TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 2006-10 > 1159745907


From: Lee Hoffman <>
Subject: RE: [TMG] Question Paragraph Indentation
Date: Sun, 01 Oct 2006 19:38:27 -0400
References: <7.0.0.16.2.20061001134145.04ddde98@acm.org><EPELIOCHKEKHJPGJJFCEOEOICBAA.chris@sackett.org.uk>
In-Reply-To: <EPELIOCHKEKHJPGJJFCEOEOICBAA.chris@sackett.org.uk>


Chris Sackett wrote:
>I think we've been here before :-). I suppose I can just about take in that
>a total silence means that the proposal has been read, that there are no
>follow-up questions of clarification, and that the matter is being
>considered for implementation. But how do I know if or when the proposal has
>been rejected? Is there a particular period of time after which it may be
>assumed that the proposal has been binned? Maybe we could take as an example
>the proposal made on 18 July. Is that one still live?

Keep in mind that many things are factored into whether a request is
eventually included in a TMG release. Some of these are (in no
particular order):
a. Number of people requesting the feature.
b. Ease of implementation (some things can be done easily
while others may require more programming and still others might
require a re-design of the file structure, etc.
c. Does it fit in with the design criteria of TMG?
d. How does it affect the integrity of the data?
e. Will it make TMG easier or harder to use?

There are more considerations, but these are some of the more
prominent off the top of my head (from being a programmer myself
years ago -- not on TMG). The first mentioned is one of the biggest
factors as a request from say ten users will have more weight than
just one or two users.

Basically, Wholly Genes adds the request to their file or adds the
number of users (by name) so that ten requests by the same person
still results in a single request, but ten from different users
results in ten requests. So a request made ten years ago is probably
still on the list. but if no one else has requested it then it
probably still will have a low priority.

In all candor, a lot of the requests made since the first release
have been implemented. But there are many that have not been
implemented. Some have not because they would cause data integrity
problems. Others have been changed drastically from the original
request and implemented in a better way.

Now, just to set the record straight, I do not have access to all the
items on the Wholly Genes wish list. But having been a user since it
first was released and a beta tester for most of that time, I have
seen most of the requests that have been made publicly.

As for when/if a request has been rejected, you will know that it did
not get included in a TMG release. But that may be only that it did
not get included for _that_ release. It is still on the list for a
later release. Of course, if part of the reason it did not get
included in the current release is a lack of support then it may not
get in a later release if no one else requests it.

One further point is that beta testers have no more input to the
decision process than other users. The only and final decision is
within Wholly Genes -- primarily Bob Velke. So if you really want to
make sure that a request if seen by him then send the request to
him. The downside of that is that you need to ensure that many
others do the same. That is why it is best to post a request here or
on the Wholly Genes Forum where others will see the request and join
in asking for it.


Lee Hoffman/KY
TMG Tips: <http://www.tmgtips.com>;
My website: <http://www.tmgtips.com/lhoffman>;
A user of the best genealogy program, The Master Genealogist (TMG)


This thread: