We are looking for people who want to do some serious testing once we are at that stage in the BJ site rebuild.
Please think about whether you might have some time for that, and start thinking about the devices etc that you have available for testing. We want to identify people who access Balloon Juice on various devices (laptops or tablets or phones), using various operating systems (Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS, etc.) and various browsers (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc.)
The emphasis will be on having testers who can test on more than one device, or use more than one browser, or use more than one operating system. No rollout of any system has ever been perfect, probably in the history of the world, so I don’t expect this one to be, either.
Some examples: Dell Inspiron laptop, running Windows 7, browsers Firefox (version #) and Google Chrome (version #) OR MacBook Pro running High Sierra (10.13.6), browser: Safari 12.1 OR iPad, running iOS 12.2, browser: Safari 12.2.
You can volunteer in this thread or send email to me at BJfestivus at the google mail place. We really want to put the site to the test: pressing every button, clicking every link, trying the same thing on multiple devices, operating systems or browsers. If that sounds too tedious, then this isn’t the job for you.
Thanks in advance to all who volunteer to participate!
schrodingers_cat (HectoringBully)
How much time do you anticipate this will take? I have several machines that have several different operating systems.
Luthe
I volunteer as tribute! I use the site on an older model Android phone (Samsung S6), an iMac (mostly on Chrome, but sometimes on Safari), and an ancient ASUS laptop running Windows 7 (Chrome, AVG Secure Browser, Firefox, IE). I also have access to an iPad. Oh, and I’m out of work, so I have lots of time to press buttons and break things.
Mike J
Win 10, linux mint 19.1, firefox (with and without noscript) chrome, opera
Ruckus
I have imac running latest os, iPhoneXR running latest ios, I have Asus EEEPC running windows xp, can run linux on it. Can run any or all browsers on any of them except maybe the netbook with XP.
I work 3 days a week, my lazy ass is in front of a computer most of the rest of the time.
chopper
i’m on a VIC-20. is the site going to continue to work in the homemade browser i wrote in VICMON assembly?
WaterGirl
@chopper: Is it wrong that I am laughing? I have no idea what a VIC-20 is and I have never heard of VICMON assembly.
Care to elaborate?
Major Major Major Major
I’ll volunteer to try breaking the server if the devs are interested.
WaterGirl
@Major Major Major Major: How likely do you think that is? :-)
dmsilev
@WaterGirl: A Vic-20 is a real antique, a vintage-1980 computer. Think ‘Commodore-64′ or ‘ Apple II’ as a rough guideline. It’d be like running a website on an abacus.
WaterGirl
@schrodingers_cat: I don’t have a definitely answer for that. If you’re concerned about time, how about if you list the machines, etc and we can only ask for your help if those systems aren’t covered by someone else.
chopper
@WaterGirl:
i’ll elaborate: i am old.
WaterGirl
@dmsilev: Oh. Then I’m absolutely sure that our shiny, new website will work perfectly on a system like that! //
dmsilev
And, as to the question in the post, I can offer:
* Relatively recent Mac laptop running 10.14, Safari and Firefox
* Windows 10, running as a VM on the Mac. Edge and Chrome
* fairly old iPad (first-generation Air), running iOS 12
* slightly less old iPhone (6), also on iOS 12
chopper
@dmsilev:
honest to god, i learned how to program on a PET.
MazeDancer
Would love to volunteer.
Have latest MacBook Pro with latest OS. Firefox, Chrome, and Safari browsers. Latest regular iPad, Firefox & Safari browsers. And a year old Amazon Kindle Fire which I don’t much use, but can for testing. It’s whatever the Android system is, with the Silk browser.
Will also email. Because won’t you need our emails to contact us? Though maybe you can scrape them from sign-ins.
Major Major Major Major
@WaterGirl: Well gosh there’s only one way to find out.
WaterGirl
@chopper: But are you older than dirt? Because that’s what I call systems that need to be put out to pasture.
dmsilev
@chopper: A PET was the first computer I ever used, though that was just some of the simple games that it came with. Learned to program on an Apple II; AppleSoft BASIC was my first programming language.
Aleta
You’re still the best WaterGirl.
WaterGirl
It occurs to me that I’m going to have to have a way to communicate with everyone who is testing, beyond just balloon juice threads. So if you want to test the new site, and you’re willing, please send me an email message at the BJfestivus address listed in the post. If you can put your nym in the subject title, that would be super helpful. (M4, I’ve got you covered on that.)
WaterGirl
@Aleta: You are very kind!
