🚀 go-pugleaf

Archive-name: sources-test-faq
Last-modified: Nov 1, 1993
Version: 1.0

          Frequently Asked Questions for comp.sources.testers 

   This article contains the answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
   concerning comp.sources.testers.  To submit questions (preferably with 
   an answer) send email to: sources-testers-faq@sterling.com

   Many FAQs, including this one, are available on the archive site
   rtfm.mit.edu in the directory pub/usenet/news.answers.  The name
   under which a FAQ is archived appears in the Archive-name line at 
   the top of the article.  This FAQ is archived as sources-test-faq.

   This article addresses:
	
        o  What was comp.sources.testers created for ?
        o  Why not use alt.sources ?  
        o  How do I get added of deleted from the list of testers ?
        o  Where do I test my news software at ?

----------------------------------------------------
Subject: What was comp.sources.testers created for ?

CHARTER:

  The purpose of this newsgroup is to give authors of software packages a 
  place to post in hopes of finding people willing to test their packages.  
  No source should ever be posted to comp.sources.testers.  

  comp.sources.testers should be used as a first stage before posting to 
  any of the source newsgroups, including alt.sources, comp.sources.misc, 
  comp.sources.games, comp.sources.unix, the various machine specific source
  groups, and even comp.sources.reviewed.  

  Most of the subject lines should look like

    Subject: Need beta testers for ppmtovcr, another portable bitmap converter

  or perhaps final announcements like

    Subject: Done with gamma testing for ppmtovcr, posted to c.s.misc

  along with acknowledgments. Cross posts into comp.sources.testers are fine 
  when there's an appropriate subject group. Topics like

     Subject: What metrics do you use for evaluating object-oriented programs?

  belong in comp.software-eng, not comp.sources.testers.

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Subject: Why not use alt.sources ?  It seems to have been serving 
         the community well.

   There are those that would *disagree*...  Initially, alt.sources was
   established as a place where the net could post sources that was not
   moderated, such as comp.sources.unix.  Its usage has evolved into a
   group where authors post beta software in hopes that people take the
   time to compile/debug them.  The author then hopes to hear of problems
   from those who took the time to look at their packages.  This approach
   forces all problems to be aired in public.  Communication with the author
   before beta testing begins is not how alt.sources works today, flooding
   the net with alpha/beta software is.
 
   Blasting sources out everywhere is not for c.s.testers.  The idea is to
   put people together to work towards improving a package.  Authors may
   not want to post alpha (read that as knowingly buggy) code to the world.
   Many times the author of a package would like to have a small group of
   people actively working on a program.  Often the author sets up a mailing
   list for the group members to use to pass ideas and bug fixes back and
   forth.  It is much easier to post "oops, I was dumb" messages to an
   isolated, much smaller, and more interactive group than to post messages
   of this type to the world.
 
   Another problem with alt.sources is that many sites do not take the
   newsgroup because they are on the end of slow links which must pay to
   receive news.  With comp.sources.testers, a site of this type can
   receive this low volume newsgroup and still be a part of the potential
   beta testing community.
 
   And as for the signal to flame ratio in alt.sources...  Never mind. :-)
 
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Is there a list of people willing to try things out ?

   The following have offered to be Beta Testers on a request by request
   basis.  Do not expect that they will always have the time or interest
   to be a tester.  Their inclusion on this list is strictly voluntary
   and they should be commended for their contributions.

      Nathan Bailey 
        ins499y@aurora.cc.monash.edu.au
        System: 486-33 SVGA Win3.1 MS-DOS

      Jose T Banez 
        jayb@wpi.edu
        System: 386sx-16, msdos5, win3.1, vga, math coprocessor.

      Kevin Boneham 
        boneham@suntan.eng.usf.edu
        Systems: SunOs 4.1.3 with twm or olwm, 
                 486dx-50mhz with msdos 5.0 
                 386dx-33mhz with msdos 6.0
                 windows 3.1.

      Mike Borzumate
        faf@faf.org
        Systems: 386 MS-DOS, MS-WINDOWS, ULTRIX 4.1, SunOS 4.1.1

      David Boyd
        Sterling Software    
        dwb@sterling.com
        Systems: Suns, Dec Risc, Dec Alpha
      
      Jon Charette
        egotrip@wpi.wpi.edu
        System: 386SX-20, VGA, Win3.1, MS-DOS, some UNIX

      Randy Cutshaw
        randy@biosym.com
        Systems: Mac IIvx, Quadra 660av, Quadra 840av,
                 Apple MPW with C++ and MacApp, Symantec Think C++.
                 and IBM 486/66, 16mb ram, CD drive, P9000 video card
                 tape drive.  Visual C++. 

