Beta 101
Welcome to the AOL Beta community!
| What is Beta Testing? | Bugs | Beta Community |
| Revision Numbers | Still need help? |
We hope you enjoy what we have to offer with the AOL Beta Program. We ask that you take the time read all of the information here and keep in mind that Beta testing is a learning process. You'll find information on how to get started and how to interact with our active Beta community whose members enjoy helping their fellow Beta testers. Above all else, have fun and welcome aboard!
What is Beta Testing?
All software is designed in phases and AOL's software is no exception. Beta is the phase in which the software is nearly complete but some things still might not work correctly for every user. The beta software is released to a group of people, called beta testers, who use it and then report anything they find which still needs to be fixed. Beta testers are also encouraged to make suggestions on what they feel would make the software even better.
What does that word mean?
GM. Build. What exactly are they?
Beta testing has its own language and learning these terms is often one of the most overwhelming things for new testers. To assist you with this often-confusing jargon, we have provided a glossary of common terms and acronyms used by beta testers and beta staff . Refer to it as often as necessary and you can even print it out.
What to Expect
Now that you are an AOL Beta tester, you will notice a few things that come hand and hand with your participation in the Beta process:
The Beta Guidelines - We have specific guidelines which all beta testers are expected to follow. These guidelines were created so that Beta is a fun, friendly atmosphere where all points of view are respected, if not always met with agreement. Please take the time to read these Guidelines thoroughly.
Beta Staff Participation - The Beta Staff organizes all of the Beta tests, but we also participate in these tests along with our Beta testers. We are always interested to hear about a new bug or a suggestion for improvement. You can expect to see Beta Staff members posting in the Beta Message Boards.
Bugs
What is a Bug?
Bug (noun)
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1622
- a : an insect or other creeping or crawling invertebrate b : any of several insects commonly considered obnoxious: c : any of an order (Hemiptera and especially its suborder Heteroptera) of insects that have sucking mouthparts, forewings thickened at the base, and incomplete metamorphosis and are often economic pests called also true bug
- an unexpected defect, fault, flaw, or imperfection
Of course, in beta testing we use the second definition above when we refer to a bug. Basically, a bug is any issue you find with software that causes it not to function in the way it was designed. When you find a bug with Beta software, you will want to file a bug report on it to alert the Beta team so that the bug may eventually be fixed.
What to do when you find a bug
Take careful note of exactly how you found your bug. Any error messages which were generated and details of exactly what you were doing on your computer when the bug occurred will help make your bug more valuable to the Beta staff. In order to fix a bug, we have to be able to reproduce that bug ourselves. You'll want to give us clear and concise step-by-step instructions on how to make the bug happen in your bug report.
Try to make the bug happen again (reproduce it) before filing your bug report. Whether or not you can reproduce the bug is one of the first questions you'll be asked in the bug report form. It's an important question because things which happen only one time might not be bugs, but might be just a one-time glitch caused by temporary conditions on your computer or the AOL service. Attempting to reproduce the bug will also make it easier for you to write out the steps to reproduce the bug later in the bug report form.
Please keep in mind that the majority of bug reports are not answered and so they should be considered a one-way communication to the Beta staff. The information you provide in your bug reports should always be objective and concise. Every test has its own bug report form, so there are no exact instructions for completing one, but there are some general guidelines:
Choose the correct category - If there are separate categories of bugs, please be sure to choose the one which best fits your bug. This aids the Beta team in routing the bugs to the proper place.
Be detailed and concise - The more details you provide, the more likely we are going to be able to fix your bug. This includes exact error messages, detailed steps to reproduce and giving only the information we need to reproduce the bug. As frustrating as we know some bugs can be, your bug report is not the place to detail your frustration with it. You may use the message boards for that beta test to provide more information and your feedback. Please keep in mind that bug reports which do not have enough information to be categorized will be disregarded.
A good example:
- Sign onto revision 4184.2230
- Click the mail icon on the toolbar labeled "Read" or use Ctrl+R to open the mailbox.
- When the mailbox opens, email is listed with the type, date and sender, but the subject line is missing.
One bug per bug report - A bug report can only be filed under one category of bug so listing two bugs in one bug report form means that one bug will not get the attention it deserves.
One bug report per bug per build - Most bug fixes cannot take place until you download and install a new build of the beta software. Reporting the same bug multiple times on the same software is therefore unnecessary and takes time from working on new bugs. Please report your bug once and then wait for the next build to be released. If the bug is still present, please file a new bug report. If not, then take credit for helping us to get that one fixed!
Fill out every field as completely as possible - Every field on a bug report is important to reproducing or resolving the bug.
Interacting with the Beta Community
Most of our testers will tell you that it's the people here which make Beta testing so enjoyable. Many friendships have been forged which have lasted for years. We have message boards located in the individual project areas for communicating with your fellow beta testers and the beta staff. These message boards are are organized into topics and then into subjects (threads) of related posts. Topics are set by the Beta team but anyone can start a thread within these topic boards. Others then read the first post in a thread and decide whether or not they wish to reply. Replies are added to the thread in the order in which they are posted so quoting the portion of the post to which you are replying is very important to make the thread easy to follow.
The message boards can be a valuable source of information during Beta testing and we encourage all of our testers to participate. You are always welcome to simply read the boards without posting, of course.
Before you post a new subject to any topic, look for an existing thread on the same subject. If you planned to post about a bug you found, for example, you'll often find that you aren't the only person to be experiencing that bug and someone else has may have already started a thread on that subject. It may even have already been answered by Beta staff or another tester. You'll save time and energy reading all of the posts first and posting second. You are always welcome to add a post if you have something to contribute to the thread, but avoid simply posting a "Me, too" message which can clutter up the boards.
The Message Board Guidelines apply when posting in the Beta message boards. Please be sure you read and understand them before posting on the message boards.
Clearing up the Revision number mystery
To find the revision number of the Beta software you are currently using:
- Click on the Help menu at the top of the toolbar
- When that menu opens, click About...
- A window will appear with the revision number listed
Still Need Help?
The AOL Beta community is your best resource for assistance. The message boards are a great place to get questions answered and find out if others are experiencing your bug(s). They can also inform you if a workaround for your bug has already been found. AOL members can access the Beta Chat room, as well, to speak to other beta testers and beta staff real time.
Check the specific test's FAQs as there may be other assistance available for that test.