jthomas@nmsu.edu (James Thomas) (11/30/89)
In article <430014@hpnmdla.HP.COM> darrylo@hpnmdla.HP.COM (Darryl Okahata) writes:
Darryl> I would also like to say that forthcoming compilers are being
Darryl> beta-tested by a number of HP divisions, ...
Ummm.... Is this inflation? Inhouse tests used to be called alpha tests.
I guess we should change the request to say that we wished HP would do
gamma tests :-)
Somehow, what the customers want to do with the products is never the same
as what the manufacturer had to do with the products. After all, we
wouldn't have to ever submit a bug report if that were true :-)
Testily,
Jimdarrylo@hpnmdla.HP.COM (Darryl Okahata) (12/02/89)
In comp.sys.hp, jthomas@nmsu.edu (James Thomas) writes: > In article <430014@hpnmdla.HP.COM> darrylo@hpnmdla.HP.COM (Darryl Okahata) writes: > > Darryl> I would also like to say that forthcoming compilers are being > Darryl> beta-tested by a number of HP divisions, ... > > Ummm.... Is this inflation? Inhouse tests used to be called alpha tests. > I guess we should change the request to say that we wished HP would do > gamma tests :-) [ Note: I do not work for the HP division that writes compilers, and so the following is based solely upon my observations. ] Well, if the term "beta-test" bothers you, let's call it "alpha-and-a-half-testing". Basically, the division that writes compilers tests them until they are fairly satisfied with it (I'm not saying that they think it is bug-free; just that it is sufficiently bug-free for others to test). I assume that this is what you would call an "alpha-test" version. The compiler is then made available to other internal HP divisions. At this point, I don't think it makes much difference whether an internal division or an HP customer torture-tests the compiler with several hundred thousand lines of code. Come to think of it, using internal divisions to test has the advantage of being able to play LAN games to collect information on compiler statistics and failures. -- Darryl Okahata UUCP: {hplabs!, hpcea!, hpfcla!} hpnmd!darrylo Internet: darrylo%hpnmd@hpcea.HP.COM DISCLAIMER: this message is the author's personal opinion and does not constitute the support, opinion or policy of Hewlett-Packard or of the little green men that have been following him all day.