Update Quality

[matidio]

Hi,

I'm using the firefox extension since a long time but in the last weeks/months I see decreasing the quality of both the update policy and the quality of the extension. These are my osservations:

- I tried to download the newest version of the Firefox extension, 1.5.1 as written on the download page. On the same page above I read that, for reason of the countering, I can find it ONLY at AMO. Fine, only one place. Not as before I have to compare Homepage and AMO to find the newest version. I thought ... but at AMO you find only the old version (1.5.0) and on the Homepage you can't find the newest ... if you change the place to download one should do it right.

- Ok, I thought I try the update function of Firefox (1.5.0.1). Let's look which version it offers: 1.4.5. Hey, I did miss that. There was a version 1.4.5? Let's look at the Homepage ... oh, there has never been a version 1.4.5. Let me guess it's a 1.5.0 ... but I didn't test it as I don't want to overwrite my working extension with a version I don't know and as I suppose it might be a version which has some critical bugs.

- Ok, last try. I read on the homepage news that the project now is on Sourceforge. Fine, let's go there to find the new version ... nothing. Since 3/7/06 only the commandline version.

Let me say, all this hassle to find the newest version of an extension. All these little problems add up to a big one: quality of service. The problem with the update function version in Firefox exists since months. The switch to AMO, in my opinion, should have been a slowly one. Different versions exist since months, so nothing new. But unable to find the newest one is new. First one should align the versions on both homepage and AMO and finally offer only the newest on AMO. If one switches to sourceforge and makes it public then it should be a complete and maintained switch. Don't start something and let it doze. New people get a bad image ...

Last but not least I would add something other. In the first days the product had a high quality. I mean when a new version appeared this version had a good quality and critical bugs didn't show up oftenly. But the last major versions (1.4x, 1.5x) did experience some trouble. We are talking about a missing critical application not some game. Which means it should be tested more before offered to the public. I know beta versions don't get it to the mass but it can be compensated with more testing. It can't be that there are problems storing the master password. Only reading makes me stay away. Some people use this extension as the only storage for their passwords. These are for example the reasons that I don't update blindly with the firefox update function.

Sorry for my rant, it should be merely seen as a constructiv critic. I'm using this application since the first days and seeing these kind of changes don't make me look optimistically in the future. And I don't want to change because it's a great application. But the pressure to update oftenly (as it seems to me) shouldn't be a reason to let go things or to not offer the same quality standards as before.

Saluti

[Eric H. Jung]

Hello matidio,

Thanks for your honest comments. I am sorry you have had bad experiences. Please allow me to address your concerns individually.

I tried to download the newest version of the Firefox extension, 1.5.1 as written on the download page. On the same page above I read that, for reason of the countering, I can find it ONLY at AMO. Fine, only one place. Not as before I have to compare Homepage and AMO to find the newest version. I thought ... but at AMO you find only the old version (1.5.0) and on the Homepage you can't find the newest ... if you change the place to download one should do it right.

The place to download is AMO and only AMO. Passwordmaker.org will not have XPIs anymore (except beta versions). Since AMO has not "approved" 1.5.1 yet, it is not available for download. I have no control over the approval process. Perhaps I shouldn't post the release notes for a new version until AMO approves it for download. That is my fault. In the future, I will not announce or post release notes for new versions until it is available on AMO. Unfortunately, this can be up to several weeks after it's finished--AMO is slow to approve.

1.4.5. Hey, I did miss that. There was a version 1.4.5? Let's look at the Homepage

I should have wrriten on the homepage at 1.4.5. It is just a dialog box that tells you to switch downloading to AMO, that's all. It doesn't do anything. The reason for this is: people who downloaded PasswordMaker from passwordmaker.org have a file which tells Firefox to check for updates at passwordmaker.org. People who downloaded PasswordMaker from AMO have a file which tells Firefox to check for updates at AMO. Since updates are no longer available at passwordmaker.org, I needed a way to get users to "switch" to AMO. Otherwise, updates would be released at AMO and these users would never know about them. Version 1.4.5 is just a placeholder which shows you this:



But I should have documented this at the home page. For that I apologize.

But the last major versions (1.4x, 1.5x) did experience some trouble. We are talking about a missing critical application not some game. Which means it should be tested more before offered to the public. I know beta versions don't get it to the mass but it can be compensated with more testing. It can't be that there are problems storing the master password. Only reading makes me stay away. Some people use this extension as the only storage for their passwords. These are for example the reasons that I don't update blindly with the firefox update function.

Point taken. I will do my best to increase quality. FWIW, the last two releases added major functionality, so perhaps they were inherently more susceptible to bugs than other releases.

Sorry for my rant, it should be merely seen as a constructiv critic.

Yes, I am taking this as constructive criticism. Thank you.

I hope I've addressed your concerns. I will make efforts to change.

Regards,
Eric Jung

[LkonKbd]

Hi,

I'm using the firefox extension since a long time but in the last weeks/months I see decreasing the quality of both the update policy and the quality of the extension. These are my osservations:

Snip snip. . .

Saluti

"Matidio,"

I snipped your message in here so this one would not be soooooo llloooonnnnggg.  If anyone reads this and would like to know what is in your message can look to the first post.

I am not here to attempt to add to nor take from 'Eirc's' message, I feel you think we are taking your message as just a critic, NOT at all, very constructive critisim is what is needed and apreciated.  Most of us or atleast some of us use the ßeta version so we can give feedback to Eric so he can correct oversites or some bugs, also known as UnDocumented Features.  I did not realise there was such a delay from AMO, but; that is their requrement so it can be examined and proof tested.  I for one like to see and read these comments so we know others are using the software and like it.  Keep using and posting any problems you see.  That is what this forum is about and do not feel bad about making such a post.  These people on here are here to learn as well as HELP another with difficulties.

Thank you,

[Eric H. Jung]

Hi,

The status of PasswordMaker 1.4.5 is now documented here. Also, I've updated the download page to indicate that new releases may not be immediately available for download.

-Eric