Family Historian User Group

Half way through April and still no news on when V4 will be delivered. We haven't even been treated to a few grainy screen shots to keep up the anticipation level.

I do hope that the delay is due to logistical problems with resellers and such like and not due to last minute bugs in the software.

ID:3581

Any feedback would be better than none at all !!

It would be better, in future, to make no mention of new releases and just surprise us with them when they are ready. Announcing something months before it's ready and then constantly delaying it can do no good for a business in any way whatsoever, regardless of the reasons for the delay.

Or just announce it and give a vague '1st half of the year', since they decided to do a promotion for Christmas.

Doesn't seem to have done Bill Gates much harm, announcing new versions months (and years) before they're ready...

Seriously, I don't mind waiting. It isn't as if my current version of the software stopped working when the announcement came out. And there's the best part of two weeks of April left before we can refer to a delay against the more recently announced schedule.

It isn't the end of the month yet!

Personally I'm happy to wait for all the bugs and problems to be ironed out. Mind you giving out a deadline is a hostage to fortune

I think the impatience is due to the affection we all have for the program, rather than any other reason.

Personally, I am contemplating holding my breath until it comes out. It used to work with my mum in the shops when I was about three, so who knows?.... [smile]

I'm not impatient for the new release as I've got plenty of things to do without worrying about whether I have version 4 or not.
I was mainly commenting on the poor decision, from a business point of view, to announce it way before it is ready and therefore irritate (some of) your customer base. Not a great way to do business. The only possible reason for it that I can see is to entice people to buy an old version (3) with an upgrade offer. It must therefore have been done purely to stimulate sales of the old version.
I have experience of business and also being very cynical, I doubt it was ever going to be ready at the beginning of the year; a four month delay (at least) is not just last minute teething trouble but almost certainly deliberate.

I am sad about the delay and at worst its irritating as I had saved up to buy the full version. I couldnt resist a bargain the other day and have spent the money[oops]. Shall have to save up again or wait till next christmas[eek]

Iain McTurk said:
...The only possible reason for it that I can see is to entice people to buy an old version (3) with an upgrade offer. It must therefore have been done purely to stimulate sales of the old version.
I have experience of business and also being very cynical, I doubt it was ever going to be ready at the beginning of the year; a four month delay (at least) is not just last minute teething trouble but almost certainly deliberate.

I think it is only fair to let people know that a new version is coming out prior to release. There would have been a lot of upset people who just bought version 3 if version 4 had been released without prior announcement. Simon has said that he underestimated the amount of time required to get it finished and I genuinely think this is the case. Hopefully he'll learn from this for the next release!

I am anxiously awaiting the release of version 4. I was on the trial of v3, which I thought i timed right - the 30 day expiry with the release date. I have now been without for weeks now (I can and will wait of course). I think it pointless to buy v3 and upgrade in a few weeks - especially as if changing pcs I would need to reinstall v3 and then upgrade to v4.

As others have said, I would be satisfied with a few screen shots of v4 for the time being.

Seeing as it's now the end of April, I'm just waiting for the 'Version 4: it's going to be May' announcement. I think it might have been better not to announce it in the first place!

In manufacturing and due for delivery near the end of April doesn't sound like May to me...

To quote my supplier, My History, 'We have been told by the publishers that this is now in production and we should expect to receive our first delivery of Family Historian by the end of April 2009.'

I wrote directly to Simon Orde about this and he stated exactly the same as My History. So not long to wait now.[smile][smile]

Can't .... hold ... breath ... much ... longer ....

Patience is a virtue possess it if you can, seldom in a woman and never in a man.

Don't worry not long to wait now.

I have been singing the praises to one & all for some years now for this product but this does seem to be a bit of a PR fiasco.

Thankfully PR doesn't effect the quality of the program, it is just fluff on top [wink]

DrDBW said:
Thankfully PR doesn't effect the quality of the program...

Except that the more they sell, the more they can invest in development. In the long run, the quality of the program depends to a large extent on the quality of its marketing.

Just to stir everyone up!!!!

S & N's web site has got FH4 as 'Out Now'

Margaret

TWR Computing says late April and there are only 6 days of April left!![grin]

TWR just sent me an email - yeah, I bugged them - 1000+ copies to be shipped after Wednesday. I should receive - here in US - by coming weekend.

HOORAY!![smile]

I have as yet not recieved an email from TWR Computing. Only 4 days till the end of April!!!!!![grin][grin][grin]

Version 4 is available now for downloading from http://www.family-historian.co.uk/downloads/index.htm

Ross