RCs and DPs

[Curry Kenworthy]

Ben:
 > all RCs and DPs have gone, leaving only STABLE versions

Martin:
 > there was a policy change by LiveCode that was announced back in May

Heather/LiveCode:
 > If you think this will affect you, please do feel free
 > to reply to this email, we would be very interested to hear
 > why you are using an older, unstable and unsupported release.

This is a good example of LC usage of "stable"
and it explains why the definition is important.

Here "unstable" is used by the LC Team with a negative connotation,
implying less reliable, less well-tested, less fixed, unfinished.

Emphasizing that meaning:
 > If you do already have one of these downloads,
 > the licensing will continue to work with it,
 > however I strongly advise you to move to using a stable release,
 > these are test releases and not intended for general use.

Again +1: It's good common sense to prefer a finished version.
I've long had a taboo against using dp/rc for published builds,
if at all possible, for the same reasons.

Why do I mention it?

1. First, some time ago, there was a discussion here
about LC users needing stable LC versions to build with.
In other words, when it's time to really publish your Acme App,
you likely will choose the least-buggy LC version available.

A proposed counterargument/solution was that we were simply
using different definitions of "stable" - the above, versus
a more technical coding-cycle definition of no-more-added-features.
A "stable" version will not necessarily be reliable; YMMV.

But as we see, BOTH definitions are used by LC, and valid.
Both definitions tend to apply to most purposes.
LC has a version build cycle, and so do LC users.

An app build typically requires a stable (completed) LC version,
which is usually likewise a stable (reliable) LC version.
(Often, but not always, the very latest LC "stable" version,
depending on old and new LC bugs that affect an app.)

2. The rhetorical question of why someone might use a dp/rc
is probably worth answering too. Building with a dp/rc
is extremely undesirable for me, yet not QUITE unthinkable.

(And newbies have asked why anyone would keep 2 LC versions at all.)

So here we go with the answers:

A. You were forced to use a dp/rc to meet a publication deadline,
and you have an internal policy of using the same LC where possible
for any minor updates during your own app's version cycle.
(Typically the stable is even better, but I've seen the exception.)

B. The version in question fixed one bug but introduced another.
It's rare, but it has happened, for the "good" LC build
for a particular user app to fall on a dp/rc release.
(We've had cases where fixing one bug introduced another issue.)

C. You need to copy objects from one project to another.
The secret to doing this smoothly in LC is using two IDEs!
Two stable versions usually suffice, such as 9.6.4 and 9.6.3,
but it's possible to need the same version for a new feature.
(*Thus, I would recommend keeping the latest version's dp/rc's online.)

In practice these are rare. I've had 1 or 2 of these situations,
but I'm not very worried about having them again. Just FYI.

I prefer stable releases and the less-cluttered download page.
It is much easier and quicker to navigate now than before!
Another step in the right direction. (Except perhaps this.*)

Best wishes,

Curry Kenworthy

Custom Software Development
"Better Methods, Better Results"
LiveCode Training and Consulting
http://livecodeconsulting.com/