Shouldn't 1Password downgrade when I opt-out from beta-builds?

finwe

I have problems with the last beta build. I expected, that the app will be downgraded to the last stable (7.3.x) when I uncheck the Beta builds switch, which didn't happen, but the Beta flag disappeared from the window menu.

I think either the need for manual downgrade should be communicated more clearly (do I really have to download the installer, or how can I manage), or the app should be downgraded automatically to the stable version.

As the most important change, at least the Beta flag should remain in the window menu when I am using the Beta regardless on the update Beta flag setting.

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1Password Version: n/a
Extension Version: n/a
OS Version: n/a
Sync Type: n/a

MikeT

Hi @finwe,

To clarify, this is not opting out of beta builds, this is opting out of future beta updates and the next update you get is the stable update. We should revisit the UI for this but leaving the beta flag isn't an option we can use because that can be confusing. The beta flag is only meant to indicate you're on a beta update channel, not that you're using a beta version. You can be on the beta channel and not get any new beta updates, meaning you'd be on the current stable build until we have a new beta build. You can also be on a stable channel and get the same build number as the beta channel as well.

However, as for the downgrade, that is a good question and no, 1Password should and does not downgrade from any build you have. This is intentional to avoid putting you in a worse situation as there are all sorts of issues that can arise if this isn't carefully done.

We do back up your 1Password database every time we introduce a breaking change to the database schema and this is very rare as well.

In this specific case, 1Password 7.4 does have a breaking change to the database structure and thus, you cannot use your 1Password 7.4 beta database with 1Password 7.3 stable. That's why we push you toward the future stable update instead. If you need to downgrade, you will have to manually uninstall, either reset or rename the current database and copy over the backed up database file to the data folder for 1Password 7.3. I can explain how to do this if you wish to go back.

finwe

Thanks for a reply @MikeT. I understand the reasoning generally, and the technical difficulties of downgrades, but a rant follows nonetheless.

That's a nice incentive to use Beta builds (yes, sarcasm). Something breaks and I am stuck with the broken version unless I undergo a complicated procedure of downgrading via uninstall and a database recovery from a backup, potentially losing data.

And do I understand correctly, that the Beta flag shows even when I am using the beta update channel and I have a stable version? Does it even remotely make sense to show that information in a red rectangle in one of the most prominent places of the app, when I have to opt-in to the beta channel?

I really appreciate the enthusiasm of your team in finding out the bug I am experiencing in the last beta, but at the same time I need to be able to rely on as important tool as the password manager is.

With the Beta channel subscription I wanted to have a sneak peak to new features and changes, so that I could voice my opinions as soon as possible (and to be able contradict the common argumentation "we had no negative feedback from beta users" here in the discussions), but I guess I will have to live with it and just bang my head against the table once in a while when i clash with changes in the stable versions that make no sense to me.

I guess there is no need to waste your time with more explanations, they'll probably make no difference and your time can be used for better elsewhere. Just needed to vent, sorry :)

MikeT

@finwe;

We do understand your frustrations and we do appreciate you letting us know. We really do want you to keep using the beta builds even if it is a bit difficult to use.

With your help, we caught your reported issue early enough before it is released to the public as a stable update and we're investigating a fix right now. We think it may help your issue too but we can't be too sure until you test it for us because most of us cannot reproduce this. We're going to reply to your email with a potential build if you're willing to help test it.

And do I understand correctly, that the Beta flag shows even when I am using the beta update channel and I have a stable version? Does it even remotely make sense to show that information in a red rectangle in one of the most prominent places of the app, when I have to opt-in to the beta channel?

Yes. The goal is to inform the users they're going to get keep getting potentially breaking updates even if they believe they're on stable update or they may have forgotten to opt-out after trying our beta build to confirm that we've fixed a bug they reported in a stable update.

If you were a stable customer reporting this, I would've ask you to back up your database, explain how to recover if the beta build does break things and then give the beta build a try to see if fixes the issue. Some of our beta testers have been around for years that they already know how to do this while sleeping.

We often ask customers to test a beta build like this to confirm a fix and they then need to go back to stable, so this beta flag is intentionally annoying to discourage those who do not want to get their day ruined like it had for you, especially if they're not beta testers nor ask to get these updates.

Something breaks and I am stuck with the broken version unless I undergo a complicated procedure of downgrading via uninstall and a database recovery from a backup, potentially losing data.

Keep in mind, this can happen even without using our beta builds, especially since none of us can reproduce this at all and we have a lot of users testing right now with only two reports of this so far, means that you would've experience the same thing in the stable update if no one reported it.

The difference is, with betas, beta testers will learn with us on how to recover if these situations occurs again. In addition, we ship beta updates quickly often (for some beta releases in the past, we actually had 2-3 updates on the same day).

With the Beta channel subscription I wanted to have a sneak peak to new features and changes,

While we do understand the desire to get sneak peeks but betas are unstable builds, they're going to break but we do our best to minimize this. The beta channel is to help us test the changes we're making and especially to help us avoid regressions but it is not a good way to get a sneak peek, you can read the changelog instead of using our beta builds.

However, keep in mind that if you never opt-ed in to beta updates and no one else sees the same problem you have, 100% chance you'll get the same problem on day one of the stable release. This way does have a much higher chance of getting your issue fixed much faster, we're aiming for an update today with a potential fix.