Filed under: Software, Beta Beat
Beta Beat: Perian 1.1 hits beta
Psst. Perian is about to enter a private beta for version 1.1. If you recall, last time Perian went into beta mode the software leaked. This was generally a bad thing as a buggy and unstable version made the rounds, hitting Mac Update at one point, before the team was ready for it to go public. This time, they're reacting by limiting the beta list to users who have made donations and help support development. If you've donated to Perian, keep your eyes open for an invitation email.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
pangelav said 1:50PM on 12-27-2007
I think it's ridiculous that beta-testers are expected to 'donate' or 'gift' the developers, when WE are testing for THEM. Only when a product is completed for the public should it be considered 'donation-worthy'.
Sorry, but have done enough testing to to be sick of the greed. I am very happy to pay for finished products which are worthy (and updated/supported regularly by their makers).
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Chris Forsythe said 2:28PM on 12-27-2007
We almost considered not having any kind of a beta at all, or having one with a small group of people we know. This is the best solution we came up with. The final release doesn't require a donation to be used, and it's free. The beta invite is a thank you to people who donated in the past, who didn't even know we were going to do this and donated out of their own free will.
I don't see the problem with what we're doing. We just don't want to provide a binary that may not be completely ready for public consumption out in a place where macupdate is going to post it, as they tend to do.
Anyhow, if you have a better suggestion, please feel free, but this is the best way we could think of making a semi-private beta to those who deserve to be on the list.
-Chris, Perian Project Manager
Simon Arch said 8:23PM on 12-27-2007
You know, I can remember a day not that long ago when beta ALWAYS meant private, and it typically a small group of registered users were called on to do some of the testing.
There's nothing wrong with the Perian team restricting the beta to users who have donated. It's their software, and it's FREE, after all. You make it sound as if you think they OWE you something, which they most definitely do NOT.
Aaron Gyes said 8:48PM on 12-27-2007
It's not "their" software. The majority of the codebase is code open source they've borrowed from other projects. It's open source and they have no choice but for it to be free.
Private betas are not common at all when we are talking about free software projects. Have you ever heard of a private beta of Apache or bash?
tonust said 1:24PM on 12-28-2007
no with frontrow :(
Chris Forsythe said 11:11AM on 12-28-2007
@Aaron Gyes
That's correct, and the source is in the svn repo, so where's the problem?
Ryan said 1:58PM on 12-27-2007
They are not asking for donations, they are giving the beta out to people who helped them before.
This is a must have for people with those flip video recorders. Allows you to play back 3ivx files natively instead of crashing imovie or quicktime.
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Chris Forsythe said 2:30PM on 12-27-2007
Indeed, that's exactly what we're doing Ryan. And thanks for the compliment!
-Chris, Perian Project Manager
ACoolie said 2:18PM on 12-27-2007
It is pretty hard for an open source application to have a closed beta.
Compile from source: http://svn.perian.org/branches/perian-1.1/
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Chris Forsythe said 2:26PM on 12-27-2007
It's also pretty hard for people to compile from source, especially since we're not going to use that branch. :)
-Chris, Perian Project Manager
Aaron Gyes said 4:38PM on 12-27-2007
You're keeping the source secret until the release? I haven't seen a free software project so hostile to outside help and tinkering before. Anyways, if you're distributing builds to anybody you're required to make the source-code available to them.
Sparks said 4:55PM on 12-27-2007
Arguably, anyone capable of compiling a project from source is also capable enough to figure out that 'beta' means 'possibly buggy,' and sensible enough not to try and just post a download copy to every update site out there. :)
Chris Forsythe said 5:53PM on 12-27-2007
That's not what I said. I said we aren't going to use that branch. I was actually mistaken, we are going to.
-Chris, Perian Project Manager
Alan said 10:46PM on 12-27-2007
Chris, why do you speak in code like that? Just be straightforward. Your comment that "It's also pretty hard for people to compile from source..." is very misleading and not helpful.
Chris Forsythe said 11:11AM on 12-28-2007
@Aaron
I'm pretty sure that was english, and not code..
-Chris
Daniel Beckham said 2:30PM on 12-27-2007
Screw that. ;) Use the trunk:
http://trac.perian.org/browser/trunk
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Big John said 2:54PM on 12-27-2007
How about... an open beta? If people get burned by installing beta software, it's their own fault. You shouldn't feel guilty for their lack of forsight. They weigh the pros and cons of installing beta software. Disclaim it properly and get a whole slew of willing beta testers at the same time.
I guess I'm just sorry I can't help you since I'm new to the Mac and broke.
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Chris Forsythe said 3:05PM on 12-27-2007
The major problem with that is if macupdate posts it, it doesn't look like a beta to people. That's what we're trying to avoid.
And I completely understand on the not being able to afford things, I was once at a point where I only ate ramen and rice. You'll still be able to either build from source or use the final release for free.
-Chris, Perian Project Manager.
Sparks said 4:54PM on 12-27-2007
In fairness to the Perian team, that's what they tried last time. The beta got posted to all the Mac update sites (by end users, not the developers), and then got royally panned by people who downloaded it (thinking it was a final release, not a beta) and discovered that -- *gasp* shock, horror -- the software still had some significant bugs.
This time, they're offering the beta to a group of people who have recognizable interest in the project (thus, not Joe Random 'I download this, it broke, U SUXXORZ!!1!'), and who will presumably thus have sufficient motivation and interest to a) report bugs, and b) actually read information and not spread the beta hither and yon across the Internet.
While this is unusual for an open source project, given how they got burned last time, this is also perhaps understandable.
Big John said 5:09PM on 12-27-2007
Then tell Mac Update to stop posting betas of your software. Tell the people complaining about installing beta software that they took the risk and got burned. I guess I don't understand burning your users up front instead of letting them burn themselves.