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All is quiet on the beta front... - 9/28/2007 2:02:39 PM   
Arron69


Posts: 115
Joined: 10/24/2006
Status: offline 		When will the next batch of testers be anounst?
And do we have to sign up again?

Andi

_____________________________

The winner of a battle may not be the one who wins the War.
Post #: 1
RE: All is quiet on the beta front... - 9/28/2007 7:17:50 PM   
Shannon V. OKeets

 

Posts: 22095
Joined: 5/19/2005
From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Graf Zeppelin

When will the next batch of testers be anounst?
And do we have to sign up again?

Andi

In October. I could be cute and say I am expecting the middle of the month, plus or minus 2 weeks.

Really, the issue is getting things organized to accommodate the increase in numbers.

1 - I just finished upgrading all my software development tools which included reinstalling MadExcept. That software is integrated into MWIF so when the program hiccups, (or crashes), the beta tester can click on a button to send me a detailed report of his system at the time of the problem, a memory dump of the CPU registers, and a detailed call stack identifying precisely which line of code failed (along with the sequence of routines that had been called previously).

2 - At Patrice's urging I have drastically simplified the uploading and downloading of the program using GSplit 2.1. It still takes me 3+ hours to upload the complete game (188 MB zipped). I don't know how long it takes the beta testers to download the full version.

3 - Grayshaft and Nebert are putting together test plans so the beta testers will have a task list against which to work. Up to now it has been completely hit and miss. We still need a lot of random testing but having a check list is crucial for something this complex.

4 - Patrice has assembled a Beta Testing 101 'manual' which places in one file the various tidbits of advice and such that we have accumulated over the past couple of months (e.g., FAQs).

5 - I need to debug (it used to work) save and restore so beta testers do not have to start with setting up a new game every time they sit down to test.

6 - Borger, with help from others, has created a spreadsheet 'program' that beta testers can use to report bugs within a systematic structure. That includes a classification system for both the bugs and another for their resolution.

Besides #3 and #5 there are several other items on my task list I want to finish before getting more people involved.

We do have a couple of openings already and will invite some of those promised slots last time around.

Greyshaft is incharge of the recruitment process - I try to stay out of his way.

_____________________________

Steve

Perfection is an elusive goal.

(in reply to Arron69)
Post #: 2
RE: All is quiet on the beta front... - 9/29/2007 12:14:48 AM   
Greyshaft


Posts: 2252
Joined: 10/27/2003
From: Sydney, Australia
Status: offline

Last month we added three testers:
1. Borger
2. mldtchdog, and
3. Zorachus99

We also put four applicants on notice to get their kit ready for the October intake:

1. Doctormm
2. Jimm
3. Toed
4. Ralegh

That left six positions (3 guru + 3 newbie) available for the following list of applicants.

• michaelbaldur
• bredsjomagnus
• Flanker Leader
• dale1066
• Graf Zeppelin
• MPHopcroft
• jchastain
• grisouille
• delatbabel
• Irish Guards
• Ballista
• Alan_Bernardo
• mpastor
• therockyfroggy
• bj_rohde
• macgregor
• Panzerjaeger Hortlund
• Snydly
• BoerWar (late entry)

We also have one resignation on the table so that makes seven vacancies.I think we’ve got enough potential recruits in this group so I don’t see a need to reopen the lists. We’ll start the Team discussion now in the Development Forum.

The intake will (probably) occur in October but will be timed in accordance with the points made in Steve's post. Right now my guess is for the middle of October but that is not a promise. If it's not until November then that's when it happens.


_____________________________

/Greyshaft

(in reply to Shannon V. OKeets)
Post #: 3
RE: All is quiet on the beta front... - 10/1/2007 6:07:08 PM   
coreymas

 

Posts: 58
Joined: 12/13/2006
From: Ottawa ON Canada
Status: offline 		Can i suggest a free QA tool called Mantis for bug testing/reporting

http://www.mantisbt.org/

Corey

(in reply to Greyshaft)
Post #: 4
RE: All is quiet on the beta front... - 10/1/2007 7:55:39 PM   
Shannon V. OKeets

 

Posts: 22095
Joined: 5/19/2005
From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: coreymas

Can i suggest a free QA tool called Mantis for bug testing/reporting

http://www.mantisbt.org/

Corey

Money isn't really the issue. We want common access for all the beta testers and that means putting it up on Matrix's computer. In the past, they have had problems with security breaches by hackers destroying their files, so they are extremely paranoid about putting Unix based products (or others with possible security holes) up on their server. They haven't found anything that meets that strict requirement.

We limp along with work arounds, improving the 'system' as we go.

_____________________________

Steve

Perfection is an elusive goal.

(in reply to coreymas)
Post #: 5
RE: All is quiet on the beta front... - 10/2/2007 12:30:23 PM   
Greyshaft


Posts: 2252
Joined: 10/27/2003
From: Sydney, Australia
Status: offline 		The decision on the October intake is generating lots of discussion in the MWiF Development Forum.
We have agreed to mine the September signup list for the October intake so that means:

1. If you applied in September you don't have to sign up again.
2. If you have already signed up then your odds of being selected are roughly 30%
3. We are not accepting new applications for this intake.

It's looking like a late October intake. Don't give up your day jobs yet


_____________________________

/Greyshaft

(in reply to Shannon V. OKeets)
Post #: 6
RE: All is quiet on the beta front... - 10/2/2007 5:33:47 PM   
coreymas

 

Posts: 58
Joined: 12/13/2006
From: Ottawa ON Canada
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets


quote:

ORIGINAL: coreymas

Can i suggest a free QA tool called Mantis for bug testing/reporting

http://www.mantisbt.org/

Corey

Money isn't really the issue. We want common access for all the beta testers and that means putting it up on Matrix's computer. In the past, they have had problems with security breaches by hackers destroying their files, so they are extremely paranoid about putting Unix based products (or others with possible security holes) up on their server. They haven't found anything that meets that strict requirement.

We limp along with work arounds, improving the 'system' as we go.


Mantis is not only a UNIX product but it works in windows as well.... It does however require a database install that Matrix might not want.

Plus this is a web based product with lots of security. It is well known in the QA industry and is very develper friendly.

Just thought you might be interested.

Corey

< Message edited by coreymas -- 10/2/2007 5:35:30 PM >

(in reply to Shannon V. OKeets)
Post #: 7
RE: All is quiet on the beta front... - 10/2/2007 7:36:54 PM   
Shannon V. OKeets

 

Posts: 22095
Joined: 5/19/2005
From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: coreymas

quote:

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets


quote:

ORIGINAL: coreymas

Can i suggest a free QA tool called Mantis for bug testing/reporting

http://www.mantisbt.org/

Corey

Money isn't really the issue. We want common access for all the beta testers and that means putting it up on Matrix's computer. In the past, they have had problems with security breaches by hackers destroying their files, so they are extremely paranoid about putting Unix based products (or others with possible security holes) up on their server. They haven't found anything that meets that strict requirement.

We limp along with work arounds, improving the 'system' as we go.


Mantis is not only a UNIX product but it works in windows as well.... It does however require a database install that Matrix might not want.

Plus this is a web based product with lots of security. It is well known in the QA industry and is very develper friendly.

Just thought you might be interested.

Corey

Thanks for the information.

_____________________________

Steve

Perfection is an elusive goal.

(in reply to coreymas)
Post #: 8
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