Christopher Nadeau
2009-03-31, 16:54
Contents:
1. DeskPRO v3.4 Released
2. Older Versions
--------------------------------------------------
1. DeskPRO v3.4 Released
--------------------------------------------------
Today we are pleased to announce the release of our new feature version, v3.4.
In addition to being our most stable version yet, we've implemented a set of new features requested by our customers.
## USER NOTEBOOKS
Every user now has access to a personal "notebook". Users can create pages in their notebook to store any information they want, even files.
Notebook pages can be linked with specific tickets, making them ideal for sharing sensitive information with your technicians. Your users only need to write down information once and they can reuse the notebook page multiple times.
Since tickets can sometimes be insecure due to the nature of email and DeskPRO's many email notification features, we think User Notebooks will be the perfect way to keep information safe. If you put your helpdesk behind HTTPS, you instantly have the most user-friendly and secure information-sharing system.
## WORKFLOW PATHS
When defining workflows in the admin interface, you can now define logical routes for them to take. Every workflow can optionally have a "next" property. When set, your techs only need to click a button to advance the ticket to the next workflow in the path.
## MINI TICKET READER
We've developed a new way for you to quickly read tickets, without loading up the full ticket page. Never again will you need to open tickets in new windows or tabs just to read a single line from a reply.
The mini reader is a small, unintrusive Javascript window that floats on top of the current page you're viewing. By clicking on one of the new 'mini reader' icons that are scattered throughout DeskPRO, the reader appears instantly and allows you to browse through an entire ticket -- all without reloading any pages.
The ticket search listing now includes this new icon, allowing you to preview the ticket in full without ever leaving the results. This feature is invaluable for those who like to use the mass-processing abilities. You can preview tickets and then assign technicians, set categories and reply -- all without leaving your search.
## MORE
We've fixed over a dozen bugs and fine-tuned existing features to make this our best release ever. In addition, there are even more new features not discussed here. You can get a full changelog on our website at http://www.deskpro.com/changelog
--------------------------------------------------
2. Older Versions
--------------------------------------------------
DeskPRO v3.4 is our new stable, production version. We will no longer be updating older packages except for critical security issues.
If you are using an older version of DeskPRO, we urge you to upgrade to 3.4 to receive all of the latest features and bug fixes.
We've compiled answers to a short list of questions we routinely get from customers whenever we release an update. We think it's important for our customers to understand that upgrading to the latest version is easy, and will not disrupt the usual workflow for users or technicians.
Q: Is the upgrade hard?
A: Upgrading DeskPRO is very simple. Our included upgrade wizards are completely automated. All you need to do is open the wizard in your browser and let it finish.
Q: I am using DeskPRO v3.1 or newer. How long will upgrading take?
A: v3.1 to v3.4 are all very similar. Each version added new features and refinements, but the underlaying system is similar. Because of this, upgrading is a simple process and will only take a few minutes.
Q: I am using DeskPRO v3.0 or v2.x. How long will upgrading take?
A: While the upgrade is still completely automated and very simple, more processing is involved for these older versions. As a result, the time it takes depends on the size of your helpdesk. For smaller helpdesks, upgrade time will still be a matter of minutes.
Q: What if I don't want my technicians or users to have to learn a new system?
A: The entire DeskPRO v3 branch, from v3.0 all the way up to this newest v3.4 version, are all built on top of the same base. Each version adds enhancements, but the core functionality that your technicians and users are used to remains exactly the same. Even if you don't use the new features, we still recommend upgrading to get all of the latest bug fixes.
Q: What if I only want a bug fix? I don't want a big upgrade!
A: The most common thought process for using an older branch is that the newer branch changes too much. But we purposefully maintain the same functionality and efficiency in DeskPRO between versions. Upgrading gets you all of the bug fixes, and you don't need to use any new features -- nothing in your helpdesk changes unless you want it to.
Q: Why are you stopping bug fixes for previous versions?
A: Maintaining separate branches takes a lot of time and effort. By only maintaining one main production branch, our developers can concentrate on releasing new versions faster. For our customers, upgrading to a bug fix release versus a feature release takes the same amount of effort. So we don't think it's effective to keep old branches alive when our production branch includes all changes anyway, and is just as easy to obtain.
