We could contribute, and we do, but they already beta their software before releasing it. It is truly amazing, though, how much slips by; remember the small matter of emails in the inbox being deleted when you emptied the trash folder at the prompt, back with ks7.5.17? That was fun! Or how they broke usb-based printing on the mpower and didn't fix it for a couple months? What about the time... oh, you get the idea. My point is that for stable releases, the latest versions of ks have been rather buggy; I hope the delay in ks8 is due to a much better beta-testing program so that us, the end-users, are not the beta team finding major bugs as we have been in the past. It is not our job to test keysoft, it is our job to use it and not worry that our data will be erased by following a prompt that has been with us for 9 years.
Have a great day, Alex ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Ransley" <[email protected]> To: "blake" <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>; <[email protected]> Cc: <[email protected].> Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 8:14 PM Subject: Re: [Braillenote] key soft question Hello all, In my opinion our focus, once the beta version of Keysoft 8 is released, should be on a better testing regime. Some of the bugs that still remain in version 7.5.29 amaze me. I will site one example to demonstrate how testing of previous versions has failed us: If you are creating an e-mail and use a backspace x enter chord to temporarily switch to another application, and then switch back to your e-mail text, you will find your auto-signature has been inserted (again) at the top of your message. There are many more bugs -- which I have documented and reported to Humanware. Seems to me we should have testers work on a particular facet of the software. Each tester should be provided with a set of basic tests to carry out as well as adding there own experience to further testing. I am sure we could contribute to such lists. Regards, Dave. > ----- Original Message ----- >From: blake <[email protected] >To: "Alex Hall" <[email protected]>, [email protected],[email protected], [email protected] >Date sent: Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:39:12 +1300 >Subject: Re: [Braillenote] key soft question >I see where you are coming from Alex, and agree. However, it >would be very nice to hear from Maurice even if we just heard >about really major events, because we are, after all, the >customer. >> ----- Original Message ----- >>From: "Alex Hall" <[email protected] >>To: "blake" <[email protected]>,"Ann Parsons" ><[email protected]>,<[email protected] >>Date sent: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:35:27 -0500 >>Subject: Re: [Braillenote] key soft question >>A weekly status update would be really great, though no other >company does >>this so we really have no basis to expect anything like this to >happen. >>Still, it would be nice to hear "development of ks8 is going well >so far; we >>are almost ready to beta test it." or "Ks8 is coming along, but >we hit a >>major bug and are having trouble pinning it down; this will >probably delay >>the beta phase some, so our original date for this release is >looking too >>optomistic at this point.". Even once a month would be fine, >just so we know >>what is going on. Again, though, this would be the first I have >heard of a >>company doing this, and they really do not owe us even that, so I >would not >>blame them at all if they do not even comment on the idea. >>Have a great day, >>Alex >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: "blake" <[email protected] >>To: "Ann Parsons" <[email protected]>; ><[email protected] >>Cc: <[email protected] >>Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 4:20 PM >>Subject: Re: [Braillenote] key soft question >>Hi Ann. I, personally, believe it is outrageous that bookshare >>released this website before talking to the proprietors of these >>companies to at least advise them that we will not be able to use >>the bn with bookshare, and to have a patch ready by a particular >>date. I couldn't agree with you more about the email thing once >>a week, where hw sends out a notice telling us what they are >>doing, and how they are doing it, and things like that they find >>necessary. Humanware did say that they would have this new ks >>released by fall 08, and fall has been and gone, and no release >>is here yet. Sure, we can give them a bit of slack, because they >>have been brilliant with keeping to their dates in the past. I >>feel that it may be because Humanware New Zealand have basically >>closed down, and they were the main makers (As far as I know) of >>the Braillenote. Cheers, Blake. >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>From: Ann Parsons <[email protected] >>>To: Karyn Campbell <[email protected] >>>Date sent: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 07:45:32 -0500 >>>Subject: Re: [Braillenote] key soft question >>>Hi all, >>>Karen, you ask us to calm down. This is a reasonable request >>when HW has no ergent reason for giving us more information. >>However, this is not the case currently. Mr. Slone did indeed >>say something about notifying us this week, but gave no >>indication as to whether the problems with Bookshare will be >>addressed in a new upgrade for the units or whether it is being >>released as a separate patch. >>>In addition, the solution offered as a temporary work-around is >>not good because the old web site is static. There have been >>some