File Selector Crashes/Problems

[dheintz]

Re: File Selector Crashes/Problems

Yes, I'm well aware of the inaccuracies of freedb, and wasn't trying to imply that it was accurate, only that it was the basis of my file/tag names, and that I hadn't modified them aside from adding track numbers at the beginning of the filenames. It should also serve as great test data for this software, siince I would assume that most users access it to name and tag their tracks.

[dheintz]

Re: File Selector Crashes/Problems

No, I think you misunderstood. The misinformation was implying that file.xyz.mp3 was somehow not a legitimate Windows mp3 filename, or that ; and multiple dots were not supposed to occur in a windows filename.

Thank you for telling me about how the software is being developed. I had no idea. I don't expect anyone to be at my beck and call. As a software developer, I like to hear about serious bugs, particularly crashes and/or destructive behavior, ASAP, so that I can get to work fixing them. I try not to suggest that if only the user changed their input to my software, everything would be fine. If the developer would rather not hear about the bugs, I guess I can stop reporting them, and just wait and hope for the best. Generally, I think the software has a great feature set, but currently has serious bugs that prevent it from being of use to me. From the huge number of downloads and comments in these forums, it is clear to me that these bugs are not preventing others from finding the program useful, and therefore I wouldn't necessarily expect their fixes to be top priority.

[xoas]

Re: File Selector Crashes/Problems

I appreciate your efforts both in reporting bugs and in addressing inaccuracies in the Support Forums. I would like to provide a little background about the programming, technical suppport and the forums in the hope it will help you better understand why you have had the experience you have had.
As I mentionned, the programs here are pretty much entirely the work of a single programmer, Spoon. Last I knew, he was pretty much the paid staff although what funds these programs generate probably does partly help cover legal and bookkeeping costs and payments to third parties (payments to the programmer whose engine is used for dB CD Writer, payments to Thomson for mp3 encoder licensing, payment to the people collecting/handling payments for registration, for example).

When it comes to technical support there is Spoon and then there is the rest of us. Spoon is the only person who has the real power to determine what needs fixing, which fixes deserve priority at any given time, and all of this stems from also being the person who does the fixing. In my experience with these programs, Spoon is open to ideas, suggestions, feedbacks and complaints. At any given time he has plenty on his plate. I think I can safely say that Spoon is indeed interested in hearing about bugs.

Then there is the rest of us, by which I include the moderators, the other VIP Members, and everyone else who posts here. The feedback you get here is that of experienced users trying to be helpful. Where we succeed is precisely in those areas where we can either help a user understand how a program works, what a program can do, ways to avoid problems (whether by avoiding user "mistakes" or by suggesting work-arounds), and/or to help confirm, pinpoint or isolate the source of a problem. No one here has a manual. No one here gets any money out of this (last I knew) save for Spoon (I believe I forgot to mention that, last I knew, this is not his day job). No one has any special training just to prepare them for posting.

This obviously has limitations. Sometimes statements made here will turn out to be inaccurate. Where this occurs, we do welcome corrections (speaking in terms of the collectivity, as individuals our responses to corrections may sometimes be a bit more human/less professional at times). And sometimes it will create impression of insensitivity to user concerns. The other serious limitation is that it does open up room for misunderstanding on the part of users who believe that they are dealing with a larger corporate entity with paid and trained staff at every level. We are not that kind of organization. There are times when this is refreshing. But as you have pointed out, it is not always so.

Again, I am sure Spoon appreciates your feedback aboout bugs in the program. I appreciate your reports about the bugs and also about inaccuracies in the feedback you have received from others and about your experience. What individual knowledge I have accumulated has largely been generated through the input from others on this forum and I do believe (and it has been my experience) that your feedback about your experience can and will help improve the Forum's response to user concerns.

Best wishes,
Bill

[LtData]

Re: File Selector Crashes/Problems

Actually, when I said to change the name of your file, I was wanting to ensure that it was the filename of the file and not some property of the file itself. I realize that you going through and changing the name of all of your files isn't what you want to do. I was just trying to figure out if it was the multiple dots, the semicolon, or something else in the filename that was breaking the conversion, or it was unreleated to the filename itself.
As I said, Spoon knows about it and will try to determine the source of the problem.

[Spoon]

Re: File Selector Crashes/Problems

>"Viktoria Postnikova, Gennady Rozhdestvensky - Variation in E Flat Major on a Theme by R Schuman, Op. 23 - Variation 10; motlo moderato, alla ma.mp3"

I suspect this is also a long filename problem, what path (folders) is the above file in?