Could Crowd Sourced Testing Be the Future?

It's an interesting idea in some ways. Beta testers are generally technology aware. But the general public... But it would be difficult to manage - and for the team to analyse the results and understand the issues. On the other hand think FOS.

Isn't that the same as "beta testing"? And in any case, it cannot possibly be the most reliable, cost effective and fast way of assuring a product's quality. If it's in the product already, a defect has already cost time and money that could have been better spent getting it right. And, as pointed out long ago, the presence of a defect in the finished product or service means that the odds of another one being there are increased. A failure in human process.