An Overdue Entry…

This entry is way overdue (no pun intended).  I’ve been receiving numerous questions and concerns about what is going on with Prospects, when the 1.2 release is coming out and the future of the application in general.

As in the past, I am not quite ready to commit to a release date for Prospects 1.2.  I am nearing a point where I will feel comfortable posting a time frame, but I am not quite there yet.  Once the underlying file format for the 1.2 version is complete, I will be setting up a private beta program.  The format must be stable to allow the beta testers to work with the software without constantly losing their data.  While a private beta may not get beaten up as much as a public beta, I feel it will be allow me to better control the feedback and quickly resolve problems.  The private beta period will be short (perhaps two to three weeks tops) and will ensure the 1.2 changes are stable.  I will be setting up a page for anyone to sign-up as a private beta tester once it is ready.

I’m not happy with the slow progress of version 1.2 and for that I MUST apologize to all the existing users.  I cannot blame you for being upset at the delay and I fully understand your aggravation.  There are numerous reasons for the delay… but needless to say, I am happy with where the product is headed and think you all will be too when it is released.

The release of 1.2 will mark a major milestone for Prospects and position it for significant growth.  In addition to the release, the website will be getting some updates to make it more useful to Prospects users:

• a new look and feel with more information
• forums with a more simplified appearch (to match the look and feel of the website; the forums are not changing – just the appearance!)
• a better support site including:
  • forms for bug reporting and requesting new features
  • screencasts demonstrating how to perform basic tasks with Prospects, as well as tips for using the product effectively

In an effort to begin the march towards the 1.2 release, I am going to post more regularly on the blog.  I know I have said this before, but this time will be different because I am setting a posting goal of AT LEAST once per week.  I intend on posting some tidbits (with screenshots where possible) about the upcoming release in hopes that it will generate some feedback / discussion to ensure it’s on the right path.

Finally, there will be a 1.1.4 release coming out shortly to fix some of the bugs in 1.1.3 and to prepare for some of the changes coming in 1.2.  I am really hoping to get some feedback on existing bugs for the 1.1.4 release.  If you experience a crash – ANY CRASH AT ALL – with Prospects 1.1.3, please report it to support@motimotion.com and include what you were doing at the time of the crash and if possible, a copy of the crash information found in the Mac OS X Console application.  If you need assistance with getting this information, please let me know.

I know there are some issues with 1.1.3 out there and the more people that report them, the easier they will be to solve.

Thanks for your continued interest in the product – I’ll be posting my first 1.2 tidbit later in the week.

Thanks for reading…

Mike