Suggestion: Download via SVN

[chuck_starchaser]

When speaking about SVN many people cringe, thinking it necessarily involves downloading sources and compiling;
but SVN can be used simply as a tool for downloading...

So, at Privateer: Parallel Universe we came up with a new tactic:

We basically "sold" our userbase on using SVN as simply a download tool. We made big announcements, removed
monolithic installables from the server, and basically said "here's the new world order: ...". We put up a locked,
announcement thread with instructions how to download and install Tortoise SVN, and then to create a folder
like C:\SVN\priv_pu, right-click on it, SVN Checkout ... and the url: https://svn.wcjunction.com/priv_pu/trunk
Complete, step by step instructions, idiot-proof, with pictures.

Only a couple of times someone complained about not having a self-installable for download; and we quickly and
easily persuaded them that this way was *easier* than having to download and install, and later have to download
and install patches.
The fact that our users can right-click on the folder and SVN-Update every morning while sipping a coffe is something
they appreciate and enjoy. Checking our server logs, we've had a steady 4 to 5 gigs per day of checkouts since we
made the move to SVN (more volume than we had before, with our monolithic installable), so it's not like nobody is
downloading (The size of the download is about 400 megs, so that's like 15 full checkouts per day (and/or a
bazillion updates).)

The benefit to us, the developers, is that we NEVER need to spend hours of precious time bundling an installable.
No patches either.
But more importantly, we get instant-feedback on new features from our users.
And when our users report a bug, often within the hour we post saying "FIXED: Update to Revision 277." or whatever,
which they also greatly appreciate. It's hard to actually describe it; it's like we have a more intimate, close and
personal relationship with our users now. Our forum has become highly dynamic since users know there's probably
new bugfixes and goodies every day (often several times a day), and that reporting a bug often results in instant
action. We've also had more people becoming contributors than before. It's really a "new world order"; a different
paradigm.
It also forces us to be more careful about /trunk, to make sure we don't break the game; so we've started doing
the right thing and using branches for experimental stuff.
Last but not least, only the first checkout is lengthy; from then on, updates only take seconds; so updating is not
only easy but quick; and our overall server bandwidth is greatly reduced.

If MH were to follow the same route, I bet any amount of money the speed of development AND the FUN of it
would increase like ten-fold. I can see someone posting "Why does modifier such and so combine a feature at
the top AND bottom of the nose? Could the two features not be separated?". Then, next post, an hour later or so,
Manuel says, "Good point! Done. SVN Revision 1234."

[Manuel]

It's a good idea. Anyway only a little percentace of users can handle correctly the svn client.
We can consider to add it, but in my opinion is not so easy as depicted above.

Ciao,

Manuel

[chuck_starchaser]

It's a good idea. Anyway only a little percentace of users can handle correctly the svn client.
We can consider to add it, but in my opinion is not so easy as depicted above.

That was the main point we debated, precisely. Turns out, there's a difference between something being
complex to use, and users being lazy to try something new.
In Windows, Tortoise SVN is ***easier*** to use for downloading than the typical installable. Compare:

The installable method:
1) Check if a new download is available. User may miss the announcement. To check if something new is
available he/she may have to click on several links to get to the download page, check the revision number,
then find out the revision that he/she has installed.
2) Download (long time waiting for full download, when perhaps only a couple of files have changed).
3) Install (If the user chose a non-default install location, he/she now has to look around where the previous
version is installed, to install over it).
4) Go back to where the user keeps downloadables (E:\zips\MakeHuman for me) and delete older downloads,
just to keep the hard-drive clean.

The SVN method:
1) Right-click on the install folder -> SVN Update. Done!

In Linux, SVN is already pre-installed in all distros, and it may take typing a whole command line, but Linux
users are not likely to complain about that. They usually complain when things are "too easy"...

But so, to get back to windows, the wise thing we did was precisely to remove self-installables from the
server, as many users, out of sheer laziness, were going to go for that rather than use Tortoise. It was a
bold move, I would agree; but it paid off many-fold.

But the main secret of our success in switching over to SVN for downloads was the "marketing" it as
"a better way to download". The clear instructions. The right wording. Users need to be reassured that
it is going to be easy, or rather easier.
Keywords such as "Pre-Installed" and "One Click Download+Install" need to be prominent

Check out our page:
How to Download/Install Privateer: Parallel Universe