1Password 7.3.705 Beta 4 update is available

r1ma

Thanks for the info. I thought why 1Password X, for example, would get more betas and for Windows not often.
Thanks again.

MikeT

Hi @r1ma,

I thought why 1Password X, for example, would get more betas and for Windows not often.

1Password X is more frequently updated because it is a young app that doesn't have all features yet, it is much younger than the Windows app for an example. For the first year when we ship 1Password 6 for Windows as a brand new app, we shipped a lot of updates quickly as we were adding new features and then it naturally slows down as we work on more complex features on top of a complex codebase. Every new feature we add, we have to test it internally against all previous features to make sure it all works together consistently and correctly; it's much easier and quicker when there's not many to test against in the beginning.

There is a noticeable lull in our pace of updates on Windows right now because we're working on a major 1Password 7.4 update while adding smaller 7.3.x updates to ship soon. We'll explain why when we're closer to finishing 1Password 7.4.

r1ma

@MikeT Thank you, dear, Mike, for the info. Today 7.4 released for iOS 13. Can we consider it as a sign that 7.4 for Windows is very close to releases?

bundtkate

It's honestly pure coincidence that version numbers are aligning right now, @r1ma, so I wouldn't read too much into that. iOS 13 is the trigger for that release as it's the version that includes all of the compatibility fixes and feature updates targeted at iOS 13 and iPadOS. That it so happens to be a version 7.4 is pure chance and not by design. In general, our development cycles for each platform are wholly independent and shaped by that specific platforms priorities and current pressing issues, so you'll see some significant disparity in release speed when one platform or another is working on a bigger project, like is the case with 7.4 for Windows.

With that said, 7.4 is still moving forward. I still can't give a good ETA (and generally never feel too comfortable doing so with the bigger ones since there's more to test and more that can break), but we're plugging along and will absolutely share news whenever we have something worth sharing. :+1:

r1ma

@bundtkate Thanks for the info. Are we close to the next beta for Windows to appear in App Updates section?
The latest beta was released 2019-09-11.
Meanwhile, I am eager for 7.4, and I am guessing we are close to it.

AGAlumB

I think it won't be long now. :)

r1ma

@brenty Thanks for your note, you mean for the final 7.4 version or the next beta version?
And how long remains?
I am just eager, out of habit, checking reguraly for software updates.

AGAlumB

Next beta should be for 7.4, and should be Soon™. If you're opted-in to beta already you'll get it when it becomes available. ;)

r1ma

^_^

r1ma

@brenty By the way, by "soon" you mean this week or by end of November? Thank you.

MikeT

Hi @r1ma,

As per our policy, we do not share any timeframe nor specifics on future releases. Soon does not imply any specific timeframe either, just that we're getting closer to finishing it up but that still has to go through internal QA processes and that sometime can take a while.

r1ma

@MikeT Thank you, Mike. I get it.

MikeT

No problem, we get it too, we all want the new update on any platforms.

We're working as fast as we can to get it out but this is a big internal update that impacts a lot of areas, which is why it is taking much longer than usual.

r1ma

Hi @MikeT any news?

r1ma

I just read your reply at:
https://discussions.agilebits.com/discussion/comment/539957#Comment_539957

bundtkate

Looks like you found your update, @r1ma. I'm glad you were able to hunt it down as Mike is himself away for the holidays starting today and I actually didn't think we were as close as he seems to hope so I might have been a bit overly pessimistic without him to ask. I guess it's a bit easier to be optimistic around this time off year, too, so here's hoping we've got some nice gifts for y'all in the new year. :chuffed:

r1ma

Happy holidays to you and all your friends in 1P.
Cant wait for January and getting the new update.

ag_tommy

Happy Holidays! :) :+1:

r1ma

Happy holidays. When the next beta for Windows will be out?
In 2019-09-11 latest beta released for 1P for Windows, while for Mac it released in released 2019-12-19.
Does this mean the Mac developers are working harder than the Windows developers?
Thank you. Love you all.

r1ma

Happy new year 2020.

