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Search - "closed beta"
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Today is the 2nd anniversary of devRant unofficial UWP! 😁
Brief summary of the last year:
- A total of 36 updates have been released this year, becoming now 60 in total;
- v2 passed through the closed beta phase with the help of 15 devRanters;
- v2 public beta has been released for everyone;
- The app received (beta) support for Xbox One and Microsoft Hub (becoming available for all the UWP devices: PC, Mobile, HoloLens, Surface Hub, Xbox One);
- The official Issue Tracker on GitHub has been created;
- 35 out of 48 issues/feature requests on the Issue Tracker have been solved;
- The v2 got featured by the official Microsoft Design twitter account;
- The app reached more than 2,000 acquisitions from the Microsoft Store (about 300 active users everyday with an average 20 minutes daily session, ~2.5 sessions per day), +100% since last year;
- Still maintains a solid 4.8 out of 5 average rating on the Microsoft Store (4.9 and even 5.0 in some countries, based on ~300 reviews);
- Softpedia editor has reviewed it 4.5 out of 5, becoming the best devRant client on that website, followed by devRantron (with a solid 4 out of 5);
- Has been featured as "App of the Day" by "myAppFree";
If you're not yet part of the UWP ranters community, download the app now:
https://microsoft.com/store/apps/...
Link to the rant for the 1st anniversary with the full story about this app:
https://devrant.com/rants/59906611 -
//
// devRant unofficial UWP update (v2.0.0-beta)
//
After several concepts, about 11 months of development (keep in mind that I released 20 updates for v1 in the meantime, so it wasn't a continous 11 months long development process) and a short closed beta phase, v2 is now available for everyone (as public beta)! :)
I tried to improve the app in every aspect, from finally responsive and good looking UI on Desktop version to backend performance improvements, which means that I almost coded it from scratch.
There are also of course a few new features (like "go to bottom" in rants), and more to come.
It's a very huge update, and unfortunately to move forward, improve the UI (add Fluent Design) and make it at the same level of new UWP apps, I was forced to drop the supported for these old Windows 10 builds:
- Threshold 1 (10240)
- Threshold 2 (10586)
Too many incompatiblity issues with the new UI, and for 1 person with a lot of other commitments outside this project (made for free, just for passion), it's impossible to work at 3 parallel versions of the same app.
I already done something like that during these 11 months (every single of the 20 updates for v1 needed to be implemented a second time for v2).
During the closed beta tests, thanks to the awesome testers who helped me way too much than I ever wished, I found out that there are already incompatiblity issues with Anniversary Update, which means that I will support two versions:
1) One for Creators Update and newer builds.
2) One for Anniversary Update (same features, but missing Fluent Design since it doesn't work on that OS version, and almost completly rewritten XAML styles).
For this reason v2 public beta is out now for Creators Update (and newer) as regular update, and will be out in a near future (can't say when) also for the Anniversary Update.
The users with older OS versions (problem which on PC could be solved in 1-2 days, just download updates) can download only the v1.5.9 (which probably won't be supported with new updates anymore, except for particular critcal bug fixes).
So if you have Windows 10 on PC and want to use v2 today, just be sure you have Creators Update or Fall Creators Update.
If you have Windows 10 PC with Anniversary Update, update it, or if you don't want to do that, wait a few weeks/months for the update with support for your build.
If you have an older version on PC, update it, or enjoy v1.5.9.
If you have Windows 10 Mobile Anniversary Update, update it (if it's possible for your device), or just wait a few weeks/months for the update with support for your build.
If you have Windows 10 Mobile, and because of Microsoft stupid policy, you can't update to Anniversary Update, enjoy v1.5.9, or try the "unofficial" method (registry hack) to update to a newer build.
I hope it's enough clear why not everyone can receive the update today, or at all. :P
Now I would like to thank a few people who made this possible.
As always, @dfox who is always available for help me with API implementations.
@thmnmlist, who helped me a lot during this period with really great UI suggestions (just check out his twitter, it's a really good person, friend, designer and artist: https://twitter.com/thmnmlist).
And of course everyone of the closed beta testers, that reported bugs and precious suggestions (some of them already implemented, others will arrive soon).
The order is random:
@Raamakrishnan
@Telescuffle
@Qaldim
@thmnmlist
@nikola1402
@aayusharyan
@cozyplanes
@Vivaed
@Byte
@RTRMS
@tylerleonhardt
@Seshpengiun
@MEGADROID
@nottoobright
Changelog of v2.0.0-beta:
- New UI with Fluent Design and huge improvements for Desktop;
- Added native support for Fall Creators Update (Build 16299);
- Changed minimum supported version to Creators Update (Build 15063), support for Anniversary Update (Build 14393) will arrive soon;
- Added mouse support for Pull-To-Refresh;
- Added ability to change your username and email;
- Added ability to filter (by 'Day', 'Week', 'Month' and 'All') the top Rants;
- Added ability to open rant links in-app;
- Added ability to zoom GIFs (just tap on them in the Rant View);
- Added 'go to bottom' button in the Rant View (if more than 3 comments);
- Added new theme ('Total Black');
- ...complete changelog in-app and on my website (can't post it here because of the 5000 characters limit)...
