[Date Prev][Date Next]
[Chronological]
[Thread]
[Top]
RE: GEMS Versions
- To: <support@gesn.com>
- Subject: RE: GEMS Versions
- From: "Ken Clark" <ken@gesn.com>
- Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000 18:00:49 -0500
- Importance: Normal
- In-reply-to: <NEBBJGJMLKDDDJPJPODBOEHKCAAA.csglobal@earthlink.net>
From: Cathi Smothers
[mailto:csglobal@earthlink.net]
Sent: Monday, June 05, 2000 5:02
PM
To: Ken Clark
Okay.
Here's a "stupid new employee" question.
Hope you don't mind the support list follow up.
Certainly not a stupid question, and its worth a post on this topic every once
in a while.
I need to
get the MN accounts upgraded to 1.16. How do I know which version of
GEMS (i.e. 1.16.3, 1.16.4, etc.) to use?
Baring any certification issues, the latest stable
release is what you want to upgrade accounts to. We always let people
know when a release is for testing only in the release
announcements. Testing releases are usually 1.X.1.Y
releases. For example 1.16.1.1-6 were all testing releases. At some
point we conclude that testing is going well, and declare the branch
stable. A new testing branch is then opened, and only bug fixes go into
the stable branch. Right now 1.16.latest is considered stable, 1.16.4
being the current release by my mail. How stable the
stable branch really is has everything to do with how much testing by
support it receives.
Its fair to say the nature of this company and business
make this process fairly informal, perhaps more so than I would like.
Testing releases go out to customers when they
shouldn't, and new features get
added to stable branches when they shouldn't. It is not entirely
undisciplined either though. Obviously
you need to keep an eye on the support and bugtrack lists. Sometimes a bug
slips into a stable branch, in which case its better to ship a version you
trust, or wait for it to get corrected.
Secondly,
does the upgrade simply consist of installing the new executable file or are
there other components that need to be installed as well? They are
currently using 1.11.8.
There are several
components.
The DLL files shipped on the GEMS CD get updated from
time-to-time as well, though not often. Is usually a good idea to order
the CD for a long-haul upgrade. Its not really clear whether 1.11->1.14
qualifies as long haul or not. That really depends on your comfort
level. There is never any harm in ordering a
CD.
Other frequently asked questions while I am
here:
-
Features are always propagated forward. I
suppose one day we might remove a feature, but I've never seen it
happen.
-
Baring bugs, artwork and memory cards are still
compatible after GEMS upgrade unless there is a big announcement to the
contrary. Its only happened once that artwork was
incompatible after upgrade, and memory cards have never been
incompatible.
-
The database changes between major releases
(1.15->1.16) but not minor releases (1.16.1->1.16.2). You can
downgrade out of trouble between minor releases, but a major
release upgrade is a one way
trip.
Ken