3

Beta program over?

toddthomas

April 02, 2014 21:55

None

Follow

Maybe this goes without saying, but I'd just like to hear the official word--is the beta program for V7 over now? I see a build from 4/1 at beta.starrynight.com. Is that the last one? I'm still using 7.0.0.94 and haven't been offered an auto-update beyond that yet. That version still has some bugs I logged which I thought were fairly serious. I'll try downloading the entire 4/1 build to see if they are fixed there.

Thanks for offering the beta program--it was fun. It does seem to have ended somewhat abruptly, however.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

19 comments

• 0
  
  Tim Cole April 03, 2014 02:37

  I'm at 7.0.0.95, and I haven't seen much change in the last three beta releases. I also haven't been offered an update in several days. I did, however, get an advertising e-mail inviting me to upgrade to SNPP7.

  I agree -- I'm glad I had the chance to do some testing, but the program seems to have come to an abrupt end.

• 0
  
  toddthomas April 03, 2014 03:07

  I bought and downloaded the upgrade. It's version 7.0.0.97, and it still has at least 4 of the last bugs I logged. Looking forward to 7.0.1.

• 0
  
  John A Kuehn April 03, 2014 12:43

  Just wondering if there will be any compensation for the many hours spent:

  1. Downloading

  2. De-installing

  3. Reinstalling

  4. Test flying

  5. Writing up problem reports

  for Beta Starry Night Pro 7

  As in discount on the cost of SNP7 Update?

• 0
  
  John Davidson April 03, 2014 13:00

  I'm certainly surprised that SN7 has been released. In my opinion the program was not ready for release, and I would have said that there was at least another month to go.

  It seems that the beta test cycle was very poorly run. My experience has been:

  • no release notes for each build
  • no acknowledgement for any issue logged
  • no comment on the issues I still have driving my scope with SN7
  • no feedback on the crash reports submitted
  • no indication of a proposed release date

  I fact, I wonder what the point of participating was. SC have released a very buggy program as evidenced by the number of issues being reported in the Yahoo group, some of which have been reported right from the start of beta testing.

  The lack of feedback from SC has been of concern and, in fact, shows a lack of consideration to the people who put up their hands to devote the time to do the testing. It seems like I, at least, have wasted my time.

  On top of that, it must appear to the people that have bought SN7 and have seen many, many issues, that we have done a poor job as testers. As a professional in the field, this is a worry.

• 0
  
  Sílvio Glock April 03, 2014 17:43

  There's so little information on new versions of SN, so it's great to hear insights on beta revisions! Was Starry Night Small Dome included in the beta program?

• 0
  
  Grant Martin April 03, 2014 19:59

  Yes, I just bought V7 and it feels like a beta release. My downloaded version is 7.0.0.97 as well. I have already reported a number of exceptions on the Yahoo Starry night website. We've been requested to report "bugs" to customer support. Perhaps the beta process should be reopened. I'm not so sure a buggy public release is good for the product nor the companies reputation.

  Grant Martin

• 0
  
  John Davidson April 04, 2014 03:35

  Starry Night Small Dome was not part of the beta test specifically. Only SN7 Pro was provided, but I suspect other products are subsets of this.

  I think ti's too late to re-open a formal beta process. Once the product is out in the real world it would be a disaster to retract it and put it back into development.

  I think the only real solution is to introduce formality around defect reports and go into a rapid development release cycle to try to fix issues as soon as possible. SC needs to create a recognised defect list and make this open to users. Each defect needs to be treated formally with status posts on resolution.

• 0
  
  John Davidson April 04, 2014 03:40

  7.0.0.96 was the last build released to the beta testers. 7.0.0.97 seems to be the build released as production. This was build was never tested by external testers. I notice that it is not possible to update betas any more, so I assume the beta testing is now closed, and SC will rely on defect reports by paying customers.

  Not good.

• 0
  
  Tim Cole April 04, 2014 04:56

  I've done beta testing for quite a few products, and I've never seen a beta testing program quite like this one. Sending bug reports was like dropping a message into a black hole. I don't expect a personal response, but I'd have expected at least a list of the top bugs, some idea of what needs testing most, or some idea of what problems are being deferred. It'd be some way of focusing the tests.

  I've been a Starry Night user (and an enthusiastic one at that) since the first PC version was released (and I beta tested that release, too). Even if SNPP7 lives up to the advertising, I really don't see much of an advance over SNPP6. Considering that 7.0.0.95 (the last version I got) had so many problems, I just don't imaging 7.0.0.97 was much of an improvement. From what I saw, it simply wasn't ready for release.
  
  If SC keeps going in this direction, I don't see much future for Starry Night.

   

• 0
  
  toddthomas April 04, 2014 05:27

  Hi fellow beta testers. My intent in starting this thread was to obtain an official response from Sim. Cur. about the status of the beta program, which we now have in an email from Keiron that I received about 20 minutes ago. Check your inboxes.

