Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[David G. Pickett via gnucash-user]

Being a Linux GNUCash personal finance user, not doing electronic imports of 
anything but stock prices, I have found it to be relatively stable using the 
flatpak updates, which are far more current than the apt updates.  More 
aggressive users, and those on other platforms, may have more problems.

Code changes are fraught with peril, as there are an infinite number of ways 
that code can malfunction, and very few ways it can function perfectly.  It 
reminds me of integral calculus that way  :D!

Does the GNUCash team use a TDD (Test Driven Development) methodology, where 
each bug first generates new tests to detect the bug, and then code to fix the 
test defect?  I like to say, "TDD means never having to twice say you are 
sorry."  Ever expanding test suites help reduce the possibility of introducing 
defects as the product matures.
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[R Losey]

On Tue, Jan 2, 2024 at 6:24 PM Dave Hayes  wrote:

> On Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:21:57 -0600
> R Losey  wrote:
> > I was just expressing concern that the last few releases seem far more
> > bug-ridden than I remember any of the 4.x releases being.
>
> Speaking as a long time gnucash user and an active computer scientist,
> I'd like to point out that some of these bugs are in the toolkits and
> libraries
> that gnucash uses. Open source has always suffered from this idea: a
> toolkit
> that seemed awesome a while ago can experience extreme technical debt due
> to
> the rapid movement of the software industry. In some cases, said toolkit
> can
> actually become detrimental to projects that use it.
>
> This is why (unless you are actually a gnucash dev) trying to
> quantitatively
> measure the project's "goodness" is quite likely an exercise in subjective
> futility. :)
>
> Just my $0.02 USD.
>

Fair enough, but I don't agree. Yes, each release has some minor problems
associated with it, and often it IS related to underlying toolkits.

But 5.4 left a process running on Windows, which kept the lock file open,
and generally confused users. This is not a toolkit issue.  And now 5.5 has
some serious issues with Scheduled Transactions. These are clearly GnuCash
bugs, and I don't recall problems like this in previous releases.  For
years, I've always been able to update to the latest release, and now I've
had to skip two in a row.  That **may** be merely subjective.

Overall, I think GnuCash is a great program; I'm grateful to the developers
for it, and I hope it is never abandoned. My intent was to note that the
last two releases have had fairly serious bugs -- I recall an earlier 5.x
release that actually needed a second release to fix some problem.

-- 
_
Richard Losey
rlo...@gmail.com
Micah 6:8
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Dave Hayes]

On Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:21:57 -0600
R Losey  wrote:
> I was just expressing concern that the last few releases seem far more
> bug-ridden than I remember any of the 4.x releases being.

Speaking as a long time gnucash user and an active computer scientist, 
I'd like to point out that some of these bugs are in the toolkits and libraries
that gnucash uses. Open source has always suffered from this idea: a toolkit
that seemed awesome a while ago can experience extreme technical debt due to
the rapid movement of the software industry. In some cases, said toolkit can
actually become detrimental to projects that use it. 

This is why (unless you are actually a gnucash dev) trying to quantitatively
measure the project's "goodness" is quite likely an exercise in subjective
futility. :)

Just my $0.02 USD. 
-- 
Dave Hayes - Computer and Internet Consultant - LA CA, USA
 *Opinions expressed above are entirely my own* 

There are a lot of people who cannot stand waiting.

These are the ones who have two alternatives: either to
stand waiting or to be harmed by it.
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Bruce McCoy via gnucash-user]

On Thu, Dec 28, 2023 at 10:41 AM Michael D Novack wrote: 
>“Do you immediately upgrade to the newest version or do
>you wait long enough for the new version bugs to be found and corrected?”
>“if you dislike being an involuntary beta tester...then wait a little while 
>before upgrading.”
 
Michael’s post is excellent.And I agree with it. 
If you did upgrade, thank you for, in effect, being a beta tester. Your reports 
of bugs (and we all are dismayed that they are there.) prove that you are an 
asset to this project. 
I feel that GnuCash is an excellent program. And it is getting even better. 
Thank you.
 Best regards, 
Bruce


|  | Virus-free.www.avast.com |

___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Mark at Lorimark]

yes... losing... my speling sucks!

~mark petryk
~c:469-556-5075
~w:http://www.lorimarksolutions.com

On 12/29/23 14:16, R Losey wrote:

Assuming you meant "losing", I completely agree with you.


On Fri, Dec 29, 2023 at 12:58 PM Mark at Lorimark 
mailto:m...@lorimarksolutions.com>> wrote:


We are loosing projects like this.

I hope... i hope... not this one.

~mark petryk
~w:http://www.lorimarksolutions.com 

On 12/27/23 22:33, R Losey wrote:
 > Let me start off by trying to avoid hateful responses...
 >
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org 
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user

-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.



--
_
Richard Losey
rlo...@gmail.com 
Micah 6:8

___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[R Losey]

Assuming you meant "losing", I completely agree with you.


On Fri, Dec 29, 2023 at 12:58 PM Mark at Lorimark <
m...@lorimarksolutions.com> wrote:

> We are loosing projects like this.
>
> I hope... i hope... not this one.
>
> ~mark petryk
> ~w:http://www.lorimarksolutions.com
>
> On 12/27/23 22:33, R Losey wrote:
> > Let me start off by trying to avoid hateful responses...
> >
> ___
> gnucash-user mailing list
> gnucash-user@gnucash.org
> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
> -
> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
>


-- 
_
Richard Losey
rlo...@gmail.com
Micah 6:8
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Gyle McCollam]

I think this goes for at least 99 of the users!


Thank You,

Gyle McCollam

Gyle McCollam

gmccol...@live.com<mailto:gmccol...@gyleshomes.com>   email


From: gnucash-user  on 
behalf of Mark at Lorimark 
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2023 1:57 PM
To: gnucash-user@gnucash.org 
Subject: Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

We are loosing projects like this.

