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Hint to other developers out there: if you do this to an app on my phone, I will delete it and give you a nastygram low rating on the play store. Just don't.

kitsunesoba 7y ago
Totally fair, but by the same token I don’t think users who’ve chosen to do this should reasonably expect any kind of support for old versions. From the developer’s perspective, it’s pretty frustrating to have a small group of users using years-old versions emailing in expecting bug fixes and support.
- ryandrake 7y ago
  I could almost be willing to agree that old versions shouldn’t expect to get bug fixes and tech support. But an old version should at least still work as it did the day it was released. “The developer wants you to upgrade” is never a compelling reason to upgrade. Plenty of software gets worse and worse with every release, so it’s critical to at least allow users to stay on the older, better versions.
  - Marsymars 7y ago
    > But an old version should at least still work as it did the day it was released. Developers can't commit to maintaining old web-facing APIs forever.
    - kitsunesoba 7y ago
      Right, the line has to be drawn somewhere. I shouldn’t be locked into design decisions or be expected to write adapter code for a handful of users who insist on running a version of my app that was released two years ago.
      - craftinator 7y ago
        Yeah, so don't worry about those edge cases. When their version stops working, they'll either update, because it isn't working, or they'll delete it; either way, problem solved.
- JohnFen 7y ago
  > it’s pretty frustrating to have a small group of users using years-old versions emailing in expecting bug fixes and support. Why? The dev just says "the issue is fixed in the current release" or "we can only support current releases". Job done.
- craftinator 7y ago
  As I developer I understand the perspective you're talking about. As I developer I will only support the newest version, and possibly one or two legacy branches of an app. If someone emails me about a bon supported version issue, I do what nearly every other dev does; tell them to update to the newest version or figure out a solution themselves. I do NOT force software onto their computer, nor cause full screen popups demanding they update. That is incredibly invasive, and not worth the trouble for either of us.
jayd16 7y ago
You'd probably give a nasty rating if you opened the app and everything was deprecated. Whats the big deal exactly? Do you complain when a web page changes?
- koala_man 7y ago
  >Do you complain when a web page changes? Given some of the responses to the Reddit and Slashdot redesigns...
- craftinator 7y ago
  I like ownership of my phone and it's OS. I like control over what is on my phone. I pay attention to who develops the apps I use, and I read their changelogs after approving upgrades. I don't give nasty ratings to apps that I haven't updated, that job is on me, because it's my device. So no, I probably wouldn't do that. I have complained at web page regressions, especially when they sacrifice usability for visual improvements, but only when I have some sort of stake in the page, such as paying for the service or being a long time user who has contributed consistently. And the specific part that galls me about this feature, which will result in nastrygram ratings and comments stems from this new "feature": "Developers can force users to update, say with a full-screen blocking message, force-install the update in the background and restart the app when the download has completed or create their own custom update flows." That is a hard no from me.
- JohnFen 7y ago
  > Do you complain when a web page changes? There is a universe of difference between an app and a web page.

kitsunesoba 7y ago

Totally fair, but by the same token I don’t think users who’ve chosen to do this should reasonably expect any kind of support for old versions. From the developer’s perspective, it’s pretty frustrating to have a small group of users using years-old versions emailing in expecting bug fixes and support.

ryandrake 7y ago
I could almost be willing to agree that old versions shouldn’t expect to get bug fixes and tech support. But an old version should at least still work as it did the day it was released. “The developer wants you to upgrade” is never a compelling reason to upgrade. Plenty of software gets worse and worse with every release, so it’s critical to at least allow users to stay on the older, better versions.
- Marsymars 7y ago
  > But an old version should at least still work as it did the day it was released. Developers can't commit to maintaining old web-facing APIs forever.
  - kitsunesoba 7y ago
    Right, the line has to be drawn somewhere. I shouldn’t be locked into design decisions or be expected to write adapter code for a handful of users who insist on running a version of my app that was released two years ago.
    - craftinator 7y ago
      Yeah, so don't worry about those edge cases. When their version stops working, they'll either update, because it isn't working, or they'll delete it; either way, problem solved.
JohnFen 7y ago
> it’s pretty frustrating to have a small group of users using years-old versions emailing in expecting bug fixes and support. Why? The dev just says "the issue is fixed in the current release" or "we can only support current releases". Job done.
craftinator 7y ago
As I developer I understand the perspective you're talking about. As I developer I will only support the newest version, and possibly one or two legacy branches of an app. If someone emails me about a bon supported version issue, I do what nearly every other dev does; tell them to update to the newest version or figure out a solution themselves. I do NOT force software onto their computer, nor cause full screen popups demanding they update. That is incredibly invasive, and not worth the trouble for either of us.

jayd16 7y ago

You'd probably give a nasty rating if you opened the app and everything was deprecated. Whats the big deal exactly? Do you complain when a web page changes?

koala_man 7y ago
>Do you complain when a web page changes? Given some of the responses to the Reddit and Slashdot redesigns...
craftinator 7y ago
I like ownership of my phone and it's OS. I like control over what is on my phone. I pay attention to who develops the apps I use, and I read their changelogs after approving upgrades. I don't give nasty ratings to apps that I haven't updated, that job is on me, because it's my device. So no, I probably wouldn't do that. I have complained at web page regressions, especially when they sacrifice usability for visual improvements, but only when I have some sort of stake in the page, such as paying for the service or being a long time user who has contributed consistently. And the specific part that galls me about this feature, which will result in nastrygram ratings and comments stems from this new "feature": "Developers can force users to update, say with a full-screen blocking message, force-install the update in the background and restart the app when the download has completed or create their own custom update flows." That is a hard no from me.
JohnFen 7y ago
> Do you complain when a web page changes? There is a universe of difference between an app and a web page.