Frequent Interim Software Releases (long)

Subject: Frequent Interim Software Releases (long)
From: Publications <melindac -at- CAPSOFT -dot- COM>
Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 15:46:55 -0600

How do those of you who write for software companies handle frequent interim releases of the same product? I am convinced that there is a better way of handling it than the method we currently use.

Our situation:
Version 4.0 was scheduled to release Oct 1. Accordingly, manuals went to press Sept 1. Due to marketing adding new features late in the cycle, release actually happened in Nov. Of course, since the manuals were already at press, we were unable to document the new features except in the helps and readme file.

We needed to reprint new manuals in Dec, so we incorporated all the undocumented features in the new printing. Existing 4.0 customers did not get a copy of the reprint.

Then they released 4.0a in Feb. These features were documented in the readme and helps. Then they released 4.0b in April. These features were doucmented in the readme and helps. 4.1 is scheduled to release in July. We are reprinting the manual for 4.1 (adding in all the 4.0a and 4.0b features as well), and everyone who buys or upgrades to 4.1 will get a new manual. Even those who have the 4.0 reprint.

Today, I learned that another (4.1a??) release is tentatively scheduled for Sept.

My questions:
1) Are frequent releases common in other software companies? Is this more normal for a small company than a large one?

2) What is the best way to handle documenting these changes? Should we print one version of the manual for each main (e.g., 3.0, 4.0, etc.) version of the software and then leave everything else in the readme and helps? Oftentimes changes are not limited to new features--a current feature might change or options might be added to existing dialog boxes.

Any advice you can give will be greatly appreciated.

TIA,
Melinda Carr
melindac -at- capsoft -dot- com

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