Beta Testers

[chesterwilson]

Why doesn't C4 use true end users as beta testers?

It's amazing how many bugs there software releases have immediately out of the box.

I'm sure there are great dealers, but wouldn't it make sense to increase the number of testers? Additionally, could it be the profile of end user homes differ from dealers (size, construction, other variables)?

[qVAMPIREp]

Agreed. Dealers in general probably have the latest hardware while users would have a wider spread of hardware, drivers and devices. Are dealers and C4 employees the only beta testers?

[21st century]

Why doesn't C4 use true end users as beta testers?

They do! they just call it GA - General Release

But seriously I think it makes sense to use the dealers for Beta testing as the majority of them have a system in their own home and are end users themselves along with their household members they use the system in the same way an end user will use the system. They more than likely have a mix of early products and the latest in their system too. The key thing is they have the tools to implement fixes eliminating long system down times which maximises the run time need for testing.

If end users were used the cost of R&D would more than likely increase as either a dealer or a member of C4 staff would need to configure and support it and would an end user stomach long periods of downtime while waiting for that resource to get round to them? Whilst I think its a brilliant ideology, I also think for a company without the resources of Microsoft or Apple it would be impractical.

Bugs will always be the case if you have a deadline to meet no matter who or how Beta testing is done, what was the last thing you bought that did not have a software or firmware update within 3 months of General Release.