Hey gang. We're debating between doing a longer beta for 11.0 and including all the features we want to or splitting it between an 11.0 and a 12.0 for about the same timeframe to get 1/2 the features out to 'stable' users faster. We're talking about integrated file associations instead of needing an add-on, retention of app installers, customization of platform folders, new automation functionality, search enhancements, speed improvements/app caching, proxy support, app store searching, etc.
Now, the time to complete these features would be the same either way. And, overall, we're looking at about 1 month of time for implementation, testing and translations for all the features mentioned. But, the split would allow us to get specific features into stable user's hands that are complete or nearly complete and don't require a ton of testing or translations (keyboard accessibility, app caching/speed improvements, proxy support, etc) as soon as this week without having to wait a few more weeks for other features to be completed, translated and fully tested (integrated file associations, customization of folders, themes, etc).
We're leaning towards doing a separate 11.0 and 12.0 release to get more features 'stable' faster as many, many more folks use the stable branch than the beta. One key bit is also getting keyboard navigation and screenreader accessibility 'stable' as fast as possible. We're going to be doing a platform release every week either way -- sometimes two (like last week) -- so this doesn't affect release frequency or total development time. 11.0 Beta 2 is dropping tomorrow with new features, translations and bug fixes, for instance.
If we do the separate strategy, I think we can have a viable 11.0 out this week or next and then immediately start on 12.0 to get things moving. We could even continue this approach and possibly do more often stable releases every couple weeks or once a month if needed/desired. Especially since incremental updates of the platform beginning with 11.0 Beta 1 will likely be about 1MB and really quick to install (under a dozen files instead of a few hundred small ones like app icons and theme images).
We wanted to see what some of our other users and developers had to say first, though. So, what say you, good people? 
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I think if features are ready and mature, they should be deployed on to stable. I know there's a lot of people waiting on the keyboard navigation and screen reader ability, and it doesn't make sense for them to have to wait for other features they (no offense) may not care too much about. These users can use beta, but again, the beta features may hinder the overall performance of the Platform if there are bugs.
So overall, faster 11.0 release to reach as many users as possible.
^ What gluxon said
I used to have a sig...until one of the mods ate it
So long as features are stable, I fully support pushing them out to the stable channel quickly.
above I agree with the other fine developers if it working push it out
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” Dr. Seuss
I agree as well. Get a fast 11 out the door and then we can translate things for 12.
PS: Didnt know we had some gang-related activity here
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
I generally agree.
One feature that is *really* missing is to either customize the keyboard shortcut or at the very least to remove it. In French (Canadian keyboard), it interferes with the default key used for the hard space.
A typical quote looks like : « Voici un exemple ! »
(where one typically puts a hard space before the colon and the exclamation mark, as well as inside the quotation marks.
In practical terms, it means I typically use a few portable applications, but *without* the platform so I freely access the hard space without doing finger gymnastics.
Michel Gagnon
Montréal (Québec, Canada)
I'm unaware of any software that uses CTRL-ALT-SPACE as the default hotkey to insert a non-breaking space. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-breaking_space
The default in most, including Word, is CTRL-SHIFT-SPACE which is a separate hotkey.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Control-shift-space is indeed a hot key defined in Word, but it works only in Word, and a few others. Word also has smart quotes, so a « quote » is made automatically if one types "quote".
But you're out of luck if you try to use that key combination to enter a hard space in Notepad, Thunderbird or right here in Firefox, for example. In that case, one either needs to press ALT all the time while typing "0160", or AltGr-space (which I more often type using CTRL-ALT-space).
Amongst the numerous uses of the hard space: inside quotes and before most punctuation, after an article (so "an" doesn't end a line), etc.
Michel Gagnon
Montréal (Québec, Canada)
Right, but I don't see any record of CTRL-ALT-SPACE producing a hard space in anything. That's what I was saying. And it definitely doesn't work on my Windows 7 English machine. So, what is it conflicting with? aka, what are you using to get it to make a hard space using CTRL-ALT-SPACE and can you switch it to using something like ALT-SPACE or CTRL-SPACE temporarily?
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
It doesn't work with the US-English keyboard, but works with the Canada Multilingual keyboard. It is not a shortcut but a basic key combination that produces a hard space, just like pressing SHIFT-E produces a capital E.
CTRL-space or CTRL-shift-space only works in Word, LibreOffice and a few others like that. ALT-space may also be a user-defined shortcut in those two programs, but it doesn't work across the board.
By the way, Word and LibreOffice have a way of programming their shortcuts so that CTRL-ALT-something is a shortcut, but AltGr-something still works as a normal keyboard combo. Unfortunately, the PortableApps shortcut also prevents AltGr-space from working properly (i.e. typing a hard space).
Michel Gagnon
Montréal (Québec, Canada)
I had to look up what AltGr was, too. You guys just have too many keys!
I'll work in a quick INI option to disable the hotkey in the 11.1 release this week just to get you up and running. We'll have a GUI with the required translated bits in 12.0 this month so you can select something else.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Wonderful!
Michel Gagnon
Montréal (Québec, Canada)
"We're talking about integrated file associations instead of needing an add-on, retention of app installers, customization of platform folders, new automation functionality,"
on just the first 2 i would say [Voice type="Edward James Olmos"] THUS SAY WE ALL!![/Voice]
and it be dandy if you directed the saved installers to say %userProfile%\documents\PortableApps\ (yah i not only want a Pony i want it to be a UNICORN)
I prefer longer beta-test periods and then a final release.