New version of SmartGWT

[jiri.ov]

Hi,
I have only short question. Why new version of SmartGWT(2.1) contains SmartClient 8.0, but avaliable SmartClient on your pages is only 7.0rc2 ? Thanks for your answer.

[opty]

Hi,
I have only short question. Why new version of SmartGWT(2.1) contains SmartClient 8.0, but avaliable SmartClient on your pages is only 7.0rc2 ? Thanks for your answer.

I think SmartGWT 2.1 is based on nightly builds of SC 8.0... So you could say that SmartGWT is not "stable"... Very strange isn't it?!
It would be fine if we'd at least get an ETA for 7.0 (or 7.1). Furthermore it would be even more fine if Isomoprhic could finalize a major version before starting the next one

We are at a point of currently releasing all our apps bundled with 7.0rc2 LGPL, since we are still waiting for buying a 7.x pro FINAL version... Finally, our customers doesn't want to wait anymore.

[Isomorphic]

RC2 is a supported release.

The version numbers of the underlying SmartClient runtime in a SmartGWT build are not particularly meaningful. In general, a version number does not indicate whether the software is stable, the software does. However, some organizations are skittish of a version number that says RC and are not able to overcome this even if the release is declared as supported, so there will be a 7.1 release that aggregates patches.

All software organizations work on new releases while maintenance is performed on older releases.

[CI-CUBE]

Hi Iso,

I'm CTO of an SME, responsible for hundreds of modules and components. To me, as to my mates - no matter if developers or support staff, a transparent version schema is essential. And as you say this is even relevant to customers. Some of our customers don't pay the bills until versions are formally finalized. In my thinking an RC is a feature-complete, probably untested and hence not yet finalized piece of software. In opposite, a Beta isn't even feature complete. Took me years to establish this in my company but now everyone understands and loves that. In my understanding a clean and transparent version schema is extremely relevant in commercial areas and honestly it's not that much effort to have this.

Ekki

* GWT Rocks! * SmartGWT Rocks Even Harder! * SmartGWT PRO 2.1,
GWT 2.0, Jetty 7.0.0, Eclipse 3.5.1, JRE 1.6.0_16 *
For Evaluation only: MySQL 5.1.41, Connector/J 5.1.10

*** www.EasternGraphics.com/X-4GPL ***

[opty]

Hello Isomorphic,

Ci-CUBE has pretty well summed : one our "well-known" customers accepts with great reluctance that one of our web applications, which is used to design its aircrafts, is using a library marked as RC, Beta, or whatever that is not telling "it's a plain final version"... Furthermore, there is aggraving circumstances because there haven't been not much activities (updates) for SmartClient since May 2009...
So my question is simple : does Isomorphic intends to continue to support _and_ release SmartClient *as a separate product*?
Compared to SmartGWT, SmartClient (as a separate product) seems to be in a state of abandonment in profit of SmartGWT.
For those reasons, I have troubles convincing my hierarchy for greater investments in Isomorphic products according our customers prerequisites.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Isomorphic]

Every new feature, example, skin, document or tool that you see added to SmartGWT is also added to SmartClient. Because of the way the projects are structured, there is no way for this not to happen.

You can download a nightly of 8.0 to see this - the reality is that SmartClient is the Ajax platform that is innovating and developing fastest. Of course it's supported, many many billions of dollars depend on it.

Your real problem is not the "RC" on the end of the SmartClient version, it is that you do not have a support plan. If your application is actually important to this aircraft company, you need one - you have no way to get a patch for a critical bug that affects only you.

The whole point of using final versions is the availability of support, so if you are able to tell the customer that you have a support plan covering RC2 (which you need anyway) this is likely to alleviate concerns. Right now, the customer is correct to question you, and would still be correct to do so regardless of the version being deployed.

[mike.art1]

I agree with opty. I am aware that Smart GWT is based on SmartClient and that if a feature is in Smart GWT it is in SmartClient. But that's because I have been using Smart GWT for a while. However if a new user is looking to evaluate SmartClient I can see how they will get the impression that the development on SmartClient has stopped. I have never seen a commercial product stay on a RC version for over a year. You haven't released 7.0 and are already are already putting out builds for 8.0.

Your response suggests that using SmartClient without a support contract is not recommended, which might be true, but that doesn't mean you hold of on releasing a final version. Many companies require both a final version AND a support contract. There is no way I would get approval to put a RC version in Production even if I had a support contract.

Smart GWT has been putting out a public release every 2-3 months. I don't see why SmartClient can't follow the same schedule.

[opty]

Ok, I've filled the form on your website to get support prices and informations... BTW, as mike.art1 suggested, we wouldn't be so worried if we've got some more news about SmartClient product from your website.

Caught from the isomorphic's blog, posted on 2009-04-21 :
"Roadmap to 8.0 and beyond. As soon as we get 7.0 final out the door we’ll be posting some more roadmap information about 8.0 and beyond. We will first put forward a list of areas that we’ll definitely be persuing, then soliciting feedback from customers and open source users about what they want most. This is all part of an effort to provide more transparency and help teams plan around future SmartClient releases. Stay tuned."

So I stayed tuned for a year...