bundtkate

I won't say that the frequency of updates necessarily has to do with the amount of work being done, @r1ma. It's hard to put into words, to be honest. For example, you'll probably see a lot of updates ahead of any major OS release as we try to get features that utilize new stuff Apple, Google, Microsoft and others are giving us in a forthcoming big update to work properly. That's a ton of hard work. But, you'll also see a ton during downtime when things are relatively stable and we have a stretch where we can focus on developing a new feature we've been excited about but unable to dedicate time to thanks to things like those OS updates. Those changes can often be less work and more fun as it's when we get the chance to do the stuff we really love. Right now, the Windows team is working ridiculously hard on some of the more thankless tasks – under the hood improvements that a good chunk of folks probably aren't even gonna notice. It may not look like it right now, but that slew of updates is coming, it's just a question of when.

Those big projects that can generate frequent updates, no matter the specifics, come in stages, though. The first stage is a fat lot of nothing from all of our perspective because it's the development team and the QA folks trying to get things at least working well on their machines so they can expand things to those of us in support without making it impossible for us to work. During this time, I often file issues only to have them closed as "fixed in master" so that I sit here and grump about when the heck I'm going to see this fabled "master". Stage two still looks like nothing from y'all's perspective because it's all about getting everyone internally using the new version. I get to spend this time breaking stuff so we can catch and fix as much of that awful broken stuff as possible before y'all have to deal with it. Then, finally, it'll hit beta and you get your lovely slew of hopefully progressively less broken updates.

We've started getting into that second stage as I've had the opportunity to break some stuff, but that happened shortly before the holidays so there's been a bit of a pause in my update stream. Once everyone is back from vacation, we'll probably see more of that internally, but I still can't put a date on when you might see the same. I always hate reading these answers because they're just about the least satisfying thing ever, but it's the truth in this case – it just depends. Sometimes, what I get to play around with is pretty darned polished. We'll find a few icky bits, fix 'em, and it's ready for beta. Other times, something awful managed to be extra sneaky, get past the stage one folks and we have to spend some extra time on internal testing. Only time will tell. I always have my fingers crossed for the former, though. I'll be sure to cross them extra hard for you this go. And, of course, we'll all do our best to break things as quickly as possible so we can inch ever closer to that first beta as quick as is possible. :chuffed:

Stanzilla

Well, even if you guys are not releasing frequently, some sort of progress report or insight into the process would be appreciated. These days people tend to panic really fast and brand products as "abandoned" if they don't hear any news about it for five minutes. Personally, I do know how it's like to not be able to ship a new release/beta as often as I want, but I also make sure to communicate progress and what's coming.

mohammad1361

Hi, I know it's a too repetitive question, but when would we see the new update?

bundtkate

I know it stinks, @mohammad1361 (and everyone else), but our answer here isn't going to change until that beta is out the door. I can see the value in trying to communicate how far we've come, but that also can (and has) come back to bite us. The old adage about the best laid plans of mice and men very much applies here, perhaps moreso due to the sheer size of this release. I definitely want to break this rule from time to time with "I thinks" and "I hopes", but even that is taking a risk of my word being perceived as gospel no matter how I couch it and in this case in particular it's simply not worth it. Progress is being made. It's slower than we'd like. Near anything would be at this point, but the forward movement is there. It'll be ready when it's ready and until then I just have to beg for y'all's patience and cross my fingers the wait will be worth it. :chuffed:

r1ma

Thank you @bundtkate for all the info. I get it. You said very well that the wait will be worth it. After all, we all are paid, customers.
And value the product we use too much. Thanks for understanding.

mohammad1361

Thank you @bundtkate 🙏

MikeT

On behalf of Kate, you're welcome.

One thing I can hint on and Kate did a bit is that we're currently shipping internal testing builds to our team more frequently now (almost a dozen in the past few weeks) but this doesn't mean the beta release is imminent; just that we're much closer to the first beta release. We still have a few blockers we need to fix.

ttim03

Thanks guys I prefer you all take your time with updates than rush them! Which is exactly what you all are doing!

P.S. Why did I have to reset my password on my forum account? No big deal just wondering.

MikeT

Hi @ttim03,

There was a security issue with Vanilla forums; you can learn more here.

ttim03

Thanks @MikeT!