I hope... i hope... not this one.

~mark petryk
~w:http://www.lorimarksolutions.com

On 12/27/23 22:33, R Losey wrote:
> Let me start off by trying to avoid hateful responses...
>
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Mark at Lorimark]

We are loosing projects like this.

I hope... i hope... not this one.

~mark petryk
~w:http://www.lorimarksolutions.com

On 12/27/23 22:33, R Losey wrote:

Let me start off by trying to avoid hateful responses...


___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Chris Graves]

+1

> On Dec 28, 2023, at 5:02 PM, Adrien Monteleone 
>  wrote:
> 
> I'd offer as a comparison other projects and commercial products where the 
> developers aren't nearly as 'Johnny on the Spot' or as helpful and 
> responsive, or even accessible, but then, that wouldn't be any comparison at 
> all.
> 
> This dev team is hands down awesome and why I continue to use GnuCash and 
> likely always will.
> 
> I don't mind the bugs. I get that isn't for everyone, but then, simply don't 
> be so quick to upgrade. That goes for any product, digital or physical.
> 
> Regards,
> Adrien
> 

___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Mahon Finbar via gnucash-user]

I 100% agree.

I know I have been a pain in the butt concerning my bad habits in saving 
files but I am grateful for the rescues.


Best wishes for '24 to all the minders.

Finbar (Barry)

On 29/12/2023 02:02, Adrien Monteleone wrote:
I'd offer as a comparison other projects and commercial products where 
the developers aren't nearly as 'Johnny on the Spot' or as helpful and 
responsive, or even accessible, but then, that wouldn't be any 
comparison at all.


This dev team is hands down awesome and why I continue to use GnuCash 
and likely always will.


I don't mind the bugs. I get that isn't for everyone, but then, simply 
don't be so quick to upgrade. That goes for any product, digital or 
physical.


Regards,
Adrien

___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Stan Brown (using GC 4.14)]

On 2023-12-28 22:25, R Losey wrote:
> I'm pretty sure I'm running Win10 Pro; 

Settings » System » About

The easiest way to get into settings s the Windows Logo key + I, if you
have the Windows Logo key. If not, Google for "windows open settings"
(without quotes) and that will tell you.

I had also forgotten about
> Sandbox... that would be a great way to test out new releases. I
> appreciate the information, and I can check it out. Hopefully, there is
> a way to transfer files between the host and client that is relatively
> painless.

According to the reference I provided, you can Ctrl+C copy a file on one
side and then Ctrl+V paste it on the other. Not as intuitive as
drag-and-drop, but serviceable.

Stan Brown
Tehachapi, CA, USA
https://BrownMath.com
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[R Losey]

On Fri, Dec 29, 2023 at 12:07 AM Stan Brown (using GC 4.14) <
stan...@fastmail.fm> wrote:

> On 2023-12-28 17:26, Geoff wrote:
> > If you are already running Windows 10/11 with an existing Pro,
> > Enterprise, or Education licence (but not a Home licence) then Windows
> > Sandbox is an easy way to create a (temporary) Virtual Machine, and it
> > only requires 4GB RAM and 1GB free disc space.  You don't need a
> > separate licence.
> >
> >
> https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-isolation/windows-sandbox/windows-sandbox-overview
> >
> >
> https://www.howtogeek.com/399290/how-to-use-windows-10s-new-sandbox-to-safely-test-apps/
> >
> >
> https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/how-to-use-windows-sandbox-on-windows-11
> >
> > Fire up a Sandbox, download and install the latest GnuCash binary, and
> > away you go in a pristine Windows environment that is safely isolated
> > from the rest of your computer.
>
> I forgot about Windows Sandbox. Thanks for the reminder. My desktop has
> Windows Pro, nut my laptop has Windows Home so Windows Sandbox is a
> non-starter there.
>
> > Otherwise, as Stan mentioned, Oracle's free VirtualBox runs on Windows,
> > but you will need to install a version of Windows in the Virtual Machine
> > that you create.
> > https://www.virtualbox.org/
>
> And you can run Windows 10 or 11 without a license. A very few things
> won't work, like custom background for desktop, but you won't be missing
> anything you need. It looks like it doesn't need a lot of resources, so
> that sounds good.
>

> Reference: You Don’t Need a Product Key to Install and Use Windows 10
> <
> https://www.howtogeek.com/244678/you-dont-need-a-product-key-to-install-and-use-windows-10/
> >
>
> You Can Install and Use Windows 11 Without a Product Key
> <
> https://www.howtogeek.com/871189/you-can-install-and-use-windows-11-without-a-product-key/
> >
>
> I successfully installed and ran Windows 10 in a VirtualBox without a
> Windows product key, during my three-step upgrade from 2.6.19, using the
> Windows 10 reference above. I haven't tested the Windows 11 procedure,
> but it's from the same source, one that is usually reliable.
>
> Stan Brown
> Tehachapi, CA, USA
> https://BrownMath.com
>

I'm pretty sure I'm running Win10 Pro; I had also forgotten about
Sandbox... that would be a great way to test out new releases. I appreciate
the information, and I can check it out. Hopefully, there is a way to
transfer files between the host and client that is relatively painless.


