Over a year ago when I made my initial Scrivener 3 purchase for MacOS I was not so keen at the delayed release of the Windows version, but at the end of the day I understood it is more difficult to upgrade. The expected date was Q2 or Q3 of 2018.
Then nothing happened, beta versions looked horrid and were noticeably worse than the one on Mac. I waited, I was patient waiting for the amazing product to make its way to Windows. The expected date became Q2 of 2019. For those who do not know the ‘Q’ means quarter. The second quarter of 2019 ended on the 30th of June 2019 and we are no in Q3 of 2019. The product page is not updated and the beta looks identical.
I downloaded the beta after reading a positive post on this forum claiming it’s on par with MacOS. It is horrid seeing the two next to each other. While the document is written in Palatino the Windows version converts it to a new version of the Courier font. The UI is poorly designed and look like it’s from 2014, not something that’s still to come hopefully by 2020.
For context it’s going to be 2 years since Scrivener 3 released on Mac and I made my purchase. Taking 2 whole years for a simple upgrade is unacceptable. This bundled with the terrible nothing state of Scapple, which the team must have forgotten about, makes me regret my purchase very much. As a result I am searching for alternative software, but I am coming up empty.
Here is some more recent news. It looks like we do need to update the info box on the Windows feature overview page though, thanks for bringing that to our attention.
I’m a Scrivener 1.x user waiting for the Windows 3.x build.
I’m a patient man… Not being sarcastic.
Any xplat development takes time but… I was shocked… by reading the blog they’re using QT and doing development separate platform development. In addition to this, creating their own engines for spell check and richedits. There /are/ alternatives.
I would recommend the development team check out QT alternatives . Xamarin? C#? After working in C#, coming from C++, it’s a lot easier and cleaner code. I’m hoping to do xplat soon because I previously started to develop my own authoring software just for kicks (yes, RichEdit is hair pulling). After someone asked “Is it written for Mac?” I frowned and decided I cannot keep doing code that’s becoming a speciality. C# was the way to go and I’ve had so much fun with it (I’m still on WinForms ). It’s widely supported and C++ can be wrapped to be consumed.
But, I digress. The Scrivener development team, please take your time. Do it right. We all still love you and Scriver 1.x /still/ works wonderfully under Windows 10. An extra month I can live. It’s not like 12 years, when the world is supposed to end. Godspeed. However, look into other up-to-date technologies for xplat development without re-creating engines that are out there. Perhaps putting some code on GitHub so the community helps out will give the team less headache.
Finally after all that radio silence we have a solid update. And it is all I ever wanted from an update and more. And we even have a concrete release date! Things are looking good on my end, can’t wait for it. Thanks for the hard work guys
I am one of those who has been critical of the delay for the Windows release, I would like to commend Lee Powell on his (her?) forthright message regarding the current status of the project. Namely, Lee acknowledges and validates Windows users’ frustration with the project, lets us know what is happening and what the hold-up is. That’s all I needed.
This attitude is far preferable to the dismissive and defensive view that some (including some officially affiliated with L&L) have expressed, to the effect that Scrivener for Windows is the best tool for writing in the Windows environment, so who cares if it lags behind the Mac version. I understand that customer criticism is likely to cause feelings of defensiveness, but it is unprofessional for a company to take that defensiveness out on its customers.
So once again, kudos to Lee’s very thoughtful and considerate blog post. I really appreciate it.
For the record, this is not an accurate summation of anyone’s responses.
What was said is that Scrivener for Windows 1.9.x is a complete program in its own right, and people who purchase and use it successfully write all sorts of projects, Yes, it is going to lag behind, but it is not a wise practice to buy software unless you are happy with what it is at the moment you buy it and never got another update. Getting updates and new functionality is just icing on the cake!
I agree. It isn’t the same and by the time they finally get it out, the Mac version will already be getting all new features. As usual they leave the windows version to be sub-par to the mac version. Oh and it is a big deal that there is a difference. The problem is, unless you want to spend several thousand on a mac computer just to run this one program, you are at a disadvantage. Mac users have always had a far better program to use then all the writers using windows. And yes, if it isn’t as streamlined, doesn’t have as many features, or the features are sub-par, it does make a difference to a user. They are spending far more resources on the mac and OS versions then on the windows team. Both Mac and OS have had a few updates already. Mac 3.0 has been out now for nearly 2 years. Seriously, two years!!! They promised the windows version would be out within a year after the mac version. Well, they certainly missed that mark. Sure there are buggy beta’s we can use, but is that really wise? Maybe if you don’t mind risking losing all your hard work due to a glitch. I don’t mind trying out the beta just to see what it has, but for anyone who values their time, they wouldn’t risk trusting a beta program with countless hours of work. Unless they are a masochist.