• 0
  
  Keiron Smith April 04, 2014 05:31

  Dear V7 Beta-testers,

  The Pro Plus 7.0 beta-test is officially over. We have released Version 7.0 for sale to the general public at a discounted rate.

  Simulation Curriculum, and the entire Starry Night community, is indebted to you for your incredible efforts during the beta process. Pro Plus 7 achieved great momentum in development since all of you began to work with us on the program. We would not be here today but for your passion to help us succeed with the new Starry Night! We thank you, tremendously! And, I believe it is fair to say that everyone that is currently using V7 thanks you too! And, we really hope you will continue working with us as beta-testers of Version 7.

  As a beta-tester you are free to keep using Pro Plus 7, to update through the program, applying the bug fixes, and the new features, etc, as they are released. We intend to keep the Pro Plus beta channel active for the foreseeable future. Beta-testers will probably receive program updates prior to public release. You will probably be first to receive new V7 features and databases. As beta-testers you can continue to assist us, and the community, by reviewing the new features and databases, to ensure proper functionality, before they are released to the public.

  Starry Night has been under development for almost two decades. And Version 7 has required a significant rewrite - an immense investment of company time, energy, and resources, all in order to make Starry Night viable for the long-term future. Simulation Curriculum is deeply committed to the success of Version 7. We are deeply committed to the loyal community of Starry Night users that have been supporting our software for all these years. We are just getting started! And, we invite you to continue to work with us now, to help us make Version 7 the best Starry Night program yet!

  In the near-term we will also release beta versions of Enthusiast & Pro. And, we will need your continued support with these programs too.

  We will keep beta.starrynight.com open for you. You can continue to log beta-tickets (attached images are invaluable!). And, you can continue to renew your 14-day license key whenever it expires.

  Additionally, we are opening up the V7 support forums for public discussion. As you know, V7 is very different in regards to the user interface. And there are a ton of new features available. Our users, both new and returning, will have many questions about how-to-use the new program. And, so, we would love to see all of you active in the forums, sharing your astronomy knowledge, helping to troubleshoot set-up issues, posting your tips & tricks, discussing your feature requests, and, in general, building our community base, offering a home where everyone will feel welcome, supported, and inspired, to learn about astronomy and Starry Night software.

  https://support.simulationcurriculum.com/home

  Please remember, however, that while the forums are an incredible resource for helping one another trouble-shoot and share knowledge, the best way to ensure that identified bugs and other program short-comings are brought to the awareness of the developers is by continuing to submit the beta-tickets.

  So, that is where we are at today. We needed you to bring us here - to where we are now! We are very grateful for your efforts thus far. And, everyone - both the development team, and the Starry Night community - still needs you for the future!

  Thank you, to infinite, and forever!

  Simulation Curriculum

• 0
  
  David Talbot April 04, 2014 08:52

  My copy of the Beta release says it's registration expires in 8 days, how do I keep using it after that?

• 0
  
  Keiron Smith April 07, 2014 14:52

  Hi David,

  We will keep beta.starrynight.com open for you. You can continue to log beta-tickets (attached images are invaluable!).  And, you can continue to renew your 14-day license key whenever it expires.

• 0
  
  Steve Bowen April 10, 2014 16:41

  Hello All

  @ ToddThomas and others,

  Current Beta version seems to be 7.0.1.100,

  After installing it will ask to update to 7.0.1.101, in the auto update is turned on.

  Still seeing this bug and have reported it.

  http://i.cubeupload.com/K9sfz9.png

  HUD  name of info is cut off.

• 0
  
  Luca Anelli April 14, 2014 17:20

  One question, I'm just only now downloding the 7.0.0 version not beta, but I have to usee the 14-day license key ?

   

  Tks

   

  Luca

• 0
  
  Jeffry Turner (DaltonSkyGazer) April 18, 2014 00:56

  Keiron,

   

  I have been following the bug fixes to date and believe you are doing a great job addressing these. I was very happy to see many of the issues I was having resolved with the 7.0.1 release.  I read over the upcoming 7.0.2 release and it looks like you have a huge list of fixes on the way.  Most importantly, I do see the equipment list bug is being addressed in this release.  Looking forward to this release, continuing to beta test nightly and submitting any crash reports as they are seen.  Thank you much for your time!

   

  Best Regards,

   

  J. Turner

• 0
  
  Keiron Smith April 24, 2014 14:10

  Thank you, Jeffry, for your continuing efforts!  We are making tremendous progress because of our community of committed beta-testers.  Thank you to everyone that continues to submit beta-reports.

  Starry Night Pro 7 (beta) will soon also be available for testing!

• 0
  
  Massimiliano Lana January 07, 2017 12:00

  Io ho cercato di dare alcuni aiuti al mondo
  Ho molto ancora ma ho una Donna che vorrei prima sistemare poi idee tante che aiuteranno la terra e noi tutti

• 0
  
  Massimiliano Lana January 07, 2017 12:02

  Continuo a me piace scienza e compiere passi avanti per tutto