软件发布的生命周期（software release life cycle）

经常听到Alpha, Beta, RC, OEM等词，究竟代表什么意思呢？

 

原文来自wikipage：

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle

 

A software release is the distribution of software code, documentation, and support materials. The software release life cycle is composed of discrete phases that describe the software's maturity as it advances from planning and development to release and support phases.

 

软件的发布包含软件代码，文档和客户服务等材料的发布。软件发布的生命周期是一些描述软件成熟度的几个阶段组成的。其包括计划，开发到发布和技术支持这几个阶段。

 

开发阶段：

 

Pre-alpha -> Alpha -> Beta -> RC: release candidate

 

Pre-alpha

Pre-alpha refers to all activities performed during the software project prior to testing. These activities can include requirements analysis, software design, software development and unit testing.

In typical open source development, there are several types of pre-alpha versions. Milestone versions include specific sets of functions and are released as soon as the functionality is complete.

 

Pre-alpha是指软件工程中在进行软件测试之前的所有活动。这些包括：需求分析，软件设计，软件开发和单元测试。

 

在典型的开源软件的开发过程中，有好几种类型的pre-alpha版本。 里程碑的版本包括一些功能的设计说明文档以及最初功能实现的软件发布。

 

Alpha

The alpha phase of the release life cycle is the first phase to begin software testing (alpha is the first letter of the ancient Greek alphabet, used as the number 1). In this phase, developers generally test the software using white box techniques. Additional validation is then performed using black box or gray box techniques, by another testing team. Moving to black box testing inside the organization is known as alpha release.

Alpha software can be unstable and could cause crashes or data loss. The exception to this is when the alpha is available publicly (such as a pre-order bonus), in which developers normally push for stability so that their testers can test properly. External availability of alpha software is uncommon.

The alpha phase usually ends with a feature freeze, indicating that no more features will be added to the software. At this time, the software is said to be feature complete.

 

在软件的发布生命周期中，alpha阶段是指开始软件测试的第一个阶段。 在这个阶段，软件开发者会使用白盒测试的方法来对软件进行测试。进一步的validation 则有另一软件测试小组采用黑盒测试或者灰盒测试的方法。使用黑盒测试来进行检测软件的内部结构被认为是alpha release.

 

Alpha software 可能是不够稳定的，而且有可能会导致crash或者数据丢失的。当alpha对外发布的时候，就不能够有这些严重的问题的。此时，软件开发者往往会被要求保证其稳定性，测试人员也能够进行合理的测试。但是alpha软件对外发布也是很少见的。

 

alpha阶段常常以feature freeze为结束，表明不会再有新的功能点加入到这个软件中。此时，软件可以被成为feature complete.

 

Beta

Beta is the software development phase following alpha (beta is the second letter of the ancient Greek alphabet, used as the number 2. It is not nowadays usual to speak of a later gamma test). It generally begins when the software is feature complete. The focus of beta testing is reducing impacts to users, often incorporating usability testing. The process of delivering a beta version to the users is called beta release and this is typically the first time that the software is available outside of the organization that developed it.

The users of a beta version are called beta testers. They are usually customers or prospective customers of the organization that develops the software, willing to test the software without charge, often receiving the final software free of charge or for a reduced price.

Beta version software is often useful for demonstrations and previews within an organisation and to prospective customers. Some developers refer to this stage as a preview, prototype, technical preview (TP), or early access.

Some software is kept in perpetual beta.

 

Beta是紧接Alpha之后的阶段，通常以feature complete为开始。而beta 测试的重点在减少对用户的影响，往往是结合可用性测试。将beta 版本发送给客户就叫做beta release. 这通常是首次可以在软件开发机构以外获得软件。

 

Beta版本的用户成为beta 测试员。 他们通常是软件开发机构的客户或者潜在客户， 愿意免费的进行软件测试。经常会免费得到最终产品或者是优惠价格。

 

Beta版本往往非常有用。它会被用于向潜在客户演示或者在公司内部预览。 一些软件开发者称此阶段为预览，试制，技术预览或者早期接触。

 

Open and closed beta

Developers release either a closed beta or an open beta; closed beta versions are released to a select group of individuals for a user test, while open betas are to a larger community group, sometimes to anybody interested. The testers report any bugs that they find, and sometimes suggest additional features they think should be available in the final version. Examples of a major public beta test were

    * Microsoft's release of community technology previews (CTPs) for Windows Vista in January 2005.
    * In September 2000 a boxed version of Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X Public Beta operating system was released.,
    * In December 2010, Minecraft entered beta, with approximately 1 million purchases.

Open betas serve the dual purpose of demonstrating a product to potential consumers, and testing among an extremely wide user base likely to bring to light obscure errors that a much smaller testing team may not find.