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Dale · 03-04-2006, 01:26 PM

Originally posted by Edgar:

Dale, What do you suggest?
About programming time, I work on whatever project that Prolific's highest priority is. We have many projects that we work on. I am pretty much doing this support on my own time and that is why I am available on weekends and odd times.
By the way, is there any drawbacks to using Carousel as a fix for MA2.6 for now?
I am sure when the 3D background version that Jim is working on comes out, it will use the newer DirectX. Of course we don't know when that would be out.
Actually there was something for Jim that I should be doing but haven't had the time.

I certainly don't have any ideas about how to diagnose the specific problem with MA - we're obviously looking at it via circumstantial evidence. If you can't think of a direct way to test, that's what we're left with. Just demonstrate that nothing except MA (2.0 and 2.6) causes the problem.

The path forward would then be to change MA2.6 to get rid of DirectX 6 stuff, and demonstrate that doing so eliminates the problem - OR DOES NOT DO SO.

Now, you ask some other great questions...

Well, let me give some reactions - I hope this isn't taken the wrong way. And I hope you don't take it personally.

First - thanks for working on this on your own time, weekends, odd times, etc. I appreciate that.

However, I'm disappointed that Prolific apparently doesn't consider finding and fixing a bug that's been in MA since 2.0 or before, to be any sort of a priority.

Of course, I'm also working on this on my own time, weekends, odd times, etc. I would rather be doing something else, instead of changing screensavers, etc. etc.

But I had the idea that I was doing something productive for the community, that would lead to fixing a bothersome problem. Perhaps a problem that was causing other customers to silently turn off MA, and tell all their friends about it. That is - helping Prolific/SereneScreen and the MA enthusiasts.

I think that I (and others here) have done what we could to help you (SereneScreen) understand the problem. I would suggest that many of us had some expectation that our help would lead to fixing the bug.

I guess there has been some help. We seem to know that running Carousel on top of MA is a legitimate workaround. That presumably helps SereneScreen tech support, and will help some users (especially after it appears in the FAQ). If/when those users hunt for help.

There's no big drawback for *ME* to use Carousel - but of course, that's because I know about it.

Finally, you indicate that "when the 3D background version that Jim is working on comes out, it will use the newer DirectX". I would have expected the same for MA2.6. So, you're implying that there won't be any real corrective surgery for the "close application" problem until the next major version of MA.

Because we can't diagnose this problem with MA2.6, and no more work will be done on it, there is some chance that the problem will not be fixed by using "the newer DirectX".

I'm guessing (based on past and current evidence) that if the problem is NOT fixed in the next version, then it will still not be a priority for SereneScreen.

So, I suppose I should say "how would you expect me to feel"?

Or, to ask you the same question you asked me: Edgar, What do you suggest?

Is it fair for me to ask that?

03-04-2006, 01:26 PM	#98
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Originally posted by Edgar: Dale, What do you suggest? About programming time, I work on whatever project that Prolific's highest priority is. We have many projects that we work on. I am pretty much doing this support on my own time and that is why I am available on weekends and odd times. By the way, is there any drawbacks to using Carousel as a fix for MA2.6 for now? I am sure when the 3D background version that Jim is working on comes out, it will use the newer DirectX. Of course we don't know when that would be out. Actually there was something for Jim that I should be doing but haven't had the time. I certainly don't have any ideas about how to diagnose the specific problem with MA - we're obviously looking at it via circumstantial evidence. If you can't think of a direct way to test, that's what we're left with. Just demonstrate that nothing except MA (2.0 and 2.6) causes the problem. The path forward would then be to change MA2.6 to get rid of DirectX 6 stuff, and demonstrate that doing so eliminates the problem - OR DOES NOT DO SO. Now, you ask some other great questions... Well, let me give some reactions - I hope this isn't taken the wrong way. And I hope you don't take it personally. First - thanks for working on this on your own time, weekends, odd times, etc. I appreciate that. However, I'm disappointed that Prolific apparently doesn't consider finding and fixing a bug that's been in MA since 2.0 or before, to be any sort of a priority. Of course, I'm also working on this on my own time, weekends, odd times, etc. I would rather be doing something else, instead of changing screensavers, etc. etc. But I had the idea that I was doing something productive for the community, that would lead to fixing a bothersome problem. Perhaps a problem that was causing other customers to silently turn off MA, and tell all their friends about it. That is - helping Prolific/SereneScreen and the MA enthusiasts. I think that I (and others here) have done what we could to help you (SereneScreen) understand the problem. I would suggest that many of us had some expectation that our help would lead to fixing the bug. I guess there has been some help. We seem to know that running Carousel on top of MA is a legitimate workaround. That presumably helps SereneScreen tech support, and will help some users (especially after it appears in the FAQ). If/when those users hunt for help. There's no big drawback for ME to use Carousel - but of course, that's because I know about it. Finally, you indicate that "when the 3D background version that Jim is working on comes out, it will use the newer DirectX". I would have expected the same for MA2.6. So, you're implying that there won't be any real corrective surgery for the "close application" problem until the next major version of MA. Because we can't diagnose this problem with MA2.6, and no more work will be done on it, there is some chance that the problem will not be fixed by using "the newer DirectX". I'm guessing (based on past and current evidence) that if the problem is NOT fixed in the next version, then it will still not be a priority for SereneScreen. So, I suppose I should say "how would you expect me to feel"? Or, to ask you the same question you asked me: Edgar, What do you suggest? Is it fair for me to ask that?