No Maintenance Releases?

[cmiller]

As a user of many types of software, I am accustomed to maintenance releases that come in between the major releases. Releases that can help fix known bugs and other issues so that paying customers are not sold a product that is loaded with known issues.

Is that not something that IPS does? I've been directed to bug reports with patched files for some issues, and told that other issues are recognized as bugs but will be fixed in a later version????

I guess it just doesn't seem right to be selling something with known bugs in it. I come here and see this site and how it runs and the package I download is nothing like this, and loaded with bugs that aren't fixed. Isn't that a little like false advertising?

Really not trying to beat up on you guys, just not sure i "get it"?? It sounds like if you're a long term customer, then this might not be a big issue but I beg you to look at it from a NEW customer standpoint. We're buying a package loaded with known bugs. That's kinda screwy. :blink:

[Ryan H.]

Invision Power Services does both major and minor releases for all of their products. The current version is 3.1.4--but you probably knew that.

If there were any absolutely urgent bugs, they would do an immediate release, and they've done so in the past. After four maintenance releases, however, most of the bugs that are still there either require significant changes which are more appropriate for a major release, or else they are quite limited in who and what they affect. They're now going through a development cycle for the next major version, so any bugs they fix at this point are rolling over into the next version.

Keep in mind, converting from another platform also adds a whole level of complexity and potential complications over what most customers will ever see [and probably also makes you more likely to notice what issues do come up].


The notion of buying flawed products is fairly standard when you're dealing with modern software. With such a broad feature set, the developers will never find and solve every possible situation on every possible platform--so the software will never be perfect. When bugs are found, they go into the bug tracker and are fixed according to a company's development and release schedule--and at some point, those fixes are packaged up into an update and rolled out. IPS's release period might be a little longer than you're used to, but it follows the same principles as virtually every other software developer.

[JahLion]

Invision Power Services does both major and minor releases for all of their products. The current version is 3.1.4--but you probably knew that.

If there were any absolutely urgent bugs, they would do an immediate release, and they've done so in the past. After four maintenance releases, however, most of the bugs that are still there either require significant changes which are more appropriate for a major release, or else they are quite limited in who and what they affect. They're now going through a development cycle for the next major version, so any bugs they fix at this point are rolling over into the next version.

Keep in mind, converting from another platform also adds a whole level of complexity and potential complications over what most customers will ever see [and probably also makes you more likely to notice what issues do come up].

The notion of buying flawed products is fairly standard when you're dealing with modern software. With such a broad feature set, the developers will never find and solve every possible situation on every possible platform--so the software will never be perfect. When bugs are found, they go into the bug tracker and are fixed according to a company's development and release schedule--and at some point, those fixes are packaged up into an update and rolled out. IPS's release period might be a little longer than you're used to, but it follows the same principles as virtually every other software developer.

Very good post +1

[3DKiwi]

From memory the 3 series has had the following maintenance releases:

3.0.0 Initial release
3.0.1
3.0.2
3.0.3
3.0.4
3.0.5
3.1.0 Initial Release. Some enhancements plus further bug fixes
3.1.1
3.1.2
3.1.3
3.1.4

So in fact IPS is better than most software developers at releasing bug fix updates.

3DKiwi

[cmiller]

From memory the 3 series has had the following maintenance releases:

3.0.0 Initial release

3.0.1

3.0.2

3.0.3

3.0.4

3.0.5

3.1.0 Initial Release. Some enhancements plus further bug fixes

3.1.1

3.1.2

3.1.3

3.1.4

So in fact IPS is better than most software developers at releasing bug fix updates.

3DKiwi

Guess it just sucks to come in at 3.1.4 as a new customer with all of the bugs that have no estimated FIX date then. :) Especially when they are bugs that seem typical of a new piece of software, not something 10 years in the making.

Bad timing, that's all. :blush:

[Matt]

Our next release is 3.2.0 and this is in heavy development right now. We don't see a need to release a 3.1.5 at this time as it will mean working from two branches and merging the fixes down when we release.

If we saw an urgent need to release a 3.1.5 then we would.

