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World Community Grid Forums
Category: Beta Testing
Forum: Beta Test Support Forum
Thread: Are there any possible drawbacks to opting in to beta testing? |
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Thread Status: Active Total posts in this thread: 18
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TimGatty
Cruncher Joined: Nov 20, 2005 Post Count: 9 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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Is it safe to do?
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BladeD
Ace Cruncher USA Joined: Nov 17, 2004 Post Count: 28976 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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Is it safe to do? I think so. Are there any possible drawbacks to opting in to beta testing? Yes, that's why it's beta testing!  |
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Seoulpowergrid
Veteran Cruncher Joined: Apr 12, 2013 Post Count: 815 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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They are basically testing to see if the WUs work correctly. So worst case could be a computer freezing or BOINC crashing. In my mind, there really aren't risks.
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hchc
Veteran Cruncher USA Joined: Aug 15, 2006 Post Count: 746 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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They seem benign, but I wouldn't run it on a mission critical server at work or anything.
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Crystal Pellet
Veteran Cruncher Joined: May 21, 2008 Post Count: 1313 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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Updating Windows 10 is more critical
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Bill F
Advanced Cruncher USA Joined: Jan 16, 2008 Post Count: 52 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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I would suggest that you only do Beta testing on system that you use daily or can at minimum check daily and of course one that you are authorized to run BOINC on.
----------------------------------------The new projects being developed now will all require Beta testers before their WU's are released to the general WCG users. Bill F   |
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gb009761
Master Cruncher Scotland Joined: Apr 6, 2005 Post Count: 2977 Status: Offline Project Badges:
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I'm not aware of any major drawbacks, other than perhaps 'wasting' time running WU's that may fail/not succeed etc. I use the word "wasting' lightly - as the time isn't actually 'wasted' - as it's providing valuable testing of a project that's still in it's development stage.
----------------------------------------Also, the WCG techs will have performed some 'Alpha' testing beforehand, to try and weed out the 'major' issues - the Beta testing, is to expand the trials to a far wider base and environments.  |
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vlado101
Senior Cruncher Joined: Jul 23, 2013 Post Count: 226 Status: Offline Project Badges:
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I have been crunch since 2013 and since that date I have not had any issues with running beta workunits.
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Byteball_730a2960
Senior Cruncher Joined: Oct 29, 2010 Post Count: 318 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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I had the same concerns and have now run 2300 units and never had an issue.
I've had more issues with Windows errors and hardware than with beta units. The failsafes that WCG has in place to deal with unit processing errors are robust and work well. |
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duanebong
Advanced Cruncher Singapore Joined: Apr 25, 2009 Post Count: 134 Status: Offline Project Badges:
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I never had an issue with the PC crashing from beta work units.
----------------------------------------However, there were times when the beta WU didn't complete or had a validation error. Not sure if I got credited for those, but certainly nothing that would be unsafe to run.  |
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