Update 2 Final: Search Across Contacts and Team Members

[PJLN]

You get emails for the newsletter, and in the 3CX case, YES!

You have 1 thing to follow but yeah sure blame 3CX for not holding you by the hand to upgrade to v18 when YOU want.

I don't get "3cx newsletters" nor should a newsletter be the means to announce a major change, it should be on a separate email with a subject that highlights it, which again 3cx should have db off all customers. You don't seem to work for 3cx but if they share the same way of doing things, time to look for something else.

 

[Evolute IT]

I don't get "3cx newsletters" nor should a newsletter be the means to announce a major change, it should be on a separate email with a subject that highlights it, which again 3cx should have db off all customers. You don't seem to work for 3cx but if they share the same way of doing things, time to look for something else.

I don't work for them but know enough to have 0 issues this morning. All our customers are happy.

They do send emails for this, so as Nick said, all you have to do is read and not ignore.

 

[Colorian92]

Now let's just all hope and pray that the PC Client and future Mac Client are here to stay and won't be taken out of use like the browser extension after a year or so (or at least a version).

But I have good hope. Contrary to the browser extension which has worked badly as many times as it has done well with some customers, the PC client seems to work splendidly.

I'm off the forum and out to plan a late night of updates and a busy day of calls tomorrow of customers who need assistance installing the PC client. Because when 3CX makes an irreversible change without proper announcement, it's not them that have to deal with the customers... It's the partners!

Good luck everyone with the damage control!

 

[Nico.ipn]

In the application icon, on V18 webclient, the link for the chrome extension, is the old one. Is it normal ?

 

[N_G]

In the application icon, on V18 webclient, the link for the chrome extension, is the old one. Is it normal ?

Yes because its updated vor 18. Its the correct link for all customers on v18.

 

[PJLN]

Absolutely, our online product blog. Of course its the best way. We communicated, you just didn't read.

Nick, do you drive a BMW? what if your car stopped working because of an update they did, you missed the update on the BMW blog? oh dear....

Understand you spend most of your time reading your own blog but as you can appreciate customers that use dozens of other services have better things to do and get critical change updates from those services via email/phone call, correct channels, not buried in some blog, may I suggest that in your spare time you do some reading on change management client communication plan.

Again, I did not receive any emails on this.

Time to move on, wish you all the best.

 

[N_G]

@Colorian92 - It was explained properly on the blog. We even explained why.

 

[N_G]

@PJLN - No its a landrover actually. Well if they offered me the new model free of charge as it came out I would love it. With tons of new features free of charge. And in addition gave me several months warning on their blog how to get the new model.... I think if i would still have something to complain about i would take a long hard look at myself. And yes i follow the blog and instagram channel of landrover. Although granted i like cars.

 

[Colorian92]

@PJLN - Well if my car manufacturer offered me the new model free of charge as it came out I would love it. With tons of new features. And in addition gave me several months warning on their blog how to get the new model.... I think if i would still have something to complain about i would take a long hard look at myself.

That comparison would work, except in this case the car manufacturer did an online update that prevented your car from starting and so you're actually kind of "forced" to swap cars even if you really didn't want to.

 

[N_G]

No the car is working fine. Notifications for calls happen in a different way. You have options in v16 too. The window app for example

 

[kseba77]

It's as @MidiTélécom said, we had released a blog post nearly 2 months ago explaining this:
https://www.3cx.com/blog/releases/chrome-edge-extensions-beta/

in this blog post we actually did say it directly:
"We urge v16 users to move to V18 Update 1 at their earliest convenience. We will be replacing the old browser extension with this new one in a few weeks"

Your CEO even today stated that the old extension will be available on google until June 2022. Look here: https://www.3cx.com/blog/releases/v18-update2
No where does it say you are ending support for v16 today.
This is just crazy. I only have few people using the extension (we use the desk phones) but can only imagine what people who reply solely on the extension are going through right now. Roll back asap!!!!

 

[pmterp]

Is this serious?
If we took every blog post into account and completed upgrading every client to version 18, this still isn't an okay to roll out update 2 and kill off the functionality of the extension.
We have...had clients using the Chrome extension and now have to endure a short downtime during business hours while we move them to update 2 and then IT has to work with the users to uninstall the existing extension and install the new version of the extension so users can do things the same way they did them yesterday!?!
There was clearly no good reason the update had to be rolled out last night without warning.
Since you're so fond of your blog posts, one stating "update 2 is coming at ___ date/time" would have been nice.

And by the way, please remember that you are the vendor and we are the customers. Your attitude of "this is your problem" isn't the way a professional service provider should conduct themselves.
/rant over, back to dealing with angry clients

 

[ENCOM-GEFFRAY]

@Nick Galea Thank you for your answers.

However, as V18 is only stable since today, could you explain to me how to migrate a park of more than 450 servers with several thousand users?

Could you also explain to me why, since two software versions coexist for several months, why, like all other software publishing professionals, you do not publish two versions of plugins with a version number so that each end user can continue to enjoy the best experience.

I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that the transition from V16 to V18 cannot be done so simply, because there is a lot of communication and training to be done beforehand. And as for earlier, we only do this communication and documentation once a stable version has been released by you, which is very recent.

