I'm concerned that updates are getting a bit out of control

GazzaBloom

GazzaBloom

Inspired
While I absolutely recognise and welcome Cliff's and the FAS team's enthusiasm and support of the Axe FX, I am concerned that there is a lack of disipline and control with regards to recent FW Beta updates.

We have a FW20 beta that is now overlapped with a Quantum 1 beta. Does this suggest that random developments are being thrown out for testing by the public without adherence to a product development plan?

Or are these frantic developments a knee jerk reaction to the imminent lower cost product releases by other manufacturers (Helix, Amplifire, Yamaha THR100), which are looking likely to be great sounding products?

Every company needs creative and spur of the moment product developments but releasing these as a stream of consciousness to the public may end up being self defeating and appear amateurish, especially without taking the time to write release notes.

Just a concern of mine, from someone who owns and loves the Axe FX.
 
for what its worth I agree to a degree


Fractals support and Cliff's passion are unequalled and IMHO their product is unequalled.

I do think you have to be careful of throwing out too many "game changers" at one time or in quick sucession at the risk of your company coming acrosss like an old school snake oil salesman.

I will say Cliffs betas are pretty rock solid as far as betas go . behind the scenes they are making sure these things run well before putting them out there . So I wouldnt say amatuerish



no doubt this thread will get ugly . but hey, this is a place to discuss the axe fx right . all aspects of it, and if you get upset by OP's opion you are taking it all a little too serious .
 
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So your concerned that allowing users the voluntary option to try out a beta version of a software is somehow hurting your investment in the company ?

You going to call a shareholders meeting and try to fire the CEO for not sticking to a product development plan that better suits your bottom line ?

If a man regarded a pioneer in the industry is suddenly viewed as "amateurish" because he didn't include release notes with a BETA release he didn't force anyone to use that affects you how ?
 
Stop visiting the forum for half a year; came back when you feel like it. No issue.

Cliff is damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t. Inspiration doesn’t wait for some “product development plan.” This kind of useless bitching is beyond understanding.

I apologize for my frustration, but we’ve got the best thing going, and people still find a way to complain about it. Unbelievable.

We can watch an artist sculpting in real time, and choose to go along for the ride and reap the benefits. Don’t want the ride? Don’t take it.

Kirk: Mr. Spock, have you accounted for the variable mass of whales and water in your time re-entry program?

Spock: Mr. Scott cannot give me exact figures, Admiral, so... I will make a guess.

Kirk: A guess? You, Spock? That's extraordinary.

Spock: [to Dr. McCoy] I don't think he understands.

McCoy: No, Spock. He means that he feels safer about your guesses than most other people's facts.

Spock: Then you're saying... [pause] It is a compliment?

McCoy: It is.

Spock: Ah. Then, I will try to make the best guess I can.

McCoy: Please do.

I’ll go with Cliff winging it on the fly, rather than a hundred armchair critics struggling to keep up. Though “winging it on the fly” hardly describes what we all enjoy every time we plug in.
 
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While I do understand your concerns and Don't want to attack you for them, because look we all have concerns in life, that is normal... I have to tell you there was a time that Cliff "would not share Beta releases" Or if he did it was VERY VERY VERY RARE, and then after much heat from users on the forum, he gave in and started to share them. "this is how I remember things" Cliff can come in and correct me if I am wrong, but either way, I commend Cliff and his team for allowing us to beta test "if we choose" and to allow those who do not want to beta test to stay out, I think his model is PERFECT in an imperfect world...
 
G'day Gazza,

It's important that (with that mindset), you reevaluate your participation in the Beta releases. Have a read about what Beta releases are, the purpose they fulfill, and (importantly) the risks that you take on by participating. Betas are so handy from the developers point of view, because they get a chance to have hundreds of users test the product before releasing into production.

With your concern, you may want to either;
- get a second unit to evaluate beta releases
- Undertake to backup, load beta releases for evaluation, then reload the backup each time a beta release is put out there
- not participate in the beta release program at all.

Personally - I cannot wait for every release as it's interesting and motivating to hear the changes in each new beta. I do however understand the need for consistency in a professional environment which is why just using production releases may be the best option.

Anyway - give it some thought because the turmoil on this (beta release) side can be entirely negated by not participating in it, and just using production releases.

Thanks
Pauly




GazzaBloom said:
While I absolutely recognise and welcome Cliff's and the FAS team's enthusiasm and support of the Axe FX, I am concerned that there is a lack of disipline and control with regards to recent FW Beta updates.