-- 
_
Richard Losey
rlo...@gmail.com
Micah 6:8
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[R Losey]

On Thu, Dec 28, 2023 at 7:03 PM Adrien Monteleone <
adrien.montele...@lusfiber.net> wrote:

> I'd offer as a comparison other projects and commercial products where
> the developers aren't nearly as 'Johnny on the Spot' or as helpful and
> responsive, or even accessible, but then, that wouldn't be any
> comparison at all.
>
> This dev team is hands down awesome and why I continue to use GnuCash
> and likely always will.
>
> I don't mind the bugs. I get that isn't for everyone, but then, simply
> don't be so quick to upgrade. That goes for any product, digital or
> physical.
>

Fair enough. I very much admire the dedicated people who work on GnuCash. I
really like it and have no plans on moving away from it, unless I'm forced
to (for example, if GnuCash were to be abandoned and then not run on later
OSs)

I was just expressing concern that the last few releases seem far more
bug-ridden than I remember any of the 4.x releases being.

There are bugs that I don't mind (usually related to features I don't use -
heh). Other bugs could be bad.

-- 
_
Richard Losey
rlo...@gmail.com
Micah 6:8
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[R Losey]

Thanks; I haven't played with GnuCash Portable, and I don't know if that
would help do beta testing.


On Thu, Dec 28, 2023 at 4:35 PM Fred Bone  wrote:

> On 28 December 2023 at 11:05, R Losey said:
>
> [...]
> > Since I've been on this mailing list (much less time than I've been using
> > GnuCash), I have always waited and watched this list for experiences with
> > the new version; it was thanks to this list that I heard about the extra
> > process problem with 5.4 and the Scheduled Transaction issue with 5.5.
> >
> > I supposed the best way to beta test new versions would be to create a VM
> > and play with it there; I wouldn't want to corrupt my good working copy
> or
> > financial records.
>
> The other approach is PortableApps. The current GnuCash Portable is 5.4.
> Y
>
> ___
> gnucash-user mailing list
> gnucash-user@gnucash.org
> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
> -
> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
>


-- 
_
Richard Losey
rlo...@gmail.com
Micah 6:8
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[R Losey]

Noted, but is that really the case in 5.4 where a process was left running
(in Windows), causing problems for GnuCash users? That didn't seem to be
related to externals.

And the bug in 5.5 where Scheduled transactions don't work with variables,
or crash the system -- that seems to be tied to a too-quick-fix in the
Scheduled transactions.

I am well familiar with OS changes causing problems, and library changes
causing problems, and my own bug fixes causing a problem to show up
somewhere else, and I have enormous respect for those who work on GnuCash.

It just seems to me that the recent releases have been much more
"bug-ridden" than the 4.x releases.


On Thu, Dec 28, 2023 at 4:00 PM David Cousens 
wrote:

> Richard,
>
> Given the relatively small pool of active developers it is inevitable that
> there
> will be occasions where major changes in external libraries, operating
> systems
> as well as banking systems and technology and accounting practice can
> result in
> a cascade of bugs in the program and the developers are going to face a
> period
> of catchup to track them all down. The lack of a large pool of beta testers
> means that bugs, particularly the more subtle ones, are not necessarily
> found
> quickly. These days bugs are very rarely associated with the core engine
> of the
> program and are mainly in the gui/presentation/reports  parts of the
> program so
> the core accounting functionality is rarely affected. Keeping and
> expanding an
> active pool of developers is an eternal problem in any sort of open source
> project.  All we can do is contribute what and where we can and be
> grateful for
> the hard work of those who made and make GnuCash possible. I had hoped to
> be
> more involved after retiring but life had other plans and has imposed other
> priorities.
>
> David Cousens
>
>
> On Wed, 2023-12-27 at 22:33 -0600, R Losey wrote:
> > Let me start off by trying to avoid hateful responses...
> >
> > I worked in the software industry, and the programs I supported have had
> > their share of issues. I remember (with hung head) when we went through a
> > patch in which we would claim to have fixed a problem, only to have it
> > recur, and then fixed that and then had another problem occur. It was a
> > really bad time, and we took a lot of heat for it.
> >
> > I also know that GnuCash is free, thanks to the intense dedication of a
> > relatively small number of people... for whom and to whom, I am very
> > grateful.
> >
> > However.
> >
> > I started using GnuCash about 8 years ago, and I generally upgraded each
> > quarter as the new versions came out. My own experience in software led
> me
> > to delay doing the update for 7-10 days -- just in case there was a bug
> > that necessitated a re-release (and it happened just enough to make me
> glad
> > I waited from time to time).
> >
> > I am still running 5.3 because (as has been documented here), the 5.4
> > windows release had a bug that left a process running.  "No problem", I
> > thought -- I'll just skip 5.4 and install 5.5 when it comes out.
> >
> > Well, 5.5 is out, and it looks like the Scheduled Transactions no longer
> > function properly, especially in regard to variable placeholders. This
> is a
> > feature I used and cannot use GnuCash if this is broken. This makes 5.5
> > also unusable for me. This is the first time I can remember when I could
> > not download a new release - let alone two of them.
> >
> > I don't know what the problem is or what the best solution is -- perhaps
> > everyone on this list could contribute a few dollars to give
> > the hardworking developers a chance to "re-charge", as it were? Perhaps
> > a quarter needs to be spent only fixing bugs and ignoring adding new
> > features? Perhaps the developers just need to take a break for a quarter?
> >
> > I don't mean this at all in a harsh or critical way; I am just concerned
> > that a program I really like seems to be slipping somehow.
> >
> ___
> gnucash-user mailing list
> gnucash-user@gnucash.org
> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
> -
> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
>


-- 
_
Richard Losey
rlo...@gmail.com
Micah 6:8
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[R Losey]

That's fine, and I ponder upon what I wrote, I think that "worse" was not
the best word... GnuCash is adding some nice features and I enjoy it very
much... A better word may have been "more bug-ridden". I don't remember
having as many problems with releases until this year.