I would add that clients such as Audika, Crédit Agricole or Essilor have basic migration schedules of 3 to 6 months in view of the number of users and the training required.

It is not necessary to force a park in production to pass on another version especially when this one was not entirely stabilized. The impact on end users is too great. This does not work.

So I repeat my request, make sure that the two plugins can cohabit until the end of life of V16.

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

@kseba77

Your CEO even today stated that the old extension will be available on google until June 2022. Look here: https://www.3cx.com/blog/releases/v18-update2

Just to help clear this up a bit. In the blog post it is stated that:
"Also note that Google will retire the old extension by June 2022."

This is referring to the Browser extension available for Mac and Linux(with GUI) which is essentially the "old" extension.

No where does it say you are ending support for v16 today.

This was actually mentioned in the blog post linked by @NickD_3CX :
"We will be replacing the old browser extension with this new one in a few weeks."

 

[MH_INDUS]

The Blog post 2 months ago only saif that the browser extension will be deprecated with no exact date.
Deprecating it today with no warning was bad communication.

Also the RSS feed for the 3CX blog and 3CX status page are really unreliable. Could someone at 3CX check on those feeds?

Also will be a fun few days with lots of employees complaining that the browser extension does not work anymore.

 

[kseba77]

@kseba77

Just to help clear this up a bit. In the blog post it is stated that:
"Also note that Google will retire the old extension by June 2022."

This is referring to the Browser extension available for Mac and Linux(with GUI) which is essentially the "old" extension.


This was actually mentioned in the blog post linked by @NickD_3CX :
"We will be replacing the old browser extension with this new one in a few weeks."

do you know when the edge extension will be replaced?

 

[Evolute IT]

So it looks like with the end of the Mac desktop app a little while ago, then the production of a new Windows desktop client and nothing for the Mac, this spells the end of 3CX use for us, especially with unannounced changes to systems causing outages affecting hundreds if not thousands of users, and a CEO with a CBA attitude, oh and blogs don't count as global comms. Guess CloudCall can expect my call....

The Mac app is coming. Give them some time.

 

[N_G]

1. The extension and the apps work with the latest version of 3CX. Has always been that way. It would be madness that if you keep current and move to the new version you have to re install the apps and the extension. For a while its possible to keep it downwards compatible but in many cases its simply not possible. Case in point is this update because we had to create a new extension and app because Google has removed some APIs.
2. The old extension still works up until june 2022. You just have to re-install it because you are staying on the old version. The new version of the extension works with the new version of 3CX. The new version was uploaded to the 3CX extension today.
3. We can price 3CX at the way we do because we maintain a single version. If we had to maintain apps and extensions and security updates for many versions, then the price would double if not more. So we need customers to stay current within a reasonable time frame or increase prices.
4. @ENCOM-GEFFRAY yes we know how it is to manage hundreds of servers. Actually we manage tens of thousands of servers and we upgrade them for customers using automation. At the same time i appreciate some bigger users need to move slower and for these you can use the old extension - but using v18.
5. Important product updates are published to our blog. Please dont tell us about email. We have heard the "I did not receive that email" enough times. If you are a partner or want to manage 3CX yourself, please check the 3CX product blog now and then.
6. @Willemsbrug Yes on v18 you can keep using the old extension until June 2022
7. Now i have your attention be forewarned that the apps will have a warning dialog to go to the new version in the coming weeks.

Granted, to keep using the old extension you need to go to v18. However to keep using the old extension you would need to re-install the extension on each of your desktops regardless whether we update v16 or not. This sucks a bit i agree but there is no way around it. Rather than stay on v16 and re install the extension everywhere - update to v18, use the new windows app for windows users and use the "old" extension for mac users until the mac client arrives? You are going to have to do this before June 2022 anyway!

Software these days needs to stay up to date. 3CX is just like any software. Even my TV asks for an update every day (very irritating) but its just the way it is.

Also, its nice to see that the extension is finally liked Everyone wanted to keep the Windows app until this morning

Now this might be ill timed but i am going to say it anyway: We understand that not everyone wants to track 3CX and keep it up to date. This is why we are now offering hosted by 3CX - pretty much at cost. The first year we will pay the hosting for you, see our offer.

And finally I want to thank all those partners and admins that put in the hours and go and upgrade or update the extensions to satisfy their users / customers. I understand its a pain in the ass. Merry Xmas to you all.

 

[Cascada]

@Nick Galea
I see there is a new SBC (beta 3) version. I have several issues with phones, and everything point out to the SBC (based on the changelog of the beta 2 and beta 3 versions). When will a stable version of the SBC software be ready for production?

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

@MH_INDUS

The Blog post 2 months ago only saif that the browser extension will be deprecated with no exact date.
Deprecating it today with no warning was bad communication.

There may have not been an exact date but the blog post did state "...in a few weeks..."

@kseba77

do you know when the edge extension will be replaced?

The same actually applies for the edge extension too.

@Cascada

I see there is a new SBC (beta 3) version. I have several issues with phones, and everything point out to the SBC (based on the changelog of the beta 2 and beta 3 versions). When will a stable version of the SBC software be ready for production?

There's no ETA yet but I strongly recommend that you post about the issue you're facing in our "Phone System / PBX" forum section to that we may take a closer look.