Thanks, Ron. Pertaining to your software modules remarks, is anyone in the position to do so asking these questions of HL? If your suspicions are correct, then it is possible that HL can never meet our needs for functionality. If we have no one in the position to ask these kinds of intelligent questions of them, then we should hire a consultant who can capably tell us what we have, what we don't have, and what is likely that we will have (most particularly in the areas of deficit we have identified) No disrespect to anyone in the Guild, we are after all piano technicians and not programmers, so do we have anyone of sufficient capability who is our intermediary with HL. In the list given below, there seems to be little effort to communicate in plain laymans terms what has been done. Like you, I cannot look at that list and know what most of that stuff means. Will -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ron Nossaman Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2012 1:11 PM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] mailman list On 1/4/2012 5:05 AM, Encore Pianos wrote: > These are software improvement promises, folks. Not even fruitcake > laced with brandy lasts that long .. > Weren’t we supposed to have had the new interface some time ago? > After all the machinations and bloodletting last summer, we were > promised regular updates of progress on specific issues. When was the > last time we got an update, and one with specifics? While I'm a *VERY* long way from being a professional programmer, I've had some years experience writing and maintaining code, and trying to make sense of other people's. I abandoned it when I could no longer get examples of how things were done. Eventually, all that was (and is today) available are purchased library modules to be linked in and provide the desired "function". Without the source code, these are only as configurable as the often suspect original programmer and circumstances for which they were written (probably in COBOL as a student project) made them. HL's system looks to me to be a compilation of modules such as this, so if we ask for some function (however simple it seems to us), if it's not built in to the purchased module, HL can't make it work. They didn't write the code in the first place, and can't change it because they aren't programmers and likely don't have the source code so they couldn't change it if they were. So after ten months, we are still getting the same "we're working on it" that we were diverted with from the beginning. Should we collectively want to change the background color, we likely would have a choice of a half dozen or so options, but real function is apparently inaccessible. If this is NOT the case, perhaps we could hear the truth from someone for a change instead of the same tired stall with this into the future with diminished function nonsense, and the implication that you're either with us (carte blanche), or against us (ignore). Then there's the ever popular "it's low on HL's priority list"!!! I wouldn't treat my customers this way. Here's a list of the updates (2) accomplished since inception, at least as I received them. I don't recognize most of this, except file formats, but has any of it addressed actual requests? Ron N > Here is a note from one of the programmers. I hope the formatting is a > little better than the one this morning. A support ticket has been > written to fix it. > > 7/6/2011 > Following the upcoming release the following list of file types will > be supported. Additionally, dedicated upload paths for URLs and > YouTube video will be established. 3G2 Mobile Video 3GP Mobile Video > AI Illustrator Vector Graphic AVI Video File BMP Bitmap Image DOC > Microsoft Word Document DOCX Microsoft Word Document EPS Encapsulated > Postscript F4V Flash Video File FLV Flash Video File GIF GIF Image GZ > GNU Zip Archive HTM HTML Page HTML HTML Page JPE JPEG Image JPEG JPEG > Image JPG JPEG Image M4A Flash Audio File M4V M4V Video MOV QuickTime > Movie MP3 MP3 Audio MP4 MPEG Video File MP4V MPEG Video File MPE MPEG > Movie MPEG MPEG Movie MPG MPEG Movie MPP Microsoft Project Plan MPT > Microsoft Project Template MPV Microsoft Project View MPX Microsoft > Project Exchange MSG Microsoft Outlook Message PDF Adobe PDF File > PJPEG JPEG Image PNG PNG Image PPS Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation > PPSX Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation PPT Microsoft PowerPoint > Presentation PPTX Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation PSD Photoshop > Format RA Real Audio RAM Real Audio RTF RTF (Rich Text Format) File > SWF Flash Movie TIF TIFF Image TIFF TIFF Image TXT Text File WAV WAV > Audio File WMA Windows Media Audio WMV Windows Media Video WPD Word > Perfect Document WRI Windows Write Document XLS Microsoft Excel > Spreadsheet XLSX Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet X-PNG PNG Image ZIP > WINZIP Archive > DotNet4 Release Notes Outline l MJE July 5, 2011 RESOURCE LIBRARY > The Higher Logic Resource Library product has been comprehensively > restructured to meet organizational needs for robust public and > private multimedia dissemination. Utilization of the Amazon > Cloudfront content distribution network (CDN) enhances user experience > through greatly accelerated file transfer and page load times. New > and improved functionality includes the following: Robust multimedia > hosting and display options > > · Cloud-based streaming in MP4 format following no-wait > file conversion. Regardless of format all video files are streamed as > MP4 files. This ensures a high-quality streaming experience on > multiple devices, including Apple iPads and iPhones. The video > conversion happens asynchronously, eliminating the need for the user > to wait. The video files can be downloaded by users in their original > formats. > > · 1GB limit on video file size > > This represents a 3,333% increase over the previous limit of 30MB > > · Many new file types allowed File type list > INSTRUCTIONS > > · Mixed video and images within a single Library Entry > displayed in a slideshow/playlist Within libraries, video and image > files can be mixed within a single Content Item. Large thumbnails of > these files display in a mixed-media player within View Document > pages. > > · Multimedia library content can be displayed in all web > pages Embedded players can be installed in all web content through new > Content Items. Video can be viewed in the embedded player. > Images display as a slideshow. Both can be expanded to display in > "full screen" mode. Smart upload paths for different kinds of content > > · Upload paths now "purpose driven" through new > content-type dedicated wizards > > · Unique URLs allow upload of library entries to a > specific library Admins can create dedicated URLs such as "Share a > Webinar" or "Enter the Contest" for one-step dedicated paths to > encourage user contributions. Integrated webinar functionality > > · Webinars now exist as a unique content type for which > dedicated libraries can be created > > · Webinar functionality integrated with external webinar > platforms A user's inclusion of the URL of a webinar will > automatically result in iframe formatting in the resource library. > Currently configured for Adobe Connect with other webinar platforms to > be integrated as needed. Multiple Customization Points > > · Headers, instructions and names can be modified across > libraries or for a specific library type INSTRUCTIONS > > · Core Library elements separated into dedicated Content > Items Admins now have expanded options for layout customization and > disabling of unwanted functionality. Core library pages and Content > Items, including Library Lists and View Document pages, are now broken > out into many different controls to provide much greater flexibility > with what is displayed and how it is displayed. > INSTRUCTIONS > > · Unnecessary upload steps removable for specific > libraries and content types. INSTRUCTIONS Enhanced Multimedia Display > Options > > · Mixed video and images within a single Library Entry > displayed in a slideshow/playlist Within libraries, video and image > files can be mixed within a single Content Item. Large thumbnails of > these files display in a mixed-media player within View Document > pages. > > · Multimedia library content can be displayed in all web > pages Embedded players can be installed in all web content through new > Content Items. Video can be viewed in the embedded player. > Images display as a slideshow. Both can be expanded to display in > "full screen" mode. INSTRUCTIONS Community Admins can now moderate > entries in their community libraries. Library Entries can now be > edited, removed, and transferred to a new owner by Community Admins > of that Library. INSTRUCTIONS MICROSITES CMS Numerous enhancements > to webmaster pages and tools 707 736 657 > > · Navigation Page optimized to serve as comprehensive hub > for microsite web editing The "Dashboard" page previously served as a > hub for links to all webmaster pages. These links are now > consolidated in the Navigation Page, reducing the number of steps > necessary to access the Site List and Site Settings pages. The > Dashboard page has been removed. > > · Direct link to the Navigation Page added to Webmaster > Links The Edit this Page and Add to this Page links on every microsite > page are now accompanied by a link to "Edit Navigation". > This link takes the Admin directly to the Navigation Page. > > · Webmaster Pages CSS standardized for all sites All > Webmaster pages for all sites now share a common CSS, eliminating a > common point of confusion for Community Admin Webmasters. > > · HTML Editor updated The latest version of the HTML > Editor has been installed for WYSIWYG web editing. ARCHETECTURE & > PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENTS > > · URLs shortened to rely on PageCode 277 The PageCode > can now be used by itself on a URL. Example: the URL > http://hug.higherlogic.com/HUG/HUG/Resources/%20SearchLibrary/Default. > aspx can now utilize the URL http://hug.higherlogic.com/SearchLibrary > or http://hug.higherlogic.com/resources/searchlibrary. For > non-homesite microsites the site portion (in this example, the second > HUG in the first URL) must also be included. > > · Publishing no longer necessary > > Microsites render directly rather than from published files, improving > page load times and performance. The publish button has been removed > from all microsites. > > · Upgrade to .NET 4 654 Utilization of the latest > framework... > > · Images, media files, ads, and more moved to the cloud > 591 592 593 Moving the largest files to the CDN/cloud significantly > improves upload times in general and ensures multiple users accessing > the same files will cause additional delays. > > · Table adapters removed/converted and menu adapters > optimized 521 636 660 972 998 BLOGS > > · Blogs now image friendly 824 761 Blog authors now > enjoy expanded creative control and formatting options for blogs, > including the ability to add images through the HTML editor. A > dedicated images folder is created for each blogger to house > multimedia files. > > · Related URL parameter now allows for "strings" of blog > entries 302 Blogs can be associated together through a parameter. > INSTRUCTIONS > > · Blog ratings improved 1042
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