BETA Zone as a third section on CB PB?

**jimbo_hippo** · 10-19-2011, 06:39 AM

If we're going to have vanilla users and non-developers installing 2.0 and then asking how to get back to 1.0.7 whilst grumbling it doesn't have this and that and creating a negative vibe about the Playbook all over the forum when any fool knows a first public BETA is gonna be wobbly, why don't we create a section for Playbook BETA as a third PB category?

We all have our views on the current full release, be it good, bad or indifferent but frankly I'm hacked off today that interesting chats about the 1.0.7 OS I'm reasonably happy with and use daily has been turned into a whiney zone for people installing something you should never have considered if you want a working Playbook.

Many of the posts aren't constructive either which surely is the point of releasing a BETA in the first place.

When 2.0 is fully released people will still be able to see posts about version 2.0 beta and think that comments about lagginess or this and that not working refer to the full release. There are already a few threads on here which don't have BETA in their title or in the body so in a few weeks time it's gonna look like comment on the full release.

And maybe put a sticky at the top to SCREAM that if you install an early BETA and you've had enough in 4 hours you really should have read 'these' links.....etc

I'm sure the mods will put this forward in a much more diplomatic way but felt the urge to make the suggestion. (.......reaches for coffee mug..... takes deep breath.... and so on)

**HugoSawyer** · 10-19-2011, 07:02 AM

You're probably right...

But as you probably also know, we were all desperate to see how the new OS looked like.
And yes, I knew it was Beta, but still, I for one, wanted to try it out...

And, there is a link on how to downgrade from the Beta version, so we all thought we'd try it and then go back if we wanted to... And some of us do!
But unfortunatly, as many of us pointed out, it doesn't work.

**jimbo_hippo** · 10-19-2011, 07:19 AM

Hugo, It's not that I really have issues with anyone installing it, that's up to them. But imagine you came here considering buying a Playbook and saw all this V.2 discussion top to bottom of the page today unaware that it's BETA discussion, would it affect your choice on buying the product?

Bear in mind that DevCon media exposure is going to drive traffic to Playbook related sites. I think a Forum category called Playbook full of people with issues isn't good for the product. Now a BETA subcategory full of people debating, discussing and perhaps even embarrassing themselves is a whole different issue and it's what you'd expect to find there.

**HugoSawyer** · 10-19-2011, 07:57 AM

Ok, I completely agree on the sub-forum.

**OniPod** · 10-19-2011, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by HugoSawyer

Ok, I completely agree on the sub-forum.

BlackBerry Beta Zone has a forums board where you can get information and hand out help. Cause everyone knows that having the sub-forum means that everyone will post in that forum here. There are already too many nested inactive forums on this site.

**jimbo_hippo** · 10-19-2011, 08:27 AM

I see your point there Oniberry. However, the Playbook is the only Tablet device in the RIM portfolio so it's a bit like the odd one out. A shared Beta zone for handsets + tablet makes sense I suppose. Perhaps mods could encourage people to post about OS2 there?

Not sure I have a better solution. However I don't like the way the forum is over-run with negative discussions about a developers BETA today. It looks unprofessional and is bad PR for a product which under 1.0.7 at least works without issues, something the Playbook it does very well whatever your views on it.

**OniPod** · 10-19-2011, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by jimbo_hippo

I see your point there Oniberry. However, the Playbook is the only Tablet device in the RIM portfolio so it's a bit like the odd one out. A shared Beta zone for handsets + tablet makes sense I suppose. Perhaps mods could encourage people to post about OS2 there?

Not sure I have a better solution. However I don't like the way the forum is over-run with negative discussions about a developers BETA today. It looks unprofessional and is bad PR for a product which under 1.0.7 at least works without issues, something the Playbook it does very well whatever your views on it.

Can't have bad PR. Sides, it's not like the version is a final. We have a Beta Zone here. It comes down to preference. All posts about the PlayBook should be in that section. I don't mind a sticky, but it's getting where I can't find anything anymore. PB Apps have their own section.
It's not like this is a major release. This is not for consumers. Which makes the point moot. Do you think anyone who reads any BB forum in the past 24 hours doesn't know about Devcon or the conditions of installing the dev beta version of the TabletOS?, then you know that those who care are already aware of the 2.0 shortcomings. This isn't like a beta OS for a handset. So the same arguments don't fly. I don't want the forum filled with people who are having technical issues with an OS they shouldn't even be downloading. Just my 0.02 cents...

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