1. stages of distribution
I figure this is a good topic for FAQ material, and to clarify for alot
of people what steps are normally (or should be) taken in the course of
developing and then distributing a new software product.
In particular, I'm referring to the different stages of release.
Such as prototype, alpha, beta, stable, unstable, any others you can
think of. And any other stages you can think of, like milestones, or
branches, compact, full, etc..
I guess this has alot to do with revision methods, and project planning.
Both are topics that I think should also be discussed.
Being a community consisting mainly of hobbyist and novice programmers,
I think alot of us have either had to learn the hard way, and that
usually entails an incomplete understanding, or else being novice, have
never been properly exposed to these concepts.
To start with, what is the purpose of alpha versus beta versus final
releases?
When should a project move from development to alpha?
Is it ok to have alpha revisions?
When should a project move from alpha to beta?
Is it ok to have beta revisions?
When should a project move from beta to final?
Is it ok to have final revisions?
Chris Bensler
Code is Alchemy
2. Re: stages of distribution
Chris Bensler wrote:
>
> I figure this is a good topic for FAQ material, and to clarify for alot
> of people what steps are normally (or should be) taken in the course of
> developing and then distributing a new software product.
I'm very interested in this topic as well, not just for my personal
projects, but for corporate projects. I know that someday my code will
be passed on to the next generation of coders, and I'd like to have
some organized methodology to tracking code releases. Right now I just
use the date of release as the primary indicator, then a subsequent
integer for release number. I rarely have releases on the same day, but
sometimes I do! :/
> To start with, what is the purpose of alpha versus beta versus final
> releases?
>
> When should a project move from development to alpha?
> Is it ok to have alpha revisions?
> When should a project move from alpha to beta?
> Is it ok to have beta revisions?
> When should a project move from beta to final?
> Is it ok to have final revisions?
Chris, check out this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_version
Might be the answer to all our questions. :)
-=ck
"Programming in a state of EUPHORIA."
http://www.cklester.com/euphoria/
3. Re: stages of distribution
- Posted by Pete Lomax <petelomax at blueyonder.co.uk>
Dec 23, 2004
-
Last edited Dec 24, 2004
On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 15:39:44 +0000, Chris Bensler <bensler at nt.net>
wrote:
>To start with, what is the purpose of alpha versus beta versus final
>releases?
>
>When should a project move from development to alpha?
>Is it ok to have alpha revisions?
>When should a project move from alpha to beta?
>Is it ok to have beta revisions?
>When should a project move from beta to final?
>Is it ok to have final revisions?
How big does a program have to get before it needs anything other than
a final release?
