Protecting the Alpha version

[Dreamer]

Right, so I think we should use a warning dialog (and password protected zip).

We agree regarding the password protected ZIP, but I'm not so sure with the dialog. As tester, I don't want to see this dialog at start-up all the time. So there should be a way to disable the dialog.

I think for now, we should go for the password protected ZIP. If this does not help, we still could do more about this.

Please check this post again.

It means:
= almost no extra work for anyone (Pierre...)
= ability to disable warning dialog

In final release we could replace it with standard tip.ini file.

[helmut]

...
It means:
= almost no extra work for anyone (Pierre...)
= ability to disable warning dialog

In final release we could replace it with standard tip.ini file.

When thinking about it more I think that using the Tip dialog is a good idea. Let's see whether Pierre agrees, I'll point him to this topic.

BTW:
Currently Google returns about 56.000 hits for "XnView 1.82", compared to 0 hits some days ago.

[xnview]

...
It means:
= almost no extra work for anyone (Pierre...)
= ability to disable warning dialog

In final release we could replace it with standard tip.ini file.

When thinking about it more I think that using the Tip dialog is a good idea. Let's see whether Pierre agrees, I'll point him to this topic.

Current Tip use or a new dialog?

[marsh]

Text in 'title bar' is another alternative.

Names could have more description when appropriate.
v.1.80 alpha (unstable)
v.1.80 alpha (for discussion only)
v.1.80 beta (unstable)

[helmut]

Text in 'title bar' is another alternative.

Names could have more description when appropriate.
v.1.80 alpha (unstable)
v.1.80 alpha (for discussion only)
v.1.80 beta (unstable)

Good idea. I'd prefer the title bar to the dialog box, since this does not affect usage.

Regardless which solution is choosen, best is if Pierre wouldn't need to change any code / file before releasing the final version. For this reason using "tips.ini" is out of question.

[VuDu]

I agree with the 'title bar' alternative, with that I think the "tool tip" warning would no longer be necessary.
Well, another thing, I think that releasing the zip file with a version description instead of the regular "xnview-alpha.zip".
For example: "xnview-1.82-alpha-01nov.zip", besides "spreading" the alpha/unstable word, it'd help ppl to know wich alpha version are on those portals, etc...

what do you think?

[Dreamer]

For example: "xnview-1.82-alpha-01nov.zip", besides "spreading" the alpha/unstable word, it'd help ppl to know wich alpha version are on those portals, etc...

what do you think?

But it's in the same folder...

[helmut]

I agree with the 'title bar' alternative, with that I think the "tool tip" warning would no longer be necessary.
Well, another thing, I think that releasing the zip file with a version description instead of the regular "xnview-alpha.zip".
For example: "xnview-1.82-alpha-01nov.zip", besides "spreading" the alpha/unstable word, it'd help ppl to know wich alpha version are on those portals, etc...

what do you think?

Another good idea. For the Alphas and betas we really could use the version in the filename. I think we have enough good ideas and suggestions, and it's Pierre's turn, now.

[ckit]

I think it would be better to use RAR or 7-Zip for non-Final releases as the compression ratio and security is better. This will also stop other Download Portals as most of them prefer ZIPs.

Also, distro the non-Final releases as torrents! You'll need some admins or mods that have ADSL or DSL so their upstream data isn't counted towards their bandwidth like me. I have ADSL2+ now and use Azureus 2.3.0.4

[Drahken]

The titlebar option is the best, if the application states right in the title bar "alpha (unstable)" or "alpha (testing purposes only)" or some such, and someone whines that it's buggy (note: I'm talking about the "this thing's a piece of crap, screw you" type complaints, not the "I have located a problem, here it is ...." bug reports), we can just label him as a moron and move on.

Repacking (ie using rar or 7zip or whatever), password protecting the zip, or renaming the file will slow down portal sites, but it won't prevent people from unknowingly getting an unstable release. The portals can very easily rename and/or repack the file and pass it off as a stable release.

Popups/tips are always very annoying, mostly useless ("tip: you can open a file by clicking the 'open' button!" No sh~ sherlock!), and almost universally ignored. If you put some sort of popup saying that it's an unstable version, people will just see the popup and say "oh shut up!" and close it without even reading it.

[helmut]

Good to see the "v1.82 beta 1 (unstable)" in the title bar of the 1.82 Beta 1.

[Dreamer]

Good to see the "v1.82 beta 1 (unstable)" in the title bar of the 1.82 Beta 1.

So is it enough? Close?

[helmut]

Good to see the "v1.82 beta 1 (unstable)" in the title bar of the 1.82 Beta 1.

So is it enough? Close?

I think the hint in the title bar worked very well and is enough.