Rabern
Date: 08:38:27 09/06/00
Go up one level in this thread
On September 06, 2000 at 01:03:29, Adrien Regimbald wrote: >Hello, > >I saw the huge thread on beta-testing, and while I didn't read the whole thing >(it quickly turned into petty insult matches), I feel I should point out some >misconceptions. > >1. A beta tester is not a "real tester". A beta tester simply tries the major >features of the program and suggests improvements, reports bugs, etc. A "real >tester" is actually part of the development team, and in fact, sometimes this >phase of devlopment in a serious software project can occupy more time than >actually coding the whole thing. These testers systematically try to break the >program - doing things that no-one would normally do, verifying outputs for test >inputs using various techniques - black/white box testing, morph testing, >recursion testing, etc, etc. These testers are advanced coders themselves, and >are highly paid for their work. The real testers I have worked with were not advanced coders at all, they were not even really coders. I interned for Attachmate Corp. over the summer and the "real" testers there where not coders in any sense of the word. Landon > >2. Beta testers usually do not contribute significantly to the program - they >point out small bugs, make suggestions, etc - mostly cosmetic issues and >smoothing out unexpected problems with the GUI or perhaps a major functionality. > Suggesting that a beta tester be paid anything for the 20 or 30 hours they >spend "tinkering" (read - playing) with a program when perhaps a whole team of >highly trained professionals for most likely a period of years over long and >grueling hours is absurd in the extreme. > >3. Beta testers are typically individuals who are eager to see a new release of >their favourite program, or perhaps who don't wish to spend large sums of money >on buying the program, but wouldn't mind trying it out. Usually there are many >more applicants to be beta testers than are actually needed. > > >To those who think they should be paid for beta testing - you really should feel >priveledged to do it - there are likely many people waiting in line behind you >who would be glad for the opportunity to see the latest and greatest versions of >their favourite program, or who have a genuine interesting in advancing their >area of interest. > >Being offered payment for beta testing is a big bonus - sure, don't turn down a >kind gesture like this - but to demand payment as if you are a major part of the >development process is an insult to the real developers involved. > >I really don't understand why people want to be paid money for beta testing >computer chess products when they are presumably computer chess enthusiasts - it >goes against all of my sensibilities to demand payment for something you'd want >to do yourself, unless it literally becomes a full time job. > > >Regards, >Adrien.
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