Citizens demand public beta program

[Smiff]

I have a proposal to put before Matrox which I'd like to discuss here first.

1) A new page on the matrox website titled "Beta Drivers" or similar.

2) A disclaimer which visitors must agree to to enter this page, stating:
a) beta drivers have not been thoroughly tested
b) beta drivers are for experienced users only
c) Matrox accepts no responsiblilty for damage caused
d) Matrox will not provide support for users of beta software

I'm sure the lawyers can come up with something suitable.

3) Every new build of the ICD is posted to this page promptly, i.e. within 24 hours of its creation. This would be in the form of a .zip file containing the updated files and documentation, not the whole powerdesk package.

4) A progress log, updated with every new release, which is both available on the web page (so that users can check if the changes are relevant to them before downloading the files) and included with the download, as a file called "WHATSNEW.TXT" or similar. This file is to contain details of all significant changes since the previous version, split into two sections, one covering performance issues and the other compatability (things that are believed fixed, things that are believed broken). Also, details of the development team's plans (for example which issues they plan to address next, with a realistic timescale).

5) The creation of a database into which users may submit, over the web, details of any compatability issues they may have found, including details of their system specification and the circumstances under which the problem arises. This would allow the development team to better prioritise their work.

6) A period of time (perhaps a few hours each week) during which the driver development team will be available in a public chat situation (i.e a channel on IRC) to discuss current driver issues directly with end users.

These are only suggestions to get things started, the details need to worked out, but what do you all think? Is anyone with me on this?

Smiff

[SteveC]

We have been down this road before....

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Cheers,
Steve

[Smiff]

Comeon poeple! Haven't you seen Braveheart?! Where's ya spunk ?!!

...oh god what a fade. I'm going to crawl into a hole and cry myself to sleep.

This is really quite embarrasing

Smiff

[Kruzin]

As SteveC said, we've been down this road before. Many times in fact. I happen to agree that some kind of public beta program is a good idea (although I don't agree that every build should be a public beta).

But, Matrox's position in the past has been that such a program would be to overwhelming in terms of tech support. Regardless of what kind of notice they post with the drivers, people will still call for tech support on them. Even if TS just says "Sorry, we don't give support for those drivers", it's still a pile of mails and phone calls to deal with.

So, don't expect this policy to change...they came up with the closed beta program a few months back, and have told us in no uncertain terms since then that they have no intention of a public beta program.

[This message has been edited by Kruzin (edited 09-02-1999).]

[zodden]

I agree, but M is a company that holds its cards VERY close to the vest. I remember this argument back when we were waiting for the Open GL ICD last year. I agree with you that it is a good idea (with your terms included, but I do not think Matrox would go for it.

[Nuno]

I don´t want beta drivers. I don´t want to mess my system with something like that.

I don´t mind waiting 1-2 months for a driver release. But I expect them to be stable and faster (if possible) than previous versions. Ans I surely expect them to live to the hype that has *deliberately* been created by letting some people benchmark some mysterious drivers and post the results.

[Jorden]

Still, going back to the open beta-program as well as the closed beta program, could be a possibility...

While you beta-boys test the next gen drivers, we can test the ones you said were good enough to be worthy the name drivers ...

So maybe an open and closed beta-testing program can be achieved... Look, no-one, not even you, read the Matrox disclaimer before d/ling the new drivers, so why not put this whole beta-drivers-thing on a seperate site where one can only enter by entering a password given by big M. itself?? It shouldn't be that much of a problem to send bugs and all to a specific site/address...

I've beta-tested Settlers 3, and they used a specific beta-test ICQ number to send messages to. If you didn't fit in their list, messages would be sent to the ignore.

So tell me, why can't Matrox do something like this as well??

Jorden.

[SteveC]

Cos ICQ don't work through their firewall

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Cheers,
Steve

[tish beta2]

Can I pre-order a pair of win2k drivers? with an ICD included, of course

[billko]

As I remember correctly, the last time Matrox had a public beta program, everybody got pissed off because the beta drivers weren't working correctly. I can (almost) guarantee that the same people who are demanding the public beta are going to be the first to complain about the quality of the betas.

Bill

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People call me a computer god; I remind them that I am merely a minor deity...

[DentyCracker]

I don't remember having too many complaints about the beta drivers. In fact I don't even remember when it was that betas stopped being released. Must have been between July and December last year.

[Buuri]

Not true - only for G400. No G200 beta drivers except Win2000.

_
B

[franksch3]

The beta drivers on the developper page are only meant for game developers like id, etc. and some beta testers like Ant. They didn't want to give a password to me even though I'm currently developping in OpenGL.

What I would like that Matrox made their OpenGL open source, so that G400 users who would like to help in development try to develop and optimize some parts. Matrox could use those parts in their public drivers.

That would speed up development considerably and I would really like to take part in such a open source project.

I know that it is much harder to coordinate, but you also get much in return and your users feel like they are more connected to Matrox.

[Hunsow]

Considering that the non beta drivers work so bad for some people I wonder why those people would want beta drivers, since those are bound to be worse.

[noyanov]

But Matrox already has Development Relation page that has beta and alpha versions of drivers for each their card. Every one who want to use it for their own risk can download the drivers.