7 steps for getting started with beta testing

It’s quite an honor these days to help developers by beta testing their software. You’re basically getting to shape your own small sliver of a product that hundreds, thousands, or millions of other people will use. That’s pretty damn cool.

But it isn’t always clear how to break into the scene, so I figured it was time to share some tips for eager testers and armchair enthusiasts alike. Of course, feel free to suggest nuggets from your own beta experiences in the comments so the whole class can benefit:

1. Download the new beta immediately. There’s no telling how long the link will stay active.
2. Open the beta, dork around with it for a few minutes, then don’t touch it for a couple days. Betas need time to marinate.
3. Don’t bother reporting bugs or crashes. The developer is busy enough with regular customer service, and that goes doubly so if they make a product they actually sell. You know, for money.
4. If the beta is still screwing up or crashing when you get back to it in a couple of days, write a blog post about how you’re sick of broken software. This will get the company’s attention. If you’re lucky, they may even give you a free license to apologize for releasing unfinished software.
5. Stay away from the company’s forums. They’re probably just filled with circle-jerking, cool-aid-drinking hippies anyway. Besides, registering is hard.
6. If you don’t hear anything from the company three hours after your blog post, write another post about how you’re dropping said terrible company’s worthless betas(s). Be sure to use “worthless” somewhere (it stings extra). If you have a license, show off your (recently martyred) loyalty by mentioning how you got it back before they started charging for the product.
7. Tweet and Facebook a link to this second post to ensure maximum social penetration. That’ll show em. Penetration.

And there you have it—a how-to guide for getting your foot in the door of the wonderful, increasingly expanding, world of beta testing. Go get ‘em Tiger.