New Jellyfin Server/Web release: 10.11.8

[Emailluka]

The problem with a more fractured branch system is always the split user- and testerbase. Everyone wants the perfect software which runs in any dreamt up configuration flawlessly - but seldom anyone even reports the bugs with their configuration.
(i know - you, yes exactly you dear reader - are the exception and always file fully fledged bugreports including all details -> but the biggest part of the userbase does not!)
Seperating featuredevelopement from security is probably also not that easy when both are interlocked. Same goes for any plugin. Everyone who works on plugins would need to keep up with even more versions/branches or face the same backlash just one step down... and you might have a hunch how encouraging and motivating that happens to be.

[EliteAlien]

The problem with a more fractured branch system is always the split user- and testerbase. Everyone wants the perfect software which runs in any dreamt up configuration flawlessly - but seldom anyone even reports the bugs with their configuration.
(i know - you, yes exactly you dear reader - are the exception and always file fully fledged bugreports including all details -> but the biggest part of the userbase does not!)

That is exactly the problem here. I understand their unpaid, and don't have testers. Though throwing the unstable instantly into the "Stable" with this massive change to the database is a problem for the overall issues. Because the majority of the people using this software will do just as you said, not report anything. That or if they do they will not even understand how to report and file a bug, regression, or any problem properly. Yet alone how to enable logging or find the log files. It will be just endless posts of, "This doesn't work. Fix it", sort of like we have in this very thread. While if you had a testing branch the unstable could be like Alpha and then be pushed into "Testing" where most likely the users that know how to report would be playing with that. As they have to either build it from source or know how to install packages outside their package manager or other normal means. A few projects out there do a similar thing to this and it gives them time to iron things out more before the "less techy" individual gets hit with a massive change.

Seperating feature developement from security is probably also not that easy when both are interlocked. Same goes for any plugin. Everyone who works on plugins would need to keep up with even more versions/branches or face the same backlash just one step down...  and you might have a hunch how encouraging and motivating that happens to be.

To touch on plugins.. Who would rightfully develop on "Alpha" when that is always changing and then testing in this case would be more like a RC.. Since it went through initial changes and is now being considered as a potential change but needs further evaluation. If a plugin developer was developing for Alpha branches then in my opinion they would be doing it all wrong. Since that would be massively subject to change. Plugin providers for Jellyfin already do not support the unstable branch. A majority of plugins instantly stop working the moment you use unstable. Nor is unstable in the package manager or placed on the main website to download. Developing for unstable would also kind of be pointless as it could be a massive change in the next build yet again breaking your plugin. As you don't exactly know what changes in "unstable" will be changed or even carried over to "Stable". As there is no time window I am aware of for how many weekly builds before it equals a full on "Stable" release.

As for security. Well the majority of this problem is from a database change in Jellyfin. This is the biggest change in a long while. Nothing this major tends to change. With that in mind, security patches to a DB and other flaws in the current "Stable" branch shouldn't be to hard to maintain with a small alteration and revision of version like 10.11.X as it kind of already is done. As the new features would have their own potential security risks added with the additions not yet known. Hardening existing code while then taking those changes with say a diff wouldn't be that difficult. The problem in this would likely be the man power as I'm not sure how many individuals are working on what. It would need some organization changes and possibly more people.

The problem then lies at how large the codebase of Jellyfin is and getting new people to be familiar with the code. So when someone even on the Jellyfin team says, "Learn to code and fix it yourself". Well that in of itself is a bit silly for many reasons. One the code would likely not be merged due to someone random that doesn't understand the project or deemed not to understand it jumping in and a number of other possibilities. A good handful of code changes never get merged on a majority of projects with a large code base. Not saying it never happens, but vetting and  doing other things like that also takes man power. As you don't just accept any random code changes.

Anyway, that's just my two pence, cents, and whatever else.

[mtoss]

Users do not report the issues because its not well documented and takes something like 10 fields to update.
Development team would really help themselves better to come up with the better and more efficient/easy way to report issues.
Instead you have to be a developer to do this. You want to engage as many users as you can for this process. I do not that.
For example: When new version is pushed to public they could include a link to report issues. Just this simple step could provide more feedback.

[Kandy]

Y'all gotta chill. The last several pages are just endless whining about a thing you got for free from unpaid volunteers. Get some perspective.

[mtoss]

Some people do not take critic very well. You must be one. Maybe this is why people do not report bugs. Any bad comments you look as if its a really bad thing. I have 40+ years in development and infrastructure work and always taken bad critic as positive feedback. If you are good developer or PM you take that and learn from it. Do not go and say "Y'all gotta chill". I am retired but if this young generation has this attitude than we are in trouble.
Look, these comments do not diminish all the good work people are doing. We are volunteers too, we do testing and report issues.
Things can improve and your statement says - do not say bad things, just take as it is and move on. That is not a good way to move forward.

[nuke]

I have held off updating for some time. My initial update happened close upon the update to 10.11.1. It didn't work for me so I unwound the update and stuck with 10.10.7 until today.

I would like to commend the team on fixing issues as they are reported. My update today from 10.10.7 to 10.11.8 went well. It took some time as I have about 70,000 songs, 2,500 movies and 750 TV shows. But it has gone without incident. It is quite a bit quicker and the search is much better.

So thank you!

[TIMFLIX1138]

Y'all gotta chill. The last several pages are just endless whining about a thing you got for free from unpaid volunteers. Get some perspective.

Whadaya mean we don't get ice cream?!?!?!?!?!