Always In Beta, We Just Don’t Say It
By now you have surely gotten used to the idea that sites love to launch in beta because this lets people know that some things may be wrong with the site and it kind of lets you get away with a lot of things. 9rules has been in beta for the last 3 years, but we never put it out there because beta sucks. Wait…
Actually people like getting into betas. Have you ever beta tested a video game and felt a little cooler for doing so? What about sites that do beta invites? Everyone seems to clamor for one. Its gotten to the point where beta was cool, then we hated that everything was beta, we got used to everything being beta and now we just want to get into anything that is beta. But what site isn’t ever done improving (okay a lot more than you think)?
The idea of beta is great for that short week of trying to get people hyped up for your site. Beta is a great idea if you want to be able to tell people well we are in beta so we are allowed to get away with these errors. 9rules has errors that are found by our users all the time and we aren’t in “official” beta, but in all honesty what is the difference between always finding ways to improving your site and being in beta?
There are arguments going on involving the World of Warcraft that it is in constant beta because patches come out on an almost weekly basis, yet people continue to play. What does beta mean anymore? For me beta used to be a point in a product’s cycle that you are trying to reach where there are no errors and no more features added. We never reach that point on 9rules so our beta is different to the point where we can’t see it as beta anymore.
I’m not complaining about sites that label themselves as being in beta because I have gotten use to it, but do the positives of doing so outweigh the negatives anymore? How many everyday users want to be a part of something beta vs. something that’s just live because it is ready?
Hell, I think from now on when someone has a complaint to say about me I’m just going to tell them I am in beta because I still have some bugs to work out and some Scrivs’ features that need to implemented. You think that will fly with the ladies at the bar? Don’t think they would be too impressed that I’m only at Scrivs 0.48 right now though, but it is worth giving it a shot.
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Seriously. Somebody recently told us that they’d become an IconBuffet member once the site was “final.” And that’s pretty much not likely to ever happen. You have to make sure your crap works for the most part, but then you just get it out there and improve.
By Josh Williams on April 5, 2007 4:40 pm
In a sense it’s kind of true that sites or applications are in a constant beta state regardless of if they advertise it as such.
Since the Web is dynamic by nature, things are always changing. Something is being updated, tweaked, refined, or totally reworked until the latest and greatest, must have technology arrives at which time it all starts over.
There are too many new and cool designs, features, scripts, and technologies that we always want to implement. If we didn’t implement some of those features our site/application would become dated and thus unused. So our sites are in a constant state of upgrade and or change, and so maybe really never in a state of final release.
By Kyle P. Johnson on April 5, 2007 9:11 pm
“…I’m only at Scrivs 0.48 right now though…”
Is that your alcohol intake level? Honestly, I find it that when my brother (I don’t drink) goes to a bar his alcohol intake level needs to be around 1.4 just to double the ladies, otherwise for some strange reason no one talks to him…
Hmmmmmm…
By Ryan Barr on April 6, 2007 1:37 am
BETA is one of the most common marketing techniques going on the web, as performed by Google over and over again.
Being in BETA serves two clever purposes: firstly it creates a kind of underground buzz where people think they’re getting a sneaky preview of something before it’s released – they think they are ahead of the game; the second purpose is that if a product is in BETA you don’t need to offer support for it – it’s a caveat against all the things that might possibly not work.
I can assure you Google will already have thoroughly tested its products before they get released to ‘BETA’ – its just a marketing tag.
By Aaron on April 7, 2007 11:01 am
Best thing I’ve heard all year! I’m going to tell everyone that I am in beta too, and I’m going to invite people to join my open beta test.
By Montoya on April 8, 2007 7:57 pm
There’s nothing wrong with being in constant beta.
Life is beta. When it’s finished, you die. Stay in beta!
By Shane on April 11, 2007 12:56 am
It’s all very true and I actually hate this ‘Beta’ label, especially when it’s in some ‘Web 2.0′ bold-coloured, gradient-filled star.
*Grumble*
Okay, so my blog isn’t big and it’s still hidden in a sub-domain, but it’s constantly changing based on my needs and ideas – be it design, layout, or content.
Everything, as you say, is in constant flux and evolution and thus it makes labelling any such site as a ‘Beta’ as totally null. The only place I’d expect to see it it when a program is being coded, i.e. before the first full and stable release is made.
By CK on April 11, 2007 5:09 am
I always steer clear of betas. Not good marketing, IMO.
By Web hosting on April 18, 2007 7:18 pm