Why does it take so long to release firmware updates?

greenapple · 02-20-2010, 06:58 PM

The last official firmware update v0.33g for jetBook was released some 6 months back. Calibre is updated on average every week.

Granted, firmware isn't the same as software, and Ectaco is certainly not the only hardware company guilty of slow output, but I still think they're taking it rather leisurely don't you think?

I'm not a programmer, but is firmware generally very time-consuming to write?

Jack Tingle · 02-20-2010, 07:25 PM

Yes. Especially if you want it written correctly. They now say March sometime.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

Krystian Galaj · 02-20-2010, 08:36 PM

Be happy you don't own a Bookeen reader :P

Schopenhauer · 02-21-2010, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

They now say March sometime.

Could you please let me know the source of that information if its available on the net?

I wonder if it will be a firmware update for JBL as well?

heffe2001 · 02-21-2010, 08:04 PM

They've stated that they are going to get the firmware bugs ironed out with the JBL, THEN backport those changes over to the regular JB.

Schopenhauer · 02-21-2010, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heffe2001

They've stated that they are going to get the firmware bugs ironed out with the JBL, THEN backport those changes over to the regular JB.

Could you please let me know the source of that information if its available on the net?

heffe2001 · 02-22-2010, 08:27 PM

The source was an email from their tech support, that they were going to get the bugs worked out then move then to the regular Jetbook when everything was stable on the JBL.

jerrywojo · 02-22-2010, 09:28 PM

I'm just about ready to buy a Kindle. Bought the JB a several weeks ago for a good price in hopes that a DRM upgrade would roll out in a reasonable amount of time. Don't see that happening anytime soon. Support for the JB is practically non-existent and the web site is hardly ever updated. If you didn't visit this forum you would know nothing about updates and where to get them.

Kralik · 02-23-2010, 11:21 PM

Personally I find it worthwhile to learn how to "disinfect" your books so that they will be readable on your choice of ANY book reader both now and in the future. For this reason, and also for the ease of "disinfecting" with a bit of computer savvy, DRM support is a non-issue to me.

GhostHawk · 02-24-2010, 09:01 AM

I havn't been buying books, getting by with what I can find in public domain etc. So DRM has really been a non issue with me as well. Although I can see that my wife may be wanting to buy a few from smashwords in the near future.

greenapple · 03-21-2010, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

Yes. Especially if you want it written correctly. They now say March sometime.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

Been checking the jBook site almost daily. The chance of a new firmware for jBook in March dwindles with each passing day. Looks like they may miss the release date, again.

bob1xxx · 03-24-2010, 12:59 AM

Honestly rushed out firmware updates are worse than none especially if the product provides at least 95% of it promised features. Ive had many highperformance pc users friends brick perfectly good mobos on their PC's with half arsed bios updates . If something works for me fairly well I dont see the need to tinker with it and break it.

GhostHawk · 03-24-2010, 09:15 AM

It takes time to get the bugs out of new code. And that is for just 1 single new feature.

With every change or modification you have to update the test firmware on a device, then see if it will do what you want it to do, then you have to see if any new bugs or errors have crept in. IE did adding this break something else? With every change you make it gets more and more complicated. With every feature you add it gets more complicated.

Sometimes you just plain get painted into a corner, and can't get it to do the way you tried to do it. So then you have to start from scratch again.

And everything you do has to be documented, so you don't waste effort and repeat your mistakes. It all takes time, and a whole lot of effort. And all the while people are saying "if I could only get _____"!

greenapple · 03-24-2010, 09:43 PM

I understand what bob1xxx and GhostHawk are saying.

For regular software, extensive testing is needed, because there is a mind-boggling variety of ways a PC is configured (different OS version, drivers, etc). However, for a product with fixed configurations (eg jBook, PSP, MP3 players etc), I suspect a lower amount of 'testing' may be required. I would venture that it is the priority the company places for a product that determines the frequency of updates.

In ectaco's forum, the support team has indicated that jBook Lite will have an update in April. They seem to have forgotten about jBook regular.

Anyway I'm fine with the current firmware. But there are issues that I hope a new update would address.

heffe2001 · 03-25-2010, 11:12 AM

Tech support has stated in the past that once they get a good, stable firmware for the Lite and it's DRM, that they plan on porting the DRM bits over to the regular Jetbook. No time-frame was given, but if the next release of firmware for the Lite works as intended, we'll get a update for our regular JB's shortly there-after.

02-20-2010, 06:58 PM	#1
greenapple Evangelist Posts: 404 Karma: 664 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle DX, Kobo Aura HD	Why does it take so long to release firmware updates? The last official firmware update v0.33g for jetBook was released some 6 months back. Calibre is updated on average every week. Granted, firmware isn't the same as software, and Ectaco is certainly not the only hardware company guilty of slow output, but I still think they're taking it rather leisurely don't you think? I'm not a programmer, but is firmware generally very time-consuming to write?

