[Princeton]

Originally Posted by Gary Bolton

Well I think if a person wanting Beta Testers wants to advertise for them here. He should provide certain information by default. Remember vBSeo used Beta Testers and he still made them pay for his product in the end.

If a person wants Beta Testers they should!

1: State if the hack is going to FREE or PAID. And if it's going to be a commercial paid hack, they should let beta testers know if they will get it for free in the end for helping beta test the paid hack as a reward. (that should be made quite clear if it's going to be a paid commercial hack).

2: Say if the hack is being beta tested to be released on vB.org (If not he or she should not be allowed to ask for Beta Testers here).

Regardless of what they say, you really don't know what the final outcome will be.
eg. They could turn around and do the opposite of what they say.

Request should ask for whatever it is that they are seeking (eg. testers, writers, etc) and describe the product without putting a name to it.

[MRGTB]

Originally Posted by princeton

Regardless of what they say, you really don't know what the final outcome will be.
eg. They could turn around and do the opposite of what they say.

Request should ask for whatever it is that they are seeking (eg. testers, writers, etc) and describe the product without putting a name to it.

My only concern here is this - I don't like it when you get a coder asking for Beta Testers, while at the same time not giving much other information about things. Beta Testers play an important roll in helping to iron out bugs and offer the server and forum software for free to help a coder release a good hack free of bugs.

They should get rewarded for this, I just don't think it's fair when a coder says: (Hey I need some beta testers, anybody up for it). Then after testings complete, they come out and say the hack will cost so much to buy!

I would prefare to see a site guidline introduced were things have to be made much more clear by coders asking for Beta Testers free services, so they are not fooled into thinking the hacks going to be free when it's not in the end.

Which they will have to buy even after beta testing.

[Revan]

Originally Posted by princeton

Regardless of what they say, you really don't know what the final outcome will be.
eg. They could turn around and do the opposite of what they say.

One word: Banstick.

[Paul M]

No one is going to "poach" beta testers - I'm sure they can make up their own minds as to whether they will help test a hack based on the information given (such as will it be free, will it be released here). No one is forced to be a beta tester.

[MRGTB]

Originally Posted by Paul M

No one is going to "poach" beta testers - I'm sure they can make up their own minds as to whether they will help test a hack based on the information given (such as will it be free, will it be released here). No one is forced to be a beta tester.

Yes, thats right. But it would be nice of coders to tell Beta Testers first if there creating a paid hack that they will have to pay for even after they beta test it. At least make them fully aware right from the start.

Rather than tell them it's going to be a paid hack after they have finished beta testing and the coder no longer needs there services.

PS: Paul M have you ever lived in the North West in a pie eating town, you have the same name as a person I used to know and go to school with who was into computers

[Ron1n]

I am arguing for the creation of a beta forum with releases in it

The forum would be for people who are releasing public mods, not private mods for sale. If people violate that, then they can be banned.

Well I think if a person wanting Beta Testers wants to advertise for them here...

They wouldnt be ADVERTISING for beta testers, they would be providing beta hacks for people to test out.

If people really wanted to take advantage of vB.org they could just post unfinished (beta) mods as final products and then fix the bugs as they occured. Then they could not release a final working version and just delete their thread. Not creating a beta section will not solve this problem.

One bad apple (vBSeo) should not spoil everything.

Also, you need to take into account the negative effects of not having a beta section:

a) Betas are released as finals and many users have problems.
b) Betas are released in the regular forum but marked betas - but ignorant users (and 90% of the people on this forum are) ignore the fact that it is a beta and use it even though they dont know what they are doing.