[[PageOutline]]
= Instructions for alpha testers =

== Becoming an alpha tester ==

The BOINC testing program helps us find and fix bugs in the BOINC software before we release it to the public.
Testing is vital to the success of BOINC.
If you're a tester, then:

    * You'll need to spend about 1 hour per week doing testing;
    * You'll run experimental versions of BOINC that may crash or cause jobs to fail.
    * You may be asked to assist, via phone or email, in troubleshooting. 

If you are OK with all this and want to help test BOINC,
send email to [ProjectPeople David Anderson or Rom Walton],
and we'll give you an account in the BOINC Alpha test project
(this is a BOINC project but it never has jobs; don't attach your client to it).

Testers must subscribe to the [mlist:boinc_alpha boinc_alpha email list].
(You don't need to be a tester to subscribe to this list).

== When to test ==

Periodically (every couple of weeks, sometimes more) we'll send an announcement on the email list,
asking alpha testers to download and test a specific new release of BOINC.
You can find these releases on the [//download_all.php?dev=1 BOINC download page].
Please try to report test results within 3-4 days of receiving the email.

== How to test ==

See [http://isaac.ssl.berkeley.edu/alpha/test_matrix.php the set of test cases].
For each release, please try to do all the General tests.
Please try to do as many of the other tests as your time and computer environment permit.

If you experienced problems with BOINC that are not exercised by any of these tests,
please post to the [mlist:boinc_alpha boinc_alpha@ssl.berkeley.edu email list].

The client software under test may have bugs that wipe out tasks in progress,
so consider using a different data directory when you install the test software.

== How to report test results ==

Report results through the [http://isaac.ssl.berkeley.edu/alpha/test_form.php web-based interface].
You must log in to the [http://isaac.ssl.berkeley.edu/alpha/ BOINC Alpha project]
to report test results.

== How to report bugs ==

In addition to reporting negative test results,
we strongly encourage you to 
[ReportBugs submit detailed bug reports].

If you're not sure whether something is a problem, post to the boinc_alpha@ssl.berkeley.edu email list.

If a problem persists across multiple releases,
you can submit bug reports to the [WikiStart BOINC bug database],
or send email to the relevant [DevProcess area owner].

== Resources ==

Windows users: if you have install/uninstall problems, you may need to use the
[http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290301 Windows Installer CleanUp Utility]