Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!pasteur!ames!lll-winken!uunet!modcomp!srp
From: srp@modcomp.UUCP (Steve Pietrowicz)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Prospective beta tester?
Message-ID: <156@modcomp.UUCP>
Date: 6 May 89 13:36:43 GMT
References: <17961@cup.portal.com>
Distribution: na
Lines: 44

in article <17961@cup.portal.com>, Doug_B_Erdely@cup.portal.com says:
] Hi, I have a question concerning beta testing...

[Stuff deleted]

] My problem is that they want each beta test site to pay $100 for the beta
] copy, and sign a non-disclosure agreement. 

[Stuff deleted]

] It goes on to mention that when the software is released, that...
] "you will have the option of buying a complete package for the price of $75.00
] for a total cost of $175.00 to the beta tester." Now I have never done beta
] testing before, but this does sound kinda fishy. I mean, why should I pay to
] help them work out bugs? Does this sound right? Marco? Leo??
]           - Doug -

I've beta tested products before. The only requirements put on me were to test
the software for a certain amount of time, and that I should report all bugs
I find.  At the end of that time, I'd receive a copy of the package.  Now, in
reality, I've tested far longer than the required amount of time stated in the
contract, and I've offered suggestions for the products.  Remember that the
company is under no obligation to change the product to your specs, so don't
be frustrated if they don't take your suggestions.  (They should fix all bugs
though....be sure you can reproduce the bug and be able to explain what you
were doing when it happened).

It sounds like the company is trying to protect itself, and wants to weed
out the "beta collectors".  (People who ask to beta test, and don't do any
testing at all).  Sending out beta software to people is a very tricky thing.  
Unless the company has worked with it's testers before, they aren't sure what 
they're getting.  A company I've worked with was very disappointed in some of 
the other beta testers they had.  The "testers" gave little or no feedback on 
the product.  (And, even worse, these testers reported bugs that were fixed 
several revisions earlier.  They weren't even keeping track of which version 
they were testing!).  The company has since dropped them from their beta 
testing lists.

I'm not sure what I would do if I were you.  If you REALLY want to test the
product, I'd say go ahead and do it.   That part of being able to buy the
finished product for $75 sounds pretty sleezy though.  Don't they think that
you'll save them at least that much in fixed bugs and constructive suggestions?
-- 
Stephen R. Pietrowicz    UUCP: ...!uunet!modcomp!srp      CIS: 73047,2313