i got the opportunity to beta test a new Sandlot game this morning, and it got me to wondering why 'beta'. the obvious would be that alpha testing is done in-house and the beta is second stage, but surely there's more to it. anyone know the first usage?

oh... and last time i posted (under another name, and i can't remember what it was, but) i got some great responses, but then the thread was hijacked* by someone (whose name i can't recall either) who launched a multi-post soliloquey. seriously... there were probably seven posts in a row all from the same guy and he was debating with himself... kinda creepy. so be a dear, whoever you were, and let some other folks answer, k? ;-)

~cd

*it should be noted that i do NOT have a problem with hijacking a thread, as most of us are wont to do more often than not. after all, the new course is almost always more interesting (if not more spurious) than the original, but i'm just requesting that in the event of a hijack, there be multiple hijackers.

peace out...