Ableton Forum

Hey all. Just wondering how the beta releases normally work?
Presumably only a certain amount of users will be getting it - just curious to how this is decided.
Thanks in advance.

They open a limited number of slots, first come, first serve. They slowly add more slots as the weeks progress, but you need to check the forums OFTEN to stand a chance of getting in on the early round of testing.

cool. thanks for the reply.

thehouseofflies wrote:Hey all. Just wondering how the beta releases normally work?
Presumably only a certain amount of users will be getting it - just curious to how this is decided.
Thanks in advance.

You're only allowed to beta test if you've beta tested before, so don't bother checking if you haven't. Don't listen to Tarekith, he doesn't know what he's talking about.

there will be a small group who have already been alpha testing who will be first, but then it is first come first served. Initially it's quite limited but they expand the beta usually after a couple of weeks.

Things to be aware of - the files won't be available after the beta unless you do the upgrade - the betas expire every few days and you will need to keep downloading the next beta (there were 20+ betas in Live 7) so anyone on dialup might want to pass

As a beta tester, Ableton hope you will push the boundaries of the software, and pretty much test all the functions, so it is better suited to intermediate or experienced users, rather than beginners or those who only use a limited part of the progam's functionality.

Can I urge people who if they are honest really just want to check out the new features, to be patient and wait a couple of weeks. Especially if you aren't able to devote a lot of time to this.

There's some really capable guys on on this forum who know what they're on about and will give the program a really thorough going over. It would be a shame if these users can't get in on the beta because all the slots are already taken.

I am not one of these people and at the moment I won't be able do sufficient testing anyway, so I'll wait until they've ironed out the big bugs and really opened up the test group before applying for it.

It's in everyone's best interests really.

It should also be noted that it IS a beta version, and there is always the chance that you'll lose your work, or that the Abe's get enough feedback that they change a feature and then your previous projects will not open. It can be cool to play with the new features, but it really does need to be treated like unstable software and tested thoroughly.

leedsquietman wrote: As a beta tester, Ableton hope you will push the boundaries of the software, and pretty much test all the functions, so it is better suited to intermediate or experienced users, rather than beginners or those who only use a limited part of the progam's functionality.

this is not totally true.. 'experienced' yes because its quite usefull that you know the app well enough so you also clearly see whats wrong..
but even this is not mandatory I think..

whats also very important is that Live gets tested on a large variation of setups..
the alpha testing is done on quite a limited amount of different set ups so likely bugs can slip through easier..

and last but not least, the bug reporting itself..
preferably a short and clear description of the steps how to reproduce a certain bug.. if reproducable at all btw..
plus mentioning the specs of your setup..

andydes wrote:Can I urge people who if they are honest really just want to check out the new features, to be patient and wait a couple of weeks. Especially if you aren't able to devote a lot of time to this.

i have to agree. for every beta 500 people sign up and it seems like the same 20-30 post on the beta forum to report anything. i do it so i can test and make sure the stuff i want works, but i also make a point of reading through the beta forum posts to test things that others are having problems with.

one of the really cool things about beta testing is really drilling through particular features: Loading up an effect and trying every conceivable combination of ways of controlling it, for instance. You get some great inspiration for your tracks and it's a really methodical way of getting to where the bugs hide out

Poster wrote: whats also very important is that Live gets tested on a large variation of setups..
the alpha testing is done on quite a limited amount of different set ups so likely bugs can slip through easier..

Also true, but I stand by what I said for the early beta testing. The early stages tend to identify the bigger issues and I think it makes sense to have people on it who are prepared to put the effort in to really get to the bottom of things.

The numbers are relatively small at first, and I'd rather wait it out and let someone with more expenience and amble time to test have a go at this point. I'll most likely join up a bit later when they expand the test group.

I do ask that beta testers discuss any undocumented features with the rest of us though.