472,119 Members | 1,464 Online
Bytes | Software Development & Data Engineering Community
Post +

Home Posts Topics Members FAQ

Join Bytes to post your question to a community of 472,119 software developers and data experts.

BETA

what does Beta mean, i hear it all the time such as MSN Beta, LimeWire
Beta, etc.
what exactly does it stand for and what is it?
it asks download Beta version.

can sum1 please explain.
any facts would be appreciated

Abishek

Apr 19 '06 #1
11 1956

riku 写道:
what does Beta mean, i hear it all the time such as MSN Beta, LimeWire
Beta, etc.
what exactly does it stand for and what is it?
it asks download Beta version.

can sum1 please explain.
any facts would be appreciated

Abishek


beta means now the software is undering public test.

Apr 19 '06 #2
"riku" <bl***********@gmail.com> writes:
what does Beta mean, i hear it all the time such as MSN Beta, LimeWire
Beta, etc.
what exactly does it stand for and what is it?
it asks download Beta version.
Beta is a software versioning term:

Beta is usually a testing version, known to have bugs but stable
enough for use by a general limited public which will be reliable
enough to report bugs as they are found.

Alpha is what is released after Beta, which is almost bug free after
public beta testing, not quite perfect, but getting there.

Gold is generally considered as perfect as a program can get before
shipping (pressing cd's, putting on shelves), although there are
generally unfound bugs still lurking somewhere to be found by the
general public after release.
can sum1 please explain.
any facts would be appreciated


No facts, just how the terms are used in the industry.

--
burton samograd kruhft .at. gmail
kruhft.blogspot.com www.myspace.com/kruhft metashell.blogspot.com
Apr 19 '06 #3
riku wrote:
what does Beta mean, i hear it all the time such as MSN Beta, LimeWire
Beta, etc.
what exactly does it stand for and what is it?
it asks download Beta version.

can sum1 please explain.
any facts would be appreciated

Abishek

Someone is trying to lure you into testing his
software,without paying you for the work. -)-)-)-)
Apr 19 '06 #4
On Tue, 18 Apr 2006 22:23:15 -0600, Burton Samograd wrote:
"riku" <bl***********@gmail.com> writes:
what does Beta mean, i hear it all the time such as MSN Beta, LimeWire
Beta, etc.
what exactly does it stand for and what is it?
it asks download Beta version.
Beta is a software versioning term:

Beta is usually a testing version, known to have bugs but stable
enough for use by a general limited public which will be reliable
enough to report bugs as they are found.

Alpha is what is released after Beta, which is almost bug free after
public beta testing, not quite perfect, but getting there.


I always thought it was the other way around, first alpha then beta.
And aparently I'm not the only one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_stage

Regards,
Mark.
Gold is generally considered as perfect as a program can get before
shipping (pressing cd's, putting on shelves), although there are
generally unfound bugs still lurking somewhere to be found by the
general public after release.
can sum1 please explain.
any facts would be appreciated


No facts, just how the terms are used in the industry.


Apr 19 '06 #5
I think Mark is right, after software is developed, it is first tested
by the software testing team, i.e. the testing is done in the
development environment. Then the software is relased to the users, to
know the errors as perceived by the future users of the software, i.e.
beta testing is done at the site of the customer. Thus the Beta version
of a software is a free version released to get a view of the errors
that could be encountered when the software will be later used by the
customers!!

Apr 19 '06 #6

riku wrote:
what does Beta mean, i hear it all the time such as MSN Beta, LimeWire
Beta, etc. what exactly does it stand for and what is it?
Just a catchy label usually used for software that is almost finished,
but deemed good enough for users to try out, and beat out as many
remaining bugs as possible. Different organisations use it for software
indifferent states of maturity. Read it as "use at your own risk".
can sum1 please explain.


It seems that you failed to attract attention of the person going by
the nick of "sum1".

Apr 19 '06 #7
riku wrote:
what does Beta mean, i hear it all the time such as MSN Beta, LimeWire
Beta, etc.
what exactly does it stand for and what is it?
it asks download Beta version.

can sum1 please explain.
any facts would be appreciated

Abishek


Today I've learned that if you post something so offtopic that it is
unbelievable, you get legible answers. Huh.

This post does not belong in comp.lang.c. Someone with your grammatical
skill does not belong on the internet.

And if you used Google's interface to post this, that's just sad.

Anyway, you've been told what 'beta' actually means. I'm impressed.
Apr 19 '06 #8

Andrew Poelstra wrote:
riku wrote:
what does Beta mean, i hear it all the time such as MSN Beta, LimeWire
Beta, etc.
what exactly does it stand for and what is it?
it asks download Beta version.

can sum1 please explain.
any facts would be appreciated

Abishek

Today I've learned that if you post something so offtopic that it is
unbelievable, you get legible answers. Huh.


Haven't you heard that it's Usenet Benevolence Week?
This post does not belong in comp.lang.c.
True.
Someone with your grammatical skill does not belong on the internet.
Now you're being unnecessarily harsh. Especially so, as it's quite
likely that Abishek's English is non-native language.

Now, if you wanted to comment on childish abrvs like "sum1", that's
different.
And if you used Google's interface to post this, that's just sad.
And why, if I may ask? I do it every day from the office, and still
manage to do it right. Am I sad as well?
Anyway, you've been told what 'beta' actually means. I'm impressed.


Glad to hear it.

Apr 19 '06 #9
Vladimir S. Oka wrote:
Someone with your grammatical skill does not belong on the internet.


Now you're being unnecessarily harsh. Especially so, as it's quite
likely that Abishek's English is non-native language.

Now, if you wanted to comment on childish abrvs like "sum1", that's
different.

Predicted that comment, but you added the "sum1" reference, which was my
original point. General poor grammar I have no real problem with (other
than capitalizing the first letter of each sentence, which should be
common sense after two days online) (but isn't thanks to leetspeak and
other such nonsense).
And if you used Google's interface to post this, that's just sad.


And why, if I may ask? I do it every day from the office, and still
manage to do it right. Am I sad as well?

No, you do it properly. However, if you used the words "sum1",
statistically you would not be using it properly.

And by statistically, I do mean 'stereotypically' just so that I don't
get caught on that point as well.
Anyway, you've been told what 'beta' actually means. I'm impressed.


Glad to hear it.

*smiles*
Apr 19 '06 #10
Burton Samograd wrote:
[...]
Beta is usually a testing version, known to have bugs but stable
enough for use by a general limited public which will be reliable
enough to report bugs as they are found.

Alpha is what is released after Beta, which is almost bug free after
public beta testing, not quite perfect, but getting there.
I think you have that backwards. Alpha testing is what occurs in-house
prior to a beta release to a wider audience.
Gold is generally considered as perfect as a program can get before
shipping (pressing cd's, putting on shelves), although there are
generally unfound bugs still lurking somewhere to be found by the
general public after release.


Well, "gold" usually refers to the actual release version. Whether
this qualifies as "as perfect as a program can get before shipping"
depends on the shipper. :-)

[...]

--
+-------------------------+--------------------+-----------------------------+
| Kenneth J. Brody | www.hvcomputer.com | |
| kenbrody/at\spamcop.net | www.fptech.com | #include <std_disclaimer.h> |
+-------------------------+--------------------+-----------------------------+
Don't e-mail me at: <mailto:Th*************@gmail.com>
Apr 19 '06 #11
On 18 Apr 2006 22:23:15 -0600, Burton Samograd
<kr**********@gmail.com> wrote:
"riku" <bl***********@gmail.com> writes:
what does Beta mean, i hear it all the time such as MSN Beta, LimeWire
Beta, etc.
what exactly does it stand for and what is it?
it asks download Beta version.
Beta is a software versioning term:

Beta is usually a testing version, known to have bugs but stable
enough for use by a general limited public which will be reliable
enough to report bugs as they are found.

Alpha is what is released after Beta, which is almost bug free after
public beta testing, not quite perfect, but getting there.


No, alpha is a buggy version released before beta. Beta software doesn't have to have known bugs. In my current job, we
go beta when we can't find more bugs in testing. Clients can provide a
much more varied test environment, and often use the software in ways
that we hadn't though of.
Gold is generally considered as perfect as a program can get before
shipping (pressing cd's, putting on shelves), although there are
generally unfound bugs still lurking somewhere to be found by the
general public after release.
can sum1 please explain.
any facts would be appreciated


No facts, just how the terms are used in the industry.


--
Al Balmer
Sun City, AZ
Apr 19 '06 #12

This discussion thread is closed

Replies have been disabled for this discussion.

Similar topics

reply views Thread by Sarah Brian [MSFT] | last post: by
16 posts views Thread by | last post: by
reply views Thread by nhmark64 | last post: by
2 posts views Thread by Gregory (Grisha) Trubetskoy | last post: by
reply views Thread by leo001 | last post: by

By using Bytes.com and it's services, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

To disable or enable advertisements and analytics tracking please visit the manage ads & tracking page.