On Thu, Dec 28, 2023 at 2:52 PM Jonathan Knepher via gnucash-user <
gnucash-user@gnucash.org> wrote:

> A quick note to say that I have to disagree with the getting worse
> proposition, and to express my thanks to the volunteers that make it
> possible.
>
> GnuCash is great.  There aren't really any other open source
> alternatives that have all of the pieces together.  Native Linux
> support, complies cleanly on Gentoo, cloud-free, MariaDB support, a SQL
> data model that is easily understandable and extendable, OFX, a code
> base that is easy to maintain a local patchset, and flexible data import
> options.  I'm grateful for the continuos improvements.
>
>
> ___
> gnucash-user mailing list
> gnucash-user@gnucash.org
> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
> -
> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
>


-- 
_
Richard Losey
rlo...@gmail.com
Micah 6:8
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Stan Brown (using GC 4.14)]

On 2023-12-28 17:26, Geoff wrote:
> If you are already running Windows 10/11 with an existing Pro,
> Enterprise, or Education licence (but not a Home licence) then Windows
> Sandbox is an easy way to create a (temporary) Virtual Machine, and it
> only requires 4GB RAM and 1GB free disc space.  You don't need a
> separate licence.
> 
> https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-isolation/windows-sandbox/windows-sandbox-overview
> 
> https://www.howtogeek.com/399290/how-to-use-windows-10s-new-sandbox-to-safely-test-apps/
> 
> https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/how-to-use-windows-sandbox-on-windows-11
> 
> Fire up a Sandbox, download and install the latest GnuCash binary, and
> away you go in a pristine Windows environment that is safely isolated
> from the rest of your computer.

I forgot about Windows Sandbox. Thanks for the reminder. My desktop has
Windows Pro, nut my laptop has Windows Home so Windows Sandbox is a
non-starter there.

> Otherwise, as Stan mentioned, Oracle's free VirtualBox runs on Windows,
> but you will need to install a version of Windows in the Virtual Machine
> that you create.
> https://www.virtualbox.org/

And you can run Windows 10 or 11 without a license. A very few things
won't work, like custom background for desktop, but you won't be missing
anything you need.

Reference: You Don’t Need a Product Key to Install and Use Windows 10


You Can Install and Use Windows 11 Without a Product Key


I successfully installed and ran Windows 10 in a VirtualBox without a
Windows product key, during my three-step upgrade from 2.6.19, using the
Windows 10 reference above. I haven't tested the Windows 11 procedure,
but it's from the same source, one that is usually reliable.

Stan Brown
Tehachapi, CA, USA
https://BrownMath.com
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Geoff]

If you are already running Windows 10/11 with an existing Pro, 
Enterprise, or Education licence (but not a Home licence) then Windows 
Sandbox is an easy way to create a (temporary) Virtual Machine, and it 
only requires 4GB RAM and 1GB free disc space.  You don't need a 
separate licence.


https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-isolation/windows-sandbox/windows-sandbox-overview

https://www.howtogeek.com/399290/how-to-use-windows-10s-new-sandbox-to-safely-test-apps/

https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/windows-11/how-to-use-windows-sandbox-on-windows-11

Fire up a Sandbox, download and install the latest GnuCash binary, and 
away you go in a pristine Windows environment that is safely isolated 
from the rest of your computer.


Otherwise, as Stan mentioned, Oracle's free VirtualBox runs on Windows, 
but you will need to install a version of Windows in the Virtual Machine 
that you create.

https://www.virtualbox.org/


Geoff
=

On 29/12/2023 12:09 pm, Adrien Monteleone wrote:
I'm fairly certain you can create a VM of a running instance of Win10 
though I can't speak to how that works for licensing.


MS does allow some testing VMs, so perhaps investigate that first and 
how to set it up to their liking.


Another option might be a container like Docker, though I'm not 
personally familiar with it running GnuCash.


Alternatively, though this won't allow testing on Windows, you could 
test releases either with a Linux VM or with WSL. (Windows Subsystem for 
Linux) Of course, such testing wouldn't expose a Windows specific bug.


On that note, some folks have attempted WSL and GnuCash and the Wiki 
could use some sprucing up if anyone was interested in that avenue.


Regards,
Adrien

On 12/28/23 12:29 PM, R Losey wrote:

I used to run VirtualBox on my iMac (and ran Windows 7). I was just
concerned about the running VirtualBox on Windows 10 and emulating 
Windows
10... I'm not sure I have another copy of Windows 10 to run, nor am I 
sure

that I have enough memory (computer RAM or graphics card RAM) to properly
support a Win10 VM.


___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Adrien Monteleone]

3rd party as far as I am aware.

Regards,
Adrien

On 12/28/23 6:12 PM, Stan Brown (using GC 4.14) wrote:

Are the portable apps produced by the GnuCash team or by same third
party?


___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Adrien Monteleone]

I'm fairly certain you can create a VM of a running instance of Win10 
though I can't speak to how that works for licensing.


MS does allow some testing VMs, so perhaps investigate that first and 
how to set it up to their liking.


Another option might be a container like Docker, though I'm not 
personally familiar with it running GnuCash.


Alternatively, though this won't allow testing on Windows, you could 
test releases either with a Linux VM or with WSL. (Windows Subsystem for 
Linux) Of course, such testing wouldn't expose a Windows specific bug.


On that note, some folks have attempted WSL and GnuCash and the Wiki 
could use some sprucing up if anyone was interested in that avenue.


Regards,
Adrien

On 12/28/23 12:29 PM, R Losey wrote:

I used to run VirtualBox on my iMac (and ran Windows 7). I was just
concerned about the running VirtualBox on Windows 10 and emulating Windows
10... I'm not sure I have another copy of Windows 10 to run, nor am I sure
that I have enough memory (computer RAM or graphics card RAM) to properly
support a Win10 VM.


___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Adrien Monteleone]

I'd offer as a comparison other projects and commercial products where 
the developers aren't nearly as 'Johnny on the Spot' or as helpful and 
responsive, or even accessible, but then, that wouldn't be any 
comparison at all.