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02-20-2010, 07:25 PM	#2
Jack Tingle Punctuation Fetishist Posts: 557 Karma: 1070000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Bluest Commonwealth In East America Device: Kindle PW, Nexus 7 (2013), Galaxy S5 phone, Galaxy Tab 4 8.0	Yes. Especially if you want it written correctly. They now say March sometime. Regards, Jack Tingle

02-20-2010, 08:36 PM	#3
Krystian Galaj Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 11012 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Warsaw, Poland Device: Bookeen Cybook	Be happy you don't own a Bookeen reader :P

02-21-2010, 08:04 PM	#5
heffe2001 Zealot Posts: 116 Karma: 38 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Kindle Voyage 3g	They've stated that they are going to get the firmware bugs ironed out with the JBL, THEN backport those changes over to the regular JB.

02-22-2010, 08:27 PM	#7
heffe2001 Zealot Posts: 116 Karma: 38 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Kindle Voyage 3g	The source was an email from their tech support, that they were going to get the bugs worked out then move then to the regular Jetbook when everything was stable on the JBL.

02-22-2010, 09:28 PM	#8
jerrywojo Connoisseur Posts: 70 Karma: 40 Join Date: Apr 2006	I'm just about ready to buy a Kindle. Bought the JB a several weeks ago for a good price in hopes that a DRM upgrade would roll out in a reasonable amount of time. Don't see that happening anytime soon. Support for the JB is practically non-existent and the web site is hardly ever updated. If you didn't visit this forum you would know nothing about updates and where to get them.

02-23-2010, 11:21 PM	#9
Kralik Guru Posts: 609 Karma: 1013897 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Rooted NST	Personally I find it worthwhile to learn how to "disinfect" your books so that they will be readable on your choice of ANY book reader both now and in the future. For this reason, and also for the ease of "disinfecting" with a bit of computer savvy, DRM support is a non-issue to me.

02-24-2010, 09:01 AM	#10
GhostHawk Data Privateer! Posts: 586 Karma: 62887 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fargo ND Device: Ectaco Jetbook& Jetbook Lite	I havn't been buying books, getting by with what I can find in public domain etc. So DRM has really been a non issue with me as well. Although I can see that my wife may be wanting to buy a few from smashwords in the near future.

03-24-2010, 12:59 AM	#12
bob1xxx Zealot Posts: 116 Karma: 490 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: San Gabriel Califorina Device: kindle k3 and k2 and White Aluratek Libre Pro	Honestly rushed out firmware updates are worse than none especially if the product provides at least 95% of it promised features. Ive had many highperformance pc users friends brick perfectly good mobos on their PC's with half arsed bios updates . If something works for me fairly well I dont see the need to tinker with it and break it.

03-24-2010, 09:15 AM	#13
GhostHawk Data Privateer! Posts: 586 Karma: 62887 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fargo ND Device: Ectaco Jetbook& Jetbook Lite	It takes time to get the bugs out of new code. And that is for just 1 single new feature. With every change or modification you have to update the test firmware on a device, then see if it will do what you want it to do, then you have to see if any new bugs or errors have crept in. IE did adding this break something else? With every change you make it gets more and more complicated. With every feature you add it gets more complicated. Sometimes you just plain get painted into a corner, and can't get it to do the way you tried to do it. So then you have to start from scratch again. And everything you do has to be documented, so you don't waste effort and repeat your mistakes. It all takes time, and a whole lot of effort. And all the while people are saying "if I could only get _____"!

03-24-2010, 09:43 PM	#14
greenapple Evangelist Posts: 404 Karma: 664 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle DX, Kobo Aura HD	I understand what bob1xxx and GhostHawk are saying. For regular software, extensive testing is needed, because there is a mind-boggling variety of ways a PC is configured (different OS version, drivers, etc). However, for a product with fixed configurations (eg jBook, PSP, MP3 players etc), I suspect a lower amount of 'testing' may be required. I would venture that it is the priority the company places for a product that determines the frequency of updates. In ectaco's forum, the support team has indicated that jBook Lite will have an update in April. They seem to have forgotten about jBook regular. Anyway I'm fine with the current firmware. But there are issues that I hope a new update would address.

03-25-2010, 11:12 AM	#15
heffe2001 Zealot Posts: 116 Karma: 38 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Kindle Voyage 3g	Tech support has stated in the past that once they get a good, stable firmware for the Lite and it's DRM, that they plan on porting the DRM bits over to the regular Jetbook. No time-frame was given, but if the next release of firmware for the Lite works as intended, we'll get a update for our regular JB's shortly there-after.