It's finally time! After much deliberation we are finally ready to announce the new alpha testers!

First off, I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who applied, we had almost 450 applications There were lots really tough decisions to make to try and get that number down to a mere 20 alpha testers!

So without further ado, give a hearty congratulations to:

=Autumnstarr
=baronbeandip
`cinyu
=deviant-garde

^Katara-Alchemist
`KnightAR
^KovoWolf=Xcetera

I have exciting news! #devBUG is looking for some new deviants to be Alpha Tester!

But what is an alpha tester?

An Alpha tester is a bit like a Beta tester only they get to test out new features before Beta testers do.

So, what do alpha testers get to do?

As an alpha tester you'll have the chance to talk to staff and developers about new and upcoming features, and help find and report any bugs that there may be, before it goes to beta testers or the general public.

On top of that, you'll be able to see the #devBUG issue tracker containing bug reports submitted by other users during beta testing, helping to prioritise tickets and answer questions, giving the best possible experience to beta testers and users when they see the final product.

What do I need to become an alpha tester?

There is only one requirement for being an alpha tester, and that is that you must currently be an official beta tester - if you're not, you can find out how to become one here.

There are however a few qualities that are useful, but not essential for becoming an alpha tester

• Love for bugs - Nothing is ever perfect first time and things do occasionally break. If you enjoy fiddling with features and picking things apart, alpha testing would be the perfect way of doing that, and in the process you'll make deviantART a better place for everyone.


• HTML - It may be useful (but not essential) to know the very basics of html and how to debug to help get useful info to the developers so they can squish bugs faster. (anything beyond is a plus )


• Talkative - Being an alpha tester gives you the chance to talk to staff and give your feedback on features, so if you have an idea or think something could be improved let us know!


• Helpful - It's always nice to help out other deviants.


• Enthusiastic -

Do I get anything for being an alpha tester?

Yes!

You get this cookie.

And a bug squishing alpha tester badge to make your friends jelly.

And the chance to make it even easier to get your opinions and feedback heard by staff.

And this gummy bear.

And the chance to play with features that may never even be released.

And that warm fuzzy feeling inside for knowing you're making deviantART a better place.

_{And maybe a few other things along the way.}

I'm in, where's the button to apply?

Stay devious,
$DEVlANT

All Beta Testers can now install the Commissions widget on their page, so give it a try by heading to your Profile! Installed Commissions widgets are visible to everyone on deviantART, so you can offer your own commissions, and you can request commissions from your fellow artists as well!

If you encounter any bugs or issues, please file them in the #devBUG Issue Tracker under the Commissions project.

Hello Beta Testers! As we continue to develop the experience of browsing and discovering artwork on deviantART, we'd like to gather additional feedback. Today, we're providing you with a tool that allows you to test out different thumbnail sizes. 

Two buttons have been added to the top of all Browse, Search, and More Like This pages in the web browsers Chrome and Safari that allows you to change the size at which you view thumbnails. You can change the thumbnails to display at 50%, 75%, 100%, or 125%, at your preference.

Try it out!

You can give this tool a try in Chrome and Safari by going to the Browse page. After trying different options and browsing with it for a while, please answer these questions:

1. Which thumbnail size do you prefer for the best browsing experience: 50%, 75%, 100%, or 125%?
2. Do you change the size based on the size of your browser window?
3. Do you change the size as you browse, or do you pick a size that works for you and leave it?