Future of PGS App?

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mbvs
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2020 4:09 am

Future of PGS App?

Post by mbvs » Sun Oct 11, 2020 12:12 pm

As Adobe announced more than a year ago (https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2019/ ... #gs.hw9uae) support for Adobe Air (the technology the PGS App is based on) will be ceased end of 2020.

Flash - which is the base of Air and so the base of the PGS-Player is very well known (and documented) for its security vulnerability. The Web has abandoned Flash years ago, but the PGS-Player runs still with it, which gives me a real bad feeling having this installed on my computer.

So how is PlaygroundSessions planning to handle the end of life of Adobe Air and the increased security risk this brings to the users of the app?

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sw1tch73ch
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Re: Future of PGS App?

Post by sw1tch73ch » Tue Oct 13, 2020 11:36 am

The app isn't a web app so Adobe not supporting Air probably won't stop the existing app from working. They are in the near end stages of testing the replacement version of the app. I would hope they didn't use Air for it as it has been known for a while that Adobe set the End-of-Life for this year. You might get an answer from the developers if you ask this on their support system (accessed by emailing support@playgroundsessions.com). From what I have gathered the release of the new app will be late this year or early next year.
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

-- jbs --

FlatPanda
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Re: Future of PGS App?

Post by FlatPanda » Wed Oct 14, 2020 1:58 am

That's no EOL for AIR, only that Adobe sold AIR and somebody else will take care of this (undoubtly dying) platform.

Flash vulnerabilities are mostly related to web-based applications, and not local/AIR.

According to various communications, a closed alpha is already ongoing for the new platform, with a closed beta coming up soon™.

mbvs
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Re: Future of PGS App?

Post by mbvs » Tue Oct 20, 2020 3:34 pm

As suggested I turned to the support asking for technology used and release schedule and that is what I got back:
[...] We are currently in the internal testing phase of our new app, which is not using Adobe AIR. It is currently the company's top priority to release an update to our app as soon as we can [...]
There is currently no ETA [estimated time for achievement] for the official release, but we will clearly communicate a release date once development and testing are complete.
Regarding the new technology platform, we cannot provide any additional information at this time.
So according to Parkinsons law that a task usually takes all the time alloted, it will still take some time ...

david
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Re: Future of PGS App?

Post by david » Sat Dec 05, 2020 2:54 pm

I've had the same reply for the last 4 years FYI. Don't hold your breath.

rickm
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Re: Future of PGS App?

Post by rickm » Mon Feb 01, 2021 3:53 am

A "sneak peak" of the upcoming version for iPad was posted to the Facebook group on about Christmas day. No release date, although I've heard "in the coming months". The PC & Mac versions to follow sometime later in the year. Not sure where the Android version fits in.

david
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Re: Future of PGS App?

Post by david » Mon Feb 08, 2021 12:08 pm

rickm wrote:
Mon Feb 01, 2021 3:53 am
A "sneak peak" of the upcoming version for iPad was posted to the Facebook group on about Christmas day. No release date, although I've heard "in the coming months". The PC & Mac versions to follow sometime later in the year. Not sure where the Android version fits in.
Any chance you could post and images or details here, so the non-facebook people can have a looksi?

mbvs
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Re: Future of PGS App?

Post by mbvs » Mon Feb 08, 2021 6:40 pm

"sneak peak"
"in the coming months"
sometime later in the year
Anyone else how finds this communication strategy somewhat unprofessional? C'mon, we are paying customers not some kiddies waiting for Santa. Every serious software project has at least a roadmap and a changelog. PS has a buggy app based on a seriously outdated technology which had no updates in years.

It's a pitty - I like the content in PS very much, but I doubt that they can stand up against the competitors like flowkey, Skoove, Pianomarvel ... if they don't get it done.

EFlatMajor
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Re: Future of PGS App?

Post by EFlatMajor » Tue Feb 09, 2021 9:12 am

mbvs wrote:
Mon Feb 08, 2021 6:40 pm
Anyone else how finds this communication strategy somewhat unprofessional?
Not sure I know how to answer this. You do know that post came from another end user and not the company, right? And that user's source of information was Facebook - not exactly a platform of fact-based communication.

What I have heard is the same as what you posted earlier: Getting the replatform of the desktop app completed and out the door (to users) is the priority of the company right now. A "all hands on deck" situation. I have no reason to believe this has changed.

Although the current version of the app is ancient, there are no problems with it that could prevent people from practicing. So, we just need to keep working with the app and wait. I am certain they will release it as soon as they can.

rickm
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Re: Future of PGS App?

Post by rickm » Tue Feb 09, 2021 8:17 pm

EFlatMajor wrote:
Tue Feb 09, 2021 9:12 am
mbvs wrote:
Mon Feb 08, 2021 6:40 pm
Anyone else how finds this communication strategy somewhat unprofessional?
Not sure I know how to answer this. You do know that post came from another end user and not the company, right? And that user's source of information was Facebook - not exactly a platform of fact-based communication.
My information and those quotes came from private emails exchanged with PGS employees. The Facebook reference is to the private PGS group that anyone can join. Occasionally there are posts and comments from Andrew Wegierski (Support), David Sides and even Chris Vance.

The "sneak peek" is a 6.5 minute video showing the new iPad version in action, posted by Chris Vance on Christmas day, presented by "Jason", "one of their lead programmers". I don't know of a way to provide the video outside of the private group in Facebook. Here is the text of Chris Vance's post:
Happy Holidays everyone! For those of you who celebrate Christmas, a Merry Merry Christmas to you all!!
As promised, today we are releasing a sneak peak into Playground 3.0, our new tech platform that we'll be releasing next year:) Jason, one of our lead developers, has put together a video walkthrough of the platform, calling out some of the main features and design. Note, 3.0 is yet complete so there is definitely more to come for you all!
We hope to open up a Beta in the not too distant future, so soon some of you will be able to experience 3.0 on your iPad.
Near the end of the video, I recorded myself playing a part of the Holiday Medley on my iPad. I ended the video with a new 3.0 iPad feature that I know everyone has been asking for!
We're looking forward to 2021 with the release of 3.0, new songs, new community challenges, new Courses, and most importantly, to sharing another year with all of you.
Enjoy your holiday break. Stay safe everyone.
Warmest regards,
For the longest time I assumed that the new app would use some multi-platform programming tools, but now I'm not sure. Whereas that made me think all supported platforms would come out at about the same time, the current focus is iPad. Windows and other platforms will be "in the months after the iPad release" (also words from a PGS employee).

I believe as others have stated that they want to get the new version out just as much as we want it. That said, as a programmer of over 40 years, I can't believe a program as simple as the PG app can take this many years, even with the rumoured setbacks such as a developer tragically dying (true) with his source code encrypted (hearsay). Even if they only had one programmer I can't see it taking this long. It's beyond strange.

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