SP2HELP.HTML last updated 10/26/1999

ShufflePlay 2.50 SR-1
Bugfixes, New Stuff, and Things to Come

Congratulations! You are now a proud owner of the newest work-in-progress in the flipTech line, ShufflePlay 2.50.

For those unfamiliar w/ basic software development jargon here's some loose definitions to know:

With those definitions in mind, ShufflePlay 2.50 is, as of this writing, done with quibbling over the bigger bugs.    However, with all the completed changes and additions, there are bound to be bugs to squash, so assuredly there will be more releases to come.

I encourage you to send as much feedback on this software as possible. This includes and is not limited to the following:

Regarding bug/inconsistency reports, please include as much information as possible. I often get emails like "It just said 'Error 9' then some message" which doesn't help me, and so it doesn't help you. If possible, please include directions on how to reproduce the error or offer ideas on why the error occurred in the first place. The more info you provide, the more likely I can find and correct the bug.

In case you're wondering about pricing, registration, etc., version 2.50 continues the same 'honor' tradition as before with a minor twist. While the program will operate indefinitely (The code should be Y2K-friendly, but I still have to really test it out) it will identify you as an unregistered user until the correct unlock code is provided. If you are currently a registered user or become a registered user, you can receive your code by simply e-mailing me with your desired name and organization. I will then reply back with the corresponding registration code. Simple as that.

I've also created an online Tour de ShufflePlay which walks you through almost every major capability of this program. I strongly encourage you to check it out once you're done reading this document!

Okay, by now you've either quit reading and gone to play with the software or you're hoping there's a list of the new features and bugfixes in this release. Well, here's what you've been waiting for!

Blue text denotes changes since the last public release, Release Candidate 3...

After reading the list of new stuff, you're probably wondering, "What are virtual drives?" Simply put, this new system lets you catalog MP3 files on CD-R, Zip, Jaz, SuperDisk, or even Backup Tapes (I guess?) locally on your hard drive. You can browse your collection quickly without spending all that time inserting and ejecting discs. Perhaps the biggest "killer app" is the improved Search capabilities. You can search gigabytes of MP3 files for any criteria in seconds! ... again, without having to insert and eject all your removable media. And another big plus: you can export your virtual drives and send them to other ShufflePlay 2.50 users and they will be able to import and browse them as if they had your disks! Exciting stuff, huh?

Here's an abbreviated to-do list which I will try to update frequently online. You should bookmark this URL which is essentially this document-- only updated with the latest bug lists and most popular suggestions for improvements. Note that most of these ideas may not be fulfilled till a future release (2.60+) as the bulk of 2.50's development has ceased and is now in a "hunt & destroy bugs" phase.

As you can (or will) tell from this release, ShufflePlay has come a long way since the little WinPlay3 shuffler-only helper utility from 1996. And it has even come quite a long way from 2.41 with the exciting new Virtual Drives, enhanced Search systems, and improved wizards. I hope you enjoy this ShufflePlay release and that you will let me know your rants/raves/suggestions so that we all will benefit through a better product. Tell your friends! Send a copy to your mom! Heck, get a copy for the family dog. And of course, if you want to support even more, registration is always good :)

Hear from you soon,

Gary Calpo
flipTech Head Programmer, President, and overall nice guy ;)