What will arrive in future updates:
- 'Active Discussions' screen so you can easily find rants that have recent comments/discussions;
- Support for 'Collabs';
- Push Notifications (it was postponed and announced too many times...);
- More themes and themes options;
- and more...
If you still didn't download devRant unofficial UWP, do it now: https://microsoft.com/store/apps/...
If you find some bugs or you have feature suggestion, post it on the Issue Tracker on GitHub (thanks in advance for your help!): https://github.com/JakubSteplowski/...
I hope you will enjoy it! ;)52 -
Friend asked me, "How does it feel being the CTO of a startup?"
Me: "I feel like the main character in one of those cartoons where train, going full speed, is running out of rail road, so he takes rails from behind the train and puts them in front. And the entire thing is on fire. And everyone you hire is trying to put it out with gasoline."
Friend: "Doesn't your CEO help?"
Me: "Well... He had never seen a train before, and he thought they operate on magic and wishful thinking. And he never realized they need rail track to even run. So... not really"
Friend: "So, it's pretty bad, ha?"
Me: "It's great actually. We just closed our seed round. We're about to launch beta. I might even get 5-6 hours of sleep this weekend 😅"10 -
//
// devRant unofficial UWP update
//
Hi to all Windows 10 users of my app (if you're not, it's never too late to improve yourself).
I really appreciate all your feedbacks on Microsoft Store and via email!
Thanks!
I'm working really hard on v2 to release it as soon as possible.
Since I'm alone and I have a lot of other commitments (university, sleeping, holidays), I would like to release a closed BETA for all users who want to test the new version and send feedbacks, bugs reports.
All you need to do to join the BETA is filling this form (https://jakubsteplowski.com/en/...) by September 15th.
I'm planning to release 3 BETA builds (this could change):
- v2 BETA 1: September
- v2 BETA 2: October
- v2 BETA 3: November
- v2 Stable: November/December
During the BETA phase you will receive the BETA builds as normal updates from the Microsoft Store, after the BETA you will start to receive the stable builds as all users.
Of course you can resign to be a BETA tester at anytime by contacting me.
Anyone who will join the BETA will be added to the "Special thanks" section in about.
Thanks in advance for your help! 😊53 -
Hey everyone :D
I've been working on an medieval fantasy MMORPG called The Immortal Rift with a small team of developers from all around the world and we plan to start a closed beta before going on Early Access on Steam next month.
So I finished the pre-registration page a few days ago and I'd like to invite any of you that have some time to try it out :D
https://theimmortalrift.com
https://theimmortalrift.com/closed_...
It would be nice to hear some of your feedback on it and I would be glad to see you in the beta too :)
Thanks for your time :)
PS. If you decide to come and give it a try, you can see me around with the name Necrogizer :)33 -
!rant && Announcement
The closed beta for the new DEVRANT TOOLBOX is starting for chrome users.
The Toolbox is an UNOFFICIAL web extension for Chrome and Firefox.
Additional features:
- Compact mode: reduced image height in the feeds
- Extended page navigation controls for feeds
- Timestamps for rants
- Image preview on mouseover
- Autoreload for the recent feed (180 sec)
- Highlighting new rants after a reload (recent feed only, see screenshot)
- Highlighting own rants (inside feeds) and comments (inside rants)
- Hiding personal scores (still visible by mouseover) and share buttons inside rants
- Colored notifs (different colors for the notif types)
- Notifs with clickable usernames: a click will open the rant AND the username (in a different tab)
- 3 additional Themes: Black, Monochrome, Dark blue
(Next themes to come: solarized light and dark)
- Global history.back on rightclick (for faster navigation)
- Increased feed width (see screenshot)
- Plain background (just the feed on screen)
- Weekly rant
All features can be switched on/off.
The weekly rant is a temporary feature. It uses the devrant api.
I will remove it when that feature is added to the original devrant webfeed.
@dfox: If you dont like the use of the api or some of the features please contact me.
Chrome users can join this group to get the beta:
https://groups.google.com/forum/...
I NEED SOME FEEDBACK!!!
Therefore a feedback is my term of use.
Please post it as a comment (or in the google group).7 -
Convinced another fellow developer to join devRant:
Welcome @binogure!
He's an indie game developer I met online and I'm helping him to translate his game, "City Game Studio", at the moment.
Check it out! The game is currently in closed beta and it's really awesome!
