Message-ID: <17259.8903.764080.973751@stat.math.ethz.ch>
Date: 2005-11-04T08:58:47Z
From: Martin Maechler
Subject: Alpha and Beta testing of R versions
In-Reply-To: <A2AC7F8A-16B6-4E81-813D-3889DEBB28EF@r-project.org>
[Mainly for R-foundation members; but kept in public for general
brainstorming...]
>>>>> "Simon" == Simon Urbanek <simon.urbanek at r-project.org>
>>>>> on Thu, 3 Nov 2005 12:16:25 -0500 writes:
<............>
Simon> As Brian was saying, the error was fixed in R
Simon> immediately after the release - strangely enough no
Simon> one reported the error during the alpha and beta
Simon> cycle although both the GUI and R binaries were
Simon> available for download :(.
Unfortunately, the phrase "strangely enough" could be replaced with
``as almost always''.
Maybe we (the R-foundation) should give serious thoughts to
offer prizes for valid bug reports during alpha and beta
testing. These could include
- Reduced fee for 'useR' and 'DSC' conferences
- being listed as helpful person in R's 'THANKS' file
{but that may not entice those who are already listed},
or even in the NEWS of the new relase
or on the "Hall of fame of R beta testers"
In order to discourage an increased number of non-bug reports we
may have to also open a "hall of shame" though...
Martin