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Old 06-03-2010, 04:12 PM   #37
Dale
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Join Date: Jun 2005

Location: Western Missouri
Posts: 960
Originally posted by Jim Sachs:
JohnWho - I don't understand why you can't just click on the "Visit Website" button on the main Programs Settings box.  
I don't know how to make this shorter - and you did ask. Perhaps you can skip the next few lines, and read "What's wrong with Visit Website" below.

One reasonable implementation of a "Check For Updates" button would be a dialog box that says:

You are running Version 3.0 and the latest version is 3.6. Would you like to update now?
[Yes] [No]


Or

You are running the latest version, 3.6
[Cancel]


================================================== ===

What's wrong with Visit Website?
The perceived problem with the "Visit Website" approach is that it's a multi-step process.

A. Remember what version you're now running. If you don't remember, then find out. That information is not available on the Settings panel, nor on the About panel. Only by pressing the "S" key. At the moment, that info is "Beta10d"

B. Visit Website. Read what it says: New 3.0 (Presumably in a bit it will say 3.1). Compare that with what the "S" key says (10d). [OK, that can be fixed, so let's assume the S key tells me I'm running 3.0 and the Website says 3.1)

C. Now, the Website has two choices to click on: Upgrade and Download.

C1. If I click on Upgrade, I'm probably told (in the future) "As a special offer, we are offering an upgrade to Marine Aquarium 3.6 for only $9.95.". But that's for people who bought a keycode from the website, or bought a CD. (OK, it should say upgrade from MA2.6 or something, let's assume that gets fixed and I do:

C2: Click on Download. At least 4 "rational" choices of things. Please take a look at this: http://www.serenescreen.com/product/
There's "free download" (which would be correct), and "BUY NOW, and Upgrade "free download", and Upgrade BUY NOW.

I'm betting that a lot of folks will take the wrong path, and buy something - or will get really confused, and just not bother with upgrading to the latest version.

All of the information about "current version" is presumably available within MA3. All of the information about "latest version", including the URL for the correct download, is presumably available somewhere (doesn't even have to be on the SereneScreen site). Making things easy and not confusing for customers is usually a good thing.

Jim, sorry this was so long. But you did ask.
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