2006-06-14 19:05:00 · 15 answers · asked by sandeeprth 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Software
a trial version
2006-06-14 19:07:10 · answer #1 · answered by Noel 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A beta version usually has all of its features working, but is still being tested and may have problems. Usually a beta version is released when a software developer has worked out most of the problems, but the developer relies on people that use the software to report any problems they have so that these can be corrected before the final release.
2006-06-14 19:09:38 · answer #2 · answered by MVlach 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Software writers / publishers, etc. follow a line of keeping track with the code they produce.
In house production and testing is done in alpha. So you get Software X version Alpha 1.1, Alpha 1.5, etc..
When they are pretty confident they have worked out most of the bugs, they release it for public testing, that's the Beta releases. Beta does not always mean trial version, free version, or first public release. Many companies only send beta versions out to a limited amount of people in thier target market for closed analysis and feedback.
Software X Beta 2.16, and down the line until they feel it is ready for full release or as some call it retail release. During the beta release, they are looking for problems and bug reports from the users so that they can be fixed before final.
However, many developers go to final release without completing a thorough beta cycle. I'm not going to name any names, but I'm sure you can think of at least one.
The terminology is slightly different from one developer to the next, but that is the typical chronology for development.
I just found a decent page that explains it in more detail:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_stage
2006-06-14 19:07:46 · answer #3 · answered by blewz4u 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Development stage terminology expresses how the development of a piece of software has progressed and how much further development it may require. 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. The stages may be formally announced and regulated by the project's developers, but sometimes the terms are used informally to describe the state of a product. Conventionally, code names are often used by many companies for versions prior to the release of the product, though the actual product and features are rarely secret.
Nice explaination with diagram available at:
2006-06-14 19:15:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the phase past the alpha version. Alpha version consists of an early stage of the software in which the team of programer and or developers have to test it and fix major issues. Beta version, is the phase in which software is ready to use but has minor issues (usually many of them). Because of the numerous "bugs" that it has, beta versions are usually distributed publicly, usually over the internet, to evaluate and report issues in order to fix them and launch the version 1.0 of the software. Hope this helps, and correct me if I'm wrong..
2006-06-14 19:14:14 · answer #5 · answered by vincenzi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Before any new software is placed on the market, it runs first through beta stages! During this, the software is tested usually by developers. They analyse if the software is stable, doesn't have serious bugs that may damage the computer, it runs accordingly to plans, etc. The reason for doing this is that evrytime you create a software it's very hard to analyse if it would work on a wide range of computer configuration, if it's bug free (especially when the software code is huge...). That's the reason for puting it first into beta stage...
2006-06-14 19:10:37 · answer #6 · answered by agent-X 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
BETA version softwares are under development stage. They might have some flaws which need to be corrected and hence such softwares are released to public for free trial and testing to come up with solutions.
2006-06-16 02:13:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Beta means a test version that has most of the bugs out but they are putting it out on a limited basis to test with different systems to make sure they can make a broad release.
2006-06-14 19:08:05 · answer #8 · answered by Not Tellin 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
beta version is the testing version of the s/w. Its usually tested by the end users.
2006-06-14 19:14:05 · answer #9 · answered by alesexza 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a "beta" is a public test of an early stage product. It is put out there for user testing and feedback before the final, "general release" of the product.
2006-06-14 19:10:53 · answer #10 · answered by C T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means the software have problems waiting to be fixed. The software release is an experiment.
2006-06-14 19:08:47 · answer #11 · answered by changmw 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