theWord 4 is out

[csterg]

It is really encouraging to get such feedback,
Costas

[Henk]

Is any new stable version planned?

[csterg]

Yes it is, soon. I am adding some new features, will let you know about them soon
Costas

[l_d_allan]

Great work. Well done, good and faithful Costas.
I'm really thrilled to see that a major update is available.

Thanks Lynn! Nice to hear a word from you

IIRC, I may have suggested this before, but there can be real and perceptual advantages to having more frequent, less major updates. A case can be made for having an early-in-the-year release, even if you consider it less-than-moderate in scope, and not really justifying the major time and effort involved.

I semi-regularly recommend TW to people. However, I have some concern about a misconception that TW isn't being actively developed. Au contraire, mon frère

To a TW newbie, the last official update back in Nov, 2012 might be underwhelming. Or not?

[csterg]

You are correct in every aspect, no comment here.

[marcelo.betel]

I must say that I really can not let someone that say that loves The Word of The Creator without your program Costas...

I've been spreading (not to a large number of people because I don't know as many as I want to, I mean, people that really worship The Creator in spirit and in the truth...

Thank you very much!!!!!!!

[csterg]

I must say that I really can not let someone that say that loves The Word of The Creator without your program Costas...

I've been spreading (not to a large number of people because I don't know as many as I want to, I mean, people that really worship The Creator in spirit and in the truth...

Thank you very much!!!!!!!

Thank you Marcelo!

[l_d_allan]

You are correct in every aspect, no comment here.

I suppose this is a reply to my post? Or not?

Anyway, my speculation is that you have a latest/greatest build that perhaps only you or co-developers use, that has a significant number of minor to moderate bug fixes. Dozens? Hundreds? If so, I'm curious how long the "Change Log" is by now, after almost two years.

I'm aware of a project that uses a "rolling release", but I'm not suggesting you move towards that. It can detract from the impressive stability of TW. Also, a "rolling release" can made documentation very difficult, and be counter-productive to the user experience.

BTW: does TW have a co-developer than helps with or even handles builds and/or releases? Perhaps that is something I could help with?

[Jeff]

Anyway, my speculation is that you have a latest/greatest build that perhaps only you or co-developers use, that has a significant number of minor to moderate bug fixes. Dozens? Hundreds? If so, I'm curious how long the "Change Log" is by now, after almost two years.

I'm aware of a project that uses a "rolling release", but I'm not suggesting you move towards that. It can detract from the impressive stability of TW. Also, a "rolling release" can made documentation very difficult, and be counter-productive to the user experience.

BTW: does TW have a co-developer than helps with or even handles builds and/or releases? Perhaps that is something I could help with?

My understanding is that beta testing is open to whoever wants to, it's just not prominently advertised.
http://theword.gr/files/beta/?C=M;O=D
viewforum.php?f=30

[DarrelW]

And I must add, the beta builds have (in my opinion) been extremely accurate with very few problems! I am impressed with what Costas and I think Jon have done on these.

Darrel

[Jeff]

I'm sure Lynn is correct about more frequent upgrades. At the same time it seems a little ironic to me that people seem to think software isn't worth looking at if a new version doesn't come out every week when, in my opinion, good software shouldn't need constant upgrades. The reason that most programs seem to be upgraded so often is because of glaring bugs and/or security issues that I don't see in theWord. Personally I've gotten to the point I appreciate a good stable program that just works and doesn't have constant upgrades to deal with. theWord is the only program that I'm presently using that I mess with beta versions at all. Partly because even after some years of using it, I'm still excited about it's development, and I want to help in whatever small way I can. Though I admit I've been stuck on beta 1390 because of a feature that was temporarily added that I don't want to get rid of.

BerBible is one example of good software that just simply works the way it's intended to without needing constant upgrades, even if theWord had made it somewhat obsolete, but I still keep it because it still works.

[csterg]

Lynn,
just answering your questions on co-developers:
there are 2 people that are actively involved, Jon and Bill, apart from me. All 3 of us do different things (not all of us do development), yet a piece of software like theWord needs more than just development to get to a good quality level (you know that better than me i suppose ),
Costas

[Doctordavet]

Jeff,

I, too, am "stuck" on .1390. I love that "maximize in the column" option - and still hoping it ends up in the next stable release....

[l_d_allan]

I'm sure Lynn is correct about more frequent upgrades. At the same time it seems a little ironic to me that people seem to think software isn't worth looking at if a new version doesn't come out every week when, in my opinion, good software shouldn't need constant upgrades.

I'm certainly not suggesting weekly, or even monthly or even quarterly releases. However, a "catch-up" might be justified.

FWIW: I've found MagicLantern's (ML) "rolling release" (RR) for the firmware of Canon DSLR's to be work surprisingly well, but I wouldn't recommend RR for TW due to documentation issues. The primary dev, A1ex, is extraordinarily competent and conscientious. Kind of reminds me of someone who hangs out around here.

The reason that most programs seem to be upgraded so often is because of glaring bugs and/or security issues that I don't see in theWord.

Another justification could be because the pace of development can be accelerated significantly by short-cuts on documentation. With good automated QA, good build discipline, and good release protocols, my experience is you can take many more chances with monthly or quarterly betas.

FWIW: I recall doing a Feature Request to ML, getting some nay-sayer reasons that day why it wasn't possible or worth it, then a prototype in a day or so. That proto grew within a week or so to a series of capabilities that greatly exceeded my wildest expectations.

Personally I've gotten to the point I appreciate a good stable program that just works and doesn't have constant upgrades to deal with.

Perhaps counter-intuitively, the less I use full-featured s/w like TW, the more stable the better. When I only use TW every year or so, I tend to have to tackle the learning curve from "square one". When I was using TW multiple times per day back with 3.x, I stayed more on top of it, and enjoyed new features.

theWord is the only program that I'm presently using that I mess with beta versions at all. Partly because even after some years of using it, I'm still excited about it's development, and I want to help in whatever small way I can. Though I admit I've been stuck on beta 1390 because of a feature that was temporarily added that I don't want to get rid of.

Gosh, sounds like 1390 might be ready to be a 4.1 RC? Maybe yesterday? One definition of a major point release can be that it needs fresh documentation.

After that "catch-up", annual releases near the first of the year might be plenty regarding the perception of TW being actively developed. Or not?

BerBible is one example of good software that just simply works the way it's intended to without needing constant upgrades, even if theWord had made it somewhat obsolete, but I still keep it because it still works.

Interesting. I heard that BB with Rational's Visual Test automated q/a never had a confirmed bug, maybe even for beta versions.

[debbim]

thanks so much brother Costas for this great bible software. Its been a great blessing considering all that one can do with it depending on how "tech-savvy" one is. God bless you.
But I have few requests that could be considered, since I see theword is basically built on the principle of, turn on what you want and off what you dont need.
1. Is it possible to hyperlink bible references placed in some bible texts e.g. AMP, AUV
2. Can we have a bible reference displayed from a pop up text (e.g. I am reading a commentary link popup from inside the bible window..can a bible refrence placed in it be allowed as a popup
3. Can there be dictionary look up possibilities for other modules i.e. commentary, dictionary apart from just the bible module
4. Is it possible to hyperlink a text to a message(mp3) or graphic file (jpeg) I have somewhere on the computer but not built as a TheWord module.
5. There was/is a hymn module for e-sword that allows you to click on a hymn in the topic module and the tune will play via Windows Media Player, is it possible to configure same for TheWord.
Thanks very much