Questions for PMMail Tech Support

[Ralph Cohen]

On Wed, 13 Sep 2000 12:37:15 +0100 (BST), Simon Bowring wrote:

>
>I understand your frustrations and I think we all do deserve more 
>feedback and openness from blueprint, but I don't think your 
>questions are particularly helpful.
>
>>2.  Will the updates scheduled for release before Christmas contain any
>>new features or will they be bug fixes only?  If so, can you post a
>>description of the new features being added?

>i.e. How long is a peice of string?  If they answer this question but 
>fail to implement a new feature, they will leave themselves open to 
>critisism.  If I were blueprint I would not publicly commit to a
>specific set of new features at this stage. Inevitably features will 
>have to be dropped or the timescales will have to be extended if 
>they make such "promises" but fail to hit their targets - this has 
>been the nature of software development for the last 30 years, and
>doesn't look set to change any time soon!
>

Hi Simon,

I asked a simple question, i.e. whether or not any new features are
planned and if so what they might include.  BSW claims to have been
working on the updates for anywhere from 2 to 8 months so I don't think
that it's unreasonable for them to have such list and I was merely
asking them to share it with us.  If they want to add disclaimers to
certain features then so be it, but I fail to understand why you have
taken it upon yourself to answer for them.  The questions were directed
to BSW and I am specifically interested in their responses, although I
certainly recognize and respect your right to post your comments and
opinions.

>
>>3.  Will BSW be conducting a beta test period for the new releases
>>scheduled for before Christmas?  If so, when can we expect the test
>>period to begin and will it be open or limited.  If not, why not?

>A more useful question, though a bit antagonistic ("if not, why not?" as 
>if they "must" do this, when this is patently their own commercial
>decision).
>

If BSW is not planning a beta test period - something that would be
highly unusual - then I  think that such a radical departure from the
norm is worthy of an explanation.  Maybe they've discovered a way to
produce perfect software that wouldn't benefit from beta testing!  If
so, I want to call my stock broker and purchase as much of their stock
as I can!<g>


>>4.  Will Peter Nielsen be directly involved with the updates 

>What does being "directly involved with the updates" mean?
>Does it mean is he personally fixing bugs and writing code?
>What are you trying to discover here?
>

I have a tremendous amount of respect for Peter Nielson based upon my
participation in his beta program for PMView.  I have no such
confidence it the ability of BSW to follow through on any of the things
they've said about PMMail so I see Peter's participation as critical to
the future of PMMail.



>I would like to see 3 public lists on the website:
>
>1. Reported bugs and their status
>2. Feature requests (for "voting" purposes, the most popular features
>   would not necessarily be implemented, since this is a technical 
>   and commercial decision)
>3. New features *planned* in forthcoming releases - this would have to 
>   emphasize that not all planned features are likely to be delivered.
>
>Then with each relase I'd expect a list of bug fixes and new features.
>

Agreed!


>I strongly *suspect* that PMMail's devlopment has not been subject to
>very much "configuration management" (the use of source control 
>systems and bug tracking tools etc).  Programmers often consider such
>tools restrictive and opressive for small one or two man projects, 
>however such tools (or "manual" procedures that emulate them) are 
>essential for the sort of information that we would like to see, and
>also essential if project personell change (as has happended with 
>PMMail).
>

Agreed!

Thanks,

Ralph
rpcohen@neurotron.com