Why did I click on this thread again.....

I agree with Hamfast, and like him I'm waiting on tank to be updated to work with alpha 5 when it comes out. It wasn't going to happen with alpha 4, and if anyone had gone to tanks forums they would have seen that. Once tank has been updated I'll be testing and giving feed back on tank and decal forums not vn.

LOL!


This seems fairly clear to me...


IF you choose to use a Decal release older that what's beeing tested by test personel (and are listed as current Decal verison on Decal boards), don't expect to recieve any help ,what so ever, from the Decal Devs.


IF the decal devs do respond to questions regarding outdated versions of Decal, feel lucky and greatful for them takeing they're time to reply.


IF you can't get Decal or plugins to work (and are not useing the latest decal version) and can't find help eighter by your self or by others, you should probably wait until a finished version of Decal is released.


IF you decide to be a (or are elected as) tester, don't expect everything to work properly - Alpha's seldom do.


I think the Decal devs are dooing a great job, and I can ounderstand they're frustration trying to support a Alpha release as a final product.


And Yes, I do run Alpha3 with plugins and are not assigned as a tester... I feel naughty, LOL!


HB

I agree Hellbound. It is however funny to listen to the devs complain they will not support anyone because all alpha code is for plugin authors only. Yet they then complain that you should be using the latest alpha code that they also will not support because you aren't a tester

Yeah, because plugin developers can't be testers.

See my eyes? they're rolling. Our test group consists almost entirely of plugin developers. There is one person who is not a plugin developer in it.


We're complaining because users think it's okay to use Decal right now. They expect it to be like it was before. It's not.

 

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Works fine for me except for the minute bugs I've reported to the plugin developers *shrug*

 

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ummm thats because we were told it WAS ok to use decal


it was even posted w/ a link and a fix to make it work


it was posted here, it was posted on my server board.


if it wasnt ok for us non devs to use, then why was it put out?

 

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<< if it wasnt ok for us non devs to use, then why was it put out? >>


Because not all devs are part of the private testing, so to get it into as many TPA devs hand's as possible they post it to the public. The Decal devs knew people would download it so they could use Tank, but what probably bothers them is:


1. People wanting to use old versions of Decal just so they can run tank. This does zero in helping them find issues.

2. People expecting things to work just perfectly (alpha software never does)


I know with Castaway that as soon as the next alpha/beta of Decal comes out, I'll refuse to help anyone running an older version of Decal if they have any problems.

 

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Everything you say is very true except for 2 things.


1) 99.44% of the time, when software is "Alpha" it isn't released so that anyone can get to it, that is what is called "Beta" software, as in "Beta Tester" (of which, I have been a Beta Tester for Microsoft for 2 major games). But that is just symantics.


2) As much as people, specifically the Decal Devs, don't want to (and actually HATE to) admit it, ElTank is a driving force in the world for Decal Applications. My suggestion is that they "burry the hatchet" and work more closely with Elgarl, because it is painfully obvious, that the USERS of Decal want ElTank and will base their Decal usage on if that version works with ElTank.

<< 99.44% of the time, when software is "Alpha" it isn't released so that anyone can get to it >>


And this isn't a regular software development project where they have paid Q&A personal to help do much of this testing. I should note that 95.3% of all statistics are made up, so I would be interested in knowing how you came up with yoru number.


<< that is what is called "Beta" software, as in "Beta Tester" >>


No, it is called Alpha software. I'm sure the Decal devs have a firm knowledge as to if their product is Alpha or Beta stage. Alpha software is "usually" internal testing, but nothing says it has to be. Ditto for beta. The main definitions of these is alpha software is early release of software that is known to have bugs andbeta is why most of the bugs should be fixed and dealing with the finalization of code.


<< because it is painfully obvious, that the USERS of Decal want ElTank and will base their Decal usage on if that version works with ElTank. >>


This user of Decal could care less if Tank is working or not. I know many other users of Decal that feel that same way. Best of my knowledge Elgarl has been involved since the very early alpha testing of Decal, long before it went public so sound slike they (the Decal devs) have involved Elgarl.

 

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