At Altium we are committed to providing every designer and engineer with the best tools possible to enable you to turn your ideas into products in the easiest and most productive way.
Program Overview
The Altium Beta Program gives every Altium software user the opportunity to take an active part in ensuring the high quality of Altium products. For the Altium beta program to be successful, we require the assistance of people like you, the experienced users of our software. Members of this program will be a limited to number of existing users who are experienced designers or engineers. As a member of the beta program you should have shown a sound understanding of our products, and be prepared to use the beta software and promptly report all issues.
Program Membership
What does membership of the program involve?
Members of the Altium beta program are asked from time to time to install and use pre-release and experimental versions of software that Altium is developing. We require people who are prepared to use this software in both their day to day work as well as regularly dedicating some time to actively looking for errors.
Becoming involved in a project
When we have a project that we would like to test in a real world environment, we will contact members of the Altium beta program. Participants for each project are selected by a number of criteria including your existing knowledge of the product, your availability to use the software during the period of the project and which features you use.
During a project, Altium will:
• Supply you with the software that is to be used during the project. We will also provide you with installation and user notes together with any other information necessary to be able to use the software.
• Supply you the access to beta forums.If you have any questions or require assistance,you can post it on the forum.
• Follow up all you report that relate directly to the Beta software and keep you informed of any work around and progress to resolve these issues.
During a project, you will be required to:
Use the software in both your normal day's business and spend some time experimenting with the software actively testing for faults.
Regularly provide details of any problems as soon as possible after you find them.
Ensure you have sufficient backups of any live data that you use with the Beta software to safe guard against the possibility of data corruption.
Sign a Non Disclosure Agreement prior to starting. If you have a conflicting interest, or cannot abide by this requirement, please let us know as we will be unable to include you in the Program.
Continue to contact your regular Sales & Support office for general support issues that are not directly related to the Beta Project.
Benefits of membership in the Altium Beta Program
By becoming a member of the Altium beta program and participating in projects you have the opportunity to become an active member of our development team. Your participation will directly assist in improving the quality of Altium products resulting in increased productivity.
The program also gives you and your company the opportunity to see and become familiar with upcoming technology, allowing you to prepare for the new version. This will give you a head start on making a smooth transition and lessen the impact on your productivity.
Participation in the program will give you the opportunity to prepare training for fellow designers and engineers before the new version is released.
Becoming a member of the Altium Beta Program
To become a member of the Altium beta program, you will need a sound understanding of our products, you must be available to use the Beta software and you must be prepared to report any issues to us soon as you find them.
By becoming a member of the Altium beta program and participating in projects you will be taking an active part in raising the quality of our products. You and your company will have the opportunity to see and become familiar with upcoming technology, allowing you to prepare for the new version and make a smooth transition to lessen the impact on your productivity.
Membership is free, however you must own a valid license with subscription of the current version of the software.
To apply for membership of the program, please send a request using the form beta-questionnaire and answer a few questions. For more information, see the beta program FAQs (below).
Program FAQ
Who should become a member?
We are looking for experienced engineers and designers who have demonstrated a sound understanding of our products. You will be required to own a valid license of the current version.
What happens when I become a member?
When your application for membership is received, your details will be entered into our database. When we have a project that is about to commence we then use these details to determine which members have the skills required to participate.
How do I participate in a project?
When we require members to participate in a project, you'll be contacted to ensure that you are available and interested in participating in the project.
Do I participate in every project?
No. Members will not be expected to participate in every project we run. If it is not convenient for you to be involved in a particular project you will remain a member of the program and will still be considered for future projects.
Why might I not be accepted to participate in a project?
If a project does not require many participants, positions may fill quickly and although you are available and possess the necessary skills, your participation may not be required.
How will the beta software be delivered to me?
The method that we use to deliver the beta software may vary between projects. Typically we provide via web download or FTP.
How do I provide feedback during a project?
You will be required to supply details of all issues you encounter during a project as soon as possible after you find the problem. Issues are reported and discussed on the beta forums.
When will the software I test be released to the public?
Projects may be released to members in an unfinished stage. Some may never be released and some may be released in a very different form from that seen during the project. For this reason, we may not be able to answer your questions relating to when, or if, a project will be made available for general release.
What if I change my mind after joining?
If you change your mind, or are no longer able to continue participating in the program, you may withdraw at any time. Simply contact the Altium beta program team by e-mail and you will be removed from our list.
What if my details change?
If any of the details you gave us in your membership application change, please send an e-mail to beta.program@altium.com as soon as possible and we will update our records.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please send them to beta.program@altium.com