[1] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

beta testing
     
         testing a pre-release potentially unreliable
        version of a piece of software by making it available to
        selected users.  this term derives from early 1960s
        terminology for product cycle checkpoints, first used at ibm
        but later standard throughout the industry.
     
        "alpha test" was the unit, module, or component test phase;
        "beta test" was initial system test.  these themselves came
        from earlier a- and b-tests for hardware.  the a-test was a
        feasibility and manufacturability evaluation done before any
        commitment to design and development.  the b-test was a
        demonstration that the engineering model functioned as
        specified.  the c-test corresponding to today's beta was the
        b-test performed on early samples of the production design.
     
        an item "in beta test" is thus mostly working but still under
        test.  in the real world, systems hardware or software
        often go through two stages of release testing: alpha
        in-house and beta out-house?.  beta releases are generally
        made available to a small number of lucky or unlucky,
        trusted customers.
     
        1996-11-05
     
     
see also:
ibm alpha test real world 

Beta Testing >> B Words
Beta Testing, definition of term: Beta Testing
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Beta >> B Words
Beta, definition of term: Beta
beta_pag1.html

Testing >> T Words
Testing, definition of term: Testing
testing_pag1.html

Beta Test >> B Words
Beta Test, definition of term: Beta Test
beta+test_pag1.html

Beta Radiation >> B Words
Beta Radiation, definition of term: Beta Radiation
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Beta Blocker >> B Words
Beta Blocker, definition of term: Beta Blocker
beta+blocker_pag1.html

Beta Particle >> B Words
Beta Particle, definition of term: Beta Particle
beta+particle_pag1.html

Beta Software >> B Words
Beta Software, definition of term: Beta Software
beta+software_pag1.html