If you do something a lot and it used to take 5 keystrokes (or mouse clicks) in 99SE but takes 20 in DXP, to me that is a HUGE problem. Even if the new feature is 100 times more powerful (as in the case of the DXP's inspector versus 99SE's global change), if it takes more effort to use the feature for the tasks that you do 99% of the time, the change is actually a huge step backwards not forward.
This is exactly correct. Now, it is quite possible that once one knows thoroughly how to best use DXP, instead of being 20 keystrokes, it is 7 or 8. But this will take time, it essentially requires the user becoming an expert.
DXP has a problem. How badly it is hurting sales, I don't know, but I'd be very surprised to find it isn't hurting.
Now, users like Mr. Wasti have paid for DXP. He thus will have the latest version (P2004). There is some time for Altium to recover from this gaffe with respect to users like him. There is no good reason that DXP could not be just as easy to use as P99SE, and that the usage shift should be so painful. But it will take some work.
The long-term solution to, not just this problem, but the whole class of problems like this, will be better communication between users and Altium. That communication is much better than it used to be, but it is primitive compared to what it could be. I have some ideas about how to jump-start the whole thing, it involves creating a user organization that powerfully and effectively and safely represents the users, creating a means whereby Altium can communicate with the users and the users can communicate with Altium. Some companies might be afraid of a powerful organization of their customers, but only companies who imagine that their customers are not their friends but are like cattle to be herded would fear smart, organized customers.
Which would you rather work for, someone who is smart and well-organized, or someone who is asleep and badly organized? And Altium works for its customers. (Yes, it has a legal responsibility to its shareholders, but all the revenue comes from customers. Knowing what the customers really want -- not just the noisiest customers -- would have to be valuable information, as well as advice from them, suggestions, and other resources that can come from the large group that is the body of customers. If you can serve your boss well, the boss is well advised to reward you! In a healthy business, shareholders, employees, and customers are peers, voluntarily working together for mutual benefit. If one of these classes is ignorant, or ineffectual, all suffer, really.)
The organizational ideas can be found, in an early draft, at www.beyondpolitics.org The basic ideas involve the use of proxies for representation -- no elections -- with proxies serving as filters between the organization and its members. I.e., most members would see very little hit on their time, only as they were motivated or inspired to devote more time would they do this, it would not be an obligation.
At one time I had planned to make a proposal to the user group along these lines, but I was then hit with a tidal wave of responsibilities and a lot of things have been delayed.
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