Edited to add: You've just 'hit' us during a big development cycle. If you had joined us on 3.1.0 then you would have seen the point release updates fairly frequently as the number and severity of bugs would have made it logical.

[Charles]

We release updates quite often actually. All complicated software has bugs. I would challenge you to find some that does not :)

[Ikadon]

I don't think this thread is about the fact that all software has bugs, it's about the question when they will be fixed in IP.Products. (and this is answered now)

I would love more often updates also, but you can't get all you want, eh?

[Charles]

It's interesting to me how different people view things so differently. As much as some people want more frequent updates others get mad when we put them out frequently.

Regardless though, if there is a bug in the software impacting your community and causing it to not function please contact support. They will often have a patch they can apply if it's a widespread issue.

[Ikadon]

It's interesting to me how different people view things so differently. As much as some people want more frequent updates others get mad when we put them out frequently.

Be happy about it. :D

The world would be a dull, sad and cold place if all of us would see it through the same eyes ;)

[bfarber]

I come here and see this site and how it runs and the package I download is nothing like this, and loaded with bugs that aren't fixed. Isn't that a little like false advertising?

For the record, we are running the stock 3.1.4 installation. For the most part, any patches posted in the tracker we have *not* manually applied here.

[Eduardo Bautista]

Our next release is 3.2.0 and this is in heavy development right now. We don't see a need to release a 3.1.5 at this time as it will mean working from two branches and merging the fixes down when we release.

If we saw an urgent need to release a 3.1.5 then we would.

Edited to add: You've just 'hit' us during a big development cycle. If you had joined us on 3.1.0 then you would have seen the point release updates fairly frequently as the number and severity of bugs would have made it logical.

Hopefully it is released in the next 5 months lol

[Fishfish0001]

I don't really know of any super urgent bugs right now that are effecting a majority of customers, aside from the VNC bug, which is a whole other problem that is being fixed in 3.2.

There are a lot of people here who aren't very educated in dealing with their server and such, so constant bug updates would take a toll on everyone, including support staff. I'm pretty lazy and only update when its major release, or a security patch, no need for the little ones IMO unless it impacts me badly.

[Pfeiffer]

Invision Power Services does both major and minor releases for all of their products. The current version is 3.1.4--but you probably knew that.

If there were any absolutely urgent bugs, they would do an immediate release, and they've done so in the past. After four maintenance releases, however, most of the bugs that are still there either require significant changes which are more appropriate for a major release, or else they are quite limited in who and what they affect. They're now going through a development cycle for the next major version, so any bugs they fix at this point are rolling over into the next version.

Keep in mind, converting from another platform also adds a whole level of complexity and potential complications over what most customers will ever see [and probably also makes you more likely to notice what issues do come up].

The notion of buying flawed products is fairly standard when you're dealing with modern software. With such a broad feature set, the developers will never find and solve every possible situation on every possible platform--so the software will never be perfect. When bugs are found, they go into the bug tracker and are fixed according to a company's development and release schedule--and at some point, those fixes are packaged up into an update and rolled out. IPS's release period might be a little longer than you're used to, but it follows the same principles as virtually every other software developer.

+1 on the above


I just want to add my positive voice to this.
I don't have a long history with IPB, but the OP is far from my impression of IPS.
All software has bugs - that is the nature of the complexity of these systems. If you do have a problem that needs an immediate fix, IPS responds to support tickets promptly and fixes things. So OP saying IPS sells buggy software is misleading. If you do claim this, then you should say the same for any major operating system or complex software package out there.

One can easily go to most software developers knowledge base or tracker, and find lots of reported bugs waiting for next release or major service pack. But how many of these are actually affecting you?
If they released new versions each time minor bugs were found, we would have versions like 3.1.452094572645.

[ᴡᴅツ]

Hopefully it is released in the next 5 months lol

It might be safe to say it will be released within the next 5 months. It's reached 3.2.0 Beta 1 by now.

[SCS]

It might be safe to say it will be released within the next 5 months. It's reached 3.2.0 Beta 1 by now.

Inside information or speculation?

[bfarber]

Pure speculation. ;) I know this, because he's wrong.