hello,

i heard about beta versions of alsa support.
can i become involved in beta-testing ? i would like to.

what do i have to do ?

Andreas

I am receiving all the private messages about beta testing. We are currently not adding new Skype for Linux beta testers - your applications remain waiting until we are again, and we'll get back to you on this. It might be a small wait so dont worry if I dont get back to you immediately.

thanks, I recently sent one (last night)

xboxrulz

Where do we add ourselves to the queue?

[quote=terminus]... It might be a small wait so dont worry if I dont get back to you immediately.[/quote]

no don't worry u skype developer, we're not worry we were worry, now we're sure to look for another voip client (openwengo or gizmo for example....).

best regards

If you're really lucky, you may even find someone to call :-)

[quote=terminus]I am receiving all the private messages about beta testing. We are currently not adding new Skype for Linux beta testers - your applications remain waiting until we are again, and we'll get back to you on this. It might be a small wait so dont worry if I dont get back to you immediately.[/quote]

Does this mean that a beta isn't ready to be tested, or you're already testing, or there is no plans for future beta testers? Wolud you be so kind as to elaborate?

This almost certainly means that since it is in CLOSED beta they have a number of beta testers already. They should be reporting back bugs and the developers will be in contact with them very often trying to fix up any little bugs they find as well as any large ones. Managing this many beta testers can become difficult, so they've stop adding to the numbers. When they feel able to allow more beta testers they might let you join.

Also note, they're not trying to get people who just want to use the new version, they're trying to get helpful people to report back bugs primarily and as a side benefit have alsa support. I have the feeling most people here just want the alsa support without the hassle of reporting bugs they find with it, helping diagnose exactly what goes wrong with them, and helping get them fixed for everyone else.

I hope this helps answer your question...

[quote=ikelos]This almost certainly means that since it is in CLOSED beta they have a number of beta testers already. They should be reporting back bugs and the developers will be in contact with them very often trying to fix up any little bugs they find as well as any large ones. Managing this many beta testers can become difficult, so they've stop adding to the numbers. When they feel able to allow more beta testers they might let you join.

Also note, they're not trying to get people who just want to use the new version, they're trying to get helpful people to report back bugs primarily and as a side benefit have alsa support. I have the feeling most people here just want the alsa support without the hassle of reporting bugs they find with it, helping diagnose exactly what goes wrong with them, and helping get them fixed for everyone else.

I hope this helps answer your question...[/quote]

That's not true because the people in that forum have not stopped complaining about bugs. And they continue doing it inspite that there is no use of that because the developers are interested more of the bugs in the SECRET BETA than the bugs in the recent version (at least a fix, or patch would be nice!)

So I also sent a message to terminus about becoming a beta tester, however, it continues to stay in the 'Outbox', unread, instead in the 'Sent messages'. For 3 days .....

So we are to be glad that these are voice problems, not security ones, in the last case it would be really nice to wait 3-6 months for a fix. I am sorry for the tone, but I really hate these SECRET, CLOSED stuff. Here arises the feeling that there are 'chosen ones' - BETA TESTERS. The windows 2.0 beta is for everybody, however, the naughty linux people have to be punished.

[quote=mishaikin]So we are to be glad that these are voice problems, not security ones, in the last case it would be really nice to wait 3-6 months for a fix. I am sorry for the tone, but I really hate these SECRET, CLOSED stuff. Here arises the feeling that there are 'chosen ones' - BETA TESTERS. The windows 2.0 beta is for everybody, however, the naughty linux people have to be punished.[/quote]

If you recall, the one Security bug. There was also a new Linux and Mac version released with the Windows version. So if there are security bugs, they get fixed.

For the Windows Beta: I am sure that there are also closed windows beta testers, but they don't show up. As every company and also open source software does, they have first a smaller alpha testers group and then go public with a beta test.

Look at Firefox. There you can work with CVS exports and help but do you want to have software that is not useable? Probably you would cry, that the software can't be used and tell everyone how crappy it is...

Same with Skype (well it's closed, but the rest still counts): Now they have ALSA in alpha and test it with some people. If they are happy, they will start a public beta.

just my 2 cents
Philipp

[quote=pkolmann]
For the Windows Beta: I am sure that there are also closed windows beta testers, but they don't show up. As every company and also open source software does, they have first a smaller alpha testers group and then go public with a beta test.[/quote]

as you said "then go public with a beta test" ... i'm sure the ALSA version of linux that is currently being tested (albeit, not publicly) *is beta, not alpha*. also, seeing it has already been said a number of times that they won't make it public till *all* bugs have been ironed out, then i fail to see what the point in a public beta would be - cos apparently there won't be any bugs in the next version (well, if they don't open up the beta testing, they're *better not be any bugs*).

