Beta "testing" observation
 

To begin, I feel that those of us who use and enjoy Marine Aquarium are all very fortunate to be able to be members of a support forum that includes the actual designer and creator of the program - Jim Sachs.

While I haven't been a member here for a long time, I see that we are also privileged to participate in the beta testing of Marine Aquarium as it is changed and, as we see, improved.

I would like to mention, though, that along with this privilege, we have a certain voluntary responsibility which can be defined in one word: feedback.

It is extremely helpful to Mr. Sachs and anyone else on his team, that those of us who take the time to download and install one of the beta releases, also take just a little time to provide feedback regarding the program and especially as it relates to the changes/features of the beta release.

If you've installed a beta and you aren't having or don't see any problems with it, saying so here on the board I'm sure will provide some reassurance to Jim. In the same vein, if you see anything that doesn't seem right, from a possible minor typo or slight oversight (as was pointed out, changing the date to 2010 in "about"), to something that may be more serious, I would say we should definitely bring it to Jim's attention by posting it in the appropriate thread. Essentially, that is the purpose of software "betas" - find and identify problems before the program goes out to it's main stream users.

We get to have fun with each incremental beta improvement while in some small way contributing to the program.

Works for me. :TU:

That's what this forum has been for, for the past ten years.... If it hasn't. then a lot of us have been wasting a lot of time! :)

Well said JohnWho.

Thanks Nicki.

Just "bumping" this back up in the Forum as a reminder.

We may be only 1 or 2 "11 betas" away from a new Version 3.1.

Why..:confused: Surely when this is no longer called a beta (which evidently is imminent) this thread will become redundant.

True.

But, while as we get closer to 3.1 with these betas, I believe those of us who have downloaded them really need to report anything we see that needs attention to Jim.

Just trying to remind folks.

Google has had "beta" software for years.

Also true.

However, I believe MA 3.1 will not be a beta.

It will no longer have the Beta designation, but like all software that the developer hasn't given up on, it will always be Beta.

Even more true.

:TU:

Or not.... other people call stable and feature-complete versions "released versions".

Even if there are new features for the next rev, having the intended features for the current rev is enough to count as feature-complete...

Can you identify the intended features? [Check the SereneScreen site]

Note: That's not intended as a criticism - I'm quite content with what's already in 3.1.

That is what I hope we all want, & get. I contently changing(improving)Aquarium, on the screen & in my tanks too.

It's strange what that word beta can do to people....

For me, - I like the latest.... call it what you will..... A rose by any other name.... :)

Yes, that's what I'm striving to convey - that there's no reason to wait until the last nail is in the coffin of a piece of software before buying.

Precisely.

Whether a product is V 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, etc. it is mostly understood that there will be changes and improvements and the version numbers will increase, although there are occasional programs that are released and will never be upgraded.

The connotation around a "beta" - that it may still have bugs/problems but is almost ready for a "final" release - is acceptable to many when the program is being provided for free, but maybe not so much if they are paying for the product.

Just an observation.

For almost every other software, installing and testing a Beta comes with some amount of new risk.

Each new build of MA3 comes with some amount of new pleasure.

That's even more satisfying, if we have contributed to the refinement.

If only I could recapture the heady days of MA1 Beta, when everyone felt that way and sales were 10x what they are now.

I found this, from November 18, 2001, to be interesting: :)

Jim, to what do you attribute the fact that 1.0 was selling 10X better than 3.0 currently is?

3Dfiles.com, and the fact that millions of kids logged onto it every day to see what new 3D wonders were available. MA1 was the first program to reach 1 million downloads on that site. From there, it went viral.

Ah!

Now it's named Gamespot, and the deal is video games.

I'm suspecting that we are very close to a "final" beta prior to 3.1, if not already there.

Don't know if we've made life easier for Jim, but I believed we've helped him somewhat.

Well, many of you have.

Don't know whether I fall in the "Good Guys" column or the PIA column in his ledger.

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/3360/thudal5.gif

With all your work on the User Guide?

Totally a Good Pain - no question!

:) :TU:

Well, thanks for that, Wizwad.

But, no one has seen what I've done so the jury is still out.

You've accomplished more than anyone else ever has, with respect to documentation.

Or so we assume. :D

Well, my unwritten agreement with Jim is that only he will get my draft, so only he and I will know exactly how much of what I did makes it through the editing gauntlet.

Having said that, I will point out that the original or current readme is 13k on my PC, while what I've done is now at 37k although what I send to Jim will probably be about 35k since some of it currently is notes to myself regarding things I need to check before I send it.

Even so, Jim may wield a big "rejected" stamp, so we'll see what we shall see. (or read what we shall read, whatever.)

What was the outcome on the suggestion to create a fully indexed, hyperlinked document? Or was there one? I was just wondering due to other comments about the 'standard Windows Help' option, and that it would have to come purely from documents we (or rather, you) put together containing such 'standard help'.

I can't respond to that, Wizwad.

I'm only helping with an updated readme.txt.

Don't know anything about a planned (or unplanned, for that matter) "help" or documentation beyond the readme.

The Nova folks did create a "User's Guide" in PDF format, though. It will need to be revised somewhat for 3.1.

I assume that the User Guide will be available on the SereneScreen website, and maybe visible sometime during the Installation process. I have nothing to do with the Installer, and don't recall ever having seen the Installer version, but some have mentioned that is contains a readme file. I won't be building the file into the actual program, as the translations could take months.

OK. But this forum did test the Installer version of 3.0

Edgar may be able to produce an installer version today, and the Forum members will be encouraged to test it. However, if changes are needed he won't be able to make them until he returns from vacation on the 29th.

@ Jim -

I'll be sending you what I've done with the readme.txt file later tonight after I take a bit of time and make sure it matches up with 11p which appears is the final beta.

I'm assuming the only visible change you made from 11p to 3.1 is those few "-" and "+" signs?

Does Edgar need the new readme.txt file to do all this?

@ Jim -

Draft "readme.txt" for MA3.1 is on it's way.

Got it, thanks.

June 15th
Presumably, some delay.

It is a free upgrade, Dale.

No money, no hurry.

Ain't that the way?


Although, as we've said in the past - removing the "beta" designation could make some difference.

We'll see.

Edgar is on vacation.

Or, an extended vacation.

:)

Oh. The 29th of July. Sorry I misunderstood.