#24 Auto Update of "beta" releases

[Robert Keurentjes]

While downloading and installing another excellent
update from "Best 1.4 version here", I was wondering if
you would consider putting the latest "beta" releases in
an area where Fluffy could automatically download and
update them from. Since this functionality is always built
in, I guess it shouldn't be too difficult to add a
checkbox "include beta releases".

I think many people here will prefer to have the latest
1.4 release as apposed to the last official release
(1.3.3?).

Alternatively, perhaps you could consider to only add a
button "Check for beta update now" for those who like
to stay up to speed. Then, we will still find out about all
your wonderful updates by monitoring ticket # 812372
("Best 1.4 version here"), but the actual update process
would be a little easier...

Well, think about it.

[Wayne McDougall]

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My feeling is not, although I'm open to being persuaded.

It was never my intention to provide a series of point releases
to the public. It's just taken longer than usual for a formal
release because of the many background changes and
consequential testing and debugging going on. In the
meantime there are some bug fixes and new features people
ask that can be implemented relatively quickly. But I hope to
break that cycle soon.

In the meantime it's amazing how many people run 1.1 or
earlier. They're happy - it works for them, and they don't find
the problems others do. Indeed when I released 0.1 I thought
it was perfect - it worked for me. :-)

So these beta releases are because people find bugs that
need fixing for them, or else people ask for new features. In
either case such a person is going to be motivated to
request/get an update. At their own risk. I don't want to
confuse people with suggesting a beta (really a gamma) is
more significant or safe than it is.

I'm always running the latest version - anyone else needs to
check the consequences.

As I say, I'm open to being persuaded, but I think the very
small number of people actively updating and my plan to to
have so many ad hoc updates, should make this irrelevant.

[Robert Keurentjes]

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It's just that it seems to me that the last say 10 "gamma"
releases seemed very useful and obviously, Fluffy has come a
long way, even since version 1.3. Having said that, I realise
it's only two months ago (it seems ages) since you release
1.3!

At the same time there have been 70 builds of version 1.4, 23
of which were released here. In my experience, most "interim"
updates of virtually all software programs are *better*,
*faster*, *more stable*, *more reliable* etc. than official
releases. This seems valid for Fluffy too. Hence my RFE for
the auto-update.

But I guess you're right, things will probably become more
quiet after the latest updates. From my viewpoint, Fluffy
seems to be performing quite well now and it's definitely
stable for me.

I agree with Hogan though! Fluffy deserves a version 1.5 and
the current (?) version definitely deserves to become an
official release soon. Particularly, I think that all people new
to Fluffy shouldn't have to dig so far to find the current
(beta) version with its improvements (incl. the sexier GUI)!

Please know that I highly respect everything you do for this
project. Not to mention the fact that you are being paid quite
badly...

Best regards,
Robert