[quote=pkolmann]
Look at Firefox. There you can work with CVS exports and help but do you want to have software that is not useable? Probably you would cry, that the software can't be used and tell everyone how crappy it is...
[/quote]

THE SOFTWARE ISN'T USABLE AS IT IS!!!!!!!!!! ALL LINUX SKYPE USERS ARE ALREADY SAYING THAT THE SOFTWARE CAN'T BE USED AND HOW CRAPPY IT IS!!!!!!!!! FFS!!

[quote=pkolmann]
Same with Skype (well it's closed, but the rest still counts): Now they have ALSA in alpha and test it with some people. If they are happy, they will start a public beta.
[/quote]

as i said before - ALSA VERSION IS IN BETA, NOT ALPHA ... and the dev's (plus people like you) keep saying that all the bugs will be ironed out before they make a release, SO THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY NEED FOR A PUBLIC BETA IF THEY ARE DOING PRIVATE BETA TESTING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS!!!

[quote=mistermachine]
THE SOFTWARE ISN'T USABLE AS IT IS!!!!!!!!!! ALL LINUX SKYPE USERS ARE ALREADY SAYING THAT THE SOFTWARE CAN'T BE USED AND HOW CRAPPY IT IS!!!!!!!!! FFS!!

SO THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY NEED FOR A PUBLIC BETA IF THEY ARE DOING PRIVATE BETA TESTING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS!!![/quote]

Calm down. Get back on your meds.

All linux skype users are definitely NOT saying it can't be used. Only those with problems show up here. You've made the age old mistake of comming to a forum where people with problems show up to complain, and seeing no posts from people without problems you assume it doesn't work for anybody.

It works for me on SUSE 9.3. I use it every day.

Side note:
If they say it won't be release till ALL bugs are gone, you will never see it, because there is no such thing as a compeletly debugged program.

To make a me too post:

I have skype working on 2 Debian machines with USB Headsets without any problems.

Philipp

PS: Maybe we should open a post that says, Linux version works for me ;-)

[quote=pkolmann]To make a me too post:
I have skype working on 2 Debian machines with USB Headsets without any problems.[/quote]
On KDE or Gnome or something else?

[quote=markbl][quote=pkolmann]To make a me too post:
I have skype working on 2 Debian machines with USB Headsets without any problems.[/quote]
On KDE or Gnome or something else?[/quote]

You mean as windowmanager? I have FVWM2 running.
Philipp

[quote="icebike"][quote=mistermachine]
THE SOFTWARE ISN'T USABLE AS IT IS!!!!!!!!!! ALL LINUX SKYPE USERS ARE ALREADY SAYING THAT THE SOFTWARE CAN'T BE USED AND HOW CRAPPY IT IS!!!!!!!!! FFS!!

SO THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY NEED FOR A PUBLIC BETA IF THEY ARE DOING PRIVATE BETA TESTING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS!!!

Calm down. Get back on your meds.

All linux skype users are definitely NOT saying it can't be used. Only those with problems show up here. You've made the age old mistake of comming to a forum where people with problems show up to complain, and seeing no posts from people without problems you assume it doesn't work for anybody.
[/quote]

actually, i *know* it works for people, and if you bothered to search the forums (ha ha) you would see it's quite obvious that this is evident. there are plenty of posts from people who have it working. however - of the five friends i have who use linux and skype, NONE of them can use it for voice ... which is the whole point of skype, no? none of them bother showing up here, though, cos they expect it just to work. we only use it for instant messaging though, now. we all have money sitting there, waiting to be used.

[quote=icebike]It works for me on SUSE 9.3. I use it every day.[/quote]

that's nice. how does that help me? should i buy a commercial distro just to get skype working? should i downgrade my kernel - losing a whole bunch of features that i need - just to use skype?

or should skype just release this beta to the public, so i can help them test it and stop my whinging?

if you think that skype for linux is generally perceived well, why not spend some time checking out comments that *aren't* on this site as well ... you might like to start here:

http://digg.com/technology/Skype_Wins_Over...er_Past_Critics
[quote=icebike]
Side note:
If they say it won't be release till ALL bugs are gone, you will never see it, because there is no such thing as a compeletly debugged program.[/quote]

exactly. so release the beta to the public. it's been said that it is "just a few minor issues" ... by your reasoning, that would make it a Release Candidate.

It works for me. I am using it everyday (voice, chat). I have Slackware 10.2 (it is free).