Netscape question transformed

I would like to rephrase the question I had yesterday was
completely misunderstood.  The point I was meaning to make was soppuse to
be as follows:



        Why would a compony like Netscape jeapordise themselves by even
letting                                               out a beta version so
hackers have time to find bugs before the full version is released. Don't
take me wrong I have only been on the net fer a little over a year and Love
Netscape.  And If I knew what I was Doing I would love to help them.....





        Anyway I don't mean to waste your time, but arent these kinda
things for stating your opinion?  And to clarify any questions on my age I
am 13 and was born in 1982.ok? thanks.....And I would again like to thank
perry for understanding what level Im on. I will try my best not to annoy
you or cause you any inconvenience.  And to sameer I am sorry for what I
said but you have to understyand Why I said it......

                        Sincerely,
                                CyberPunc X

>         Why would a compony like Netscape jeapordise themselves by
> even letting out a beta version so hackers have time to find bugs
> before the full version is released. Don't take me wrong I have only
> been on the net fer a little over a year and Love Netscape.  And If I
> knew what I was Doing I would love to help them.....

I don't think that this can jeopardize a company...  What would you
rather see?  A company makes a beta release for people to attempt to
break, fixes the bugs, and then releases a better product?  Or would
you rather see a company release a product, tell people it is secure,
and then get bitten by numerous holes in it?

From a PR perspective, it sounds much better to take the first tact.
Similarly, you will get a better product using the first method.
Using the second method, NOT beta-testing your product, has a greater
chance of jeopardizing a company.  At least if they put out a beta, if
the press calls, they can say "this is nor our final product -- we
wanted to let people give it a try and find problems, so that we can
fix them before we start shipping".

-derek

PS: I remember what it was like being 13 -- I remember feeling like I
knew more than everyone around me, my parents, my friends, my
teachers.  The only suggestion I have for you is to realize that no
matter how much you know, or how much you think you know, there is
always someone else who knows more than you do.  Wisdom is learning to
figure out who that person is and listen to what they have to say.

Good Luck!

>         Why would a compony like Netscape jeapordise themselves by even
> letting                                               out a beta version so
> hackers have time to find bugs before the full version is released. Don't
> take me wrong I have only been on the net fer a little over a year and Love
> Netscape.  And If I knew what I was Doing I would love to help them.....

Actually, it is not jeapordy that they get from doing so, but some of the 
best bug finders and security experts on the planet.. for close to free.
If hackers can find 10 bugs before final release, it means there is a 
good chance that they will fix those bugs before final release.

Think of it this way.. you practice a new task until you are competent at 
it.. beta code is the same.. it is the practice or scratch code that may 
be refined into the final product.

Thanks-
robL

zoetrope@infinet.com wrote:
>         Why would a compony like Netscape jeapordise themselves by even
> letting                                               out a beta version so
> hackers have time to find bugs before the full version is released. Don't
> take me wrong I have only been on the net fer a little over a year and Love
> Netscape.  And If I knew what I was Doing I would love to help them.....

  The reason we do it is that without wide exposure outside the
company, it is virtually impossible to get complete testing coverage.
Given the incredible variety of machines, OS's, peripherals, etc.
that are available in the real world, there is no way we could
re-create every possible configuration in the lab.

  We also can't visit every web page, or think of every combination
of features that clever people in the real world come up with every
day.  

	--Jeff

-- 
Jeff Weinstein - Electronic Munitions Specialist
Netscape Communication Corporation
jsw@netscape.com - http://home.netscape.com/people/jsw
Any opinions expressed above are mine.

On Fri, 13 Oct 1995, Jeff Weinstein wrote:

>   The reason we do it is that without wide exposure outside the
> company, it is virtually impossible to get complete testing coverage.
> Given the incredible variety of machines, OS's, peripherals, etc.
	    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^		    ^^^^
> that are available in the real world, there is no way we could
> re-create every possible configuration in the lab.

Yeah right. Way to go, Jeff.
You even say that OS/2 Windows better than Windows itself. Get real.
Don't you even realize that OS/2 is another OS! It has its own API. 
Stop treating other OS-es whose have emulator with the original one. 
Netscape uses some low-level MS-Windows specific API in order to run 
it well. How could you expect it run under emulator?
Now, wait! .. PowerPC will have OS/2 .. therefore, Netscape will say, 
sorry folks - you have to use Netscape for Windows .. bla-bla-bla.
Get real Jeff. Many people try to improve and make a wonderful product 
better, and Netscape certainly one of it. See how many people have 
pledge (even begged - I heard) Netscape to make Netscape for OS/2 (not 
to mention Amiga (oh ya, I forgot, Netscape will tell Amiga users to 
use Mac version because Amiga can run Mac-emulator - ha ha)).

>   We also can't visit every web page, or think of every combination
> of features that clever people in the real world come up with every
> day.  

That's true enough.

Regards,
Sent.