Posted by Bob on 11/14/05 18:17

On Mon, 14 Nov 2005 09:53:06 -0500, Impmon <impmon@digi.mon> wrote:

>>I have been a beta test site for such companies as IBM, Microsoft,
>>Borland, Linksys, Artisoft, and many others.

>Often time beta are available for free but usually are timed to expire
>after certain time.

I never had any time limit imposed on me by the vendors. The reason
for ending the arrangement was always my no longer using the product
on a daily basis.

>What you want is alpha.

No thanks. I was a developer and were were our own alpha test. I am
retired now and want no part of it.

My thinking now is the same as it was before. I am good at spotting
bugs and sometimes coming up with some simple tests to confirm my
suspicions as to what is causing the bugs which developers find
helpful. I am also good at reporting bugs because I am a developer
myself.

So I am using a product regularly and come up with bugs and try
workarounds, etc. Why not share what I know with the developers, even
if they already know about it (which most of the time they do not). In
return I am offered free use of the program. If I am beneficial in a
way that saves the company money, they make out better than if I did
not buy the product at all.

Every vendor has given me free software. When one doesn't, I smell a
rat.


--

BOYCOTT SONY!

SONY IS TRYING TO TAKE OVER YOUR COMPUTER!

HOMELAND SECURITY TOLD SONY TO CEASE AND DESIST!

YOU DO THE SAME - BOYCOTT SONY!

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