Sounds very good, Lee, a sensible approach, and you can see how much support you have from people for it.
On the performance/slowdown issue, I understand you feel it is spell checking, but hope you also note the word count-progress bar problem which can also cause terrific slowdown - and should be easy to fix.
I don’t know if this helps with the slowdowns, but I’ve had Scrivener up and running all day, and its memory usage has been fairly stable: it’s only taking 0.7% of my system RAM, and firefox and tweetdeck are taking far, far more. It’s not changing much over time (if my random checking of top is any indication.)
If it makes you feel any better, most of the bugs seem to boil down to just a few larger categories of problems. And a lot of posts (and I presume emails) are about the same issues repeatedly. So really you’re not behind at all! In any case, you’re doing a fantastic job. You don’t even really HAVE to communicate with us about progress or post mini bug fix updates, and yet you do. And I highly doubt anyone here is anything less than appreciative of that. So thank you!
Thanks for the continued updates. I’m always happy to see one, even a small one, and it’s great to get some insight into what’s happening behind the code curtain.
I’d also encourage the Scrivener for Windows team to push back the launch date a bit. No shame in that – rather have to wait a little longer than find out someone had a stroke rewriting core code at a frantic pace.
This is my sixth NaNo. My first two were done in word processing software, the next three on an Alphasmart. This is the first time I’m using anything to assist with plotting, because it’s the first time I’ve found something that’s more likely to help than hinder, and that’s WITH the quirks you’re working out.
Never fear, we know you rock, and we’re hanging in there. You’ve chosen appropriate priorities, and I think we all appreciate the updates on what you’re doing.
I’d heard about Scrivener for a while now and listened to people saying they wished there was a Windows version. I didn’t get it, at all. Figured it was just another LSB type program that would take months to understand (I’m slow–there I said it) and have more freaking options than I’d known what to do with.
I was definitely wrong. I’m loving the Windows version, beta and all. It’s complex without being complicated and impossible to learn. I’m not a plotter, but even I’ve found use for it (procrastination isn’t the only use, I promise!).
While I selfishly (because I already <3 the program so) wish it were 100% nownownow!, I’m not complaining. We all knew there would be bugs to be dealt with. We’re coping. Mostly.
So thank you, Scrivener team! I’ll definitely be buying the full version when it comes out.
[size=85]However, if you take away my Scrivener, I’ll have to hurt you. Or cry. Maybe both.[/size]
My computer is fast, but I also type fairly fast. The BETA-1.2 lag was enough that I went back to the official Beta 1.1 from the main Scrivener for Windows page. (The Beta-1.2 lag was unusable once I started writing my novel at full speed. The Beta-1.1 lag was much more intermittent.)
Knowing the lag will go away if I turn off spell-checking is fantastic news.
This is NaNoWriMo after all – who really needs spell checking?
By the way, I noticed when I initially disabled spell-checking, the lag was still happening until I closed and reopened the app.
Hmmm, I can understand how discouraging something can be, particularly when all you get are negatives from the bugs. I have to say that while in my ‘bug’ posts I sound serious and whatnot, I absolutely adore this program. I remember something like a year ago I found it, read all about its lovely features and then wanted to cry when I found out it was only in a mac. I was so excited to find out it was being released in windows and it has thusfar exceeded my expectations, bugs and all. It helps that I haven’t had a fatal error, just some minor problems, but the benefits of this program far outweigh even the errors and occasional slowness. There are four features already that, after two days of use, I can’t imagine writing without.
In short, before I wax any more poetic about this, you’re doing a good job and have produced and exceptional program.
Just want to thank you for working so hard on this. I’m definitely going to buy this program as soon as it’s out of beta. It’s so great to have someone so dedicated working behind the scenes! Again, thank you!
I am on day 3(as is most of the world) of my NaNo project and I have fallen totally and endlessly in love with Scrivener for windows, you are wonderous for coming up with and working so tirelessly on it for us.
if it weren’t for the distance and how much it would annoy my husband I would offer to have your babies…
This has made my project SO SO SO much easier!
Thanks so much!
You’re all very kind. Thank you. Your encouragement means a lot to me and certainly put a smile back on my face. The comment about having someone else’s babies had me in hysterics - shouldn’t we exchange photos first? Isn’t this how cyber relationships start? Opps, Oh dear. No, forget it, my wife’s not laughing - I think she thinks it’s a bad idea.
“So, I’ll just focus on the software then?”
She’s nodding.
Alas, we digress into mindless rhetoric…I’m just typing up an update for the 4th Nov as the servers we’re down yesterday.
