Video games have truly become a part of our world culture. What was once considered a male pastime is becoming a new form of entertainment for both men and women. There are all sorts of online games, from puzzles and card games to virtual realities, such as World of Warcraft. And people play them for pretty much the same reasons. Even if those reasons are modified somewhat by gender.
Ideally, UAT testing should provide the opportunity to uncover any remaining bugs, and to test usability directly in the operational environment. These tests should generate a confident certainty that the software will function as designed when it goes live. However, this isn't always the case.
It wasn’t all that long ago that you needed a couple semi-trailers and several days to move a computer. Then computers became “portable.” But, they still had four inch low resolution CRT screens that displayed any color you wanted, as long as it was green. Not to mention that they weighed as much as a small safe. Times sure have changed.
User testing has evolved over the years. The earliest seed of UX testing was planted by Frederick Taylor with the 1911 publication of his landmark Principles of Scientific Management.