48 Hours and counting

[prbflight]

RadarBox 2009 up non-stop for over 48 hours with recorder running and the network connected.  One word...

FLAWLESS!

Great work AirNav.

Cheers

Paul@cyyb

[GlynH]

Definitely a vast improvement on the earlier version without a shadow of doubt.

Runs for much longer here also :-)

Still not flawless here though...I have seen the age-old problem of sluggish menus and have even had the menu buttons stick 'in' highlighted but without the menu opening.

I know what 'Hide small airports' is supposed to do but it doesn't seem to do much here.

The example I am thinking of is Turweston that might be classed as a 'small airport' but I have just noticed it does hide/show Enstone, Bruntingthorpe & Deenethorpe which means it does do something!

What exactly are the criteria for 'small airports' anyway?

Trail lines doesn't remember what it was last set to when you open the program (is it supposed to?) and sometimes it has no effect - showing trail lines whether enabled or disabled.

I still get random/unwanted zooming of the map just by moving the mouse (albeit one of those 'posh' Logitech cordless jobbies so the problem may lie there)

And what is the relationship (if any) between the Map/Aviation Signs and Map/General Signs and the 'shortcut buttons' on the toolbar as they don't seem to follow/mirror each other or have I missed the point here?

Please don't think I am knocking RB - it is a great product much improved by the latest software release but it is hardly flawless here...I've yet to see flawless software! ;^)

Kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

[AirNav Development]

This is a typical "you cannot not satisfy everyone" post.

>I have seen the age-old problem of sluggish menus and have even had the menu buttons stick 'in' highlighted but without the menu opening.

We have now, after 2 days, over 500 users working with V2.0 without any kind of problem so we would highly suggest you to change your video card (which costs about $75). Have you tried on any other computer?

Regarding the software pseudo-problems: in this case we would suggest you to use Basestation from SBS-1/Kinetic: you will get such a basic product looking like an old Spectrum 48K that it would need 50 add-ons to do 50% of what  RadarBox 2009 does. For sure "Windows Notepad" software does not have any minor problems compared with "Microsoft Word" but...

Anyway and regarding the above mentioned application you would have to start reporting the bugs to the add-on developers...but that's another story, you would have to send 50+ emails and no one would come to the forum from the development team to answer your questions...

[Deadcalm]

Glyn, you seem to be suffering the same problems of sluggishness as I do.  I know I and others have raised this before through the various versions, and for me there's no change in v2.  I would really like to get to the bottom of it - it's definitely not due to lack of hardware resource, I run a Pentium Quad with 4 Gb RAM, and a high-end NVidia graphics card.  Also, far more processor-intensive and resource-hungry applications than RadarBox run without a hitch.  I also suffer from random zooming with mouse movements.  I think, though, that this is due to the programme not having focus on the mouse (if, for instance, you have an open webpage - in my case on another monitor - and the focus is still with that page, scrolling will zoom the map in the open RadarBox window).

As regards knocking RB, they are obviously justifiably proud of the product, and their efforts to keep up with user change requests.  However, they also jealously guard their interests, and I occasionally get the impression that they feel we shouldn't have the temerity to criticise after all their hard work!  But this is what quality product development is all about, and it's very easy to shift the blame from one's product to the user's hardware, if only a small minority of users complain.  In an ideal world, Beta testing throughout the community on all types and configurations of hardware would alleviate most of the problems (but by no means all).

I admit to being somewhat confused by the Beta testing programme - some weeks ago they invited applications for Beta testers to reply by PM.  I am one of the many who did (others, for some reason, applied via this forum).  I wasn't chosen to assist on this occasion, which was fair enough, but it would have been nice for Airnav to say "Chaps, we have sufficient testers now, thanks for the interest, we'll keep you posted" so we would at least have some idea of what was happening, and whether or not were likely to be asked to participate.  Now, unless I missed it on the forum, this didn't happen.

There seems to be a propensity to vaunt the product and all the improvements and enhancements without due consideration of unresolved issues that some are still experiencing.  Yes it's a great product, and no doubt it will be a lot better in the fullness of time, but it's not without flaws - lets get a grip on some of the ongoing niggles that a few users are commonly experiencing now, and sort them as a priority.

DC

[GlynH]

This is a typical "you cannot not satisfy everyone" post.

No it's not. Not even close. Never intended nor should it be inferred.

<trying hard to be both polite & constructive here>

I appreciate you are justifiably proud (as am I) of the new software release and I am more than satisfied. However if I have a problem (that may or may not be caused by your software) am I supposed not to mention it?

We have now, after 2 days, over 500 users working with V2.0 without any kind of problem so we would highly suggest you to change your video card (which costs about $75). Have you tried on any other computer?

I for one however still have some issues that may, or may not be caused by the software - I don't know. That's why I mention them. So I am the only person out of over 500 users that has this problem then?

Guess it must be my system(s) but I turn to you for support on what is causing it and more importantly how to cure it.

I use PNY Quadro video cards on two of my machines here. The other one has a Gainward Bliss 7800GS+ 512MB.

I don't run RB on any of the 4 laptops or Tablet PC's on my home network but I have seen the same behaviour on 4 other machines apart from my own...

Regarding the software pseudo-problems: in this case we would suggest you to use Basestation from SBS-1/Kinetic: you will get such a basic product looking like an old Spectrum 48K that it would need 50 add-ons to do 50% of what  RadarBox 2009 does. For sure "Windows Notepad" software does not have any minor problems compared with "Microsoft Word" but...

