Adequate bug prevention - a little clarification

[Bob Warren]

I said:

 >I would suggest that the best way of offsetting the costs incurred by 
really adequate bug prevention is to involve the users in the production 
process.

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For those who don't know how this is done by Ubuntu, I'd just like to 
make it clear that this does NOT involve the users having access to 
coding, i.e. it is the simple testing of alpha and beta "standalones" 
and bug-reporting through the normal channels.

One of the great advantages of this is that the producers can add 
features one by one and get the public to test their functioning and 
integration within the whole (or a whole) framework. The burden on the 
last-stage beta ("cleaning up the mess the chef has made in the 
kitchen") is therefore alleviated, and the users really have the feeling 
of useful contribution.

It's worth considering.

Bob