2.1.4 for Kobo Touch - Can we please have an official announcement from Kobo!

[Solicitous]

Originally Posted by roycymru

Thanks for pointing out the "official" announcement I had missed that, perhaps someone should make it a sticky!

However, although we have had this anouncement liitle seems to have happened. I think some people in Canada have had it (?), certanly no sign of an imminent release in the UK.

The statement "WARNING: Going forward we are distributing specific upgrade packages to devices based on various criteria which makes the upgrades incompatible between some devices". Is also less than re-assuring and not clear in what this will mean to end users in practice.

Does the last paragraph make people think that this could be the last touch firmware update? I ask as if they are having to make multiple releases of the same firmware version due to slight differences between the touches, will Kobo say "this is too much" and just concentrate on the Glo/Mini where they can just make one firmware and release it?

[murg]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

Does the last paragraph make people think that this could be the last touch firmware update?

The actual differences between the devices is fairly small.

Touch has a Home button. Glo has no home button, a light button and lights. Mini has no home button and no SD slot.

The hardware differences can be dealt with fairly simply in the firmware.

Usually, it is much simpler to keep track of one firmware software set rather then 3. However, I really can't guess how Kobo is going to come down on this issue.

Hopefully, they won't pull updates for the Touch, because doing so will get them a reputation of not supporting their devices beyond a year or two.

[nogle]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

Does the last paragraph make people think that this could be the last touch firmware update? I ask as if they are having to make multiple releases of the same firmware version due to slight differences between the touches, will Kobo say "this is too much" and just concentrate on the Glo/Mini where they can just make one firmware and release it?

Until some component of the glo and/or mini ceases production and is replaced by a very similar, but ever so slightly different component...

Or they can just keep designing new products and producing one large batch to be sold until exhausted then replaced by the next generation...

[TechniSol]

It usually makes a lot more sense to keep one base firmware and simply allow/disallow or ignore certain things based on switches in the code that correspond to what hardware the code is running on and enable or process sections of code only if allowed. It's a lot easier to maintain one and not have to update code in several versions and track in each which updates or revisions have been applied...

However, if codespace is an issue, or hardware versions diverge too radically then separate firmwares make more sense. No one really likes to branch unless necessary, because of the extra work of having to apply any new updates to multiple versions of base code and test them separately.

All that said, near as I can figure from posts I've read is that there exists either a hardware difference on some readers or software difference in firmware 2.0.0(there were apparently 3 versions, A, B, C) that forced Kobo to produce a 2.0.4 necessary to allow an update to 2.1.4 on some range of devices... Seems to be the Aussies mostly, so maybe their version was different due to a wireless hardware issue due to different frequencies being used or something along those lines(pure conjecture.) This has apparently been compounded by finding problems with readers with side loaded content on SDHC and is causing the delay in further rollout of the current 2.1.4 firmware, or so I gather.

Frankly, I think someone at Kobo needs to beg, borrow, steal or quietly buy back some affected units so they have in house at least one of every model that ever differed in any way for future testing and clearance of any revised code and basically get all their sh-t in one sock before they look like bigger bozos. I greatly admire that they aren't abandoning older devices as they roll out newer, but they have to get hold of this tiger's tail and stop releasing firmware that is found to be buggy or lacking almost overnight. That is just plain sloppy. TESTING - there is no substitute!

On the upswing side of things, I have 2.1.4 via wireless update and it works great near as I can tell, but I am not yet using an SDHC card nor am I actively pursuing how it might fail, I am merely enjoying reading with it and the bonus of faster page turns. I think we just need to be patient and give them time to resolve the issue before they continue the upgrades. I updated from 2.0.0 and I still have no idea what people were complaining about with that version, unless it was as petty an issue as pages turning more slowly. I think ultimately, we need to remain grateful that they are bothering to continue updating firmware on products that have been superseded by newer versions. To the Kobo developers, all I'd say, is that you guys need to worry less about when updates occur and more about them being ABSOLUTELY bulletproof before announcement, let alone release. Best of luck and try harder.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by TechniSol

It usually makes a lot more sense to keep one base firmware and simply allow/disallow or ignore certain things based on switches in the code that correspond to what hardware the code is running on and enable or process sections of code only if allowed. It's a lot easier to maintain one and not have to update code in several versions and track in each which updates or revisions have been applied...

They are sharing a

However, if codespace is an issue, or hardware versions diverge too radically then separate firmwares make more sense. No one really likes to branch unless necessary, because of the extra work of having to apply any new updates to multiple versions of base code and test them separately.

They are sharing a code base between the Touch, Glo and Mini. At the moment it is a single firmware file for all. But, it might change.

All that said, near as I can figure from posts I've read is that there exists either a hardware difference on some readers or software difference in firmware 2.0.0(there were apparently 3 versions, A, B, C) that forced Kobo to produce a 2.0.4 necessary to allow an update to 2.1.4 on some range of devices... Seems to be the Aussies mostly, so maybe their version was different due to a wireless hardware issue due to different frequencies being used or something along those lines(pure conjecture.)

This wasn't a hardware problem, but a combination of the factory installed firmware version and some freebies in the firmware. I think the combination meant the install of post 2.0.0 firmware failed. And yes, 2.0.4 is a workaround to prepare the devices for 2.1.4 and later.

This has apparently been compounded by finding problems with readers with side loaded content on SDHC and is causing the delay in further rollout of the current 2.1.4 firmware, or so I gather.

Yes, the found a bug that caused a reboot. They decided to stop the rollout and fix it.

