https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=57061
--- Comment #43 from Paul Weiss <lib...@hotmail.com> --- (In reply to comment #32) > From a USER and PUBLIC perception it is a MAJOR update. So having a BAD .0 > release is simply BAD marketing. I strongly agree with Pedro. This should have been a blocker. The release criteria page on the TDF wiki (https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Release_Criteria) specifically calls out data loss as a valid symptom of a blocker bug, and this bug meets the other conditions. It is these kinds of bugs that lead many IT managers in the US to steer away from FOSS and that freak out typical users who are using a previous version. I expect that many non-programmer users who update, and then discover that settings are lost will feel alienated, and will drop LO Writer for another word processing program. I am very concerned that bad migration stories will prove to be a marketing disaster, especially with TDF's major PR for 4.0. In comment 30: > I am sorry but this can't be taken as a blocker. Yes, it is annoying that some > setting is lost. Though, it does not affect the functionality of the software. > It is still well usable. This absolutely affects the functionality of the software. Users can no longer do what they were doing before without massive time commitment to reset everything manually. It is very important to remember the differing perspectives between developers and users. Otherwise eventually it will only be the developers using the software. more from comment 30: > Is it really a blocker when user lost the list of recently used documents or > few 3rd-party extensions that even might need an update to work with the new > release? I agree that the recently used documents list is not high priority: it is transient data that just adds a little efficiency to using the software. However, the extension list is definitely high priority for many users. I would bet you that even most users who heavily use extensions don't even know which ones they have installed. They will attempt to do things in LO 4.0 that worked in their 3.X installation, but won't work now. They may have no idea that this is because of an extension! They may spend significant trouble-shooting the problem to no avail, and just leave LO. Some users have spent many hours customizing their AutoText or AutoCorrect entries, keyboard shortcuts, toolbars and menus. Not migrating those should definitely have been a blocker in my opinion, or at least there should have been clear, easy-to-find information about the bug, with a big warning on the download page. > All linux users lost similar level of setting with the switch from LO-3.4 to > LO-3.5 and I am not aware of any strong complains. Again, a lack of understanding of the typical user. 99% (at least) of users will never post anything to Bugzilla or LO mailing lists or anywhere else. If they get majorly frustrated with the software, they will just go use a different word processor. > Please, read also https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/ReleasePlan#Summary. > The time based release means that .0 release is intended for enthusiasts. It > might include include even annoying bugs. This is also a misunderstanding of the typical user. How would the typical user even find this page? On www.libreoffice.org, no page has a link to the release plan summary. Only 2 pages have a link to the release plan. One is is the pre-releases page, where it is labeled "release schedule", a page unlikely to be read by a typical user. The other is the release policy page, where again the release plan is referred to "release schedule". Typical users are not likely to think there would be something important to them in a "release policy". Even if they do read that page, it says the reasons for 2 maintained branches are large deployments and Linux distribution, not bugs. It goes on to say "as a general rule, The Document Foundation advises all users to upgrade to the new version as soon as possible." And "It is not correct to assume that versions from previous branches are 'safer' or 'more stable'." This would seem to indicate that TDF wants single users to upgrade ASAP, with no mention of the migration or any other bugs. And even if by some miracle a user gets to the release plan page, s/he is not likely to think there would be something important to them in a "release plan". Now the LO home page redirects to a huge, splashy announcement of 4.0, which certainly seems aimed at the general user. No mention of annoying bugs, no mention of the release plan philosophy. The page that the download button takes you to also says nothing about annoying bugs or the release plan, nor even any indication that the user should consider downloading an earlier version. There is a link to what is labeled as the release notes page. (Which is not a real release notes page, since it doesn't even describe what is new in the release.) This "release notes" page says that 4.0.0: "contains many exciting new features, and is suitable for early adopters and private power users", and that 3.6.5: "contains many exciting new features, and is the recommended version for home and corporate users." The first 7 words are the same. Those two sentences make it sound like there may be extra fancy, specialized features in 4.0.0, not that it might be buggy. The very bottom sentence of the 4.0.0 release notes finally mentions bugs, and links to the real release notes page on the TDF wiki for "a few annoying bugs". I believe the typical user of a previous version would consider major settings loss far more than annoying. Finally, on that page, is a link to this bug. This bug is long and technical, with a vague title, and no succinct description of the problem. So .... A user gets excited by the flashy announcement on the home page, and attempts to download 4.0. On their second clicked-through page, s/he may see the line about some bugs. S/he might follow that link to the third clicked-through page, which mentions that some settings are not migrated. It isn't until s/he reaches the fourth clicked-through page where there is even a chance of the user understanding what settings are not migrated. I am not writing all this to attack Petr or any other developer. I am a strong FOSS supporter, and am thrilled to use LO. I am very, very grateful for all the time and energy you all donate to the project! I am just concerned that not keeping in mind the perspectives of typical users will eventually doom the project. It has happened before on other projects. I realize that much of this post touches on larger issues than just this bug. If there is another appropriate place to post this, let me know. I am not a programmer, but am happy to help out in other ways. -- You are receiving this mail because: You are the assignee for the bug.
_______________________________________________ Libreoffice-bugs mailing list Libreoffice-bugs@lists.freedesktop.org http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/libreoffice-bugs
