Google Comments on Why Everything is Always in Beta
Google Comments on Why Everything is Always in Beta
Posted 10/05/2008 at 7:32pm
| by Justin Kerr
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PC World’s Paul McNamara contacted Google last week to see if the cloud computing titan would clarify its use of the word “beta”. Sadly from those who read the response, they clearly intend to continue bending the term to their own use. This on the other hand leads to a great community conversation starter. Currently 22 out of 49 non Google Labs services carry the beta tag, including popular and widely used services such as Gmail and Google Docs. Google’s official response to the question is as follows: "We believe beta has a different meaning when applied to applications on the Web, where people expect continual improvements in a product. On the Web, you don't have to wait for the next version to be on the shelf or an update to become available. Improvements are rolled out as they're developed." If I’m interpreting my corporate double speak correctly, it seems clear that Google intends to continue using the beta tag to represent constantly evolving products. This makes me wonder, is it fair to use such a widely understood version label and turn it into a marketing term? Now it’s your turn to chime in. Do you like Google’s new definition of the beta tag? Or would you prefer they get off the fence and better distinguish new products from the old.
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winmaster
October 06, 2008 at 4:49pm
The word "Beta" scares me. To me, it means "Don't install me on your main computer, because I could summon the Ghost of Windows Crashed." Sorry Google, but as long as Chrome says beta, you won't find it on my machine.
maniacm0nk3y
October 06, 2008 at 7:40am
It does make sense, but they are taking it one step over. If they've been out for a year or two in beta, it really doesn't make that much sense.
hogkill
October 06, 2008 at 6:18am
beta is killing the environment. google, i implore you stop using beta's now!
Redeye
October 05, 2008 at 8:24pm
Personally I'd much rather see Google roll out with versions to their web apps. It is much easier to tell the different between a few tweaks here and there to a massive update roll out when version numbers change. Beta in the sense they are using it is ambiguous and not very specific. If you are going to butcher terms, at least make something up. Anyone seeing Gmail go into a Gamma phase?
KHRex
October 06, 2008 at 12:35am
I agree that this is a confusing twist on the "Beta" concept. Google and other companies should use "Epsilon" which would be used for "evolving" software.
Beta = test/pre-release software
Epsilon = evolving software (no versions)
CTskifreak
October 05, 2008 at 8:14pm
...but not somehting like GMail, where so many people use it. I don't care if there are updates, but I think it's final
bcweir
October 05, 2008 at 8:20pm
Microsoft was abusing the term "beta" (even applying them to released products) long before Google even existed.
alsheng
October 05, 2008 at 7:53pm
What's with businesses nowadays that just wish to confuse its users?
Isn't is pointless to comment on this matter at all? There are millions of users that understand BETA as being pre-ready release. Why would GOOGLE want to make its users feel condesecended?
jwalch.hawk
October 05, 2008 at 7:53pm
In my experience the term "beta" normally implies relative instability as compared to a non-beta product. I have often seen the term used in a derogatory manner as a reference to a game or application that was released with too many bugs (something like "Wow, I'm glad they have us pay to use their beta software."). So it seems to me that the only thing Google's doing is hurting themselves... And that's their own damn problem.
FFWeberIII
October 06, 2008 at 6:29am
I think the best ourse of action is that offered by the poster above: Use Epsilon (or even Delta, to signify "change") as the designation for evolving web apps.
Not only does this provide a somewhat unique marketing tag to their software, but it removes the shroud of confusion and abuse of the term "beta". Whether you're an avid gamer or multimedia user, the term "beta" is often associated with only partial functionality.
I love the fact that Google wants to portray their products as constantly evolving (usually for the better!), but the reinvention of an industry-wide term is a bit of a marketing stretch... Even for the behemoth that Google has become.
However, keep in mind that iterated versions, lettered or numbered, with detailed changelog, takes extra time to upkeep and produce. It also contributes to convolution by the time you've detailed version 9.74, etc...
I think it's beneficial to both company and trusting customers to have an understanding that a product (app) will continually evolve/improve, without the demand for quantfiable proof every time said product changes. Perhaps a rolling, datestamped changelog and the "Epsilon/Delta" tag would best please the masses?
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