Anyword on the RC1 for v2?

Just checking in seems like a couple days have past since RC1 was supposed to be out. No rushing you Alex, but is there a current list of fixes/features that will be released/finished in the RC?

According to Alex's post 2 weeks ago, the Standard Edition Final was due out today.

http://www.activewidgets.com/javascript.forum.10558.4/version-2-0-release-dates.html

Unfortunately I have to delay the final release for one more week. Which means the Standard Edition Final will be released 8 February. I will also going to publish RC this week (1 February). The main fixes are

- focus handling (activate/deactivate events) in Mozilla/Firefox
- editing/validation (grid cell, input, combo) fully working in Mozilla/Firefox
- no more duplicate validation alerts in IE
- combo box fixes (using as cell template)
- compatibility with 3rd party libraries (Prototype, Script.aculo.us)
- support for HTA
- textToValue() for date format (correct sorting)

This is excellent news! These are all needed items.

Alex,

While I'm a fan and supporter of your work, I do question your release strategy.

Rather than trying to hold V2 in beta until all browsers are functioning to your liking, why not "divide and conquer". For example, focus all of your efforts on IE bugs and then release it as a Final edition. Then move to Firefox, etc. (You can pick which ever order obviously, but IE does still claim 66% of the market share so it seems logical to go first.)

While you are in good faith trying to be everything to everyone right now, we are all still waiting in the end.

Just my 2 cents.

I disagree with that. What about linux and mac users? I know ie5.2 exists on the mac but we don't support it since there are better browsers available and to support mozilla across all three is a lot simpler and gets products to market quicker. So in my eyes forget ie and focus on mozilla ;) if someone want to use your app they will use the browser you say at the end of the day

My personal preference is to use Firefox, but my company develops software that we sell to large institutional customers who unvaryingly use IE. Contrary to what you say, they will not use the browser we tell them to, hence we support IE.

So, I agree with Mr Timekeeper. It is always better to get your product to the greatest number of users as quickly as you can and that means rolling out IE first.

Just to clarify... my intention was not to try to rank the importance of one browser over the next. I'm just saying, hypothetically, that why should a FF developer have to wait on a final product when IE bugs are holding up the release date. Or vice versa.

I wouldn't care if "Mac OS" final edition gets published first. The point is that by focusing on one specific browser at a time - and then releasing the final edition for them - "some" of us will be done. The alternative, which Alex is doing now, is making us all wait.

"So, I agree with Mr Timekeeper. It is always better to get your product to the greatest number of users as quickly as you can and that means rolling out IE first."

Well that's great and all, but this is a direct M$ stratedgy at work, and your company is reflective of that. Let's look at some numbers, as there is not always safety in numbers.

2006 IE6 IE5 Ffox Moz N7 O8 O7
January 61.3% 5.5% 25.0% 3.1% 0.4% 1.4% 0.2%

So you are correct in that IE is the majority, but Firefox has 1/4 of the users, .... yeah not good to forget about 1/4 of web users that's alot. And the fact that IE7 looks exactly like Firefox tells us something. IE is losing ground fast and is trying to capture Firefox users back already. I would be willing to bet, this time next year, Firefox is around 10-15% higher in internet browser usage stats. Mr. Timekeeper has a very good point though. In software engineering in general, you need deadlines, and dates to release specific aspects, doing it browser by browser is one stratedgy, but it may not necessarily be the best, but definately one to consider.

Why is everyone concerned that the 'deadline' was not 100% met? Has M$ EVER hit a deadline? The short answer is NO. I don't know of any large company that ever, reliably, hit's dealines. And that is with large numbers of developers that can pick up for one another if something happens. Alex is a tiny development staff, and if he get's the flu for a week, the deadline gets moved by a week. Any little setback will move the deadline. Give the guy a break! He is working his butt off to get the software out to us. For me, it won't do me any good to have Version 2.0 only support IE. I can't release my application until I have the full browser support. Sure I might be able to test my application if IE was finished, but I won't be able to release it until it's done for all browsers.
In my opinion, I would rather have full borwser support, but missing a feature or two. I think it's easier to release an application that works on most browsers and simply tell them for example: "Column sorting on dates will work correctly in our next release", then it is to tell them "Sorry, you can do everything if you use IE but you can't use any other browser at all." This will force some people to use browsers they don't like which is much worse then allowing them to use their favorite browser but be missing a feature or two.

This is just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Jim said: Alex is a tiny development staff

So am I and I'm slipping at the same pace or maybe even faster than Alex :)

I'm very pleased with Active Widgets and don't mind waiting as long as it takes.

It looks like Alex is getting close. In fact, I better place my order to beat the 2.0 price change.

Keep up the great work Alex!

Jim... perhaps "deadline isn't the most important thing here... its "CYA".

I think I can speak for most of us consultants, professional programmers, and anybody else that has to run their web design past a higher power (your manager, project lead, etc.)

A "BETA PRODUCT" ISN'T A GREAT SELL.

Even if Alex just changes one character in the B4 code and releases it as "final edition", it makes our lives so much eaiser. Like it or not, "Beta" carries a stigma that "there can be bugs", "its unfinished", or any other term that doesn't sit well with upper management.