Software beta testing has a very short history because beta testing is directed at the general public and before the 1990s, very few people had computers at home. In 1994, Corel was one of the first companies to use beta testing. Over 400,000 preview testers, myself among them, and 30,000 official testers received copies of Windows 95 in its early beta stages. Although the 90 per cent who were not official testers were not required to submit bug reports, Microsoft included a bug reporting program anyway, and received thousands of bug reports from the preview testers. Beta software is almost always offered for free, and there is a sense of excitement in getting the software before its general release.
Advanced betas are usually quite reliable.
The user thus gets their software for free or at a discount with the only obligation to report what bugs they find. It can also be the case that, if someone participates in a beta programme, they get the commercial copy of the software for free or at a discount when it is released. There is also the fact that for some enthusiasts, beta testing is seen as interesting and fun. Companies that use beta testing are usually careful to engender a sense of participation and community among their beta testers. Prizes and awards are sometimes offered to those who find major bugs.