Stability rating for each version?

[Sylver]

Hi, I was wondering if there is some kind of self explanatory rating graph/chart about each version's stability for casual Calibre users like me. I use Calibre mostly to convert mobi, pdf and text files to epub, and don't care much about e-reader specific sideloading/library features, at least not so much as tp care about the quality of the conversion. I honestly feel a little bit lost and overwhelmed reading the change log. And a glance at the posts here suggests various issues (author name field, etc) with 0.7.42 and even more issues with 0.7.40. I personally had issues with 0.7.38 (it did not convert the images in my mobi file to epub) and had to settle down with 0.7.33. I see on the sourceforge downloading page, there are some interesting statistics, in the most recent past week version 0.7.28 got more than 1300 downloads while versions 0.7.29 to 0.7.38 got either single or double digit downloads. I was wondering does that mean people have more confidence in the stability of version 0.7.28? I don't want to lag too many versions behind, but I am not too risk-taking either. As I am converting a lot of books now and hate the idea of later finding any hidden bugs (be it lost images, mis-linked notes or misplaced chapter index, or misspelled author name) and having to redo all the work again, is there a stability rating statistics anywhere that a lazy man like me can refer to? Or if the weekly downloads is the only indication so far? Many thanks. An related question: do you all jump to the latest version every time it comes out and why?

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Sylver

...An related question: do you all jump to the latest version every time it comes out and why?

I don't. I don't upgrade at all unless I see a bug fix or new feature that will benefit me. Even then, I like to wait a few days to see if there will be any reports of bugs before I download and install a new version. Others have reported doing the same or similar. Many of the gurus here recommend not updating if one is happy with the version they have and/or waiting to be sure a new version isn't buggy before downloading and installing. In all fairness, keep in mind that a program undergoing rapid development like calibre has been is going to have bugs every now and then. The nice thing is the bugs are quickly resolved, usually in a week or less.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Sylver

I see on the sourceforge downloading page, there are some interesting statistics, in the most recent past week version 0.7.28 got more than 1300 downloads

The reason for this stat is that this version is the newest version that will work on non-intel (older) Apple computers.

Originally Posted by Sylver

I don't want to lag too many versions behind, but I am not too risk-taking either. As I am converting a lot of books now and hate the idea of later finding any hidden bugs (be it lost images, mis-linked notes or misplaced chapter index, or misspelled author name) and having to redo all the work again, is there a stability rating statistics anywhere that a lazy man like me can refer to?

No there is no such thing as a stability rating. If you have a version that works for you there is no need to upgrade.

Originally Posted by Sylver

An related question: do you all jump to the latest version every time it comes out and why?

I jump to the newest version. There has been so many great additions that currently require this version, GUI plugins and heuristic processing to name two. BTW the bug you had was listed as a bug fix in 0.7.40 and only existed in version 0.7.38.

[Starson17]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

I jump to the newest version.

So do I. If I spot a bug, I report it (usually it's fixed before I see it). I keep backups, but have never needed them.

[kovidgoyal]

sourceforge stats are not a useful guide. Most calibre downloads happen from google code, see http://code.google.com/p/calibre-ebook/downloads/list

For example in the last week 0.7.42 has been download approximately 150,000 times.

[Sylver]

Thanks to all.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

sourceforge stats are not a useful guide. Most calibre downloads happen from google code, see http://code.google.com/p/calibre-ebook/downloads/list

For example in the last week 0.7.42 has been download approximately 150,000 times.

When are you going to do something about your lack of market penetration .

150K users in a WEEK wow, Now if every one of those sent you just $1

[kovidgoyal]

About half of those downloads are updaters, so it's only 75k a week

[paulfiera]

Originally Posted by Sylver

An related question: do you all jump to the latest version every time it comes out and why?

Sure. Why not?. Find any bugs? Report them. They are likely to be fixed by next friday

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

sourceforge stats are not a useful guide. Most calibre downloads happen from google code, see http://code.google.com/p/calibre-ebook/downloads/list

For example in the last week 0.7.42 has been download approximately 150,000 times.

Thanks for posting the Google Code link. I had no idea it was over there. Now I can look and see exactly when an update was released, and the stats are cool too.