Re: Wolfenstein 3D stuff

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Mitchell Spector writes ...
> 
> In article rubywand@swbell.net writes...
> 
> >     So, Wolfenstein 3D, the game id Software handed to LogicWare in a
> >good-faith gesture to Apple II users, has managed to get through
> >play-testing with a mysterious feature which triggers an OS bug on many
> >if not all machines running the most popular GS telecom utility. And
> >(surprise, surprise) it "needs GUPP"!
> 
>     I've not encountered the problem myself, but as it has been
> repeatedly stated, that "bug" is not the fault of Wolfenstein 3D. ....


     The standard OS is the environment in which a program must perform
correctly. If it does not, it needs to be fixed.

     Make all the excuses you wish. Whine about hardships if you must.
Attack those who bring you the bad news if you believe that it will make
you look better. Blame Apple, the standard OS, unsympathetic users,
reviewers, and the moon phase. When you are finished, when you are ready
to act like a responsible programmer, admit that _you_ screwed up and
fix your program.


 
> > .... Today seems like an especially good day for Logicware to
> >issue an apology to users ....
> 
>     Issue an apology for what?


     For releasing a program that crashes many user systems/

     For the worry and bother caused many users who accepted assurances
that the program, as released, had been thoroughly tested when, in fact,
last-minute changes were made and the resulting game was not thoroughly
tested/

     For, after posting a release Announcement on the largest Apple II
newsgroup, failing for days to respond to posted, labeled bug reports
and discussions/

     For, over nearly a week, permitting users to believe that the game
testers had failed to detect a flaw guaranteed to crash a large number
of systems running the standard OS when, in fact, the flaw was
introduced after testing/



> If anything, people should issue
> their *gratitude* to Sheepy, for donating most likely hundreds
> of hours of his own personal time (without any pay) in order to
> finish what Logicware began. Or issue thanks and appreciation
> to Clue, for the painstaking work he put into redoing _all_ the
> graphics and individual game sprites; not too mention him and
> the rest of Ninjaforce creating new sound effects from scratch
> (I suggested Sheepy ask them, back around December, and they
> came through at a moments notice, producing even better clips
> than the Mac version!). The artwork and sound, which was all
> professional quality no less, was also done without any pay.
>

     Sheppy, Clue, Ninjaforce, and ide did some good work. The testers
played the game and helped eliminate bugs. Unfortunately, after the
extensive testing, there was a last-minute change. Last-minute checks
showed an unexplained crash on one of the systems used. The game was
released anyway. The game produces crashes on many machines running the
standard OS. Too bad. If you, the programmer, and the usual bunch of
excuse-makers can not deal with the plain truth, too bad. 

 
>     And of all people to complain bitterely and demand an apology,
> you? 

     Tsk. Decidedly over-dramatic. "bitterly"? "demand"?



> I don't think I, or anyone one else for that matter, asked
> you for an apology for when you overstepped the lines editing for
> II-Alive magazine. ....

     No; but, after calling the over-editing problem to my attention,
you, along with other authors did receive here, on csa2,   1. An
admission of my mistake for over-editing   2. An apology   3. A promise
to correct the problem.  This was followed by a change in my editing
practices which included much lighter editing and more back and forth
consultations with authors about the contents of the finished product.
The results show up in the Winter 95/96 issue.

     Something of which you may not be aware is that the thanks
expressed for your correction were sincere. No one enjoys being informed
of mistakes. But, though the extra conferencing took more time, editing
was, on the whole, easier. Authors were happier and readers found a
wider variety of styles in the articles. It was a valuable lesson. I
liked the results!



Rubywand