A few of you might remember the “rumor” posted on EllisLab four weeks ago that a Wiki module would be released for ExpressionEngine at the end of last month.  Then, in last week’s Developer Blog entry I suggested that willing beta testers for that module email me so they could receive a copy.  Unfortunately, the rumored deadline has passed and the Wiki Module has not been released to the public in any form.  The reasons are many and varied, and I think it perfectly illustrates why pMachine does not give out firm deadlines for any of its releases.

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In no small way, I think working with Rick has made me more anal retentive.  Am I being groomed?

Yes. . .  that’s a wink!

Cristal clear.....

“I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they go flying by.”
Douglas Adams

Keeping your development process private is fine.

The only things that upset me are missed deadlines, and bug fixes that take forever.  So if you don’t want to specify deadlines, and especially if that helps you keep on top of the fixes that from time to time crop up, that’s totally fine to me and our clients.

TTFN
Travis

Nice explanations. I know a few companies that rush release dates at any price for a new product, only to get ahead of competition and meet demand. Marketing people sometimes make those decisions without scruples and rely on future updates. A good product needs credibility at early stages and -as you said- good documentation because it addresses in general a very large public.

Just ditto’ing all the other comments.

Take your time, and thank you…

I’m not sure ‘future ship dates’ or ‘no news’ are binary.

Case in point, this one about the wiki module. The sensible user (not all of us are) is delighted to hear what the developers are up to, including stories about the weird stuff that happens en route to ship. Including anniversary celebrations. We connect up with our far more modest deadline experiences and go, yeah.

I have a view that developers should share far more information/lore/bloggy experiential goodness about the trip to a version (excluding competitive confidentiality stuff) and less about ship dates.

For instance, I ‘guess’ that the ecommerce module will ship sometime in the next three to six months based on EE’s past history, business exigencies but, most of all, what you guys have said about current status (e.g., it’s not in beta but has reached ‘x’ level of table, template staging). I would love even more info on discoveries made, challenges faced, boundaries encountered, light bulbs that have exploded in your brains ... dates not needed. I’m content to guess. If it ships in 2007, well, life goes on. If I need another product before then, no need to bash you guys about that, but just get it and use it.

(Though I have been very interested in an EE wiki module for two years and have consulted for bucks to some wiki vendors, it says something about EE’s quality that I have partly waited on some development ideas to see how EE integrates wiki with everything else. My choice. Not EE’s responsibility.)

Granted, I’m set free from many years of corporate behaviors which incline towards “if you guys don’t tell me what date the module is shipping, we’re going with Microsoft.” But there is a polite answer for that .... this is a micro-brand with a proven track record and public evidence of a commitment to the future; plus, you can always take the code and jack with it yourselves. If that isn’t sufficient, you will be much happier with Microsoft anyway. Go for it.

By contrast, total (or near-total) radio silence is scary. Worse, it is boring. Never bore your users.

Kurt Deutscher - 04 May 2006 09:58 PM

In no small way, I think working with Rick has made me more anal retentive.  Am I being groomed?

Yes. . .  that’s a wink!

Isn’t being groomed that term they have for internet predators who chat up underage girls… nevermind.

But last time I checked Paul did have a ponytail… nevermind.

Anal retentive… nevermind.

Oh boy, I better go away before I get in trouble.  By the way, I think you should put that trebuchet you have been working on to good use and show Rick a lesson for leaking secrets early.

manofsteel - 06 May 2006 11:33 PM

Oh boy, I better go away before I get in trouble.

“Before”...?

mutter .. mutter .. grumble .. burp ...

now where was it ...

......... ........... I’m sure I read something about 1.5 somewhere ...

and then there was something about “beep.blot” as an Xmas tease ...