Updates and improvements to JdeBP's softwares are tested before release by a band of kind volunteers, coördinated by Andy Roberts, sysop of TSR BBS in the United State. Testers are sent pre-release versions of the distribution archives as they are updated. They also have access to a Fidonet discussion echo for reports, comments, questions, suggestions, and other general discussion (which Andy also gates to Internet mailing lists) and a Fidonet file distribution echo for distributing the pre-releases (Andy can make arrangements for those who only have Internet mail.).
Anyone is welcome to join the pre-release testers group. There is only one condition for joining, which is not particularly onerous: Pre-release testers must not make the pre-release distribution archives available to the general public in any way. This is mainly a quality control measure. I don't want potentially buggy or incomplete versions of my software entering general circulation. (They can circulate the official releases, of course.)
Of course, testers are morally obliged to run the programs and report back their experiences on a reasonably regular basis.
There are no restrictions on discussing the pre-releases, and no non-disclosure agreements. Indeed, pre-release testers are encouraged to tell people about my softwares.
Currently (2004-08), pre-release testing is proceeding as follows:
| Package | Version | |
|---|---|---|
| public | pre-release | |
| OS/2 Command Line Utilities | 2.2.0 | 2.2.1 |
| 32-bit Command Interpreter | 1.1.0 | 1.1.1 |
| Tagline Manager for OS/2 | 1.0.0 | 1.0.2 |
| 32-bit Unicode Console API | 1.0.2 | None |
| Internet Utilities for OS/2 | None | 0.1.15 |
If you want to join one of the pre-release testing groups, send Fidonet netmail to
Andy Roberts, FIDONET#1:109/921.0
or sent Internet mail to os2@starband.net.