Scrivener 1.11 public beta 3 now available (13/11/07)

[KB]

Yep, that's exactly what you need to do. You might want to hold off a few days, though, as 1.11 will be out officially very soon.

A "beta" is just a sort of pre-release version that is distributed so that those who wish can test it out to make sure it doesn't have any horrible bugs. Betas of Scrivener tend to be quite safe because they are more bug-fix releases than anything else, but generally you would expect beta-software to be less reliable and less-stable than the official version, because they are more experimental. It's during the beta-testing stage that bugs get ironed out so that software becomes more stable for an official release.

That said, the Scrivener 1.11 beta isn't like that, as it doesn't have any experimental features in it. It just provides bug-fixes, and I release it here so that users can test to see if the bugs really have been fixed before I release it officially and tell everybody that the bugs are gone (so that I don't get egg on my face and have users turn around and tell me that the bugs are actually still there!).

Hope that makes sense,
Best,
Keith

[vic-k]

Mollys Mum,
bless your little cotton socks! What on Earth gave you the impression, that Capt`n Keith, possessed a `grumpy head`. Never..never..ever

bilge rat vic

[Mollys Mum]

Vic!

No one has blessed my little cotton socks since my darling Irish mummy passed on last February.

Gosh, I feel loved.

(Still hoping Keith doesn't peg me for a total idiot)

[KB]

You are talking to a man who has a Harry Potter-esque scar in the centre of his forehead because he once walked into a London bus. Yes, an auto-mobile of the large, red variety. I have no right to peg anyone as an idiot.
Best,
Keith

[vic-k]

Mollys Mum,
`twill be your darling Irish mummy, watching over you, and guiding my hand ( how else would you explain it )

Failte romhat!! to Scrivener Mollys Mum.

Slan tamall. Go n-eiri leat

Vic

PS Actually the only time Capt`n Keith,` realy`, gets grumpy, is when he runs out of cheese puffs

[suavito]

So right now I'm still running the original Scrivener (which I think is the greatest app. EVAH). I don't even know the definition of "BETA," that's how clueless I am.

First, your judgement about Scrivener is perfectly right which clearly indicates that you are anything but clueless or an idiot or a moron!

There is nothing bad about not being a computer geek and it should be the technology that adapts to people and not vice versa. Chosing a Mac which is definitely less geeky than Windows or Linux PCs already was the right choice – so again: Molly can not be the offspring of an idiot.

But still even here you won't make it completely without the knowledge of certain techniques and computer terms.

So here we go: There are official release of software and of not-yet official releases.

The first of these are often called Alpha versions which are only of interest for people who like to look at a construction site to imagine what the house will look like one day. You can not work with these.

Betas are one step further, normally every feature that is planned for the full release is implemented but all of this has not yet been tested thoroughly. People using these are Beta testers, sometimes it's a public Beta for everyone, sometimes it's only available for a dedicated group. Normally Betas are not recommended for being used in a 'production environment', meaning: Play around with it extensively, but don't use it with important Data.

Sometimes another step follows that is called Release Candidate, a term that's meant to indicate this version of the program is even better than the Beta but still there will be more fine tuning before the program gets released.

When it comes to Betas Scrivener is – again – exceptional. You can use them for important work. I know what I'm saying, I have been using several (pre 1.10) beta versions for weeks and never faced any problem.

Knowing about the quality of Scrivener Betas and about the bugs 1.10 has I installed the latest Beta without thinking twice about it and I recommend you to do the same.

The Betas are full versions and not just updates who replace just certain pieces of the last full version. So you could install the latest Scrivener Beta directly without installing 1.10 before.

To do so just drag the Scrivener program icon (if you are downloading with Safari it will have been unzipped automatically already) into the application folder. The OS will ask you if you want to replace the existing Scrivener version. Say loud and strong: 'Yes I do!' (or just click) and the installation starts.

If you check out the contents of the trash afterwards you will see that the OS has dropped the old Scrivener there all by itself (poor old Scriv, sob!).

Start Scrivener again (it must not be running while updating!) and every time you are asked if you want to update your old projects say 'Yes!' again. Backups in the old format are kept, just in case.

EDIT: Aw, too late! It's not fair, I was typing a novel-like reply to Molly's mum and you came up with these … these … haikus! Pshaw!

[Mollys Mum]

Good God, Vic, you'll make me dig out my Gaelic dictionary!!

And Keith, Keith darlin, that lobotomy is showing! You haven't told me how to install that BETA. I truly AM an idiot, now don't disappoint me by ignoring that fact.

MM

[Mollys Mum]

Suavito we crossed in cyberspace. Thank you thank you for the VERY helpful Guide to the Galaxy--I feel positively clearheaded now!

And thank you for your kind words about Molly. Being as she is a horse (a Connemara, vic!!) she is biologically exempt from idiocy anyway, as her equine Mum was a sharp cookie.

MM

[Mollys Mum]

And I am BLIND as well as an idiot, because now I find out that Keith had ALREADY explained everything very clearly before his Harry Potter post, which is the one I zoomed in on.

Mea culpa.

Many thanks all. Time for another tea with gin.

Z

[vic-k]

suavito,
to mm`s expression of gratitude, please add mine, danke

mm,
I think you`ll soon come to realise, that: most of the `brains on legs`, that crew the Good Ship Scrivener, also have great big `hearts` tattooed on those brains.

It kinda makes the going a bit easier for novices like you and noviciate eejits like me.

Go n-eiri leat.
Vic

[suavito]

Weird – I hadn't seen that neither!

This smells of magical trickery!

[Mollys Mum]

Who knows what that bus implanted in Keith's cerebrum????
I am happy to wait another few days for the official version, Keith. My novel has been languishing (through no fault of Scrivener's!) since July; another few days won't make a difference.

Now if you could just include in the next updated version an anti-procrastination feature, something that could perhaps just generate a chapter or two--I'm not asking for a whole book!--I would be most appreciative, and I'd even download it in BETA and risk the buggies for the privilege.

Think about it. Feel free to call upon my Mum's spirit for inspiration, but you better get her before the sun goes over the celestial yardarm. :lol

MM

[AmberV]

When cursor blink is disabled in either full screen or standard editor, using backspace causes the cursor to entirely disappear until a letter is typed, or the arrow keys are used. There might be other cases where it disappears too, but I figured the backspace case would be enough to track it down.

[KB]

Strange... I can't recreate that.
Best,
Keith

[nib]

No cursor goofiness here. I was so happy to find the disable blinking option. I hate that cursor blinking, blinking, calling attention to the fact that I'm not writing anything.