Future Versions of Sharpcap

[Rocket_Guy]

Hi Robin,

I was just wondering about how future versions of Sharpcap will be handled. Version 4.0 has a lot more capability now than when it first appeared months ago. The nice thing about versions is that they have a known set of capabilities and the documentation can be correlated to a specific version number. As it stands now, there are a number of features in the current version 4.0 of Sharpcap which are not captured in the current 4.0 documentation. This is a problem for new users of Sharpcap in that your code now has capabilities they would not necessarily know about.

I really like the fact that through your efforts, additional capability is being added to Sharpcap on an almost continual basis and I would not want to curtail that, however, it seems like it might be good at some point to say this is the end of version 4.0 and at that point add the additional features which have been incorporated into the code into the current documentation. At that point, then proceed to add features to a version 4.1 or whatever you want to call it, proceed for a time with that version, and then update the documentation again and so on. It seems like this is the way things were done in the past.

The main thing that I am trying to address is that you don't want the code features to outstrip the documentation by an excessive amount or you will be in danger of leaving a lot of users behind. My 2 cents for what it is worth. Thanks as always for you wonderful code!

Best, Bill

[admin]

Hi Bill,

a good point...

A lot of the stuff I have done incrementally since SharpCap 4.0 first came out has consisted of small features that I can add without the risk of breaking the rest of SharpCap. For instance if I add some new sequencer steps or something like the satellite trail removal feature and they aren't quite right, the worst that happens is that the new bits don't work properly and the rest of SharpCap is fine. This has let me get away with not having to have a major release (which I would need for something bigger). This has worked quite well with a release every week or two getting a few small to medium features and a handful of bug fixes and usability tweaks.

On the other hand, the documentation has been left behind for the last year. The pressure on me to update it is growing and at some point in the not too distant future I will have to sit down and get on with it.

Will there be a SharpCap 5? Probably not right now as I don't have any new feature lined up that would that are big enough to justify a jump to 5.0.

cheers,

Robin

[Toshihito Watanabe]

Hi Robin,

I agree, I've been feeling uncomfortable since working on translating the SC manual.
The reality is that the documentation cannot keep up with the addition of new features, including existing ones.
Why don't we stop here and clean up the functionality and documentation consistency?




Watanabe

[iamhondo]

"... any new feature lined up that would that are big enough to justify ..."

I think there might be a big camp of users who consider the large package of new features you've produced to represent a justification for a version change and a documentation catch-up period.

My software development managers reminded us that documentation is to software as cooking is to food.

Under-cooked food might not be digestible. Ditto for under-documented software.

Joe

[Toshihito Watanabe]

Hi Robin,

To add further, your work appears to be very busy, why don't you consider a staff member (partner) to help you move forward with the development of this SC?
I suggest if you consider the need for consistency between documentation and software.



Watanabe

[admin]

Hi folks,

the big issue is that I enjoy writing software more than I enjoy writing documentation At some point my feelings of guilt about letting the documentation get out-of-date catch up with me and I do an update.

cheers,

Robin

[Toshihito Watanabe]

Hi Robin,

That reminds me of a developer who once said something similar to you.

It was a disappointing response when we asked developers who sell imaging software commercially if they do not provide documentation to their users.

The developer said that he was more concerned about spending time developing the program than preparing the documentation.

Isn't this obviously leaving the user behind? I have stopped using this software since I heard this.



Watanabe

[calan]

Personally, I vote for continuing to add new features, over documentation...at least the ones I've requested.

[Rocket_Guy]

That is short sighted. If there is no documentation as to what you have, what you do have will soon be forgotten.

[Toshihito Watanabe]

A further word of caution... While the new features will be welcomed by experienced and seasoned users, novice users rely more on the documentation.




Watanabe