Software release cycle – Explain Stuff – Fact of the day.

The software release life cycle is composed of different stages that describe the stability of a piece of software and the amount of development it requires before final release.

The alpha build of the software is the build delivered to the software testers, that is persons different from the software engineers, but usually internal to the organization or community that develops the software.

A beta version is the first version released outside the organization or community that develops the software, for the purpose of evaluation or real-world testing. The process of delivering a beta version to the users is called beta release. Beta level software generally includes all features, but may also include known issues and bugs of a less serious variety.

The term release candidate (RC )refers to a version with potential to be a final product, ready to release unless fatal bugs emerge. In this stage, the product features all designed functionalities and no known showstopper-class bugs. At this phase the product is usually code complete.

Microsoft and others use the term “release to manufacturing” (RTM) to refer to this version (for commercial products, like Windows XP, as in, “Build 2600 is the Windows XP RTM release“), and “release to Web” (RTW) for freely downloadable products. Typically, RTM is weeks or months before General Availability (GA) because the RTM version must be stamped to disc and boxed etc.

A box copy is the final product, printed on a disc that is included in the actual release, complete with disc graphic art. A box copy does not necessarily come enclosed in the actual boxed product – it refers to the disc itself.

Hot Stuff in http://www.explainstuff.com

If you would like to read about how major brands like Apple, CISCO, Google, Microsoft got their names…read it here….

Don’t forget to visit our Moviemania and Musicmania pages!

Related posts:

1. Strange Computer Laws – Explain Stuff – Fact of the day. Hi friends following are Strange Computer laws , many of them seem funny but most of the times they have been proven right. Read further...
2. Explain Stuff – Fact of the day – First Interactive Video Game From the classic Super Mario to latest block buster Grand Theft Auto 4 , Video games have gone through tremendous change over decades. Now they...
3. Explain Stuff – What is a mirror site? – Fact of the day A mirror site is a copy of a website or set of files hosted at a remote location. There are a number of reasons to...
4. Explain Memory Leaks – Explain stuff – Fact of the day We many times encounter slowing browsers, slowing computers, slowing applications and wonder what in the world is wrong with them. Most often than not,...
5. Explain Stuff | Fact of the day | Install Windows XP Unattended. You can install XP unattended, so you won't have to sit through the installation process if you are upgrading from another operating system. Simply follow...
6. Click Fraud – Basics – Explain Stuff – Fact of the day. click fraud happens when a person, automated script, or computer program imitates a legitimate user of a web browser clicking on an ad, for the...