Actinic v11 - Now Available

[plantsforshade]

I received my key yesterday but I'm not quite sure of the point of it if the email I was sent told me not to upgrade until V11.01 is out!

Anyone know when this will be released as I'm reluctant to upgrade my V10 having read some of the bugs and bits on here?

The other thing is why advertise a new version but tell customers not to upgrade until a maintenance pack is released? - It's a kin to Vauxhall flogging you a new car but telling you not to drive it until the brakes are fitted?

Or have I missed something here..

Thanks

I think a lot of people will upgrade their sites but maybe run it in test and get it all sorted before maybe going live with 11-00-01, it actually seems the least buggy release I can remember for what it is worth.

[kev67]

True, but if there are bugs etc then why would anyone want to test it? - I for sure wouldn't as I'd end up launching it

It's only by what I read on here and it is this that is preventing me from bothering just yet as I can't be bothered to test something that clearly has bugs by what people are reporting on here

I think my main gripe is, was this a "Quick launch and hope to god it works because we haven't fully given it the once over?"

Becasue there's only about 4/5 people that are serious regulars on here that I'd trust if they said "It's bug free, go for it"

But maybe I'll fire it up and see what occurs

[mje]

Using the latest release is not compulsory, so what is the problem? Many people don't install the latest release for all manor of reasons I guess.

The choice is a personal one, as as somebody said we can run it in test until happy to go live?

[brucet]

There is no particular reason not to upgrade to the initial release. The suggestion to wait for 11.0.1 is partly a recognition of what many users historically have done anyway, and is purely a precaution. There are bound to be some issues that show up post-release that we didn't manage to find in testing, but they are usually minor. It also spreads the upgrades, which helps our support team. Upgrading is more likely to generate a support call than not upgrading.

Version 11 has almost 40 bug fixes and performance improvements that are not in v10, quite apart from the new features. So there are more reasons to upgrade than not to, IWHT.

Anticipating the obvious, we won't be able to port those fixes back to v10. Some of them were quite fundamental changes which needed the more heavyweight testing that a major release is subjected to. For others, the fixes are inherently tied in to some of the new v11 developments.

[Neil Bayton]

Hi,

We only recommend existing users wait until the first maintenance release. For new customers V11.0.0 is fine, but with upgrading comes with it the possibility of more issues, and every site is different so are working with unknown variables. Also we understand and appreciate that for some of you guys your sites are your living and the possibility of upgrading and having problems far outweigh the negative of waiting a few weeks for a maintenance release for most.

However saying all that the feedback we have received so far from existing users who have upgraded has been very positive.

Rgds
Neil Bayton
Actinic

[Benjamin Dyer]

I think my main gripe is, was this a "Quick launch and hope to god it works because we haven't fully given it the once over?"

Hi Kev, let me extend an open invite to you for a day with our QA team. You would be absolutely astounded in the lengths of testing we go through for any release, major or minor.

To give you an idea of the process we follow:

• Operating System with choice of service pack
• Hardware
• Common anti virus, firewalls and popular programs
• PSPs, Actinic supports many, we test the full order processing
• Hosting environments
• Upgrades, downgrades
• plus many more, I really could go on to list hundreds of items!

To make matters even more exciting we test Cat, Business and Enterprise all differently. We then have a big multi user day, run private alpha then public beta programs.... you get my drift?

The idea of throwing a release out and hoping for the best has certainly never happened on my watch, quality is the single most important aspect of life within Actinic. We will never get it 100% perfect but the effort we put in to make it as close to this is astounding.

Regarding v11 bugs, there are really very few. This release has had massive interest with hundreds of people requesting keys and upgrading, yet still field reports of issues are pretty scarce. Sure there will be something, thats the nature of software but I would feel confident in upgrading to v11.

In all seriousness, if you want to come into West Byfleet and see the QA process in action you would be very welcome.

[Jan]

Hi Neil,

All sorted now, I have 5 shiny new keys, thank you for your help.

Cheers,

[Kombu]

Kevin, Tara,

Your keys will be with you within the hour, as much as we like to think we dont make mistakes we all do, these slipped through the net.

Jan

Our licence database had duff info in your other keys will be with you shortly.

Neil

And they were - thanks Neil

[kev67]

Just wanted to say a BIG thanks to Admin and all those that have replied to this

Forgive me, I weren't having a pop as I've been using Actinic for a good few years now, I was just a bit knocked back by the number of "negatives" that I saw posted, then again we are British and love to moan about something :-)


Thanks to everyone for your comments

[wba1968]

Hi,

Would it be worth publishing a list of 'bugs? I've upgraded from v10 and wish I hadn't as I'm getting quite a few probs!

For instance, I've entered too much data in the SPP description field, not that it shows you how much data you can put in or cuts it off properly. I now get a data truncated message and a crash. You then cannot start Actinic again, without a workaround and Snapshot import, which I hadn't anticipated and don't have since spending all morning on it.

This is just one of the issues that I've got, could list more, and have reported to Support.

However, if the bugs and consequences of a particular action are known by all and sundry, then perhaps they can be avoided until a fix is provided?

Just had another prob, another call to Helpdesk and more heartache!! Aaargh!!!

[wba1968]

Getting really hacked off with the bugs now.

Just phoned Support and I have to uninstall, reinstall v11 and import an old (dated) snapshot. All I did was type in a new product license key, as I'd been given a Bussiness key and not a Business Plus! One more bug and I'm moving back to v10. I've spent days trying to sort out issues!

I really think that the above post, re publishing known bugs would be useful to all, save us all making the same errors. Can quite see how Actinic might not want to publish it tho!

Sorry if I've ranted.

[pmsupport]

Hi Daniel,

I am sorry to hear all the problems you have been having since upgrading to v11.

Do you have a ticket number for the issue you have open with support? I can look into it for you.

[wba1968]

Hi Paul,

No sorry, there are a few of them, but I didn't get one for my call 10 mins ago, just have to reinstall and import old snapshot.

Will PM you contract no.

[Jan]

Can you publish here what the maximum field lengths are for SPP? We have a spellchecker product that will correct over length fields and can update this to include SPP if we are told what those field lengths are. The product has a demo license and so can be used to fix broken databases without charges applying, if anyone has already used their trial we would be more than happy to give new trial licenses to people that want to use it for just this purpose.

Regards,

[kev67]

1 month on and no maintenance fix/patch