New Build Likely Later this Week

We're getting closer and closer to the latest build. It won't have much in the way of front-end features that you can see, but it will have a number of key improvements on the back-end. The eventual goal of these improvements is to make the framework distributable so that you can download a copy of Reger.com and run it on your own server. All you'll need is an instance of MySql, and their support is great so getting it up and running is quite easy. Which means that getting your own Reger.com will be easy.

The build that is likely coming out this week is a first step. It includes a number of critical refactorings on the back-end along with a new licensing engine. With it in place running the Reger.com commercial site we'll then be able to do another round of development to package it as an installable file. Double click and go. Easy to say. Harder to build. But we're getting closer. What's amazing in this process is how decisions about things like config files that were made years ago are now either helping or hurting us. Overall we've found our own code foundation quite flexible and robust, but there are some loose ends as we look to take what has for years been a "few-server" product and package it as a "many server" product.

Most important to existing users is the fact that once we get this build out we can get to the backlog of bugs that you've been kind enough to submit. There are some embarrasing bugs out there right now. Easy enough to fix, but not acceptable in my book. Have to get this important build out this week before we can get the bugs fixed.

Yes, we should have branched the codebase. What started out as a few experiments with packaging turned into something bigger than expected. Poor build planning on our part. But we're working hard to get things back on track so that we can have those high-feature builds out every week or so.

The plan, always subject to Murphy's Law, is to test a final build candidate on Tuesday with a go/no go on Wednesday. Possible launch Thursday and verification all day. We won't rush it, however. If something comes up, we'll fix it until we feel we've gotten it right.

Thanks for bearing with us. Reger.com users are the best.