release ApexDC++ 1.5.10 is available

[Lee 84]

We have been testing 1.5.10 for a month now to try and resolve the startup issues users faced with 1.5.9. We're pleased to announce 1.5.10 fixes this issue and a host of other issues. We have merged with DC++ to include new search and hash changes - we have included a conversion tool that will automatically migrate your share to the new hash database where compatible. Only Windows XP users may need to rehash their share due to the old WinAPI (you guys have till April 2014 to upgrade).
 
When you first start 1.5.10 you will see a new splash screen indicator displaying your conversion progress to the new hash database (should take 10-20 minutes on first run). This was inevitable as DC++ changed their hash database to version 3 a while ago and was causing our users issues with filelists.
 
1.5.10 is considered stable and we highly recommend users on previous versions to upgrade (especially 1.5.9).
 
Download: ApexDC++ 1.5.10

[Dr.MOL 0]

I had to revert to 1.5.8 because of the startup issue in 1.5.9. Just updated to this release and so far everything is ok.

Thank you very much!

[bakadc 0]

Thank you very much!

 

[Lee 84]

I had to revert to 1.5.8 because of the startup issue in 1.5.9. Just updated to this release and so far everything is ok.

Thank you very much!

 

 

Thank you very much!

 

Good to hear.

[agreenman 0]

Only Windows XP users may need to rehash their share due to the old WinAPI (you guys have till April 2014 to upgrade).

 

Will you guys stop developing for XP once Microsoft's support stops?

 

Or, I should ask, will future Apex updates work with XP once April 2014 rolls around? Even if that answer is "unofficially", I would be happy!

[Crise 26]

Will you guys stop developing for XP once Microsoft's support stops?

 

Or, I should ask, will future Apex updates work with XP once April 2014 rolls around? Even if that answer is "unofficially", I would be happy!

 

If I could choose as I like I would drop XP support the exact moment Microsoft does, because retaining XP compatibility is a pain. The people who use our binary/slim release know why, because we have to make separate binaries for XP (thanks Microsoft), our installer obfuscates this fact from majority of the users. So that is four binaries per release.

 

Whatever we will decide to do, I can say with some confidence that 64bit binaries for XP will cease to exist, mostly because 64bit XP is rare, and has always been rare.

 

The actual action plan regarding XP is to deploy an opt in system for gathering certain anonymous configuration data from users such as their operating system version and a make and model of their CPU. This will allow us to make informed decision on where to go with things like what operating systems to support or what compiler options we can use when deploying builds for future releases. Eventually this might extend to certain configuration options such as whether users use some features or not. Because quite frankly ApexDC has a severe case of "option shock" when it comes to new users. So when it comes to some options we would either like to cut them or make then the default behavior without an associated option (this later part is something that will happen earliest for 2.0).

 

If it weren't for the fact that we "need" (XP binaries can run on newer windows versions) separate binaries for XP already then we would probably keep supporting XP unofficially, but as it stands even if we do not intentionally break support for XP in terms of used API's the compiler is already making dropping it an appealing option and most likely subsequent releases of the compiler will do it for us because I don't see the next version of msvc supporting XP at all when the last two are already doing it through a separate toolset resulting in the need for specifically targeted binaries (which was added by Microsoft reluctantly to begin with, so I don't see it sticking around in msvc 2014).