And I haven’t even shared the good news that we are keeping the majority of categories. We figured out a way to have our cake and eat it, too. We are categorizing and organizing tags to make order out of the chaos for John, and we get to keep most of the categories. Some categories were deleted, but pretty much only categories that weren’t on many posts and/or haven’t been used in years. No category that was particularly Balloon Juicy (as John calls it) was deleted.
schrodingers_cat (HectoringBully)
@WaterGirl: Approximate estimate is fine. I have an older Dell Latitude with WIndows 7 and a Dell XPS with Windows 10 Professional editions. I also have an iPad.
WaterGirl
@MazeDancer: Glad you want to help test!
I could get email addresses from WordPress, but not everyone uses a real email address for the BJ email field.
WaterGirl
Over the next few days, I plan to post some version of this “request for testing volunteers” thread at various times during the day so I can catch all the times zones, the night owls, the early risers.
WaterGirl
M4, does WP ever put a block of text in your posts for no apparent reason? I deleted 3 drafts and started over, even finally just typing in the new post rather than copying it from elsewhere, and it still put the same blank space in. FYWP
RandomMonster
I do so little for this fucking website I love, please let me QA test. I’ve worked for years in software design, and my employers love me for my ability to A) break shit like the idiot I am, B) describe issues with no drama.
WaterGirl
Long day; I am headed for bed. Thanks to everyone who volunteered – or will have volunteered by the time I come back to thread in the morning.
Major Major Major Major
@WaterGirl: no, I’ve never had that, though I compose in the WordPress editor itself because pasting can lead to all sort of nasty silliness like that.
WaterGirl
@RandomMonster: Sounds good. Please list the devices, operating systems, browsers etc that you can cover – either here or in an email message.
I’ll be putting together a little database of nyms and various hardware/software combinations that each one can cover.
WaterGirl
@Major Major Major Major: It even did it when I composed in WP editor after I deleted the first two or three drafts where it barfed up the blank space. I wondered about the “purge from cache” option, but I’m sure it’s too late for this thread since I’ve already posted it. Ack.
Major Major Major Major
@WaterGirl: wild!
WaterGirl
@Major Major Major Major: And not the good kind of wild! ‘Night.
M. Bouffant
Howdy WG: I am gainfully unemployed & do nothing but dick about on the iNternet all day; I can easily spend hrs. clicking buttons & trying to break things on my 10-yr. old Toshiba 64-bit Satellite laptop (w/ latest Windows 10 updates) & my three-month old Motorola e5 ‘phone (Android 8.0.0).
NotMax
Time haz got in abundance.
Both Win 7 & Win 10 PCs. Firefox, Chrome, and Edge available, latest iterations; can install others if required.
Also Android tablet, Samsung Galaxy Tab A (don’t offhand remember the flavor of Android). Firefox and Brave browsers available and of course can install others.
Adam has a working e-mail for me, and my go-ahead to pass it along to you.
NotMax
@WaterGirl
Okay, shall zap out a separate e-maill so you can get/confirm the addy..
Will give me an excuse to go look at e-mail, which normally I do only roughly once a month.
Omnes Omnibus
I am fairly sure that I would do more harm than good, so I will do everyone a favor and stay well clear.
khead
Why in the hell is Twitter now telling me “Caution, this profile may contain potentially sensitive content” and then asking me if I still want to view it when I go to Cole’s Twitter feed now. I have to click “Yes, view profile”. Someone tell him.
Also, I’ll volunteer. What the hell. Will send you an email.
chopper
@Omnes Omnibus:
that’s a good general motto for you. I’M KIDDING
FelonyGovt
Just sent you an email.
TaMara (HFG)
@Major Major Major Major: Quietly laughing over here.
RandomMonster
@WaterGirl:
macOS: High Sierra
macOS: Mojave
Win 10
iOS: 12.2
Browsers: Safari, Chrome, Firefox
coin operated
Almost all my interaction with the Juicetariat is on mobile devices.
IPad Pro with Safari, Firefox, and Chrome.
IPad Air2 with Safari, Firefox, and Chrome
iPhone 7+ with Safari and Firefox
iPhone 5 with Safari
And, I used to create system test scenarios for a 3-letter computer hardware company.
“I know how to break shit” was prominently listed on my resume during those years.
TomatoQueen
During the day, gov’t issue Win 7 Enterprise laptop running the most recent version of IE through a vpn.
Nights and weekends, Win7 Pro running Fireyfox most of the time, can do Chrome, optional vpn.
JaySinWA
I have a Chromebook 14 as primary.
Use a Gateway Win 10 occasionally, with Chrome. Ubuntu/Firefox in a VirtualBox.
LG Android 7.1 phone.
Samsung Galaxy tab A Android 7.1.1 if necessary.
Win 7 Chrome/IE if desperate. Dito ZTE Android 6 something.