This dev team is hands down awesome and why I continue to use GnuCash 
and likely always will.


I don't mind the bugs. I get that isn't for everyone, but then, simply 
don't be so quick to upgrade. That goes for any product, digital or 
physical.


Regards,
Adrien

___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Stan Brown (using GC 4.14)]

On 28 December 2023 at 11:05, R Losey said:
> I supposed the best way to beta test new versions would be to create a VM
> and play with it there; I wouldn't want to corrupt my good working copy or
> financial records.

On 2023-12-28 14:34, Fred Bone wrote:
> The other approach is PortableApps. The current GnuCash Portable is 5.4. 

Are the portable apps produced by the GnuCash team or by same third
party? I would worry that a bug in the "real" GC might not occur in the
portable one, for instance if writing to %APPDATA% or accessing the
Windows System Registry is concerned. And it could go the other way too:
the process of portabilizing might create a bug that was not in "real"
GC, wasting debugging time.

I don't know enough about the code base to know that these things _will_
happen, but unless we're really certain they cannot I'd prefer to see
extra volunteer testing on "real" GC.

Stan Brown
Tehachapi, CA, USA
https://BrownMath.com
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Fred Bone]

On 28 December 2023 at 11:05, R Losey said:

[...]
> Since I've been on this mailing list (much less time than I've been using
> GnuCash), I have always waited and watched this list for experiences with
> the new version; it was thanks to this list that I heard about the extra
> process problem with 5.4 and the Scheduled Transaction issue with 5.5.
> 
> I supposed the best way to beta test new versions would be to create a VM
> and play with it there; I wouldn't want to corrupt my good working copy or
> financial records.

The other approach is PortableApps. The current GnuCash Portable is 5.4. 
Y

___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[David Cousens]

Richard,

Given the relatively small pool of active developers it is inevitable that there
will be occasions where major changes in external libraries, operating systems
as well as banking systems and technology and accounting practice can result in
a cascade of bugs in the program and the developers are going to face a period
of catchup to track them all down. The lack of a large pool of beta testers
means that bugs, particularly the more subtle ones, are not necessarily found
quickly. These days bugs are very rarely associated with the core engine of the
program and are mainly in the gui/presentation/reports  parts of the program so
the core accounting functionality is rarely affected. Keeping and expanding an
active pool of developers is an eternal problem in any sort of open source
project.  All we can do is contribute what and where we can and be grateful for
the hard work of those who made and make GnuCash possible. I had hoped to be
more involved after retiring but life had other plans and has imposed other
priorities.

David Cousens


On Wed, 2023-12-27 at 22:33 -0600, R Losey wrote:
> Let me start off by trying to avoid hateful responses...
> 
> I worked in the software industry, and the programs I supported have had
> their share of issues. I remember (with hung head) when we went through a
> patch in which we would claim to have fixed a problem, only to have it
> recur, and then fixed that and then had another problem occur. It was a
> really bad time, and we took a lot of heat for it.
> 
> I also know that GnuCash is free, thanks to the intense dedication of a
> relatively small number of people... for whom and to whom, I am very
> grateful.
> 
> However.
> 
> I started using GnuCash about 8 years ago, and I generally upgraded each
> quarter as the new versions came out. My own experience in software led me
> to delay doing the update for 7-10 days -- just in case there was a bug
> that necessitated a re-release (and it happened just enough to make me glad
> I waited from time to time).
> 
> I am still running 5.3 because (as has been documented here), the 5.4
> windows release had a bug that left a process running.  "No problem", I
> thought -- I'll just skip 5.4 and install 5.5 when it comes out.
> 
> Well, 5.5 is out, and it looks like the Scheduled Transactions no longer
> function properly, especially in regard to variable placeholders. This is a
> feature I used and cannot use GnuCash if this is broken. This makes 5.5
> also unusable for me. This is the first time I can remember when I could
> not download a new release - let alone two of them.
> 
> I don't know what the problem is or what the best solution is -- perhaps
> everyone on this list could contribute a few dollars to give
> the hardworking developers a chance to "re-charge", as it were? Perhaps
> a quarter needs to be spent only fixing bugs and ignoring adding new
> features? Perhaps the developers just need to take a break for a quarter?
> 
> I don't mean this at all in a harsh or critical way; I am just concerned
> that a program I really like seems to be slipping somehow.
> 
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Jonathan Knepher via gnucash-user]

A quick note to say that I have to disagree with the getting worse 
proposition, and to express my thanks to the volunteers that make it 
possible.


GnuCash is great.  There aren't really any other open source 
alternatives that have all of the pieces together.  Native Linux 
support, complies cleanly on Gentoo, cloud-free, MariaDB support, a SQL 
data model that is easily understandable and extendable, OFX, a code 
base that is easy to maintain a local patchset, and flexible data import 
options.  I'm grateful for the continuos improvements.



___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[R Losey]

On Thu, Dec 28, 2023 at 11:37 AM Stan Brown (using GC 4.14) <
stan...@fastmail.fm> wrote:

> On 2023-12-28 09:05, R Losey wrote:
> > As a former software engineer, I've thought about volunteering, but it
> > seems so massive an undertaking that it daunts me. I suppose I could
> create
> > a VM (if my machine is powerful enough to handle a VM) and do some beta
> > testing.
>
> VirtualBox should work in any modern Windows computer, and setup is very
> easy if you don't want to do fancy stuff. That's what I used to do my
> testing in the three-step upgrade from 2.6.19.
>
> I too am a former software engineer, and I too am daunted by the
> prospect of testing. But for me it's that I wouldn't know where to
> begin. If the programmers could give some guidance -- "test this version
> that fixes bugs X and Y", I could do that, and in the course of
> exercising the test version for the stuff I normally do in GC I could
> report any new bugs I noticed.
>
> Stan Brown
> Tehachapi, CA, USA
> https://BrownMath.com
>

I used to run VirtualBox on my iMac (and ran Windows 7). I was just
concerned about the running VirtualBox on Windows 10 and emulating Windows
10... I'm not sure I have another copy of Windows 10 to run, nor am I sure
that I have enough memory (computer RAM or graphics card RAM) to properly
support a Win10 VM.

