Beta testing.

[Anonymous]

I have a question about beta testing of future versions of AC. What one have to do to become a betatester of ArchiCAD?

[Dwight]

Make your reseller think that you are smart, curious and have time to burn.

[Anonymous]

and dont whine...(even if you hear the sun rises from west)

[Dwight]

Seriously, in addition to making yourself look like a good candidate, it never hurts to simply suggest to your reseller that you'd actually like to be a Beta tester..... but be sure that you want to give Graphisoft the effort because it is a significant time commitment.

Speaking generally, my beta testing experience (for several applications) has been frustrating rather than fun. Usually the software doesn't work very well at first, and during the beta process numerous large downloads of the updated application are necessary. It's risky because sometimes the file structure becomes archaic and re-opening files made in the beta later - after the real software is released - can be tricky - or impossible.

Then there's the features in the beta that you come to love that don't make it into the final release, and menu structures that change with each beta evolution, and the confusion of managing two versions of the same application because real work must still be conducted - in the old, now clunky version... and the add-ons aren't quite ready for the new version so where the hell is Biggles when you need him?

[Petros Ioannou]

I participated in Beta testing AC9 (don't know why I wasn't in 10 ) and all I can tell you is that it was fun. And it was impressive to see Ben's number of bug reports!
And I agree with Dwight that you need to have a lot of free time to partcipate and there is a chance that your schedule will not always match the schedule of the Beta test.

Petros

[Anonymous]

I have tested 9 and 10, sort off, and I see it as a no win situation.

Either you have a lot of free time on your hands, and you can fiddle around with the beta version, thus defeating it's purpose (try it on real work), or you are hard pressed in your office, and going beta is just too much a risk.

Of course, I only speak for myself, because from what I have seen from some peoples bug report, they really test the software to it's limits.

My advice is, if you are thinking of becoming a beta tester just for the fun of it, don't.

If, on the other hand, you are committed to ArchiCAD and want to help Graphisoft (and all of us) to have a better new version, assuming some of the work load and some of the risks, then you should have no problem talking your reseller into it.

[Anonymous]

oreopoulos wrote:
and dont whine...(even if you hear the sun rises from west)

It's true there's not much whining, but there is plenty of yelling, complaining, griping & groaning, grumping & moaning*.

It is a good experience if it is useful to your practice, but it is not something to do "just for the fun of it". It's too much like working without getting paid (and we know there is already too much of that in our field).

* I assume this is not privileged information. Right, Djordje?

[Djordje]

Matthew wrote:

oreopoulos wrote:
and dont whine...(even if you hear the sun rises from west)

It's true there's not much whining, but there is plenty of yelling, complaining, griping & groaning, grumping & moaning*.

It is a good experience if it is useful to your practice, but it is not something to do "just for the fun of it". It's too much like working without getting paid (and we know there is already too much of that in our field).

* I assume this is not privileged information. Right, Djordje?

You forgto screaming, throwing chairs through windows, name calling and virtual fistfights ...

[Rob]

You forgto screaming, throwing chairs through windows, name calling and virtual fistfights ...

yep, I have provoked at least one of that sort back there...

[Petros Ioannou]

I think you guys made it sound like labour working!
I still have to say that it is fun! It is a volunteer work so if one decides to A beta tester you should respect all the work done by GS people and help them with their product as much as you can, and be very serious about it. Besides your work will affect the way AC works for the next 18 months so if you give your best then it will pay back. It is a real job, nobody argues about that. But it is also a great experience to see a new version developed, how GS guys are responding, fixing bugs etc.


Petros