What does beta mean?

[styley]

As above.

[squarebear]

It means a version of software that is nearly ready for release but is maybe not fully tested and probably still has bugs in it.

[ChuckFickens]

it's a test release.. i.e. if you install it and it doesn't work or screws something up then it's down to you. you often get..

alpha release... this is seriously experimental and for developers only (no support)

beta release.... we think it's ok, but may still be some problems. (no support)

release candidate.... we are 99% sure it will all work (no support)

final release... it's all sorted, go ahead and if you have problems we will offer support on it.

[styley]

Thanks agin.

[joggerjayne]

Version 3 ..."we've finally ironed out all the problems with the "final release" that have driven you up the bl00dy wall for the past two years".

[vehelpfulguy]

Also a beta is usually the first release that customers can install.

In the early stages of developing a software product (alpha) you obviously would never give the code to customers as it is too unreliable.

Once the product has become fairly reliable you release the "beta" code to customers to allow them to test it or use it.

As the product gets more reliable you release another beta, then another, so you have Beta1, Beta2, Beta3 etc, each one getting better and better (you hope).

Eventually the product gets finished and you build the "gold" code and release it for sale to the public.

[squarebear]

.... and then if you work for Micro$oft, you realise that it still doesn't work and release half a dozen service packs for it but that's another story.

[ACtheTROLL]

lol

all of the above

our test machines are set up specially to run beta software ... and are rebuilt every time between versions ....
(if the release is beta ... you can't expect a clean uninstall)

some utility software (everest ultimate) never comes out of beta ... because it is constantly being upgraded
but generally speaking ... stay away from beta releases if you only have one machine.

often being first with a beta just means you are in deeper $hit that everyone else

[Oneeyedvic]

Three programs that i want that are in beta:

Firefox 3
Opera 9.5
Open Office 3

Won't touch FF or OOO but am playing with Opera