alpha version- normally the first version of a software application that is feature-ready and released to testers "Alpha versions are rarely released to the public and frequently contain serious bugs."

beta version- a software program used for testing purposes before it is released to the public "The beta version of our program was released for testing yesterday."

 freeware- software distributed without cost by the developer which normally cannot be modified or sold without permission "The woman said she always searched for freeware versions of an application before buying one."

 help file- a file containing instructions how to use a certain feature or program "The help file often contains useful program shortcuts."

 patch - a software update intended to fix bugs or security holes in a software release "Software patches and other updates should be available on a software publisher's web site."

RC --(release candidate) a piece of software that has passed the beta testing stage and is almost ready to be released to the public "Apple refers internally to a release candidate as "the golden master.""

 shareware- proprietary software which can be distributed freely but is limited by features and/or time limit until a full version is purchased "Many companies have a shareware version of their software with a 30-day free trial."

 upgrade--- to replace an older version of software or hardware with a newer version "The man needed to upgrade his office suite so he could export files as XML"