Betas are supposed to be feature complete.


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Well, where are they?

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_version

The beta version of a product still awaits full debugging or full implementation of all its functionality, but satisfies a majority of the requirements. Beta versions (or just betas) stand at an intermediate step in the full development cycle.

I think that you have Beta confused with Release Candidate:

The term release candidate can refer to a final product, ready to release unless fatal bugs emerge. In this stage, the product features all designed functionalities and no known showstopper class bugs. Microsoft Corporation often uses the term release candidate

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They are not supposed to be feature complete, RCs are supposed to be feature complete.

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:yes::

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Betas are not supposed to be feature complete. On long-term products, it is horribly ineffecient to code all of the features and then go through everything several times trying to eliminate problems. Most large projects fork off at several milestones; for example, Vista Beta 2 was already under development while Beta 1 was in development (Beta 1 development consisted of bug fixing that is later passed up to the Beta 2 code - Beta 2 is where they implement more functionality, then beta 2 is forked to a bug fix marathon while more features are being added.) Welcome to the world of extreme programming :)

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Or you chould check out:

Windows History Screenshots

For pretty much the same thing, only faster. Covers from the beginning at 1.0 through XP, however. Old page, but still fun to look at sometimes.

Paul

EDITED to say: Cool site, Vykranth, thanks for that link.

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Well, where are they?

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What a question. :rolleyes:

Where are they? They're in the final release that you'll see a year from now.

Was this a serious question, or was this a half-hearted attempt to bash MS?

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Each major version of a product usually goes through a stage when new features are added (alpha stage), then a stage when it is actively debugged (beta stage), and finally a stage when all important bugs have been removed (stable stage). Intermediate stages may also be recognized.

How can you find bugs in something that is not there? :)

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How can you find bugs in something that is not there? :)

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Think before you post... There are features in Vista that have been implemented, but this beta is mainly for compatibility and such issues. Basically for developers. Beta 2 will have more features. It helps to do a bit of reading instead of complaining

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I think in Wikipedia they got Alpha and Beta defined otherway around. Alpha comes before Beta. If a developer do a feature-freeze in Alpha stage how they are going to fully implement features during Beta?

I think it makes more sense = close to reality if somebody read it like this:

Pre-Alpha

Sometimes a build known as pre-alpha is issued, before the release of alpha or beta. In contrast to alpha and beta versions, the pre-alpha is usually not "feature complete"; that is, it is at the stage where designers are still wondering about what functionalities the product should have. Such builds can also be called development releases or nightly builds.

Alpha

The alpha version of a product still awaits full debugging or full implementation of all its functionality, but satisfies a majority of the requirements. Alpha versions (or just alphas) stand at an intermediate step in the full development cycle.

Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet.

Beta

A Beta version or beta release usually represents the first feature complete version of a computer program or other product, likely to be unstable but useful for demonstrating internally and to select customers. Some developers refer to this stage as a preview, as a technical preview or as an early access. Often, this stage begins when the developers announce a feature freeze on the product, indicating that no more features will be added to this version of the product, only bugs will be removed. Developers release them to a group of beta testers (or, sometimes, to the general public) for a user test. The testers report any bugs that they found, features they would like to see in the final version, etc.

When a beta becomes available to the general public it often becomes used almost as widely as the finished product (when developers subsequently complete that 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. Indeed, in February 2005, ZDNet published an article about the recent phenomenon of a beta version often staying for years and being used as if it were in production-level [1]. It notes that Gmail and Google News, for example, have been in beta for a long time and is not expected to drop the beta status despite the fact that they have been widely used. Recipients of highly proprietary betas may have to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Since this is the second major stage in the development cycle, following the alpha stage, it is named after the Greek letter beta, the second letter in the Greek alphabet.

Cheers,

McoreD

Edited by ~*McoreD*~
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Or you chould check out:

Windows History Screenshots

For pretty much the same thing, only faster. Covers from the beginning at 1.0 through XP, however. Old page, but still fun to look at sometimes.

Paul

EDITED to say: Cool site, Vykranth, thanks for that link.

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windows_nt351_screenshot2.gif

Evil paper clip...

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Well, where are they?

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You probably can't find worthwhile "features" because you don't know what you're looking for in the first place...which leads me to believe you shouldn't have access to the software. Funny how that works, huh? :rolleyes:

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You probably can't find worthwhile "features" because you don't know what you're looking for in the first place...which leads me to believe you shouldn't have access to the software.  Funny how that works, huh?  :rolleyes:

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Yes, because bugs that come from who has illegally obtained the software are less important than someone who has it legally. Right? You're so clueless, I forbid you to post in my thread again. Do so, and you'll be reported for harrassment and trolling.

Bye!

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entropyx; You are the one who seems like you dont know what your talking about were here to help you out you asked the questions, and were providing the answers if you dont like the answers we are providing for you then well thats all up to you. Take it or Leave it. Were only trying to help.

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Yes. I think that bugs that come from people that illegally obtain the beta of a program are less important that those that are supposed to get it because you are they type of people that will illegally obtain the full version once released!

I do beleve that this is BETA 1 of Vista, pretty much compatibility testing only. I'm pretty sure BETA 2 will have more of the features that you would like to steal.

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Yes, because bugs that come from who has illegally obtained the software are less important than someone who has it legally. Right? You're so clueless, I forbid you to post in my thread again. Do so, and you'll be reported for harrassment and trolling.

Bye!

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Beta software is for developers and testers. They have legitimate reasons to have access to the software, know the features it contains, and what to look for when testing it.

Since you are making clueless assumptions and pronouncements about beta software needing to be feature-complete, obviously you don't know what you're talking about, don't have a need or reason to be using said beta software legitimately, or even an opinion or view that matters. Nor will you be able to accurately assess the validity or seriousness of whatever "bugs" you've come across, if, in fact, you could even recognize what's going on to begin with.

Quit being a tool, grow up, and leave this stuff to the people that know what they are doing. I wish I could report someone for being a 'tard, but unfortunately nothing in the forum guidelines forbid it.

Bye! :sleep:

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Yes, because bugs that come from who has illegally obtained the software are less important than someone who has it legally. Right? You're so clueless, I forbid you to post in my thread again. Do so, and you'll be reported for harrassment and trolling.

Bye!

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bahahahajerrylewis.jpg

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