We have a few developers in our business, but only two of us currently work on VFP projects and are located in the same city.

Believe it or not, we currently have 4 primary versions of our app. One is FPD26 for South Carolina, one is FPD26 for North Carolina and NorthEast States, one is South Carolina/North Carolina merged VFP hybrid code (a mix of FPD26 screens and VFP forms), and the latest is a complete rewrite of versions for all 50 states in VFP8.

In the longrun, all users will be upgraded to the final VFP8 (soon to be VFP9) version. A large number already are. We instituted the requirement to run the latest version for the user to have Windows 2000 or Windows XP. All the 'hot' new features are only added to that version to entice our users to upgrade their hardware or else they never will. In the meantime, we actually have two versions WITHIN each of those versions which works just as Craig and Scott described. We have a 'live' version and the version in development or 'upcoming' or 'next' version. Only critical bugs are fixed in the 'live' version and beta updates provided for our users to download and install when necessary. All features are added to the 'next' version. That means that critical bug fixes are implemented in BOTH versions. There have actually been times when a fix has had to be implemented in 8 copies of our app. That ocurred when the homeland security rules took effect and the new requirements had to be implemented for all financial institutions. Luckily that is the only time that I recall a fix that was relatively 'major' and not a minor fix.

Our goal is to have only the VFP8/9 version in use by the summer.

Tracy



>How do those of you who sell your applications on either a subscription basis or with an annual maintenance and support agreement post-licensing handle the fixing/distribution of customer-reported bugs AND the development of enhancement to the product?
>
>Let's assume that you have over 50 installations involved and more buying in all the time.
>Further assume that the entire development staff consists of 2 persons and it is this staff that does both bug fixing and feature additions.
>
>Your input appreciated.
>
>Jim