If I get into the program, what kind of software will I be beta testing?

Humanized is developing a suite of products called Enso that aim to make desktop computers easier and less frustrating to use. If and when you are accepted into the beta program, we will present you with the full details behind Enso, at which point you can decide which Enso products, if any, you would like to beta test.

How much of a time commitment is involved in beta testing?

You'll need to spend about an hour learning how to use the software. After that, you should spend at least one hour per week using the software. Our software is intended to make your everyday computing experience more efficient and less frustrating, so it shouldn't be hard to integrate into your daily routine—all we ask is that you make a sincere and conscious effort to use our software whenever you can.

Do I have to be a computer expert to beta test?

While you certainly don't need to be a computer expert to beta test our software, any experience you have with computers—especially troubleshooting and diagnosing problems—will come in very handy for beta testing. As you will be using pre-release software, the products you test may contain bugs that could crash your computer. While we will work as hard as we can to help you remedy such problems, any skills you already have in doing so would be very helpful.

Aside from this, however, all that's really required for being a beta tester are good communication skills and a sense of thoroughness. When you find a bug in our software, you will be expected to report it promptly and in as much detail as you can, as this will help a great deal in diagnosing, reproducing, and fixing the problem.

What kind of computer setup do I need to have to beta test?

While we would eventually like to see our software available for all platforms, it is currently only available for Microsoft Windows. As such, you must have a PC running Windows XP in order to beta test for Humanized.

Do I get to keep the software that I beta test?

Alas, you cannot. The software you will be testing is not an evaluation, and once received, you will not have ownership of it. It is expected that you will not distribute the software to anyone else and will remove it from your computer when instructed to do so.

That said, however, we do not rule out the possibility of providing free copies of our products to particularly helpful beta testers as a way of thanking them for their help.

Do I get paid for beta testing?

Nope. But you will have our sincere gratitude, and may also receive a personal acknowledgement in the colophon of our products once they are released.