fifty books released in the past three days since the new >>web went live. BN users have no access to these books, nor to >>any of the periodicals, especially the daily newspapers. With >>the upcoming inoguration and the troubles in The Middle East and >>the flooding in the Northwest, keeping track of the news is >>necessary. >>>It's not just the BrailleNote family that is suffering, Karen. >>All people who own VR Streams cannot play the new DAISY content. >>they also cannot use the Stream Companion software in order to >>transfer books. >>>Karen, I must point out to you that communication is vital when >>dealing with people. This is especially true when dealing with a >>customer base of thousands. Many people, including repairmen, >>cable company personnel, husbands, wives, and children figure >>that if they don't know an answer it is better to remain silent. >>They figure that silence means that they don't know and they >>shouldn't speak until or unless they know something. >>>This could not be farther from the truth. As one who has tried >>to convince friends and readers of this for years, I know >>whereof I speak. Karen, when somebody calls you or sends you an >>email telling you that they don't know when they can come, or >>that their schedule is unclear, this sends a clear and >>unmistakable message that the person to whom you communicate >>matters. It is an affirmation. It is an acknowledgement that >>the person exists, and that the person has the right to respect >>and to courteous treatment. >>>Humanware used to be known for such treatment. Humanware used to >>be one of the primary vendors who received praise for their >>customer relations policies because they actually did care and >>reaspect their market share. This is no longer the case. We've >>received vague and unsatisfactory information this week. We have >>not received the respect and the courtesy which we deserve. What >>is needed here is a plan composed of several parts. First, >>Humanware should begin to give weekly updates, sent on a specific >>day of the week, e.g. Your Tuesday Update from Humanware, yes, >>even if all they say is that they are progressing, or that the >>stuff is in beta or whatever. Second, specific attention should >>be paid to specific pieces of equipment, e.g. VRStream and the >>BN family. Third, an acknowledgement should be sent to everyone >>that states that Humanware is aware of the inconvenience this >>delay is causing its customers. They may be a huge, world wide >>company now, but that's no excuse for not respecting and >>communicating with its customers. Karen this is the 21st >>century. Communication is cheap and easy. Why not take >>advantage of that fact? >>>Ann P. >>>On Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 08:56:28PM -0600, Karyn Campbell wrote: >>>> Again please read your E-mail before you post something like >>this. Maurice >>>> Sloane said there would be something further later this week or >>within the >>>> next few weeks. >>>> Could we please calm down. HW will announce the release when >>they are ready >>>> to do so. I too would like to know but I am willing to wait >>until they make >>>> the announcement. >>>> Karyn Campbell, Illinois USA, [email protected] >>>> Using VN QT M Power running KS 7.5 b 28 >>>> Check out my blog at packerbrat.livejournal.com >>>> ___ >>>> Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. >>>> If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a >>>> copy to the list as well. >>>> To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >>>> [email protected] >>>> To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >>>> http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote >>>-- >>>AAnn K. Parsons >>>Portal Tutoring >>>Email: [email protected] >>>Web Site: http://www.portaltutoring.info >>>blog: http://www.samobile.net/users/akp >>>Skype: Putertutor >>>"All that is gold does not glitter, >>>Not all those who wander are lost." JRRT >>>___ >>>Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. >>>If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a >>>copy to the list as well. >>>To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >>>[email protected] >>>To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >>>http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote >>___ >>Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. >>If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a >>copy to the list as well. >>To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >>[email protected] >>To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >>http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote >>----------------------------------------------------------------- >--------------- >>No virus found in this incoming message. >>Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com >>Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.7/1895 - Release Date: >1/15/2009 >>7:46 AM >___ >Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. >If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a >copy to the list as well. >To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to >[email protected] >To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit >http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.7/1895 - Release Date: 1/15/2009 7:46 AM ___ Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a copy to the list as well. To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [email protected] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
