On Sat, Nov 07, 2020 at 09:04:47AM -0500, Michael or Penny Novack wrote: > > > No to mention that there are very often (nearly always?) at least > > three 'latest versions' for Open Source software:- > > > > The latest stable, general release, version > > > > The latest beta version, for 'ordinary users' to test, or even use > > if it works well for them > > > > The latest 'cutting edge' direct from the software developers, > > often people will use this if it happens to have a new feature > > they 'really, really' need. > > > Close. Let me add my two cents. > > Beta: Use this IF needing some new feature. But be prepared for possible > problems. Report any problems to the developers. not the user list UNLESS > the sort of subtle problem that at first glace looks OK but really isn't (in > that case might also want to put a warning post on the users' list). Also > might ASK on the users' list "any other beta users seeing what I am seeing?" > > Alpha: Here is where I disagree somewhat with the post above. Only dedicates > testers committing to seeking out and reporting problems to the developers > should be using alpha. An end user doing this needs to have some experience > testing software and when seeing something wrong not just giving a vague > report but playing around a bit to be able to tell the developers WHAT > gnucash seems to be doing wrong, not just "doing ti wrong". > > Thus an end user whose motivation is "new feature I really really > need" needs ALSO to have that testing experience. Otherwise you are putting > your "production data" at risk. Alpha versions are expected to (still) be > buggy. It would probably be OK for me to risk an alpha, but I'm retired from > a few decades spent in the cypher mines. > Yes, I know (and mainly agree with) all that, I am a fully fledged (well, ancient) chartered software engineer with lots of letters both before and after my name if necessary.
I was just trying to aim my comment at non-computer people and, anyway, it is beginning to drift away from the original issue. -- Chris Green _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list [email protected] To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user If you are using Nabble or Gmane, please see https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Mailing_Lists for more information. ----- Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
