Why BETA developer version is released as final?

I have a lot of customers asking me a question if my modules already ready for 7.1, I saying "no", because 7.1 is still on beta step. From my point of view it's confusing for people who don't know what 'beta' means. Also my module sales went down since all the people are busy to update their websites to beta 1, then to beta 2, then if Boonex gonna release beta 3,4,5,6,7 etc. all customers will be completely busy with upgrading to each new "release" of beta.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle#Beta

Beta (in other words prototype) is the software development phase following alpha. It generally begins when the software is feature complete. Software in the beta phase will generally have many more bugs in it than completed software, as well as speed/performance issues. The focus of beta testing is reducing impacts to users, often incorporating usability testing. Maybe it's silly and I don't know something, but

The question is: why beta should be released as "final" version?

So why don't you just upgrade your modules?  Plenty of other coders, including Boonex developers don't seem to have a problem updating theirs. 

 Some of my modules requires a lot of core code adding and changing. If in the next beta-3 release or final release some code that is relative to my modules will be changed I'll have to update my modules again and my customers will complain that my modules doesn't work after they updated to beta 3 or final release. I want to provide as high quality of my work as I can. If I gonna update my modules for beta version of Dolphin I'll have to release them as 'beta' as well. The question is not about my modules, though. The question is - why beta released instead of stable? 

I think what he is trying to say is that Boonex should select a few users who would do the Beat testing on their own without a general Beta release to everyone. After it is determined to be in a very stable state or ready for general release then allow everyone access to the product. Currently you are allowing everyone to be a Beta tester and in the real world of IT development that is not how it works.

I think Boonex was under pressure to release the software and did so sooner then they would have liked. Especially since they increased the fees. In order to pacify the increase they simultaneously released the new version to divert the price issue and kinda make users forget about it.

Presscon, that's exactly what I want to say. As for me it's a little strange to increase the fees and offer a beta version for it. But it's just my opinion. It should be well tested and be stable to release. They could release 7.1 "under" the stable 7.0.9 so anybody can test it, but 7.0.9 still should be listed as "stable release". Now people are updating their sites with every beta-release, they just don't have time to purchase anything on the market even for a half price. With such progress some module makers like me will loose the interest in selling and supporting modules here, because they just don't sell. If we want to make a business - let's do it simply right. Boonex making Dolphin, we making modules, customers making their websites, without all these confuses with beta-1-2-etc.. I'm not gonna update some of my modules until stable version will be released since I just can't test them with Dolphin 7.1 non-stable concept. It's just my decision.

Maybe Andrew will have a minute and write a few words here. It would be appreciated.

Boonex, why forum email notifications doesn't work again?!

I agree. I believe i had already complained about that once before. 7.0.9 is the one that should still be distributed until 7.1 is out of beta. Could not agree more. I have updated some of my modules and am still updating, but i am holding back on a couple of them for the same reason. I do not want to have to update them multiple times.

Im by far no expert, just a super newbie reporting for duty.  I think they released the beta knowing that quite a few people would jump on the bandwagon, and report bugs.  200 people reporting bugs vs 5 would probably result in a much faster process to get it to the final version.  Not to mention if some of you guys chip in your own fix to some of the bugs, which would probably be less work for them.  We are the lab rats.

When was the last time there has been 2 versions released this quick?  I seriously hope that they do not slow down with the progress, about 100 bugs being fixed in less than a month, that has to be a record (from what I've been reading here).  So I support the decision.

Presscon- "In order to pacify the increase they simultaneously released the new version to divert the price issue and kinda make users forget about it."

I thought I was the only thinking that, lol, but wanted to keep that to myself out of fear of being ignored when I need help, or would like  answers to my questions.  So I decided to shut the hell up, and still am not sure if Im safe to speak on it now since the cat is out the bag!

The thing I noticed is that the upgrade packs probably dont work well. Also why dont they provide a  normal chat instead of this rayzchat? Are they deliberately leaving it so people buy the chat upgrade?

It is a very valid point.  Of the mods that I have purchased, I would say that 90% or better one has to make changes to core files.  That is not the way it should be but Dolphin was not designed with a plugin architect.

Since 7.1 is a beta release, it is not intended for production sites but for testing.  The thing is, one needs users to test and users are not interested in being on a test site, they want to be on a site where their posts don't disappear.

 I worked in an IT environment where I was responsible for testing a huge system which had thousands of programs integrated with each other. In any event we never ever released a software without first thoroughly testing it internally, once we were satisfied that the critical parts of the code worked correctly; ie never a loss or corruption of data occurred and all day to day functions worked well enough, we then selectively picked on some of the biggest and busiest companies to install the Beta version into.

Their incentives was free install, support, upgrade etc. They got a great deal, but then they all tested it thoroughly. We had a list of tests that we would recommend to them to follow and to advise that they use the site as they did on a daily basis. This lasted at least 3 months, with the client and our staff testing, fixing, correcting and retesting. Until we had the software to what we felt at least 95-97% efficiency.

At that point we allowed a general release, but very cautiously tried to only sell a few at a time. Anyway that was then and this is now. Also our software was more costly too. But I think if you release a stable piece of software, you only create less issues for your self as a developer and have happier clients who will stick around more.

