Other people, and circumstances both beyond, and within your control, are fighting a war on your persistence. . .Here’s an example:
We’re at War!
Sorry guys, it looks like I made the same strategic blunder that Microsoft did when building Vista. I tried to update all of Achieve-IT! core components at the same time, rather than update them one at a time and release them as they were done. I had to overhaul so much on the Windows Mobile and Desktop platforms – AND to build a build a backward compatible yet expandable database structure, for Internet syncing. Then ensure they all worked flawlessly together.
Where Microsoft at least has thousands of developers, I am just one person, with no venture capital. So, in a nutshell, this has been a war on many fronts for me personally. There was the battle of hopelessness, the battle of “please quit NOW”, and the battle of “I don’t know what the F*** I am doing!!! Sell everything and move to the beach already”
These battles were all unpleasant. And although the war is still raging, I feel I am advancing well into enemy territory.
Achieve-IT! Desktop Public Beta Released:
Through many battles, both big and small, I’m happy to post a new public beta for my desktop goal management software Achieve-IT! This version has so many tweaks and bug fixes I can’t begin to list them all.
A few of the big enhancements:
- Screen Resolution fix for high dpi settings
- Quote of the Day feature added
- Improved speed and optimization
- New password security to protect your database
- Interface improvements such as full screen, minimize and custom size screen size
- Many bug fixes
It is compatible with Windows 2000, XP, and Vista – Requires some version of Microsoft Office for the exporting features to work.
Edit: Also requires Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
Download The Achieve-IT! desktop beta here
Note about Menus: The menus aren’t quite the way I want them to be. The hover and click sometimes sticks. I am working to solve that ASAP.
New Release Strategy
Like I implied above. I am going to release components one at a time. Just because I made the mistake of holding all or nothing, doesn’t mean I have to continue down that path. Today is the Desktop beta release. I will fix any bugs you find (please leave them in the comments below) and then release the updated version. And so on.
Release Strategy for Pocket PC and Sync
I know there has been delays with the syncing of Pocket PC to desktop. Frankly, this took much more time that I ever expected! The second I had a working and safe sync component, Microsoft release WM 6.0 and everything became incompatible. 
I also had resolution issues between the VGA/QVGA devices and my new sync framework. So what this means is my 1 project (i.e. sync for Pocket PC) is now 4 full development projects.
1. VGA version will come first. It will be compatible with all Pocket PCs but the small screen devices will require scrolling. If you have a square screen or small QVGA device, please wait on the QVGA release.
2. QVGA version - Will work on the smaller screen devices.
3. Windows Mobile Sync - Once bugs and issues are fixed on the Desktop and Pocket PC devices, I’ll release the sync component for testing.
4. Smartphone devices - Although I have the code I am not sure if I want to go down this path just yet. SmartPhones (if implemented) will come last in the release cycle
Other Thoughts…
I feel very close in bringing all of this together, but as you can see it is an overwhelming project. This is my allegorical Vista build – hence when Ballmer said there will always be people working on things that take years to come to fruition, I know what he’s talking about.
Will you give it a try and let me know of any bugs or problems in the comments below?
Download: Achieve-IT! Desktop Public Beta
This beta will expire on May 15, 2008 – which beforehand, I will release at least 1 build. Subscribe to my RSS feed to keep updated of the latest Achieve-IT! software builds.
{ 7 comments }
Hi Brad.
Great piece of software that is getting better and better. Minor ‘bugs’ that still need working out, as you noted above. No wonder you had a 3-day headache, though!
FYI, I thought I would try renaming the .mdb file to ‘old’ then copying my previous version AI.mdb into the beta folder. Works perfectly, so I don’t have to re-enter my goals! Love it.
I am working with Office 2003 (including Access) on XP.
Good luck with finishing the debugging!
Rod
Hey Rod, thanks for the note of encouragement. Glad to hear it’s working with your prior database.
More work to do tho…
Hi Brad,
Great work in getting to where you’ve got to so far – I fall into the category of those who always moan that there’s no software for X, but never get round to doing something about it!!
I’ve downloaded the beta but it requiring a serial number – am I missing something here or being completely dumb?
Hi, did the installer lead you to the .NET framework 2.0 installer?
It was supposed to help you install it. I think the no reg. code is because it cannot process the code.
You can download .NET 2.0 framework and install it from here.
I have .NET 2.0 installed and have the same problem.
The first time I start the program I get a window saying ‘Incorrect Registration…please enter correct registration’ and then one saying ‘Your Trail period for this program has expired, please register.’
Darren,
Thanks for the report. Is there any way you and anyone else having this problem could compress your goals.mdb file (in the Achieve-IT! program directory) and email it to me at bradisaac at the gmail.com ?
You may need to rename the goals.mdb to goals.txt in order for it to go through because some emails will block that.
Hi Brad,
I’ve had a look in the folder and there isn’t a goals.mdb file.
Could the problem be because I have never installed a version of this software before installing the beta version?