As for testing, there are two kinds: You can test the actual bugs fixed by
getting on the GNUcash bug reporting system and looking at recent changes.
However, I gathered from a previous post that even more needful of that is
to have regression testing done -- making sure that a new "fix" hasn't
broken any existing features... this is where a lot of regular users could
be handy... just create a "safe" environment (such as the aforementioned
VM) with a copy of one's GNUcash file, and then just do the things you
normally do to ensure that they still work correctly. I get the idea that
this could be immensely helpful, as everyone has certain areas that they
use frequently.
-- 
_
Richard Losey
rlo...@gmail.com
Micah 6:8
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Stan Brown (using GC 4.14)]

On 2023-12-28 09:05, R Losey wrote:
> As a former software engineer, I've thought about volunteering, but it
> seems so massive an undertaking that it daunts me. I suppose I could create
> a VM (if my machine is powerful enough to handle a VM) and do some beta
> testing.

VirtualBox should work in any modern Windows computer, and setup is very
easy if you don't want to do fancy stuff. That's what I used to do my
testing in the three-step upgrade from 2.6.19.

I too am a former software engineer, and I too am daunted by the
prospect of testing. But for me it's that I wouldn't know where to
begin. If the programmers could give some guidance -- "test this version
that fixes bugs X and Y", I could do that, and in the course of
exercising the test version for the stuff I normally do in GC I could
report any new bugs I noticed.

Stan Brown
Tehachapi, CA, USA
https://BrownMath.com
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[R Losey]

On Thu, Dec 28, 2023 at 9:41 AM Michael or Penny Novack <
stepbystepf...@comcast.net> wrote:

> On 12/28/2023 3:56 AM, G R Hewitt wrote:
> > My two pennyworth is similar.
>
> My two cents is a little different.
>
> Also a retired pro, a very senior sort of systems analyst who toward the
> end mainly handling what had the department programmers stumped or was
> beyond them in the first place.
>
> This is a CHOICE. Do you immediately upgrade to the newest version or do
> you wait long enough for the new version bugs to be found and corrected?
> Do you like being on the "bleeding edge" or not? Do you NEED some
> feature that has been added with the new version?
>
> With a full testing protocol, a new version would spend some tine in
> "beta" with only designated "beta testers" using it (experienced users
> who would report bugs to the development team, people able to identify
> actual bugs from things that simply might require explanation what some
> new feature does and doesn't do). This project does NOT have a large
> enough "testing budget", nothing like what I used to have available to
> me (around 20% of the total new system budget). Lack of a user/tester
> base is why I am not helping with development.
>
> So I'll put it plainly. If you don't need a new feature of a new
> version, and if you dislike being an involuntary beta tester (during
> this initial unofficial beta period) then wait a little while before
> upgrading. Monitor this list for the complaints about the new version
> and upgrade only when these have died down. Skip ever upgrading to
> versions that were particularly buggy. Yes, you will likely always be
> one or two versions behind the newest, but you won't be complaining.
>
> Michael D Novack
>

Exactly.

Since I've been on this mailing list (much less time than I've been using
GnuCash), I have always waited and watched this list for experiences with
the new version; it was thanks to this list that I heard about the extra
process problem with 5.4 and the Scheduled Transaction issue with 5.5.

I supposed the best way to beta test new versions would be to create a VM
and play with it there; I wouldn't want to corrupt my good working copy or
financial records.

As a former software engineer, I've thought about volunteering, but it
seems so massive an undertaking that it daunts me. I suppose I could create
a VM (if my machine is powerful enough to handle a VM) and do some beta
testing.


_
Richard Losey
rlo...@gmail.com
Micah 6:8
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Michael or Penny Novack]

On 12/28/2023 3:56 AM, G R Hewitt wrote:

My two pennyworth is similar.


My two cents is a little different.

Also a retired pro, a very senior sort of systems analyst who toward the 
end mainly handling what had the department programmers stumped or was 
beyond them in the first place.


This is a CHOICE. Do you immediately upgrade to the newest version or do 
you wait long enough for the new version bugs to be found and corrected? 
Do you like being on the "bleeding edge" or not? Do you NEED some 
feature that has been added with the new version?


With a full testing protocol, a new version would spend some tine in 
"beta" with only designated "beta testers" using it (experienced users 
who would report bugs to the development team, people able to identify 
actual bugs from things that simply might require explanation what some 
new feature does and doesn't do). This project does NOT have a large 
enough "testing budget", nothing like what I used to have available to 
me (around 20% of the total new system budget). Lack of a user/tester 
base is why I am not helping with development.


So I'll put it plainly. If you don't need a new feature of a new 
version, and if you dislike being an involuntary beta tester (during 
this initial unofficial beta period) then wait a little while before 
upgrading. Monitor this list for the complaints about the new version 
and upgrade only when these have died down. Skip ever upgrading to 
versions that were particularly buggy. Yes, you will likely always be 
one or two versions behind the newest, but you won't be complaining.


