Changes between Version 10 and Version 11 of AlphaInstructions


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Timestamp:
Sep 6, 2009, 8:57:32 PM (15 years ago)
Author:
davea
Comment:

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  • AlphaInstructions

    v10 v11  
    33== Becoming an alpha tester ==
    44
    5 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:
     5The BOINC testing program helps us find and fix bugs in the BOINC software before we release it to the public.
     6Testing is vital to the success of BOINC.
     7If you're a tester, then:
    68
    79    * You'll need to spend about 1 hour per week doing testing;
    8     * Some of your computer power will be spent running test work, and you may receive no credit for it.
    9     * You must have enough computer experience to write clear descriptions of problems.
     10    * You'll run experimental versions of BOINC that may crash or cause jobs to fail.
    1011    * You may be asked to assist, via phone or email, in troubleshooting.
    1112
    12 If you are OK with all this and want to help test BOINC, send email to [ProjectPeople David Anderson or Rom Walton], and if we need more testers we'll set up an account for you.
     13If you are OK with all this and want to help test BOINC,
     14send email to [ProjectPeople David Anderson or Rom Walton],
     15and we'll give you an account in the BOINC Alpha test project
    1316
    14 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).
     17== The BOINC Alpha project ==
     18
     19Testers must log in to the [http://isaac.ssl.berkeley.edu/alpha/ BOINC Alpha project]
     20to report test results.
     21It'a also a BOINC project, but usually it doesn't have any jobs, and you don't need to attach your client to it.
     22
     23== The BOINC Alpha email list ==
     24
     25Testers must subscribe to the [mlist:boinc_alpha boinc_alpha email list].
     26(You don't need to be a tester to subscribe to this list).
    1527
    1628== When to test ==
    1729
    18 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 download page]. Please try to report test results within two days of receiving the email.
     30Periodically (every couple of weeks, sometimes more) we'll send an announcement on the email list,
     31asking alpha testers to download and test a specific new release of BOINC.
     32You can find these releases on the [/download_all.php?dev=1 BOINC download page].
     33Please try to report test results within two days of receiving the email.
    1934
    2035== How to test ==
    2136
    22 The client software under test may have bugs that wipe out tasks in progress. Therefore we recommend that you install the test software in a different BOINC directory than the one you normally use for BOINC.
     37See [TestMatrix the set of test cases].
     38For each release, please try to do all the General tests.
     39Please try to do as many of the other tests as your time and computer environment permit.
    2340
    24 See [TestMatrix 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.
     41If you experienced problems with BOINC that are not exercised by any of these tests,
     42please post to the [mlist:boinc_alpha [email protected] email list].
    2543
    26 Depending on what you're testing, you can select which project(s) to attach to:
    27 
    28     * The BOINC Alpha project (this one) has tasks with large input and output files (4.5 MB each) and that use about 1 minute of CPU time. This is useful for testing file upload/download, and for testing things that happen on task completion. '''You don't need to attach to this project to be an Alpha Tester. Please do not stay attached to this project for long periods.'''
    29     * You can use the Cunning Plan project (http://isaac.ssl.berkeley.edu/cplan) for tests that involve creating accounts.
    30     * You can use other projects (SETI@home, Einstein@home, CPDN) for other purposes.
    31 
    32 If at any time you experienced problems with BOINC that are not exercised by any of these tests, please post to the [mlist:boinc_alpha [email protected] email list].
     44The client software under test may have bugs that wipe out tasks in progress,
     45so consider using a different data directory when you install the test software.
    3346
    3447== How to report test results ==
    3548
    36  * Report test results through the [http://isaac.ssl.berkeley.edu/alpha/test_form.php web-based interface].
    37  * If you see a major problem and have time:
    38   * Set the relevant [userw:Client_configuration log flags]
    39   * Post a description of the problem, together with the message logs, to the [email protected] email list.
    40   * For more details, see [ReportBugs Reporting Hard Bugs].
    41  * If you're not sure whether something is a problem, post to the [email protected] email list.
    42  * 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].
     49Report results through the [http://isaac.ssl.berkeley.edu/alpha/test_form.php web-based interface].
     50
     51If you find a bug or unexpected bahavior in the BOINC client,
     52it will help us a lot if you can tell BOINC to generate more detailed
     53messages, and then post a message to boinc_alpha describing the problem
     54and including the message log.
     55To do this, use a text editor like Notepad to create a file
     56'''cc_config.xml''' in your BOINC data directory.
     57It has the following form:
     58{{{
     59<cc_config>
     60   <log_flags>
     61       <work_fetch_debug>1</work_fetch_debug>
     62   </log_flags>
     63</cc_config>
     64}}}
     65The '''work_fetch_debug''' flag tells BOINC to generate detailed
     66messages about how it decides when to ask projects for jobs.
     67There are  [userw:Client_configuration lots of other flags] for other types of problems.
     68
     69
     70For more details on reporting bugs, see [ReportBugs Reporting Hard Bugs].
     71
     72If you're not sure whether something is a problem, post to the [email protected] email list.
     73
     74If a problem persists across multiple releases,
     75you can submit bug reports to the [WikiStart BOINC bug database],
     76or send email to the relevant [DevProcess area owner].
    4377
    4478
    4579== Resources ==
    4680
    47 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]
     81Windows users: if you have install/uninstall problems, you may need to use the
     82[http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290301 Windows Installer CleanUp Utility]