Well, sure Windows users come last, but only because in a group of two, the one that is second is last. It’s not like there are fifty OSs being developed for and Windows users only get catered to after every one of the other forty-nine have been placated. We’re getting Scrivener 3.0. It’s going to be close to equivalent to the Mac version. Be happy about it.
giogio80 does make a point worth considering: being a beta tester (which is a lot of work if it’s done right) for free and then having to pay the full upgrade price for the software does seem a little hard. Perhaps it might be reasonable to offer the beta testers a discount (as a non-tester, I wouldn’t be offended in the least).
It might be even more reasonable if Scrivener weren’t so ridiculously cheap in the first place. $40 US (current new-purchase price) for an unlimited license for software this complex is, IMHO, peanuts, chicken feed–it’s feeding peanuts to your chickens. (Sorry for the Americanisms!)
I will say that having the update now postponed until sometime in 2018 is not welcome news. Let’s hope things go more smoothly than they expect!
Hi David,
In all fairness, it cannot be said that the Windows update has been postponed, because a release date was never stated. 
In another post, Keith had mentioned that Windows 3.0 would most likely be released about 6 months behind the Mac version, so L&L has been trying to manage our expectations.
Hope this doesn’t come across as nitpicking, but I used to develop software and am sensitive to that word!
Jim
Why does it matter if the Windows version comes after the Mac version? Some Mac programs aren’t even available for Windows, and vice versa.
Granted, if we were demanding everyone put in five hours of high-quality QA work every day, sure—but that’s a far cry from what was written about in the blog post and I’m not sure where it is coming from. This is more about getting the work out there in the mainstream, providing a cross-platform opportunity for those that need it, and giving curious people a chance to see the final result of years of work come into shape.
You know… like every other free public beta in the past 20 or 30 years. 
Use it as you wish—and we will of course be grateful of every bit of feedback or report anyone makes in the meanwhile.
Let me introduce you to Eastgate Systems, which actually charges for access to their beta program:
eastgate.com/Tinderbox/Backstage.html
Katherine
One word: kickstarter. 
No, not nitpicking at all. I’ve been involved with beta testing other complex software developed by a small shop, and I have seen the dismal results of promising release dates. “Postponed” was probably the wrong word. But I definitely do hope that their work goes well enough that we see it even earlier than expected–merely a hope on my part!
I think my viewpoint was skewed by having done some fairly intense beta testing in a situation that was not truly “public,” and probably having put more work into it than was really even expected. (Do anything but write, don’t you know!)
One of the things that really do amaze me about Scrivener (maybe I shouldn’t say this!) is its price. I actually don’t think that light beta testing should get in the way of feeling willing to pony up the full pittance for this very major update.
No, I had simply forgotten the name of revision mode in Scrivener.
Let me start first by saying that I’m definitely no shill for L&L. I’ve been critical of them in the past when they’ve been overly cautious or non-informative to customers who depend on their software to make a living. (I’m a published author)
But for those of you complaining about paying for major upgrades, come on, people! Some of you have no concept of what is involved in writing a computer program with the complexity of Scrivener. I know. I come from a programming background. The programmers at L&L have developed a highly functional, specialized software with a limited market. (professional writers) Usually, customized software made this way has a price that matches its exclusivity. In the case of L&L, they are providing a custom solution to writers for a Pittance!
Scrivener has to be one of the best software deals out there. Compare its costs to Microsoft Office, especially now that Microsoft wants to staple us to their corporate teat, with subscriptions for the foreseeable future. I thank my lucky stars every day that there’s a small group of programmers who still want to provide quality software at a traditional software price.
And getting beta software and updates for free? Come on! Participating in a beta program is a PRIVILEGE. Why? Because it gives you access to modern advances, usually at no cost and MOST IMPORTANTLY, gives you a VOICE in the design and function of the software you are using. Try to get Microsoft to listen to any of your complaints about features or reliability of their products!
Come on, guys. The L&L team is trying their best to learn from their prior mistakes and work within the limitations provided to them by the mega-corporate operating systems for our benefit. It’s time we give them a little kudos for their efforts. I’d pay three times what they’re asking for the upgrade (whatever it is) simply because I make my living with their software. Take a look at what video editors have to pay to “the man” (Adobe) for right to do their job.
Hey GioGio80,
I thought your post was reasonable. Beware upsetting the groupies and sycophants, their sense of injustice at any slight criticism of L and L can send them into a spasm of posts. Just because you bought bugged software that won’t work with your monitor there is no reason to get upset by waiting a long time and then be offered buggier software, which after you have tested it, you can then pay for to fix your problem. At least not giving you a fix for the resolution problem freed up time to get the next version out.
Hush now, I think I hear Sanguinous choking on his indignation…
Interesting post Kiester. You start by stating firmly ‘I am no shill’ and then go on for a few paragraphs to show us just how much of a ‘shill’ you are. And that’s after your last post ‘HUGE Kudos to the Scrivener Team!’ Entertaining. You know, as do the rest of the windows users, that KB is throwing out the beta to keep the dwindling windows users placated. Tossing a herring to the seals. It will work for some, others will go elsewhere.
Directly insulting other forum members is out of bounds, broadsides. This is your only warning.
Katherine
@Broadsides and GioGio80: Respectfully, the answer is simple. If you cannot abide the current state of the Windows product or the future development schedule, change writing software. If you don’t feel that your complaints re Scrivener Windows are being heard, change writing software. If you feel slighted by KB or the Scrivener team as a result of the progress (or perceived lack of) in development, responsiveness of support, etc., change writing software. Can we complain? Sure. Can we ask why not? what if? Sure. But in the end, everyone votes with his or her wallet or feet. You may decide to take your hard-earned money and spend it on another software program, another developer, that more closely matches your ethos and needs. Cool. You, and I, are consumers. If we developed things, we’d be developers. As consumers, we try out products, assess their value, and either reinvest (by buying again or upgrading to new versions) or walk. Simple.
Hello JRP,
You might want to look up the name of the forum you are posting on. Last time I looked it said ‘Feedback’. That stuff works in a number of ways, good, bad, indifferent ect. That is what a feedback forum is for, and not just for cheerleaders to clap their flippers in delight matey…
Maybe KB wanted to release a fully fledged, solid copy of windows scrivener in a years time. Maybe not. Maybe grousing old geezers having a whine has encouraged him to release the semi shiny windows scriv 3 for you to play with, and to keep you happy. Keep your boring, tedious lectures to yourself. Some of us are not so easily won over.
Okay Katherine, I’m showing myself the door. Bye now.
And as the old blessing goes, may you travel far.
Broadsides,
I wonder if when you chose your forum pseudonym you knew it was a misnomer. Missed by a mile, matey :mrgreen:
JRP
Software is hard. Supporting multiple platforms is hard. Maintaining a schedule when it is impossible to know what hurdles there are to be faced is hard.
L&L are good people. They know stuff that helps us use the software that is so hard to make. They make the hard to make thing easy to use. They work hard on hard things.
They should be paid for the hard work put in to do the hard thing.
We write, and that’s hard, but we could write on old newspaper. L&L made this lovely thing that makes our hard thing to do tremendously less hard. Cool. We don’t need the old newspaper anymore.
So by all means let’s bitch about how unfair it is we chose to buy this hard to make and maintain thing that makes our hard writing easier to do.