Beta is the new Black!
I’m certainly not the first person to remark on the abuse of the “beta” tag on “web 2.0″ applications, and for the most part I’m not bothered by then. I see most beta tags as the equivalent of the “pardon our dust” signs you’ll see in a brick and mortar store during remodeling. For some reason, this really gets under my skin.Audible, a site that seems to me to have been online for as long as I can remember is waving the beta banner now!?!
Even if they did recently update the software on their site, if it’s not finished, don’t release it. Audible is an established company with what appears to be a large user base, not an unknown startup. You don’t want your users to find your bugs… especially if you’ve added the bugs after you added the users!!!
For a startup, the beta tag is a was a clever way of saying “Hey, we’re new round these parts”. You don’t see GM, despite it’s many problems selling “beta” cars, or Pfizer selling “beta” drugs.
…Actually some might argue that’s exactly what they do, but then don’t brag about moving unfinished products.
Audible has really done it’s customers a disservice by releasing a new version of their software that they don’t consider finished, and have possibly delayed my own enrollment in their service.