Michael D Novack


___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Glenn Fowler]

Since FOSS is a community effort, we can all help with testing beta builds:

https://code.gnucash.org/builds/

On Wed, Dec 27, 2023 at 11:33 PM R Losey  wrote:

> Let me start off by trying to avoid hateful responses...
>
> I worked in the software industry, and the programs I supported have had
> their share of issues. I remember (with hung head) when we went through a
> patch in which we would claim to have fixed a problem, only to have it
> recur, and then fixed that and then had another problem occur. It was a
> really bad time, and we took a lot of heat for it.
>
> I also know that GnuCash is free, thanks to the intense dedication of a
> relatively small number of people... for whom and to whom, I am very
> grateful.
>
> However.
>
> I started using GnuCash about 8 years ago, and I generally upgraded each
> quarter as the new versions came out. My own experience in software led me
> to delay doing the update for 7-10 days -- just in case there was a bug
> that necessitated a re-release (and it happened just enough to make me glad
> I waited from time to time).
>
> I am still running 5.3 because (as has been documented here), the 5.4
> windows release had a bug that left a process running.  "No problem", I
> thought -- I'll just skip 5.4 and install 5.5 when it comes out.
>
> Well, 5.5 is out, and it looks like the Scheduled Transactions no longer
> function properly, especially in regard to variable placeholders. This is a
> feature I used and cannot use GnuCash if this is broken. This makes 5.5
> also unusable for me. This is the first time I can remember when I could
> not download a new release - let alone two of them.
>
> I don't know what the problem is or what the best solution is -- perhaps
> everyone on this list could contribute a few dollars to give
> the hardworking developers a chance to "re-charge", as it were? Perhaps
> a quarter needs to be spent only fixing bugs and ignoring adding new
> features? Perhaps the developers just need to take a break for a quarter?
>
> I don't mean this at all in a harsh or critical way; I am just concerned
> that a program I really like seems to be slipping somehow.
>
> --
> _
> Richard Losey
> rlo...@gmail.com
> Micah 6:8
> ___
> gnucash-user mailing list
> gnucash-user@gnucash.org
> To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
> -
> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
>
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Geert Janssens]

Hi R Losey,

Your concerns are appreciated. As a currently non-active developer I was a bit 
sad to see 
the struggles of the two most recent releases. I know the current devs do what 
they can 
though.

Their issue is not a lack of money. It's less available time in a shrinking 
pool of volunteers. 
This is a hard problem to solve.

There is so much that needs to be done. Obviously there is the actual coding
- fixing bugs
- keeping up withc changing requirements of our dependencies (think webkit, 
gtk, 
aqbanking,...)
- adapting to evolving coding practices
- and even adapting to changes in a larger ecosystem (like changes in the 
Windows, 
MacOS or Linux environments, changes in the financial world ranging from 
currency 
symbol changes to new requirements for tax filings)
- refactor code to keep it maintainable in the long run
- improving test suites to catch regressions
- ...

Besides that it is also about everything else that's required to maintain a 
project. Things 
that come to mind immediately are
- bug triaging
- responding to user questions on mailing lists and irc
- maintaining automated build systems for nightly development snapshots
- running these nightly builds in order to verifying bug fixes, catch 
regressions and test 
new features
- guiding less experienced or new contributors to successful contributions
- maintaining a website
- translations (which have vastly improved since we changed to Weblate!)
- ...

That's a huge pile of work for only a handful of volunteers. Money won't 
increase the 
amount of available time unfortunately. The available time can be increased 
though by 
having more people helping out in any of the above.

A simple example: if more users would from time to time download a nightly 
build and do 
their typical GnuCash routines with it, we could potentially catch more 
regressions before 
release. I'm sure there are others.

My main point is (and this is not only for GnuCash but for many free software 
projects) we 
really need more helping hands!

End of my plea :)

Regards,

Geert

Op donderdag 28 december 2023 05:33:11 CET schreef R Losey:
> Let me start off by trying to avoid hateful responses...
> 
> I worked in the software industry, and the programs I supported have had
> their share of issues. I remember (with hung head) when we went through a
> patch in which we would claim to have fixed a problem, only to have it
> recur, and then fixed that and then had another problem occur. It was a
> really bad time, and we took a lot of heat for it.
> 
> I also know that GnuCash is free, thanks to the intense dedication of a
> relatively small number of people... for whom and to whom, I am very
> grateful.
> 
> However.
> 
> I started using GnuCash about 8 years ago, and I generally upgraded each
> quarter as the new versions came out. My own experience in software led me
> to delay doing the update for 7-10 days -- just in case there was a bug
> that necessitated a re-release (and it happened just enough to make me glad
> I waited from time to time).
> 
> I am still running 5.3 because (as has been documented here), the 5.4
> windows release had a bug that left a process running.  "No problem", I
> thought -- I'll just skip 5.4 and install 5.5 when it comes out.
> 
> Well, 5.5 is out, and it looks like the Scheduled Transactions no longer
> function properly, especially in regard to variable placeholders. This is a
> feature I used and cannot use GnuCash if this is broken. This makes 5.5
> also unusable for me. This is the first time I can remember when I could
> not download a new release - let alone two of them.
> 
> I don't know what the problem is or what the best solution is -- perhaps
> everyone on this list could contribute a few dollars to give
> the hardworking developers a chance to "re-charge", as it were? Perhaps
> a quarter needs to be spent only fixing bugs and ignoring adding new
> features? Perhaps the developers just need to take a break for a quarter?
> 
> I don't mean this at all in a harsh or critical way; I am just concerned
> that a program I really like seems to be slipping somehow.


___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[G R Hewitt]

My two pennyworth is similar. I moved over to Macs from Windows and was
looking for an accounting program. Many were all whizz-bang dial and graphs
and bright primary colours and all sorts of clutter that I found confusing
and unnecessary, when all I wanted was a simple transaction register that
could be edited and entered inline, without additional 'entry' windows
popping up all over the place. I tried lots and settled on the sea of calm
that is Gnucash, which does exactly what I want. Sure, it has it's quirks -
don't we all, and that is what makes us us and Gnucash Gnucash.