Chacal Charles Calthrop
Looks like I’ll be an overlap with coin operated: iphone 7 with Safari (iOS 12.2), ipad Pro with Safari (iOS 12.2), but I can also test with my MacOS Sierra 10.12.6, different browsers (Chrome, Firefox)
(((CassandraLeo)))
I’ve got several different machines running several different OSes, among them Windows 10, Mac OS Yosemite 10.10.5, and Android (no clue what version but can look it up; I’ve got a Galaxy S4 and an S7). I can also test on several different browsers – Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, etc., though I don’t have all of those installed on all my machines. I have absolutely no idea how much time will be required for testing, and I can’t promise to be able to do all of it right away, but I spend enough of my time reading this damn website as it is; I might as well make some of it actually productive. I also can’t promise to respond to emails right away, though. I’m really bad about that.
WaterGirl
@Chacal Charles Calthrop: Actually, an overlap isn’t all bad.
There’s something to be said for being able to see if X issue on one person’s device can be replicated on another device with a similar or matching set of variables.
Ruckus
@dmsilev:
Actually self taught to program a 3 axis machine tool in 73, teletype console/punch tape.
Learned to program on a IBM mainframe at college. Punch cards, 75
First Apple II didn’t come out till 77, bought one to replace the teletype console. That was a huge step up.
Ruckus
@WaterGirl:
I am not quite older than dirt, but just have a few weeks to go to get there.
I’m youngish at heart thou. And if you believe that……
Pete Downunder
@Ruckus: I learned Fortran 4 on a CDC 6400 with ferrite core memory, punch cards. Yes I am older than dirt. I am now retired but my gear pretty much the same as everyone else – PC running Win7, lap top with Win10, Firefox, Chrome. Also IPhone 8 and newish Ipad all with IOS 12 whatever and Safari. Happy to help to see if website works upside down here in the land down under. And yes, it’s basically a myth that water going down the drain goes the other way – Coriolis effect only works on really big things like cyclones – which do turn the other way.
Cathie from Canada
I have a laptop (ThinkPad, I think it is called), two android tablets (7″ and 10″) and a Samsung phone. I use Chrome on all of them.
I’m retired, so I have lots of time to help out.
HeartlandLiberal
Sent this as email to gmail address provided.
Sent email from my retirement university personal account, not the political account I maintain.
Retired computer professional. Programming and management sine 1983 or so. I have lost count.
I can test on Dell Inspiron laptop running Win 8.1 (chip will not upgrade to Win 10, bummer). Latest FireFox, Chrome.
I can test on new power house PC I just build for gaming and simulation programs with Win 10 Enterprise, FireFox, Chrome. I suppose I could test it in the Edge browser on Windows 10, if you insist. Hack. Spit. The Windows 10 is up to date, latest release.
I can test on my LINUX workstation, Fedora 28, I also have a MINT flavor installed I have not used much. FireFox preferred browser. I suppose I could install Chrome on LINUX, too.
I also have an Android, Galaxy S7. Could test mobile site, too.
HeartlandLiberal
@Pete Downunder: Ah, FORTRAN. First language I learned. I was still teaching school 1981 or so, took a computer course on advice of good friend, and six months later, dumped teaching, went back to school, and switched careers entirely to programming. Good decision.
RabbiosaFame
Long-time lurker eager to contribute to the community (nights and weekends only)!
Dell Inspiron PC with Ubuntu 16.04, Chrome & Firefox
MotoX4 with AndroidOS 9, Chrome
Microsoft Surface Pro4 running Windows10, Chrome & Edge
J R in WV
I volunteer …
Linux 18.04 ( IIRC) Firefox & Chrome
Android w Chrome
25 years in software, good at breaking things
Can install other browsers if asked
You have my email
J R
Ohio Mom
Late to this thread and technically inept — just wanted to thank all you good volunteers, Watergirl, and all those others on the committee. Godspeed to you all!
WaterGirl
Looks like 9 of you sent me email to the BJfestivus address. Busy day today so i haven’t replied, but I promise I will!
If you are interested in testing and you haven’t sent email so I have a way to communicate with the testers, please do. I’ll put up another thread on Wednesday,
as well.
Larch
Do our have a tentative timeline for the testing? I’m planning to take the 1st week of July off & would have time then, but before & after that my time would be tighter.
I access BJ on an iPhone SE (4” screen) & iPad mini 3, both on OS12.[whatever’s current]. I haven’t seen anyone list those yet.
I’m a business systems analyst in my day job, which includes plenty of software testing. (Hence the concern about timing vv PTO!) Mostly I work on back-end systems, but I have.tested UIs, too.
WaterGirl
@Larch: The unexpected can always happen, of course, but I am very much hoping and expecting that the testing process will be complete by the first week of July.
We’d be happy to have your help testing, particularly if you have devices that aren’t represented yet. Please send an email message if you think you will have some time, even if it’s not time off. thanks.