1. DeskPRO v3.4 Released
2. Older Versions
--------------------------------------------------
1. DeskPRO v3.4 Released
--------------------------------------------------
Today we are pleased to announce the release of our new feature version, v3.4.
In addition to being our most stable version yet, we've implemented a set of new features requested by our customers.
## USER NOTEBOOKS
Every user now has access to a personal "notebook". Users can create pages in their notebook to store any information they want, even files.
Notebook pages can be linked with specific tickets, making them ideal for sharing sensitive information with your technicians. Your users only need to write down information once and they can reuse the notebook page multiple times.
Since tickets can sometimes be insecure due to the nature of email and DeskPRO's many email notification features, we think User Notebooks will be the perfect way to keep information safe. If you put your helpdesk behind HTTPS, you instantly have the most user-friendly and secure information-sharing system.
## WORKFLOW PATHS
When defining workflows in the admin interface, you can now define logical routes for them to take. Every workflow can optionally have a "next" property. When set, your techs only need to click a button to advance the ticket to the next workflow in the path.
## MINI TICKET READER
We've developed a new way for you to quickly read tickets, without loading up the full ticket page. Never again will you need to open tickets in new windows or tabs just to read a single line from a reply.
The mini reader is a small, unintrusive Javascript window that floats on top of the current page you're viewing. By clicking on one of the new 'mini reader' icons that are scattered throughout DeskPRO, the reader appears instantly and allows you to browse through an entire ticket -- all without reloading any pages.
The ticket search listing now includes this new icon, allowing you to preview the ticket in full without ever leaving the results. This feature is invaluable for those who like to use the mass-processing abilities. You can preview tickets and then assign technicians, set categories and reply -- all without leaving your search.
## MORE
We've fixed over a dozen bugs and fine-tuned existing features to make this our best release ever. In addition, there are even more new features not discussed here. You can get a full changelog on our website at http://www.deskpro.com/changelog
--------------------------------------------------
2. Older Versions
--------------------------------------------------
DeskPRO v3.4 is our new stable, production version. We will no longer be updating older packages except for critical security issues.
If you are using an older version of DeskPRO, we urge you to upgrade to 3.4 to receive all of the latest features and bug fixes.
We've compiled answers to a short list of questions we routinely get from customers whenever we release an update. We think it's important for our customers to understand that upgrading to the latest version is easy, and will not disrupt the usual workflow for users or technicians.
Q: Is the upgrade hard?
A: Upgrading DeskPRO is very simple. Our included upgrade wizards are completely automated. All you need to do is open the wizard in your browser and let it finish.
Q: I am using DeskPRO v3.1 or newer. How long will upgrading take?
A: v3.1 to v3.4 are all very similar. Each version added new features and refinements, but the underlaying system is similar. Because of this, upgrading is a simple process and will only take a few minutes.
Q: I am using DeskPRO v3.0 or v2.x. How long will upgrading take?
A: While the upgrade is still completely automated and very simple, more processing is involved for these older versions. As a result, the time it takes depends on the size of your helpdesk. For smaller helpdesks, upgrade time will still be a matter of minutes.
Q: What if I don't want my technicians or users to have to learn a new system?
A: The entire DeskPRO v3 branch, from v3.0 all the way up to this newest v3.4 version, are all built on top of the same base. Each version adds enhancements, but the core functionality that your technicians and users are used to remains exactly the same. Even if you don't use the new features, we still recommend upgrading to get all of the latest bug fixes.
Q: What if I only want a bug fix? I don't want a big upgrade!
A: The most common thought process for using an older branch is that the newer branch changes too much. But we purposefully maintain the same functionality and efficiency in DeskPRO between versions. Upgrading gets you all of the bug fixes, and you don't need to use any new features -- nothing in your helpdesk changes unless you want it to.
Q: Why are you stopping bug fixes for previous versions?
A: Maintaining separate branches takes a lot of time and effort. By only maintaining one main production branch, our developers can concentrate on releasing new versions faster. For our customers, upgrading to a bug fix release versus a feature release takes the same amount of effort. So we don't think it's effective to keep old branches alive when our production branch includes all changes anyway, and is just as easy to obtain.