      Lloyd Goad
        lgoad@lnetbbs.win.net 
        System: 486 DOS WIN3.1

      Steffen F. Haeussermann
        stcsh@sninj.com 
	SNI Inc. of North America   
        Systems: SNI MX300i with SINIX V5.41 (SVR4)
                 HP-Apollo 425e with Domain OS 10.4
                 AT-486 with BSDI V1.0
                 AT-486 with Consensys 1.3 (SVR4)
                 AT-486 with SCO-ODT V1.0
                 AT-486 with Windows NT
                 AT-486 with Windows 3.1 and Visual C

      Tom Harvey
        tharvey@mcs.dundee.ac.uk
        System: Apple Macintosh

      Teemu Hakala 
        Teemu.Hakala@krk.fi
        Systems: Sun Sparc, X, 486SX, DOS/Win31

      Steve Hoffman
        steveh@eskimo.com
        System: DOS, WINDOWS

      Peter Kraatz
        pkraatz@netlink.nix.com
        System: 386sx 33mhz with SVGA, 8megs ram, MS-Dos, Windows 3.1,
                Soundblaster Pro, U.S. Robotics 14.4 Sportster modem.

      Peter Leonard
        PELeonard@Vassar.edu
        System: Amiga 3000T/30 Workbench 2.1, 
                Amax II+ Macintosh Emulator with System 7.01.

      Terry Monnett
        tmonnett@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
        System: Macintosh 610, system 7.1 with a cd-rom

      Nancy I Nagle 
        nagle@anthro.utah.edu
	System: Macintosh

      Nathan Neulinger
        nneul@cs.umr.edu
        System: Macintoshs

      Christopher Pankhurst
        csap@socs.uts.edu.au
        System: Xwindows and IBM XT or AT

      Lorenzo Patocchi 
        patol@info.isbiel.ch
        Systems: Sun Sparc 10 286/386/486, 33/66MHz, Tseng/S3 Svga 1M, CD-Rom

      Jason Philbrook
        jasonph@wpi.edu
        System: DOS, WINDOWS

     David Pifke
        socrates@crl.com
        Systems:  386DX-40 (w/ 387) with Linux, OS/2 2.1, and MSDOS (with 
                Windows 3.1) partitions.  Non-root access to a SunOS system.

     Ben Pomeranz
        bap5@lehigh.edu
        System:  386DX 33MHz, MSDOS, Sound Blaster 

      Christopher Samuel
        Computer Unit, UCW Aberystwyth, Aberystwyth, WALES
        RFC: ccs@aber.ac.uk   
        UUCP: *!mcsun!uknet!aber!ccs   
        JNT: ccs@uk.ac.aber

      Joju Sebastian
        Joju.Sebastian@lambada.oit.unc.edu
        System: DOS

      Robert Smithson.
        RCS1000@archer.demon.co.uk
        Systems: OS/2 ver 2, Windows 3, MS-DOS

      Alex Teng
        idpt555@tpts1.seed.net.tw
        System: DOS, WINDOWS, NOVELL, UNIX, NT

      Jerry D. Vergeront
        verge@selway.umt.edu
        System:  386sx-25, msdos5, win3.1, vga, sound blaster

      Kent Villard
        villard@venus.cc.hollandc.pe.ca
        System:  100% IBM compatible with DOS/WINDOWS

      Dan Weeks
        z_weeksdj@ccsvax.sfasu.edu
        System: 386SX-25MHz, Math-coprocessor, DOS 5.0, Windows 3.1, Visual C++

      David Zawalick
        zawalick@soda.berkeley.edu
        Systems: DOS, Windows, OS/2, X, UNIX


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Subject: How do I get added or deleted from the list of testers ?

   Send email to:
		testers@sterling.com

   Make sure that you clearly indicate you want to be included or removed
   from the list.  Please include the types of platforms that you have 
   available for testing.  I will from time to time contact you to assure
   that you still wish to be included on the list. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Where do I test my news software at ?

   Please do *not* post test messages to comp.sources.testers !

   If you wish to test your news software, create a local group and try
   using that first.  When that works, locate a regional group to test
   posting articles to the world.  Ask your upstream feed for the name
   of a regional newsgroup nearest you.  If you really feel that you
   must post a test message that needs to go to most every news system
   worldwide, use misc.test, or news.test.  Just remember, messages
   posted to the world costs other sites money.

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