Anyway and regarding the above mentioned application you would have to start reporting the bugs to the add-on developers...but that's another story, you would have to send 50+ emails and no one would come to the forum from the development team to answer your questions...

That outburst was totally unjustified AirNav.

If you took the time to read - and understand - this and other posts that I have made you will see that, quoting from my own posts;

1. I realised that SBS-1 wouldn't do it 'out of the box' as it depends on add-ons for everything - one of the things that attracted me to RB in the first place...

2. Definitely a vast improvement on the earlier version without a shadow of doubt.

3. I saw both systems in action and much preferred the RB and so voted with my wallet and don't regret my choice for one second.

4. Your assurance that it would be implemented with 100% guarantee (and your fantastic response & presence in this forum) was what made me go out & buy two immediately. With another one coming. And two others interested in buying. That makes five. You work it out...

5. Keep up the good work - here's looking forward to v2.0 - I hope it has nailed all the problems I am having which incidentally I have reproduced on four other machines now...

6. First impressions? Brilliant...really pleased but not without problems.

7. Many thanks to you and the crew at AirNav Systems for the RB2009 update.
You must be proud to see it out there...I know I am proud to use it...
I still have some issues here though with the age-old problem about slow menus, window freezing etc.

8. I would like to say thanks for the time you and your colleagues put into RadarBox - the quick response of a manufacturer in a users forum is one of the best marketing tools available to them and was a major factor in my decision to purchase the RB over the SBS-1.

9. I am enjoying using the RadarBox.

Seems like I have touched a nerve...again.

<sigh>

Regards,
-=Glyn=-

[AirNav Support]

Glyn,

Yes you are touching nerves as your posts seem to follow a template of exaggerating, repeating the same item again and then trying to end nicely.

Anyway we will leave that aside, are you saying that with RB 2009 you are seeing the drop down menu issue on all of your 4 computers? If not can you please test it out on your 4 computers if you can.

Why? Because other than you can Deadcalm we have not heard any other issues from anyone else yet.

Deadcalm,

Can you also try on another pc and see what happens, this is so we can try and point out which hardware it is or software.

--

It has been tested here on fast/slow machines, under high message low and low message load. Though obviously it cannot be tested under every possible hardware and software running concurrently. Anything can trigger an issue which is not related to our software (e.g the AVG Antivirus software issue with loading)

Our presence of both development and support on this forum shows the type of company that we are and the development cycle shows the updates we have been doing.

The last version was heavily tested by members of the forum requests were taken, if there really were some serious bugs it would not have been released and believe me far more posts would be on this forum, but the fact is it isn't and instead there are lots of praising posts.

Our job of support or development is not easy, we might get a complaint saying my RB is running slow and find out later the customer actually was running Flight Sim in the background (true story). We have to take a balance of what we hear from the customer.

To keep a long story shorter, we have are happy to hear about issues etc and the versions we have released are a testament to that BUT do understand that support and development also are very close to the products and we provide a high level of service but we won't stand for silly comments which we think are not backed up or there just to stir.

At the end of the day RadarBox 2009 is jammed packed with features and no other product can match it.

[CanadaKen]

I suggest GlynH and Deadcalm compare notes. Look at Task Manager and see what
processes you both have in common. There has to be a commonality with these
two user's computers. I say that because the problem seems to affect such a small
amount of users.

Both guys sound like they know their way around a PC. Could it be a particular
Anti-Virus app?  Anti-Spyware app? You both own the same digital camera and
it's USB driver is resident? I feel sorry for you guys because it may be like
finding a needle in a haystack.

CK

[Deadcalm]

Crikey, I don't suppose anyone who was prepared to spend £400 per unit on this equipment would bother to make "silly" or "stirring" comments if it did all it was supposed to do for them without issues.  Do you honestly think that?  If so, what sort of indictment is that upon your users?  Many of us are, or have been professional aviation employees, often with considerable IT experience.  We really haven't the time or inclination to play mind games.

The product is good, it's very good, and it has little competition - but it ain't perfect yet, so please stop knocking your customers in this personal way for rightly looking for answers but feeling obliged to tread on eggshells for fear of upsetting you.

I personally find it distasteful.

And for the record, I also run RadarBox on a Samsung X30 widescreen laptop, of 3 years vintage, still high-spec and with 2 Gb RAM, and the interface is just as clunky on that, too - menus are slow to open, and buttons seem to stick down.  I'm quite willing to compare notes privately with Glyn, and anyone else who shares this problem, and I know we're not alone because the same issue has been mentioned, over time, by a few others in this forum.

DC

[AirNav Support]

Deadcalm,

As we said we have no problem in hearing issues with RadarBox. Your posts have always been correctly mannered, that was more aimed towards Glyn. For example mentioning an issue once is fine and we will reply back to you but mentioning it every post that customer does in any topic is whereever it over steps the mark.

We are not knocking customers and our presence on this forum speaks highly of that. What we do get annoyed at is when users post on the forum saying there is a major problem when actually its a issue of compatibility's or something else affecting less than 3 people. So far 2009 its only 2 customers out of 100s who have upgraded. We had one customer who complained running RadarBox restarted his computer, did this mean its a software fault, no he emailed us back today saying he had faulty ram.

Rememeber we are talking about the 2009 version here so please test that. So far only you two have mentioned it about 2009.