Actinic Acknowledge Wish List Requests

[george]

Strange thread this, I didnt think the original request was over the top Daz was just wondering what was lying ahead for current Actinic users.

[brucet]

Sorry if I've misunderstood, I thought the request was for feedback regarding requests posted in this forum. I've tried to provide some and will continue to do so as far as possible.

Regarding what lies ahead generally, we have been trying to be more open about that, and there is quite a lot of information in the 'Actinic News' discussion, http://community.actinic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=26.

We are generally quite cautious about what we commit to publicly, though. We don't want to raise expectations by hinting at things that we then can't deliver, or that get postponed because priorities keep changing in a changing market. Plus whenever we announce something, there is the inevitable demand for a level of detail that we have not yet worked out, which can just generate frustration.

I will try to do better at posting back to this forum when there is news about items that have been posted here. Generally that will be if a request gets adopted for development - otherwise there isn't really anything to say. I don't think we've ever rejected a request out of hand, many things just stay on the list but never rise to the top of the priorities.

Thanks for your patience, please do keep the suggestions coming.

[george]

What Darren is looking for, I think, is a proper list of whats been asked for, and the votes that have been added, so folk can see whats been suggested, and the popularity of the requests... not something that Actinic can just acknowledge on a thread "when we have time".

I have the same frustrations with Actinic myself. Other people have gone elsewhere for software now, purely, I think, because Actinic have been so slow at adding to what they already offer. Aye, its complex to add things, etc etc but at the same time its a fast moving world out here and stuff like `proper` accounts for customers for example are now a very basic requirement, or at least an option to have them, for any online business.

I like Actinic but if all thats being added in the next two years (apart from fixing broken stuff and minor tweaks) is a third party review option, a Google checkout (the horse has died now and the stable's been turned into flats), and a shorter checkout then we need to be told. We're only customers after all.

[pinbrook]

I don't think we've ever rejected a request out of hand, many things just stay on the list but never rise to the top of the priorities.

That in itself is the problem.. some people are thus mislead into thinking their wish will be granted because it has been acknowledged and placed on the list.

The reply to the Reviews is a case in point.

We have Codepath and we will have Feefo - to my mind this means there is very little point in Actinic providing a 3rd solution even if its merit would be the fact it would be inbuilt. Yet Bruce says it will remain on the wish list, but in reality it will never get implemented.

There must be hundreds of wishes that will never see the light of day - but no-one is brave enough to say.

There could be 3 likely outcomes

1 yes it will be incorporated
2 it might be if time permits and/or more people request it
3 extremely unlikely unless something drastic happens.

Inbuilt reviews will be a 3

[Chunkford]

could something like 'uservoice' be used in this circumstance?

[Darren B]

my thoughts aswell

http://uservoice.com/

although we have been around this circle before

[Chunkford]

Thought we had....
I see their system on so many sites, and truly believe this is where companies offering software solutions should be. It's a brilliant system and will solve so many issues that people have.
Is there are reason why a system like this hasn't been implemented? They have been around for awhile now.

[brucet]

We have discussed using a more interactive system for the wish list and certainly haven't discounted it; in fact we already tried out a system similar to user voice for a couple of beta releases. But it takes time to put these things in place, and ATM we are very focused on developing the Actinic software itself. So dare I say, it's kind of on the wish list...

The features we are putting into Version 10 were virtually all included because they were among the most requested items on the wish list. The two headline features, real-time stock control and an overhauled checkout, are about the most requested of all. They won't be everyone's top priority, but we sell packaged software, not bespoke development. We have to give weight to the majority.

Online customer accounts is one of the next most requested features, and high on our list of priorities, but it's too soon to say when that will appear.

[cbarling]

I know that I've said this before, but I think that it's well worth repeating as it really sets the overall context for this discussion.

In moving from v7 original release to where we are now, Actinic have made some massive technical changes, viz:

- single user system to a multi-user system, with proper locking of records between users

- option of an underlying SQL*Server database in place of Access, to enable very successful sites that exceed the 2GB Access limit to stay on Actinic

- a total overhaul of how design is done. Now you can start a design in Dreamweaver and bring it into Actinic. Now every part of the generated HTML can be accessed etc

Making this scale of changes proved a massive challenge and we saw a dip in quality. The top request from our customers was to correct that dip, and this is where most of our resources have gone in the last couple of years. While we still have some way to go, we have made substantial progress, so we hope to see faster development of items from the wish list in the future.

As a result, v10 didn't really start full time until April 2009. In contrast, we are already planning the start of v11.

Chris

[Darren B]

Thanks for replying chris however i think we need to move on from the v7 quote the v8 alpha was released nearly 4 years ago ( i think)

my whole point of this thread was the fact it is dead, well was until i raised the issue then we had a flurry or activity and guess what - theres still loads of wishes not acknowledged and to be honest if i left the forum today i doubt it would get picked up until someone else mentions it in months to come.

Sometimes i guess it seems im trying to tell you guys how to run your business and maybe my frustrations boil over into negative rants but my suggestion is to listen to what people are saying and stop defending things with statements about what you guys did in the past, its history and lets be honest here how many people use this to address currently problems and possible future developments.

Maybe i am wrong but actinic alwasy seem to be looking at what they have done and not what they need to do, perhaps if i was a fly on the wall i might see it differently. You guys have strong beliefs in your product which is a good thing but sometimes what you believe is a good idea others dont.

When was the last time actinic actually conducted a large customer satisfaction study? i for one have been with you guys for around 8 years and i dont think i have ever been asked.

I think the worst thing for me is i like the software but there are things i really need and if im honest your never going to put them or even consider them. For years i have been wanting the shipping finished i have given up asking, probably because i know you worked on it 4 or 5 years ago and are unlikely to revist it again.

I could go on and on but lets be honest your not really interested in my moanings

one last thing, what did my 1st post ask?