I would rather have very stable software with less bells and whistles, then one which may look and pretend to be nice, but in the background give the site owners heartache. It is a lot easier to build future versions if you have a stable product to start with. A very simple analogy; if the house you are building has poor foundation and structure, it matters not how well you decorate, furnish and design your rooms, the house will never be stable. It may look pretty, but can collapse at any time.

^^^^^^^^^^   Hope boonex is LISTENING.

Let me explain how 7.1.0 Beta1 was released.

- 7.1 is not feature update, the main purpose of 7.1 is to make cleaner version of 7.0, only a few new features were added, mostly related to user friendly interface and content presentation

- 7.1.0.B1 was testes for several weeks internally before goes to selected users 

- 7.1.0.B1 was tested by selected users before goes public

 As the result I believe that 7.1.0.B1 was stable enough even for the release, but we go with beta first because of several reasons:

- Make it even more stable

- Allow vendors to update their modules

From B1 to B2 to ... to release - the changes are minimal, can't imagine the change which may affect 3rd-party module, so it is safe to update 3rd-party module or template now and it 99% should work on 7.1.0 RELEASE!

So why D7.1 is released as beta-1 and beta-2? Why to not wait until it will be tested fully and then release it? Why there so many error reports about 7.1?

Some of my modules require core code change, if this particular code will be modified in beta-3 then my customers will complain that they can't install my modules or they stop working.

People are going to update Dolphin on their live websites every time when new beta is posted and then when the final version will be released. And updating your site, when you have a lot of core files altered according to your needs, is great headache. And sometimes it takes a long time of updating and testing. And this "long time" a lot of module_makers have module sales on the Boonex market: because people just have no time to buy them. It sad for me to say, but I'm seriously looking on other CMS to work with, since I have almost no profit anymore and lose interest here. 

If my module is not fully tested or not finished yet, I'm not publishing it on the market. Do you know how Apple test all published apps on iTunes, right? You have to wait about a week and they will test every damn pixel in your app and if something doesn't work you'll need to fix it and wait 1 more week until they test it again. You can't publish "beta version". You need to be sure that your app works fine so you don't have to wait one extra week. That's how they reach the top quality.

Sorry if it was hard message, but it was honest directly from my mind.

I think boonex released the beta to update modules. So of course you can update modules, they are not going to change anything from here, just bug fixing.

I do think that beta shouldn't be released as main product but can be given away as "other downloads".

This is a non-issue.  If you don't want to update your modules to 7.1 until the final release, then don't.  It's as simple as that. 

 It's not the only question about module updates, it's a question about the product marketing.

 Can't we update modules if there was final release?

"Fixing" means "change". They are going to fix, means they are going to change.

 +1. Now stable 7.0.9 in "other downloads" and beta 7.1 as "primary download". 

in my other post, I asked why is it that we have to update sequentially every version upto the latest one. I could never understand that point. I mean if I have an app and I am 2 or more versions behind, I only update the latest one and I am up to date. I do not have to go thru each and every version to get to the latest one. Essentially you defeat the purpose of Beta, because we all have to go thru each one till the final version.

Anyone explain this painful procedure?

Depends on how your testing Beta..

my beta site is now at SVN 17300, there have been many fixes to files since the Beta 2 patch.

If your serious about being a good house keeper updating as they update, you should learn how update this way.

Since Friday, there have been 13 changed files. Revision: 17300

Author: Alexander Trofimov

Date: Monday, December 17, 2012 1:39:26 AM SVN 17300

Since the Beta 2 on 12/6 total of 18 changed/edited files.

With changes i meant, not like those that might require a code change in module. But there might be rare cases of custom code of modules that need to be altered. 

 Read my post, I've explained exactly this!

There are not many errors, actually many of them are from 7.0.9, but for some reason they was noticed only now. 

For me as a customer it's not when a developer will upgrade modules to 7.1.0 (a simple statement to that effect keeps me happy), it's the developers that say they have no intention of upgrading their modules that gets me!

I would like to see the addition of some of the great free modules incorporated as core files in 7.1.0 for example :-

Full width columns - Prashank25
http://www.boonex.com/m/full-width-columns

Redirect to any page after logon - deano92964
http://www.boonex.com/m/Redirect_to_any_page_after_logon_

"Even the largest avalanche is triggered by small things."

 Over the years this has happened, but it only seems the modules created by Boonex employees/vendors modules usually make the cut after a while.

Like our current new map for 7.1.0, that was incorporated into this build.. who made the original module kolimarfey

http://www.boonex.com/m/World_Map_for_Groups_Events_and_Ads

The SMTP module, http://www.boonex.com/m/SMTP_mailer

they do incorporate them, just takes time and testing.

Now I wouldn't want them to just include something like Prashank25's (if I was Prashank) module, it's free, but he may want to charge in the future so I would think that complicates things a bit.

 What is bad? When you purchased a piece of open source software and trying to make it better by adding some great functionality according to your needs? Is it bad? I don't remember when you guys was asking such question about "changes in Dolphin". If I need to make my categories sortable then I go to core files and changing them as well as database table. There's no "universal_magic_change" in any software is possible that will allow you to do anything you want with this software without changing the core files.

Sorry, maybe I'm really wrong, but I'm looking at http://www.boonex.com/forums/#forum/Dolphin-7-1-0.htm

Please guys let's not argue here, let's just make this engine better together! That's only what I want. 

If my customers saying that there's something wrong with my module or some useful function is missing - I'm not arguing, but checking and fixing.