"Check for Updates" and a display of recent changes/improvements

#1

Especially in this early stage of the software it would be nice to have a "Check for Updates" (in "Help" perhaps?) to make sure one has always the latest version before filling a bug-report and without having to search and download it manually.
This could even help to reduce reopenings and double-creations of bug-reports.

Also a checkbox for "Check for Updates on startup" in a settings-dialogue would be nice to not have to worry about making updates. Or is this solved with Electron in a different more shadowy and automatic way? In both cases a decent modal inside the software on startup with a link to or a display of the most recent changes with this update would be nice.

Perhaps this relates in some way with this feature-suggestion:
talk.subformapp.com/ability-to-get-subform-system-info/

2016.11.21 Subform release 6bdeabc
#2

Hi @JohaWeber thanks for the suggestion.

I'll add a "Check for updates" link in the help menu in the next release that will open up the releases page (https://talk.subformapp.com/tags/releases) in your browser. Each release topic will include a detailed changelog from the previous release.

We don't plan to have automatic, in-app updates for a few reasons:

  • The intermittent "PLZ UPDATE NOW!" popup that happens when you open apps prevents habituation. We want Subform to be fast, responsive, and consistent, so that pro users can open it and hotkey to specific parts of their file w/ their eyes closed. Popups prevent this.

  • Automatic background downloading of app updates is disrespectful to anyone who works on metered or otherwise bandwidth limited connections. (This has been a problem for me while traveling in third world countries, for instance.)

  • We feel strongly that professionals should be in absolute control of their workflow, and so they --- not us --- should be in charge of when upgrades happen. They may want to wait to upgrade until a particular client project has been delivered, for example

  • Manual download/install allows folks to maintain and run different versions of Subform on the same computer, which ties into my previous point about workflow control.

#3

please, don't put it in "Help". At least not on Mac. There's a established pattern for that:

Also, if users don't get any message, how will they know? Will they have one more thing to remember in their workflow?

#4

I think that is a pretty bold assumption. I would have an option to enable automatic updates. That's how most software does it. If you want to auto update then enable the option.

#5

Great point, thanks @mateus_px! I'll put the menu option under the "Subform" menu on OS X.

As for getting the message, we will be talking about big releases and features on the mailing list.

I also want to step back and address an assumption on this topic: That users need to be on the latest version of each piece of software that they use.

That may be the case for software with core functionality that changes over time (e.g., web security or stock market simulators), but it's not the case for Subform. Subform is a tool, and an ideal outcome would be that people never think about it because they are using it to work productively.

That said, I understand that some people want an easier experience than going to a website and clicking a few things. But designing and implementing a better upgrade experience could easily take 20+ hours, which is time we'd rather spend on the core value of Subform.

#6

I can't seem to find where to download the app.

#7

@ivan, https://talk.subformapp.com/tags/releases

#8

Given your previous points, which I can simpathise with, what about a middle ground?

Rather than a nagging pop up or no notification at all, how about an unobtrusive alert showing up in one of the bars of the app? When clicked, it would do one of two things:

  • Open the download page in the browser, or start the download directly;
  • Start the auto-update process similarly to how most Mac apps do it.

If I had to choose, I'd opt for the latter for ease of use.

Regarding the downgrading/multiple versions use case: I have had just one or two situations where I had to downgrade Sketch in the entirety of the time I've used it. I think it should be possible (in the case of Sketch you download an archive of the old version and install it) but I don't think it's worth building support for this use-case in Subform at the expense of the normal upgrade experience.

Would love to hear your thoughts however.

#9

Two things:

1) The "support" for that use case already exists based on how the DMG and Windows installers work --- you can change the app name or install directory easily to have multiple versions. It's no additional work for me to implement. It is already done.

2) Be careful about the word "normal" --- There are ~ 1000 backers on the forum, and everyone has a different workflow. Some people might do all of their work on one mac laptop. Others might have a Mac at home and PC at work. Others might not even be allowed to update/change the software on the machines they use. We don't want a "saves 30 seconds" convenience feature for some users to make the app unusable or extremely frustrating for others.

Finally, I don't want to sound like the current behavior is the ideal one.
There are almost certainly better solutions out there.

But what we have now works for most, if not all, use cases.
The convenience of updating is not going to be the difference between Subform succeeding or failing.
We have to focus our efforts on the things that do make the difference --- layout engine, export to devs, etc.

#10

You have a really good point, thanks for the perspective.