I had heard a few months ago that they would finally get this done by the end of August. Judging from all the bugs still present, I doubt they will hit that date either.
Shall we assume the Windows 3.0 will finally be available by the time they put out Mac 4.0? Or is that wishful thinking?
Speaking of failed writers, judging by all the negative comments on the Windows beta, there appears to be plenty of writers blaming the tool. Methinks the failures should take a look in the plate glass on the outside of the coffee-shop patio. They might just catch a glimpse of themselves.
In the meantime, there’s always a very functional Scriv for Win 1.9 for all the Windows users. Oh, and before I forget, if they’re succe$$ful enough to own a Macintosh or an iPad, there’s versions of Scrivener out there for them, too.
Look away from your reflection in the coffee-shop window and get to work.
To indicate that anyone who points out the failure of the windows version to keep up with the Mac version results in that person to be a failure is very flawed logic. And to say that a person should buy the IPad version so that they may a more up to date version is also flawed in so many ways as that version is limited. So, where is the logic? I guess it went out the plate glass window those people were looking out when they wrote those comments.
I tend to agree … it’s really not fair, only more sniping, to assume that someone is blaming problems that someone else imagines they have on the tool. That said…
This is just full of pure unproven assumption: Please tell us how you know that when the Windows version comes out, the Mac version will have new or better features than it does. What access do you have to L&L’s budget and personnel deployment? Have you tried the beta? Many users report that it is quite usable and safe (basically all the responses to the similarly constructed whinge here). It also remains to be seen whether or not they hit the end-of-August target.
Overall, I just find this childish. And I say that as a person who frequently has pretty childish outbursts himself; it does take one to know one.
Yeah, no, you’re stating the obvious. It’s been that way for years, doncha know. You’re late to the choir. Try to keep up.
Nope. No way. * shakes head effusively * I never said that. Methinks too much time checking one’s reflection in the plate glass window leads to comprehension diffugulties.
Ahh gotta love mac users putting down windows users for their frustration.
As quoted from Lee himself:
And here is it they missed the Q3 2019 date as well.
Lee also wrote:
That’s coming from Lee himself as to the differences. I wasn’t pulling that out of the air. In fact, I had only noted 3 updates, but according to Lee in July 2019 there were 6. I can’t say (don’t want to bother to check) if there has been more than 6 as of today. That would be a mute point at this time.
So, while mac users jump all over win users for expressing their frustrations, while they sit there with the latest and greatest upgrades and support, they need to take a good long look at why they want to chime in at all. Is it just to troll the windows users? Just to put down those frustrated customers? Why are they even on the windows board when they don’t even have the windows version other then to troll? Take a good long look in that mirror and remember for every finger you point at the windows users, there are 4 pointing back at you. Ask yourself just why you are here and why you find a reason to chime in when you have no invested interest in being here or in the version of the product itself.
Ahh, gotta love someone who grabs an argument that’s been dead for TWO WEEKS and stirs it up again. Can you point to someone in this thread who uses Mac only (and therefore, IYHO, has no right to speak here) and has put down Windows users for being frustrated? Sheesh.
But you do have consolation with Mac 3 so you don’t really have the same frustration as a 100% Win user. It wasn’t as annoying for me until I didn’t have a Mac.
They’re simply protecting their investment. They have paid a marginally higher amount of money for a better product, that it’s receiving regular updates, has all the bells and whistles, looks much better. Think what would happen if the development team decided enough is enough, and decided to stop further development in the mac platform until everything was as promised almost 3 years ago in the Windows sector.
That’s why they insist so much on their spiel that 1.9x does anything that any productive writer might need, that one should buy the program for what it currently does and not any future promises that might or might come true (even though many bought the program on the promise of a near windows - mac parity), that if your not happy, you may look elsewhere, that those who complain are frustrated writers, that no other windows program has the same functionalities etc, etc.
). It’s widely supported and C++ can be wrapped to be consumed.