#ad ;D6 -
1 - Spend 6 months building an app with Flutter
2 - Try to add in-app purchase. Must upload an apk to google console and register a product
3 - Must launch the app so the product is activated
4 - Console complains apk must contain 64 bits version
5 - Go to the issues tab on github and find a solution
6 - Implement the solution, recompile and send 2 apk files to Console
7 - Did not work...
8 - Find out maybe the console will allow just on closed alpha and beyond
9 - Put apks on closed alpha and fail because the Console wants a new apks with increased version codes...
10 - Recompile and send apks
11 - Console won't allow launching unless the format is using the new App Bundle
12 - Flutter does not support App Bundle with 32 and 64 bits...
13 - See issue about it saying the possible fix is in beta version, just need to update... What could go wrong?
I just wanted to release a damn app
I hate that shit5 -
I'm definately an alpha male.
Give me a couple more revisions and I might be ready to enter closed beta. -
We had a closed beta today for a product I've worked on for the last 6 months. We've been working late nights for the last week to make sure we get all the kinks out and make sure our demo went smoothly.
After a bit of hyping via a power point presentation by my colleague, we finally start the demo and of course the login fails. Both the API and database were offline. The servers were on but we just couldn't reach the applications. My colleague stalls and I get to debugging.
We were standing in front of 50 people who were hyped-up on a product that was failing in front of them.
But after 10 minutes (felt like an hour) of hemming and hawing, the app just decides to start running again.
What in the actual fuck? Does this happen to anyone else? Coz it feels like it happens to me every time.3 -
Aren't you, software engineer, ashamed of being employed by Apple? How can you work for a company that lives and shit on the heads of millions of fellow developers like a giant tech leech?
Assuming you can find a sounding excuse for yourself, pretending its market's fault and not your shitty greed that lets you work for a company with incredibly malicious product, sales, marketing and support policies, how can you not feel your coders-pride being melted under BILLIONS of complains for whatever shitty product you have delivered for them?
Be it a web service that runs on 1980 servers with still the same stack (cough cough itunesconnect, membercenter, bug tracker, etc etc etc etc) incompatible with vast majority of modern browsers around (google at least sticks a "beta" close to it for a few years, it could work for a few decades for you);
be it your historical incapacity to build web UI;
be it the complete lack of any resemblance of valid documentation and lets not even mention manuals (oh you say that the "status" variable is "the status of the object"? no shit sherlock, thank you and no, a wwdc video is not a manual, i don't wanna hear 3 hours of bullshit to know that stupid workaround to a stupid uikit api you designed) for any API you have developed;
be it the predatory tactics on smaller companies (yeah its capitalism baby, whatever) and bending 90 degrees with giants like Amazon;
be it the closeness (christ, even your bugtracker is closed and we had to come up with openradar to share problems that you would anyway ignore for decades);
be it a desktop ui api that is so old and unmaintained and so shitty, but so shitty, that you made that cancer of electron a de facto standard for mainstream software on macos;
be it a IDE that i am disgusted to even name, xcrap, that has literally millions of complains for the same millions of issues you dont even care to answer to or even less try to justify;
be it that you dont disclose your long term plans and then pretend us to production-test and workaround-fix your shitty non-production ready useless new OS features;
be it that a nervous breakdown on a stupid little guy on the other side of the planet that happens to have paid to you dozens of thousands of euros (in mandatory licences and hardware) to actually let you take an indecent cut out of his revenues cos there is no other choice in a monopoly regime, matter zero to you;
Assuming all of these and much more:
How can you sleep at night with all the screams of the devs you are exploiting whispering in you mind? Are all the money your earn worth?
** As someone already told you elsewhere, HAVE SOME FUCKING PRIDE, shitty people AND WRITE THE FUCKING DOCS AND FIX THE FUCKING BUGS you lazy motherfuckers, your are paid more than 99.99% of people on earth, move your fucking greasy little fingers on that fucking keyboard. **
PT2: why the fuck did you remove the ESC key from your shitty keyboards you fuckshits? is it cos autocomplete is slower than me searching the correct name of a function on stackoverflow and hence ESC key is useless? at least your hardware colleagues had the decency of admitting their error and rolling back some of the uncountable "questionable "hardware design choices (cough cough ...magic mouse... cough golden charging cables not compatible with your own devices.. cough )?12 -
I'm relatively new to the whole development and stuff, so I have no idea how usual process goes.
So when my project moved onto closed beta, I thought I could rest a bit.
NOPE.
Apparently half the shit I've done sucks so much and I need to debug the shit out of it.
Bless the testers.3 -
Typora was the best (closed-source) free markdown editor. As soon as it hit the first stable release, it became non-free. Luckily, you can still download the last beta from https://typora.io/releases/all (click Dev/Beta releases -> scroll down to 'More Beta')