WE ARE NOT IN BETA!
The "beta" phase of software development is prior to release; prior to allowing the general public to use it.
This isn't "beta".
When a game developer does a beta on Xbox One, they either allow a subset of the users to test it, or open it to "the general public" but only for a limited time. Neither of those two are the case here.
This seems to me to be poor development practices masquerading as something that you shouldn't be able to use yet. Because if it's truly "beta" then we (the general public) shouldn't be able to use it, and, especially shouldn't be able to risk our coins here!
Here's what Google had to say when I asked "what does beta mean"; I then clicked through to "beta test", emphasis mine:
be·ta test
noun
noun: beta test; plural noun: beta tests
- a trial of machinery, software, or other products, in the final stages of its development, carried out by a party unconnected with its development.
verb
verb: beta-test; 3rd person present: beta-tests; past tense: beta-tested; past participle: beta-tested; gerund or present participle: beta-testing- subject (a product) to a beta test.
Perhaps I'm just "old-school" but once a product hits its customers, it is no longer in "beta"; it is in "release." There might still be bugs; they still get fixed, and the next version is released. Or, for web services, it's just updated, sometimes with no notice, and things change -- like this preview to the right of what I'm typing. (Or the "internal DDoS" as it's now coming to be understood, which is because they relied on some faulty code starting with a J that I saw yesterday.)
To take software that has been released to the public for them to use and invest in (sometimes wastefully, like mine a few months ago at levels almost 3x where we're at now), it's most assuredly not in beta.
Either that, or I've been under a rock for a few years and the industry has changed the goalposts.
Which might be the case: I've not been doing software development for a couple years due to these concussions that have disabled me, and I hope to one day recover from.
This post was inspired by the wording in this post.
I very good point you make re: beta. And Steemit is most assuredly concerned with real money already. Hopefully the improvements will continue to roll out and Steemit will evolve into what it was meant to be. That, and have a very long life.
Cheers libertyteeth!
p.s. Your haiku inspired many others to give it a shot -- check it out 🤘😆
That's great to hear (haiku news)! I got my delegated SP back from MinnowBooster earlier today, so here's a 100% upvote in return -- enjoy! :)
@libertyteeth I could not agree more with you. This is more than beta, just with the fact users are investing millions combined, and there are even people in some parts of the world making a living thanks to steemit. Today I read about 2 new exchanges adding steem, one is tidex, and the other is a huge korean exchange that still has not opened its doors to all users, some still, so when they are fully openned we can expect some climb, right? What are your thoughts. Upvoted your comment and post. @gold84
@libertyteeth appreciate you reading my comment and your support. Looking forward to hear from you on future comments. I will make sure to follow your future posts closer. @gold84
Sorry I didn't respond earlier -- do you have links to those stories? Would be interested to read them.
Yes, I think good things are in store for the future. I got a fortune cookie a few days ago which read, "May the good spirits always be with you." It was the day I stopped drinking. That was pretty neat, almost like being spoken to, being told I had made the right decision. Take care!
@libertyteeth not a problem at all, good I found your reply. Here is a post I wrote about 12 days ago with life changing stories thanks to steemit: https://steemit.com/steemit/@gold84/life-changing-stories-thanks-to-steemit-part-1
I will continue this series once I find more significant stories to tell.
I appreciate your support and contribution to the steemit community.
Regards,
@gold84
Cool! Thanks man (Holy Crap!!! That's a big hammer!)
Viva Steemit!!! -- show me the Alpha
It seems that instead of paying attention to software development conventions steemit developers are focused on the dollar signs. I'm an amateur computer person and can understand where you are coming from.
Thank you! It's good to get that sort of feedback -- having spent my career in software development, I know I can sometimes "talk in code" so it's awesome to hear that I'm understood by a wider audience.
I agree with your sentiment and have been frustrated myself with all the recent glitches, but I don't think it's wrong to call this a beta.
We did all voluntary sign up for this. Apple and other companies have similar programs that allow anyone to sign up to be a beta tester and I experience glitches while using the betas. I will say though that that beta program doesn't involve any actual monetary investment, but technically neither does Steemit. As far as the price changes and such that's just cryptocurrency in general I think. They're a new and emerging market and extremely volatile.
In closing I definitely understand and agree with the frustration, I'm just trying to be pragmatic about it.
They use dollar signs to indicate upvotes and rewards, so, I disagree that this "program doesn't involve any actual monetary investment".
I'm trying to be pragmatic as well; I've worked in the industry, and the Steemit development is matching the worst of the companies I've worked for.
I was talking about the apple iOS betas not involving any monetary investment. And while steemit pays out in steem/SBD to sign up/use steemit you are not required to pony up any of your own cash.
Okay, understood about the Apple thing. And yes, when I signed up here I didn't spend any money. But, I'm going to spend ten bucks in order to get my friend @professor-why here, because it's been more than a month and his account still hasn't been created.
And, I'd imagine most of the fish larger than minnows are due to investments, although I've not done the research so I could be wrong.
Appreciate your second response as well. :)
To reiterate though, I fully agree with the disappoinment and frustration!
You are right this is not beta and the platform is deteriorating. The lack of communication is horrible as well. I hope they can get their act together.
I'd even go so far as to make it some sort of "law": "All breakups are due to communication issues."
I agree with you. I would like to see someone like you hop on steemit's software development team. I love the idea behind steemit but it seems like there are many interface problems on this platform and I don't think they should be too difficult to solve..but I am by no means an expert. Thanks for sharing
Thanks! And, I would love to! Unfortunately, I can't remember well due to the concussions, making me not-a-star-developer, currently...
Often in video games after the beta is hold a reset is done, but this doesn't have to be the case. It's mainly used as a way to test and fine-tune for the final product. Which is pretty much the case for Steemit.
Agreed, no need for a "reset" but if they're offering this to the general public then perhaps we should come up with "gamma"... Because "beta" means "before release to the general public."
Then again, "gay" meant happy, not "one color is missing from the flag," so language evolves (unlike creatures).
Maybe since it's still in Beta you can get back all the money you invested 3 months ago ? I'd ask them if you could have my "Beta-testing" money back.
Great idea! Goose and gander, right? :/
Yes.... as long as it is beta it is beta .... tell them you were just beta testing out how your money would do and now you just want it all back at its original price
I must old school too..haha
Maybe that's why the signup process was broken - to keep the public out? 😆 But in all seriousness, you raise a great point. Is the 'beta' slapped on there the 'justification' for the lethargic development or what?
I am noticing many changes in the UI (which do not work well on mobile/iPad) but it's a change..at least we know the dev team is not completely on vacation. It's a start, but we've got a long way to go. Took me a few tries to upvote and resteem, but persistence is the key (aka button mashing).
Makes sense, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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Maybe Alpha would more represent the state steemit is in, but in the end, it just means this is not final code.
Is there anything that made you think you would risk your coins here?
The only thing I risked for now, was my time ;)
Yeah, it's available to the public. Doesn't matter what label they give it. I really liked @offgridlife's comment -- if it's beta, I can just ask for my initial investment back since it's "not real", right? :/