We have a FW20 beta that is now overlapped with a Quantum 1 beta. Does this suggest that random developments are being thrown out for testing by the public without adherence to a product development plan?

Or are these frantic developments a knee jerk reaction to the imminent lower cost product releases by other manufacturers (Helix, Amplifire, Yamaha THR100), which are looking likely to be great sounding products?

Every company needs creative and spur of the moment product developments but releasing these as a stream of consciousness to the public may end up being self defeating and appear amateurish, especially without taking the time to write release notes.

Just a concern of mine, from someone who owns and loves the Axe FX.
Click to expand...
 
To GazzaBloom, Once you have owned an Axe FX for a while longer you will likely really appreciate the firmware updates (and beta versions if you choose to test them before the official releases come out). So much has changed since I first bought my Axe FXII. It started out great and has steadily improved in ways I didn't even think possible. I do not think Cliff is concerned at all about the competition. Low cost or high end competition. He just seems to be on a mission for sonic perfection and won't stop until he achieves it. My hat's off to him.
 
most companies release a product and it's basically EOL. maybe a few updates for bugs, but that's it. if they come up with a new concept, they release a new hardware version forcing people to sell and buy.

if FAS did the same thing over the years, they probably would have at least 10 discreet hardware versions and be completely warranted compared to how everyone else does things. can you imagine a new hardware unit at Firmware 9 "required" for the use of Scenes? he fully could have done that.

but realize that the Axe-Fx II is a LIVING piece of gear, meaning it's in constant development, and the methodology and underlying code/algorithms are always being improved by Cliff and FAS. since the beginning, when Cliff made a discovery, he GAVE it to us as soon as possible. for free.

and of course, it's your choice if and when to update. some are still on FW 12, and that's completely ok! it's a tool; use it for what you need.
 
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GazzaBloom said:
While I absolutely recognise and welcome Cliff's and the FAS team's enthusiasm and support of the Axe FX, I am concerned that there is a lack of disipline and control with regards to recent FW Beta updates.

We have a FW20 beta that is now overlapped with a Quantum 1 beta. Does this suggest that random developments are being thrown out for testing by the public without adherence to a product development plan?

Or are these frantic developments a knee jerk reaction to the imminent lower cost product releases by other manufacturers (Helix, Amplifire, Yamaha THR100), which are looking likely to be great sounding products?

Every company needs creative and spur of the moment product developments but releasing these as a stream of consciousness to the public may end up being self defeating and appear amateurish, especially without taking the time to write release notes.

Just a concern of mine, from someone who owns and loves the Axe FX.
Click to expand...

Seems like every major firmware release there's a post like this. I don't understand why since nobody forces anyone to install an update, especially one that is clearly labeled Public Beta.

Additionally, Cliff has released what he wanted when he wanted, and none of these kinds of thread have stopped him (and I would argue there have been hundreds over the years). Moreover, the frequent update and public beta paradigm isn't at all new; take a look at your browser version as a good example. Google releases new code every month, in multiple products, many times without anyone knowing. They have a beta channel for Chrome and a fast-release channel for folks who want Google Apps updates two weeks earlier than standard release. Would you say they are lacking control? Mozilla has been the same way with Firefox, and Microsoft and Apple are also adopting that paradigm. Both MS and Apple have had public betas for their OS releases for years.

Nobody forces you to come to the forum. Nobody forces you to download and install the beta. Public betas are how developers get feedback from a significantly larger pool of users than they would through internal testing. Any software developer worth their salt will do one before a major release affecting thousands of users. Why should Fractal be different? Why does an absolutely normal practice in software development concern you?
 
No offence, but who are you to say that they don't have a product development plan?
Just because they choose to release public betas does not mean they don't have a proper plan. Releasing public betas is very much a sensible plan. In fact, Apple are even doing it now.

Public beta testing is good as it means bugs get ironed out faster, rather than relying on a smaller in-house team.

All that happened is during FW20 development, Cliff had a epiphany and got to work. The work required must have been a big deviation from the current code, hence the new name and FW sequence. This is all part of normal product development - things get scrapped all the time.
 
Arrrggg!! Another one??? There's far too many important things to be concerned with other than the frequency of updates! Wow!!!
My hat goes off to Cliff for his constant effort in bettering his product! And even more so the way he shares with us asap the breakthroughs ! Maybe spend more worry time being Thankful??
 
I've not been disappointed in any updates.
which means they just keep getting better.
I'll choose to keep updating.

the choice is yours
 
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