[Discussion] What is the purpose of the experimental version.

TheoDeKoning

In my mind to get that version tested and make it bugs free as possible for all the users.

Here I see that the solutions from an experimental version is going to the next version.
So when experimental version is become the 'stable' one, it it still full of bugs of the experimental version.
If you don't subscribe for the experimental version I don't want to get that later as a stable one.

In this way a experimental version may never be a stable version.

How to solved this.
Make the even numbers the experimental and the odd the stable ones.
So for now:

• the .23 becomes the stable .22
• the .22 become never the stable version.
  

kitkat

TheoDeKoning said:

In my mind to get that version tested and make it bugs free as possible for all the users.

Here I see that the solutions from an experimental version is going to the next version.
So when experimental version is become the 'stable' one, it it still full of bugs of the experimental version.
If you don't subscribe for the experimental version I don't want to get that later as a stable one.

In this way a experimental version may never be a stable version.

How to solved this.
Make the even numbers the experimental and the odd the stable ones.
So for now:

• the .23 becomes the stable .22
• the .22 become never the stable version.
  

I think this is a good idea but i have another comment on this. At this moment everyone has a experimental version right ? I mean things are not working or buggy... Why not make sure that everyone receives all updates till 1.0 only then it makes a real difference...

TheoDeKoning

After my Homey was bricked I prefer to wait now.
Now my Homey is also switched off for a week to the 433 problem.

In a stable version there will be still bugs to find.

TheoDeKoning

There is some other things that come up by me to support the even & odd version.

By a slip of the pen we know that there already new thing in the .23
So, in .23 comes repairs out of .22 together with new stuff.
If there is a bug how we know where it came from. Repair from .22 or new stuff in .23

The new stuff have to put in .24

honey

There is a misconception here. Stable version does not mean bug or issue free. Otherwise Microsoft, Aplle, etc would never release a stable version.

bvdbos

I'm not saying Athom HAS to do things but I like your idea...
BTW: 433 is much more stable in 0.8.22

TheoDeKoning

@honey
There is no misconception my way if you read my post.

@BasVanDenBosch
To get the .22 I have to subscribe to the experimental version and that's what I don't want to do. 

honey

It is not about how stable the 433Mhz or voice recognition is.

First they prepare an update like 0.8.19 than they test it internally. They find a serious bug so they don’t release as experimental. So that milestone is `scrapped` and go to the next one 0.8.20 if they find no serious issue (what would eg. brick your device) than they share this as experimental with those who are eager to test new releases (it is like the Android Nightlys or Windows beta builds). So these enthusiast keep using it and if they find no serious issue (what would erase all your data, brick your device, etc.) than the developer might decide to release this for the wider public in the so called stable channel. There is no change in the code between the experimental and stable therefore there is no version number change. It is the same firmware.

TheoDeKoning

In my opinion the 0.8.20 had never become 'stable' because they know about the 433 problem.
Then I had now still the 0.8.17 and have my homey do the things she did well.
Now it is switched of for almost a week again.

When I read all the problems the 0.8.22 is given, it is also not right to make it a 'stable' version.
That's now even for the 0.8.23 because the new stuff they put in and had to be tested first.

So, the 0.8.23 had to become the 0.8.24 (old experimental).
After clearing the important bugs it becomes 0.8.25 with NO new stuff in it.

Emile

It's simple:

• Experimental updates might break your system (so you'd have to do a reset, for example)
• Stable updates will probably not break your system

The 433 problem was entirely our fault, and it won't happen again because we ship updates now somewhat faster, so we won't have to choose between "lot's of bugs" vs. "a bug that affects some users".

MartijnDeRhoter

Compare to Slow Ring / Fast Ring on Windows Insider. Neither are a release version, the difference between them is how hungry you are for new stuff. You may very well encounter more bugs, if you want to avoid those, pick the slow ring, where only safe Fast Ring versions are moved to. Versions on the Fast Ring with a nasty bug simply won't make it to Slow.

Version numbers aren't changed when they get moved to a different ring, that is an extra layer of confusion for most people ("I had an issue with component x in version y, which is now version y+1 I think" etc).

On a personal note, 0.8.22 is fine on my Homey. That almost-bricking incident at 0.8.17 is not likely to happen again, rest assured that it wasn't fun for the developers either.

If you want to be safe, don't tick the experimental box. However, you'll have to wait a little longer for some bugs to get fixed.

fuzzybear

I guess it depends on how Athom want to continue with their version control. Use a single branch with one set of revisions or two branches as now seems to be the case experimental and stable with one set of revisions. They can make it as complex as they like with sub branches for firmware/software and bios updates. A lot is possible. Here is an interesting read about version control. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Version_control