Mls 2.7

Discussions around using and interfacing with the Church MLS program.
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jeromer7
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Mls 2.7

#1

Post by jeromer7 »

The recent e-mail & MLS message concerning the ability to download and install MLS 2.7 "beta" has caused quite a stir on the unofficial clerks maillist. It was not helped by the caveat on the download site that stake presidency approval was required to implement the beta and that all admin computers in the stake needed to be on the same version, implying a rapid roll out in a stake. There is also some hesitation since there is no indication that the current beta version on the download site is the "final" beta.

For some, it is certainly appreciated to have the ability to avoid lengthy downloads via dial-up. For others, especially widespread stakes, manual updates bring their own problems. Still it is nice to have the option.

With previous updates where a download was provided, the guidance was to implement within a couple of weeks, as I recall. The MLS 2.7 announcement seems to imply something won't work right if all computers in the stake are not updated within a day or two. I can think of some circumstances where it could be a week before all computers are updated even if the stake defaults to the dial-up download.

Just some idle observations that are probably not worth 2 cents. So I offer them up for free. :D
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SmithGW
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#2

Post by SmithGW »

The message concerning the beta version of MLS 2.7 was intended for those stakes that would like to help test the new version. Your location tells me that your units are probably spread out over a larger geographic area than some, and it would therefore be difficult to install on all admin computers within a short time period. In other areas meetinghouses are close together and this makes it easier for them to help test the beta. The final version will be patched to each admin computer within a few days anyway. By the way, we do appreciate your comments. It may help us craft better statements in the future.
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ericb
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#3

Post by ericb »

smithgw wrote:The message concerning the beta version of MLS 2.7 was intended for those stakes that would like to help test the new version.

I'm a little confused regarding this comment. Is the stake technology specialist supposed to go through a checklist of items (or provide them to the ward clerks) for the testing process? What exactly does it mean to "...help test the new version..."?

I went to the webpage for the MLS download and was hoping to find more information regarding the use of a 'beta' version. It would really be helpful if some direction was provided regarding specific features to review and possible scenarios to test. MLS is a big application, and I'm not sure how someone would know they are actually 'testing' the software.
russellhltn
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#4

Post by russellhltn »

smithgw wrote:The message concerning the beta version of MLS 2.7 was intended for those stakes that would like to help test the new version.
I'm confused as well. I live in a non-beta testing stake. As a STS, I received a notice that MLS 2.7 was going to be released "in a few weeks". One of the options I was given was to download MLS 2.7 beta to save on a long phone call. But the beta download page indicated that Stake President's approval was required to install the beta. This is what created the issue on the clerk's list - was a SP approval required to carry out the instructions given to the STS?

Was this a case where the message sent to the STS was incorrectly/poorly worded? Or the message on the 2.7 download page should have been changed? I noticed that the MLS download is now MLS 2.7 Release Candidate and the requirement to get the SP's approval is no longer there. So I think there's no longer any issue. But the message I'm trying to convey is to explain that something went wrong and caused confusion.
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ericb
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#5

Post by ericb »

RussellHltn wrote:I noticed that the MLS download is now MLS 2.7 Release Candidate and the requirement to get the SP's approval is no longer there. So I think there's no longer any issue. But the message I'm trying to convey is to explain that something went wrong and caused confusion.

Okay - so we had a version called 'beta', and we now have a version called 'release candidate 1'. My understanding is there is not a targeted audience for these releases (or is there?). Regardless of the pre-release terminology used, there is still the issue of what is supposed to be tested and what should clerks expect to run into. If this information was provided prior to downloading and installing the file, it's likely more people would be willing to consider a pre-release version (rather than dealing with the unknown).
russellhltn
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#6

Post by russellhltn »

ericb wrote:Regardless of the pre-release terminology used, there is still the issue of what is supposed to be tested and what should clerks expect to run into.
You're talking about a different issue. I'm referring to the instructions given to the STS as an approved alternative to a 30 minutes phone call for each unit to update their MLS over the phone line. This may be attractive in areas with a sub-standard phone connection that may stretch this call to more like an hour - maybe longer with interruptions. In this case, I wouldn't expect them to be testing, but to simply move to a newer version.
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wraytogo-p40
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MLS 2.7 Release Candidate available

#7

Post by wraytogo-p40 »

All,

The website now has a MLS 2.7 release candidate available for download. This does not require Stake President approval.
unixguy
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#8

Post by unixguy »

I would definitely recommend that if you upgrade to 2.7 you plan on either doing the upgrade in the morning on a weekday and then finishing later that day, or doing on two separate evenings. Based on comments in another thread about some reports not being populated (New Member report, and something else which I've forgotten-- maybe "Move Ins/Move Outs") I knew not to be surprised by it, but didn't see anything in the instructions warning those who are doing the upgrade.

Basically the upgrade takes two sessions:
1) install 2.7 and do a send/receive
2) wait a few hours; then do another send/receive.

Kudos to the MLS team-- my Bishop was VERY excited that the Confidential forms are available now-- no more doing that stuff by hand!
russellhltn
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#9

Post by russellhltn »

unixguy wrote:I would definitely recommend that if you upgrade to 2.7 you plan on either doing the upgrade in the morning on a weekday and then finishing later that day, or doing on two separate evenings. Based on comments in another thread about some reports not being populated (New Member report, and something else which I've forgotten-- maybe "Move Ins/Move Outs") I knew not to be surprised by it, but didn't see anything in the instructions warning those who are doing the upgrade.

Basically the upgrade takes two sessions:
1) install 2.7 and do a send/receive
2) wait a few hours; then do another send/receive.
I know that was true of 2.6. Is that true of 2.7 as well?
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thedqs
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#10

Post by thedqs »

Apparently so, but it could be something with the servers having to reinitialize the settings for a new version of MLS instead of being a problem with MLS itself.
- David
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