What is the support structure for MA3?

Dale · 03-16-2010, 11:36 AM

I've searched the forum and can't find a definitive answer to this, and I've always wondered - so I'll ask.

What is the support structure for MA3?

Originally posted by cjmaddy:

Do you really think that Jim has nothing better to do than ...

This implies that Jim is the only person supporting MA3.

However, we know from other threads that sometimes other people do stuff, and the installation code is written by others. And (AFAIK) Jim doesn't directly sell MA3 - that's Prolific/SereneScreen.

But we frequently see postings in this forum where Jim has to directly intervene with SereneScreen to (for instance) get a simple licensing issue resolved. (I think Jim has better things to do...)

Some of my comments (unavlidably) reflect assumptions about the support structure that may be misguided or wrong.

Could somebody clarify who is responsible for what?

Jav400 · 03-16-2010, 11:57 AM

Jim S. is the only person supporting MA3. The others do logistical work, marketing, translating to mac code, that kind of thing. Pretty much everything else is done by Jim S. If he gets in a pinch over something technical some of the others like Edgar might pitch in with some tech advice if they aren't buried with other stuff, but that's it.

Jim Sachs · 03-16-2010, 02:14 PM

Josh is the person at Prolific who handles SereneScreen tech support, though it may soon switch to someone else. Edgar occasionally checks the Forum when he has time. Everyone involved has a lot of other things to do. You guys wouldn't even believe what my day is like. I'm lucky to put together a couple of hours between 10 pm and 2 am to work on the new Background Color interface.

Dale · 03-16-2010, 02:55 PM

OK, I'm more confused.

Originally posted by Jav400:

Jim S. is the only person supporting MA3.

Originally posted by Jim Sachs:

Josh is the person at Prolific who handles SereneScreen tech support.

I know that everybody has lots of stuff going on. I simply asked "What is the support structure for MA3?". Meaning, who is in charge, who is responsible for what, etc.?

[Yeah, I know Who's on first...]

JohnWho · 03-16-2010, 03:04 PM

Originally posted by Dale:

[Yeah, I know Who's on first...]

No, I'm on now!

feldon34 · 03-16-2010, 03:40 PM

Originally posted by Dale:

who is in charge

Jim Sachs

Originally posted by Dale:

who is responsible for what

Josh handles the vast majority of PC tech support questions.

From the About Box, you can glean that Edgar T. and Will Ware do additional programming and localization. Will Ware built the "platform" that Marine Aquarium 2, Marine Aquarium 2.6, LifeGlobe Sharks, LifeGlobe Goldfish, and LifeGlobe FlagPride all run on. Marine Aquarium 3 is a new platform created by Jim Sachs.

Jim Sachs · 03-17-2010, 12:05 AM

Well, not exactly. I built the original "platform", then Will and Edgar modified it somewhat for Goldfish, a lot for Sharks, and didn't use it at all for Flagpride. MA3 is a clean slate, and shares no code with previous versions.

feldon34 · 03-17-2010, 12:54 AM

Not to 'correct' you, but I mean the platform as far as all the UI, when they took your 8 elegant, procedural, easy-to-follow Visual Studio files and turned them into 80 object oriented, good luck trying to follow the logic ones.

Jim Sachs · 03-17-2010, 01:05 AM

Oh, that. Yeah, it was a major detour, and one of the reasons I started over with MA3. Now it's starting to happen again, with all the localizations and translating teams standing by to modify whatever I turn in. But I've tried to keep much closer control this time

03-16-2010, 11:36 AM	#1
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	What is the support structure for MA3? I've searched the forum and can't find a definitive answer to this, and I've always wondered - so I'll ask. What is the support structure for MA3? Originally posted by cjmaddy: Do you really think that Jim has nothing better to do than ... This implies that Jim is the only person supporting MA3. However, we know from other threads that sometimes other people do stuff, and the installation code is written by others. And (AFAIK) Jim doesn't directly sell MA3 - that's Prolific/SereneScreen. But we frequently see postings in this forum where Jim has to directly intervene with SereneScreen to (for instance) get a simple licensing issue resolved. (I think Jim has better things to do...) Some of my comments (unavlidably) reflect assumptions about the support structure that may be misguided or wrong. Could somebody clarify who is responsible for what?

03-16-2010, 11:57 AM	#2
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Jim S. is the only person supporting MA3. The others do logistical work, marketing, translating to mac code, that kind of thing. Pretty much everything else is done by Jim S. If he gets in a pinch over something technical some of the others like Edgar might pitch in with some tech advice if they aren't buried with other stuff, but that's it. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

03-16-2010, 02:14 PM	#3
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Josh is the person at Prolific who handles SereneScreen tech support, though it may soon switch to someone else. Edgar occasionally checks the Forum when he has time. Everyone involved has a lot of other things to do. You guys wouldn't even believe what my day is like. I'm lucky to put together a couple of hours between 10 pm and 2 am to work on the new Background Color interface. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-16-2010, 03:40 PM	#6
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Originally posted by Dale: who is in charge Jim Sachs Originally posted by Dale: who is responsible for what Josh handles the vast majority of PC tech support questions. From the About Box, you can glean that Edgar T. and Will Ware do additional programming and localization. Will Ware built the "platform" that Marine Aquarium 2, Marine Aquarium 2.6, LifeGlobe Sharks, LifeGlobe Goldfish, and LifeGlobe FlagPride all run on. Marine Aquarium 3 is a new platform created by Jim Sachs. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

03-17-2010, 12:05 AM	#7
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Well, not exactly. I built the original "platform", then Will and Edgar modified it somewhat for Goldfish, a lot for Sharks, and didn't use it at all for Flagpride. MA3 is a clean slate, and shares no code with previous versions. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-16-2010, 02:55 PM	#4
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	OK, I'm more confused. Originally posted by Jav400: Jim S. is the only person supporting MA3. Originally posted by Jim Sachs: Josh is the person at Prolific who handles SereneScreen tech support. I know that everybody has lots of stuff going on. I simply asked "What is the support structure for MA3?". Meaning, who is in charge, who is responsible for what, etc.? [Yeah, I know Who's on first...]

03-16-2010, 03:04 PM	#5
JohnWho Registered Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida Posts: 486	Originally posted by Dale: [Yeah, I know Who's on first...] No, I'm on now!

03-17-2010, 12:54 AM	#8
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Not to 'correct' you, but I mean the platform as far as all the UI, when they took your 8 elegant, procedural, easy-to-follow Visual Studio files and turned them into 80 object oriented, good luck trying to follow the logic ones. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

03-17-2010, 01:05 AM	#9
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Oh, that. Yeah, it was a major detour, and one of the reasons I started over with MA3. Now it's starting to happen again, with all the localizations and translating teams standing by to modify whatever I turn in. But I've tried to keep much closer control this time Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium