This is offered for your system management and senior development staff, please forward
I have had SONOS installed in our home (a $15K system) for 4+ years and it works and sounds great, but.... You keep updating your app to add features and "correct bugs". You are driving users nuts, it's a sound system, not a critical heart monitor or sophisticated pc. We have 2 i-phones, 2-ipads and a Mac. Everytime you update, we can't turn the system on or off. and the update takes some time. First, if you are going to update, advise the user that an update is available and leave system control capability available until the update is complete. Organize your updates so they are made periodically, like every 3-4 months rather than as some developer gets a wild hair. Test your systems before released, this last round had 3, 4,... who knows how many updates to fix bugs.
If you are not a teenager, are gainfully employed, have kids, are not independently wealthy, are over 60 or only moderately technically sophisticated, a smooth and reliable update process with cool new features that are better described would be a giant step toward better customer satisfaction. Apple does it pretty well, so can SONOS.
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Userlevel 7
+22
Because Sonos does not have a list of every feature offered by the current version of each piece of software to use as a checklist for any new version?
We used to have a LONG printout of every feature/screen of our software on 13" green bar paper that we looped over a flip-chart stand (yes I am old) and we would go down it line by line making sure each feature was either present and unchanged or there was a darned good reason it was gone or modified. The changes were then presented to our customer for approval before the first Alpha release.
I'm sure there is some fancy computerized way to do this today but if we had a problem with our printout it could be fixed in 30 seconds with a bit of Scotch tape.
We used to have a LONG printout of every feature/screen of our software on 13" green bar paper that we looped over a flip-chart stand (yes I am old) and we would go down it line by line making sure each feature was either present and unchanged or there was a darned good reason it was gone or modified. The changes were then presented to our customer for approval before the first Alpha release.
I'm sure there is some fancy computerized way to do this today but if we had a problem with our printout it could be fixed in 30 seconds with a bit of Scotch tape.
Userlevel 7
+22
Because some people will be upset you don't update but every 3 to 4 months and others will be upset if you update every month. Your going to have someone complain either way.
Of course you can win, by doing the right thing. If both approaches draw the same whining, isn't it the better approach to be disciplined? Besides, there is a lot of whining to which Sonos does not respond by either actions or words for much more than 3 months, so what's the problem in being disciplined?
The ability to be able to release tested software in small, frequent batches is pretty much essential these days. No one wants to wait up to three months for a bug fix. That said, it's important to have stability in the user experience, and not constantly move things around. Sonos have probably got things about right (regular bug fixes, quarterly major changes) with their release schedule.
I do wish they'd prioritise different issues (eg. UI/UX consistency across screens / platforms) though...
I do wish they'd prioritise different issues (eg. UI/UX consistency across screens / platforms) though...
Userlevel 7
+22
That is exactly what Sonos used to do ... then you would have 3 month long complaint threads asking why Sonos was so slow to add feature or make an improvement. You can’t win.
Excellent point. The present state of affairs points squarely to an inadequate process discipline.
I also agree that Sonos is just something as mundane as a home audio system; they are not launching spacecraft or performing mission critical tasks of important missions. Nor are these responses needed as for virus attacks.
Userlevel 7
+22
turn off auto updates in sonos. There have been more updates recently because of additions people have been asking for.
F!@# me. Everytime I turn Sonos on I get the threat upgrade or lose functionality. I just want to listen to music and not have to do system admin.
That was my downfall, adding an extra Play1 for upstairs forced me onto updating to 8..
... and don’t buy any new products if you are switching off the updates as it will force you to upgrade.
And warn everyone who may use the system not to choose to update their apps, and don't install any new devices or controllers.
Userlevel 1
Thank you all
Also, turn off auto update on your mobile devices app store(s).
+20
Yes :D
Watch out for automatic uodates of the controller apps.
Userlevel 1
Cool Breeze I assume I do that through Advanced Settings and turn off Auto Check for Updates?
+20
You can turn updates off, then just update when you are ready.
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