Gnucash is maintained and supported for free to the user by people who have
other things to do, and to whom we owe thanks and gratitude for their
unpaid efforts. We don't have to use it, one can always 'jump ship' to some
other package that will have its own set of problems to be encountered. I
imagine that most of GnuCash's changes are requests for features, bug fixes
or forced changes by outside entities such as banks changing their
protocols.

There is no perfect software, no software that will suit all and sundry and
their offspring. Even pen and ink has its problems, pens running out or
just stopping, paper getting snagged, tearing or bleeding the ink through
or plain old knocking the ink bottle all over it.

As the French say '*C'est la vie*', or as the English say 'Tough Titty,
that's the way it is'
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

Re: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[Ken Pyzik]

Well, I will add my 2 cents worth (for that is probably all it is really worth 
anyway).  With no disrespect to R Losey (I can appreciate what you are 
saying) I will say this: 

I have been using the product since at least version 2.3.  I have had few, if 
any, complaints with the software.  It does what I need it to do.  I was just 
so glad that when Quicken went to their subscription model, that there was a 
product that could do what GnuCash does.  And as a bonus, the software happen 
to be free! 

My view is this:  We are very fortunate that this free app is supported and 
even has continued improvements and upgrades.   I have seen some free license 
software that are years old -- and have never been upgraded/improved and have 
no support.   Since the software is free -- it is there for you to take and use 
-- as is -- with no implied warranties, guarantees, or assurances that it will 
be improved, upgraded, or even supported.  Those are the terms  - take it or 
leave it.  

Now, if someone does not like those terms -- they can always get a commercial 
package or subscription and pay ongoing fees to have it improved, upgraded and 
supported.   (To that end, even when I did have Quicken - and paid for yearly 
upgrades -- the software still had bugs and people still complained about it -- 
even with paid support and upgrades!)

I am a happy GnuCash user -- and I wish the project nothing but continued 
success in the future.  And even if all the developers hit the lottery tomorrow 
and left the project forever and never touched the code ever again -- I would 
still be very grateful that it exists and does what it does.  Thank you! 

Ken


-Original Message-
From: gnucash-user  On 
Behalf Of R Losey
Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2023 8:33 PM
To: Gnucash Users 
Subject: [GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

Let me start off by trying to avoid hateful responses...

I worked in the software industry, and the programs I supported have had their 
share of issues. I remember (with hung head) when we went through a patch in 
which we would claim to have fixed a problem, only to have it recur, and then 
fixed that and then had another problem occur. It was a really bad time, and we 
took a lot of heat for it.

I also know that GnuCash is free, thanks to the intense dedication of a 
relatively small number of people... for whom and to whom, I am very grateful.

However.

I started using GnuCash about 8 years ago, and I generally upgraded each 
quarter as the new versions came out. My own experience in software led me to 
delay doing the update for 7-10 days -- just in case there was a bug that 
necessitated a re-release (and it happened just enough to make me glad I waited 
from time to time).

I am still running 5.3 because (as has been documented here), the 5.4 windows 
release had a bug that left a process running.  "No problem", I thought -- I'll 
just skip 5.4 and install 5.5 when it comes out.

Well, 5.5 is out, and it looks like the Scheduled Transactions no longer 
function properly, especially in regard to variable placeholders. This is a 
feature I used and cannot use GnuCash if this is broken. This makes 5.5 also 
unusable for me. This is the first time I can remember when I could not 
download a new release - let alone two of them.

I don't know what the problem is or what the best solution is -- perhaps 
everyone on this list could contribute a few dollars to give the hardworking 
developers a chance to "re-charge", as it were? Perhaps a quarter needs to be 
spent only fixing bugs and ignoring adding new features? Perhaps the developers 
just need to take a break for a quarter?

I don't mean this at all in a harsh or critical way; I am just concerned that a 
program I really like seems to be slipping somehow.

--
_
Richard Losey
rlo...@gmail.com
Micah 6:8
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

[GNC] GnuCash getting worse?

[R Losey]

Let me start off by trying to avoid hateful responses...

I worked in the software industry, and the programs I supported have had
their share of issues. I remember (with hung head) when we went through a
patch in which we would claim to have fixed a problem, only to have it
recur, and then fixed that and then had another problem occur. It was a
really bad time, and we took a lot of heat for it.

I also know that GnuCash is free, thanks to the intense dedication of a
relatively small number of people... for whom and to whom, I am very
grateful.

However.

I started using GnuCash about 8 years ago, and I generally upgraded each
quarter as the new versions came out. My own experience in software led me
to delay doing the update for 7-10 days -- just in case there was a bug
that necessitated a re-release (and it happened just enough to make me glad
I waited from time to time).

I am still running 5.3 because (as has been documented here), the 5.4
windows release had a bug that left a process running.  "No problem", I
thought -- I'll just skip 5.4 and install 5.5 when it comes out.

Well, 5.5 is out, and it looks like the Scheduled Transactions no longer
function properly, especially in regard to variable placeholders. This is a
feature I used and cannot use GnuCash if this is broken. This makes 5.5
also unusable for me. This is the first time I can remember when I could
not download a new release - let alone two of them.

I don't know what the problem is or what the best solution is -- perhaps
everyone on this list could contribute a few dollars to give
the hardworking developers a chance to "re-charge", as it were? Perhaps
a quarter needs to be spent only fixing bugs and ignoring adding new
features? Perhaps the developers just need to take a break for a quarter?

I don't mean this at all in a harsh or critical way; I am just concerned
that a program I really like seems to be slipping somehow.

-- 
_
Richard Losey
rlo...@gmail.com
Micah 6:8
___
gnucash-user mailing list
gnucash-user@gnucash.org
To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe:
https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
-
Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.