Frankly, I think someone at Kobo needs to beg, borrow, steal or quietly buy back some affected units so they have in house at least one of every model that ever differed in any way for future testing and clearance of any revised code and basically get all their sh-t in one sock before they look like bigger bozos. I greatly admire that they aren't abandoning older devices as they roll out newer, but they have to get hold of this tiger's tail and stop releasing firmware that is found to be buggy or lacking almost overnight. That is just plain sloppy. TESTING - there is no substitute!

I am told they at least one of every version. Plus they have an active beta testing program with real users. Of course, this missed this problem, but I don't know if it was last minute fix or just a fluke that no-one tried it.

On the upswing side of things, I have 2.1.4 via wireless update and it works great near as I can tell, but I am not yet using an SDHC card nor am I actively pursuing how it might fail, I am merely enjoying reading with it and the bonus of faster page turns. I think we just need to be patient and give them time to resolve the issue before they continue the upgrades. I updated from 2.0.0 and I still have no idea what people were complaining about with that version, unless it was as petty an issue as pages turning more slowly. I think ultimately, we need to remain grateful that they are bothering to continue updating firmware on products that have been superseded by newer versions. To the Kobo developers, all I'd say, is that you guys need to worry less about when updates occur and more about them being ABSOLUTELY bulletproof before announcement, let alone release. Best of luck and try harder.

I think the developers already did this. I am sure from comments made by them that this firmware was planned for a lot earlier. But, there eventually gets a point with development projects where the release timing gets taken out of their hands. And frequently the team gets told they must put a particular fix or feature in but then don't get the chance to test it.

[jusmee]

Originally Posted by davidfor

But, there eventually gets a point with development projects where the release timing gets taken out of their hands. And frequently the team gets told they must put a particular fix or feature in but then don't get the chance to test it.

There's your root cause for the problems then! Crazy stuff. It also means there was a failure earlier in the process during the planning and specification of the the release.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by jusmee

There's your root cause for the problems then! Crazy stuff. It also means there was a failure earlier in the process during the planning and specification of the the release.

Unfortunately, there is always change after the project is started. Sometimes something is added, sometime taken out. We (us developers) just have to hope that the powers-that-be allow us time to make up for the changes. Generally they don't.

[jusmee]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Unfortunately, there is always change after the project is started. Sometimes something is added, sometime taken out. We (us developers) just have to hope that the powers-that-be allow us time to make up for the changes. Generally they don't.

Probably getting too deep into project management, but, one of the first tasks of a project is to get signoff, by the stakeholders, on the project deliverables. If they wish to vary/increase what the project is tasked to deliver, then they need to allow more resources and/or time. The project owner should be empowered to say no, if agreement cannot be reached. If this doesn't happen, then they are not running projects properly. IMHO I must add.

[SeigneurAo]

Originally Posted by jusmee

If this doesn't happen, then they are not running projects properly. IMHO I must add.

Which must be the case in what, 90% of IT projects in my short experience ?

[jusmee]

Originally Posted by SeigneurAo

Which must be the case in what, 90% of IT projects in my short experience ?

most likely, given the evidence we have of the quality of the results!

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by jusmee

Probably getting too deep into project management, but, one of the first tasks of a project is to get signoff, by the stakeholders, on the project deliverables. If they wish to vary/increase what the project is tasked to deliver, then they need to allow more resources and/or time. The project owner should be empowered to say no, if agreement cannot be reached. If this doesn't happen, then they are not running projects properly. IMHO I must add.

Yep, that's how it is supposed to be done. But, from my experience, it never is. The stakeholders will manage to add things without adding time. Sometime they allow something to be remove. When doing this, you start to move away from the ideal that was originally envisioned. Hence bugs, bad design, missing features creep in. Then there is the problem that all this was based on someones estimates. And stuff gets cut to allow the project to meet the targets. And testing is one of the favorite things to get reduced. After all, we programmers write bug free code, don't we?

But, I think we are getting off the topic.

[TongueTied]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Yep, that's how it is supposed to be done. But, from my experience, it never is. The stakeholders will manage to add things without adding time. Sometime they allow something to be remove. When doing this, you start to move away from the ideal that was originally envisioned. Hence bugs, bad design, missing features creep in. Then there is the problem that all this was based on someones estimates. And stuff gets cut to allow the project to meet the targets. And testing is one of the favorite things to get reduced. After all, we programmers write bug free code, don't we?

But, I think we are getting off the topic.

... And then they decide that Marketing should be one of the stakeholder and we are no longer talking scope creep but scope explosion.

[Thasaidon]

Old programmer's saying

"they never give you enough time to write it correctly but they always give you time to do a rewrite"

Originally Posted by davidfor

Unfortunately, there is always change after the project is started. Sometimes something is added, sometime taken out. We (us developers) just have to hope that the powers-that-be allow us time to make up for the changes. Generally they don't.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by jusmee

Probably getting too deep into project management, but, one of the first tasks of a project is to get signoff, by the stakeholders, on the project deliverables. If they wish to vary/increase what the project is tasked to deliver, then they need to allow more resources and/or time. The project owner should be empowered to say no, if agreement cannot be reached. If this doesn't happen, then they are not running projects properly. IMHO I must add.

(from an IT Project Manager)

[rjmac]

Originally Posted by davidfor

2.1.4 has definitely been pulled to fix this problem. It is unfortunate that Kobo haven't announced it officially.

Does anyone have any update on this?

My desktop has updated but not my Touch. Is 2.1.4 available or not in the UK??