Subscription almost due

[NewsArchive]

Friedrich

My subscription is almost due for renewal. Do you have a list of work on
your list for the next 12 months please?

I had been waiting for the PDA installer but 2 years later I am still
waiting. Not that I am complaining as I do not need it now (dropped PDA
support) but some definitive list would be helpful.

BTW Did I ever tell you that SB7 is just great! Saved me so much time and
hassle.

Thank you

John Fligg

[NewsArchive]

John,

> My subscription is almost due for renewal. Do you have a list of work on
> your list for the next 12 months please?
>
> I had been waiting for the PDA installer but 2 years later I am still
> waiting. Not that I am complaining as I do not need it now (dropped PDA
> support) but some definitive list would be helpful.
>
> BTW Did I ever tell you that SB7 is just great! Saved me so much time and
> hassle.

Thanks so much for your kind words.

First of all, let me note that renewing the "maintenance and support plan"
is entirely optional. As part of our updates philosophy, we strongly
disagree with forcing customers to pay an annual fee on a software product
when they may not need or want the new features or technical support. You
can always buy an update ($249) when you feel the new features included in
the new version are worth paying for or purchase pay-per-incident support if
you need technical support. BTW, the SetupBuilder subscription renewal rate
is 94.4% at the moment. But we are working on a 100% renewal rate <g>.

We even have a list (too long to publish here) of work for the next 36
months <g>. But a *definite* feature list for the next 12 months is not
possible. Why? Because adding new functionality is a priority-driven
processes. If we receive multiple requests for the same feature then
chances are that it might get a higher development priority.

The roadmap and product strategy change as the profile of active users and
their interests change. For example, in V7 we added a new "#exe2msi"
compiler feature to embed .exe installations in a native .msi. This new
feature was not even on the list a few weeks before we released it. But we
received more than 400! requests in a very short period of time and suddenly
this feature request was in the top 10.

What is going on right now? Altiris/Wise announced the end-of-availability
of Wise Installation Studio and Wise Installation Express. As a result, we
receive quite a few requests for SetupBuilder information (potential new
customers) and about 12% of all new users are coming from Wise at the
moment. Some Wise users are missing functionality in SetupBuilder (e.g.
Mobile support). All this has an impact on the roadmap.

In other words, there is no short answer to your question <g> We are
working on nice new features and improvements to reduce the time and
complexity of creating software installations. The following research and
development work is done at the moment: Dialog Editor enhancements, .MSI,
Junctions, IIS, Mobile, User Account Management, LAN Update (and more).

Does this help?

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

I'm guessing that the emergence of UAC probably had some negative
influence on your forward motion.

Jeff Slarve

[NewsArchive]

Hi Jeff,

> I'm guessing that the emergence of UAC probably had some negative
> influence on your forward motion.

Yes, absolutely! It took more than two years to develop all the UAC
features. Then another 4 months for Windows 7 and Server 7.

SetupBuilder is a true mixed-mode application now and fully compatible with
Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 2008. But I don't want to go through a similar
research and development process ("nightmare") again <g>.

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

Thanks Friedrich

That is OK. I was definitely not complaining about re-subscribing and only
used the PDA as an example.

John

[NewsArchive]

John,

>
> That is OK. I was definitely not complaining about re-subscribing and only
> used the PDA as an example.
>

It was a very interesting question. In the past, we published official
roadmaps (IIRC, the last one three years ago). But we are in a very dynamic
market and so we have to react very, very fast. For example, MSI was a big
story for us three years ago. Some of our larger customers requested MSI
because they had to go through the Windows Logo Program. Then suddenly,
Microsoft changed the rules and MSI was not required for Windows 2008 Logo
tests any longer. And with the release of Windows 7, the use of Windows
Installer (MSI) or ClickOnce is no longer listed as an explicit requirement
for Logo tests. As a compromise, we added a new "#exe2msi" compiler feature
to embed .exe installations in a native .msi.

All this can't be planned in advance and the requirements nearly change on
a monthly basis. The SetupBuilder community is growing and as a result, we
are receiving lots of feedback, suggestions, and feature requests. And all
this is reflected in our activities.

Thanks again for the question!

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

Is this an announcement of your plans to retire :-)

Guy Bernard

[NewsArchive]

>
> Is this an announcement of your plans to retire :-)
>

I am the father of an "expensive" daughter, so the answer is definitely NO
<g>

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

> I am the father of an "expensive" daughter, so the answer is definitely NO
> <g>

Does this mean your skipping the "pony" and going straight to the
"horse"<g>?

:-)

Charles


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[NewsArchive]

>> I am the father of an "expensive" daughter, so the answer is definitely
>> NO
>> <g>
>
> Does this mean your skipping the "pony" and going straight to the
> "horse"<g>?

Hehehe. A dog is number one right now <g>

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

If it's a German Sheppard, Rottweiler, Doberman or Great Dane, remember the name
is already picked out: "Sir!" ;-)

--
Russell B. Eggen
www.radfusion.com
Clarion developers: www.radfusion.com/devs.htm

[NewsArchive]

> If it's a German Sheppard, Rottweiler, Doberman or Great Dane, remember
> the name is already picked out: "Sir!" ;-)

Yeah <g>. Emily's main problem is that I have been attacked by a dog when I
was a child and suffered extensive injuries. It was some kind of pit-bull
terrier. After all the years, even the attached puppy is still "Sir!" <bg>

Emily: "Oh, daddy. What a sweet puppy".
Daddy: No, it's not <g>

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

I was attacked by a rooster as a child. That probably explains why I enjoy
cooking so much <g>.

--
--
Andrew Guidroz II

[NewsArchive]

>> Is this an announcement of your plans to retire :-)
>>
>
> I am the father of an "expensive" daughter, so the answer is definitely NO
> <g>
>
> Friedrich

"Expensive" or not, my experience is that the cost is far out-weighed by
the joy.
PLUS - the industry needs you!

Guy Bernard

[NewsArchive]

> "Expensive" or not, my experience is that the cost is far out-weighed by
> the joy.

I agree 100% :-)

> PLUS - the industry needs you!

Thank you!!!!!

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

That was no attack, you were traded for a pack of cigs <g>

--
Russell B. Eggen
www.radfusion.com
Clarion developers: www.radfusion.com/devs.htm