Uncharged Enhancements
All our software is reviewed from time to time and new improved versions released. The best ideas for improvements come from our customers, and we would like to hear from you about how to improve our products.

The way to tell us about improvements we can make is through the support forums. Post your suggestions, and provided that what you suggest makes sense, there is a good chance that future versions of the software will see the features you want included.

There are a number of criteria we consider when deciding which features to add to a new release. While we listen carefully to what our customers suggest, there is no guarantee that any particular suggestion will be adopted, nor is there any guarantee as to the timetable used for incorporation of these features.

If there is an additional feature which is vital to your business, then you should consider using our subsidised or custom programming services. Uncharged enhancements are not a way that you can get custom programming without charge, or on demand.

The criteria we use to determine the features to add to our software are as follows:-

  1. The feature must be an enhancement that does not conflict or compromise the way other users make use of the software. Reasonable people can differ as to whether a feature is an enhancement or not. While we will take note of the views of users, we will make the decision as to whether a particular feature will be included or not. The way to let us know your preferences is via the forums, and in most cases we will take the prevailing view of users as expressed on the forum as to whether a feature is desirable or not.
  2. While we don't charge for these types of enhancements, we are a commercial venture looking to recover the cost of the work, and the way we look to achieving a return is from increased sales. If it is going to take 30 days work by our developers, without increasing sales to an extent that more than justifies the cost, then it probably won't get done.
  3. The complexity of the enhancement is a key issue in determining if a feature will be added in an upgrade. People who propose enhancements often have little idea about how complex the coding for the feature would be.
  4. The clarity with which the enhancement request is presented is a key criteria in considering whether it will be included. Two line requests for something which is not clearly thought out get little consideration. Detailed and clearly described requests get more consideration.
  5. The availability of users to test beta versions quickly and professionally is one of the most important considerations. Since we are not charging for this type of enhancement, we want to reduce the cost of making the enhancement as much as possible. Beta testing is a major cost component of any new feature. If users who have requested the change are available to do beta testing, and will respond quickly during the testing phase in a professional manner clearly describing what they see, then this is a big plus.

    If, on the other hand, they don't respond for days, do not test features properly, or do not accurately describe what they encounter, then we are less likely to use them for testing in future, and read that as an indication that the features they propose are less important than we previously believed.

In other words, if there is a feature you believe is important, and would like to see added to one of our products, you should post to the forum clearly describing what you would like to see, have others make postings reinforcing what you have proposed, and, when it comes to time for beta test, lend a hand with the testing in a timely and professional manner.


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