Hoster 3.303 Questions

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by C. Staley

Are these really "upgrades?" or something else?

1. Changes include playing MP3 files with 8Kb to 320Kb compression with more information in the headers,

While this might certainly be considered an upgrade for others, it's not for me. I use a different program to play mp3's in the background. I solved this problem cheaply years ago and have no need for my hosting software to double as a DJ machine.

You know you are not the ONLY user of this software! This was a requested change supported by multiple users that MTU felt was a viable change.

Originally Posted by C. Staley

2. and when closing the Search window focus now goes to the selected BookID or Brand field.

I don't ever close the search window during a show. It remains open all night long and I find it invaluable when a singer has a question or I might want to change the version they've selected to a better one. Others might only open the search box when a singer has submitted a song slip with an incorrect BookID.

Again you are not the only user and many of us do close it when not using it so it is nice to have it go back to the correct block instead of the unchangeable song title field.

Originally Posted by C. Staley

3. Allows upgrading without internet connection. . .

This is not new, the software has always been able to be installed or upgraded without an internet connection on your hosting computer. I realize that there are users that feel they always must have the "latest upgrade" and they'll upgrade with the first 15 minutes of an upgrade being available, but my logic is simple: If it ain't broke, there's nothing to fix. The (older) version that I have works just great: you type (or paste) in a bookID and a song comes up, type in the singer name, click "Add Track" and then click "Play".... works like a charm.

This is new because before you either had to have an internet connect, or a floppy disk or USB memory to take to an internet connected system to register then take back to the first system to complete registration. Now if the upgrade is a minor change (first two digits the same) then no registration of any kind is necessary.

Originally Posted by C. Staley

4. Fixes a major bug reported by user so everyone should upgrade.

This is the only item that I really take exception to as a customer. If there is a BUG, then that bug was not placed there by me (the customer), it was (inadvertantly) overlooked by the software engineers at MTU. And I don't feel I should have to pay for their error.

When the car companies find a "bug" in a model of car/truck they don't tell their customers to "pay to fix our mistake"... they recall their product and fix it or they pay the local repair shop to fix it. The customer doesn't pay for their errors. This happens in the software world as a matter of course too.

To tell your customers (a) there is a "major bug" without even a temporary work-around or description is simply instilling fear of a crash in the middle of a club gig or private party without justification. and (b) telling them they should upgrade because of this "mystery bug" is just not right. Simply because if it is a "bug" that will affect the normal operation of the program, then the company has a responsibility to their customers to fix their defective product, and if there is no bug then this is something else.

Since this isn't a version change then it is a FREE upgrade, so what are you bellyachen about???

For someone who likes this program so much that you continue to use it for years you sure have a negative attitude about it. Maybe you should pull that burr out from under your saddle and chill out.

I'll get off my soapbox now.