COVID-19 has minimal impact on software quality assurance teams
The pandemic hasn't caused too much disruption for quality assurance teams according to a survey from software testing company Kobiton.
There have been issues though ranging from team collaboration and communication to alignment with other DevOps teams. 40 percent of respondents report minor disruptions to their QA processes, and 33 percent say they’ve experienced minor delays in their product release cycles.
Parallels Access 6.0 unveils Remote Help support, while Parallels Toolbox 4.0 adds five new tools -- including screen-break scheduler
Parallels International GmbH has released two major updates to its roster on the same day. Parallels Access 6.0 is designed to allow users to remotely access PCs and Macs from Apple and Android mobile devices, while Parallels Toolbox 4.0 is an eclectic suite offering over 30 different tools for Windows and Mac users from a single application menu.
Parallels Access 6.0 adds a new Remote Help feature alongside Bluetooth input device support on the latest iPads, as well as adding OneDrive and Google Drive support to the Android app.
Enterprises press ahead with modernizing applications
A new study from cloud solutions provider AHEAD shows that most enterprises are committed to modernizing their application software portfolios, but there are still challenges to overcome and improvements to be made.
Based on a survey conducted by Hanover Research the report shows only 37 percent of respondents are very satisfied with how fast they are currently delivering new software or new features.
Enterprises struggle to deliver software efficiently
Businesses experience problems in leveraging information to make data-driven decisions, communicating between teams and management layers, dealing with 'software sprawl', and accurately quantifying the cost of feature delivery delays a new report shows.
The survey by Accelerated Strategies Group (ASG), commissioned by CloudBees, also shows that many organizations have been able to tackle some of the facets of modern software delivery management, but that there’s still much room for improvement.
Microsoft is dropping PHP support from Windows
PHP 8.0 is due for release in November, but when this major new version appears Windows will not support it.
The company says that bug fixes and security patches will continue to be released for the lifecycles of PHP versions 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4. But when the latest version is released later this year, Microsoft will "not [...] be supporting PHP for Windows in any capacity for version 8.0 and beyond".
KeePassXC 2.6.0 released with completely overhauled interface and Have I Been Pwned checks
KeePass has long made life easier when it comes to managing an ever-growing list of passwords for websites, online accounts and so on. Now with the release of KeePassXC 2.6.0, users are being treated not only to a redesign -- including a dark mode option -- but also new features including offline database password health checks.
The program now features comprehensive reports about passwords stored in its database, including checking with security service Have I Been Pwned to see if any have been involved in password breaches. But there's more.
Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 8 promises much-improved 1-click photo fix
German software developer Ashampoo has unveiled Photo Optimizer 8.0, a major new release of its Windows photo-editing tool. The first major update since June 2018, version 8 builds further on the 1-click optimization tool introduced in version 7, plus offers additional manual fine-tuning tools alongside a new perspective correction feature.
Photo Optimizer 8 opens with what Ashampoo admits is a 'significantly improved' 1-click correction tool, designed to detect potential weaknesses in the original photo and provide improvements with no user involvement required. The improved algorithm has undergone two years of development and trial runs, with many thousands of setting combinations tested to help lift photos suffering from dull colors, poor lighting and a lack of contrast.
eM Client 8 lands with a UI redesign and new features for the cross-platform email client
With the release of eM Client 8, the desktop email client for macOS and Windows gets a visual overhaul in addition to a batch of new features. But em Client is about more than just email; there's also a calendar component, chat and notes.
Just about every aspect of the user interface has been redesigned to improve not only aesthetics, but also ease of use. A key enhancement to the software that will be welcomed by many is the ability to run multiple instances of the program simultaneously. This means it is now easier than ever to move between different sections of the app, as you're able to have, for instance, your emails open in one window, and your calendar in another.
Mountain Duck 4.0 adds recently changed files list, sync transfer progress
Swiss developer iterate GmbH has released Mountain Duck 4.0 for Windows and Mac.
Highlights in the new release -- a paid upgrade for all users, including those with licenses for previous versions -- include the ability to view the sync progress for current transfers, and an option to view a list of recently changed files on both computer and server.
Test automation is the future -- but not just yet
In a new survey, 55 percent of respondents say test automation would improve software quality, and 51 percent say they're releasing software updates daily or weekly.
But the study of over 350 software testers from mobile testing platform Kobiton also shows automation initiatives are still in their infancy, with 58 percent of survey respondents saying their automation programs are relatively new or at least six months from starting.
SoftMaker Office 2021 is a genuinely viable alternative to Microsoft Office
We may only be halfway through 2020, but SoftMaker Office 2021 is already here. After a period of beta testing, the office suite is ready for a full release on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Available either as a one-off purchase or on a subscription, SoftMaker Office 2021 is pitched squarely as an alternative to Microsoft Office. The office suite makes bold claims about competing with Microsoft's famous suite of tools, but the claims that more than stand up to scrutiny. This is an impressive selection of programs that has much to offer.
Software quality beats delivery speed for most developers
The latest State of Software Quality survey from continuous reliability company OverOps shows that 70 percent of respondents say quality is paramount and they would rather delay the product roadmap than risk a critical error impacting their users.
In addition, over half of survey respondents (53 percent) indicate they encounter critical or customer-impacting issues in production at least one or more times a month. A quarter of participants also say that over 40 percent of critical production issues are first reported by end users or customers rather than internal mechanisms.
Happy 25th birthday, Java!
Few things have stood the test of time in the Internet era. Technologies come and go at a rapid pace, as we create new and better tools to help us solve more and more complex problems. Once they've served their purpose, we bid them adieu and move on. Loyalty plays no part here. You either adapt or are left behind.
Looking back, you can (still) name a couple of game-changing products and technologies born decades ago that we continue to enjoy today. If you're a consumer, you're probably thinking of Windows or the Mac. If you're a software engineer, Java's high up on your list. And for good reason. As it celebrates its 25th birthday this weekend, it remains at the top of its game as one of the most popular programming languages ever created. Happy birthday, old timer!
How to use Windows Package Manager to streamline and automate app installation
Using a package manager to install software is something that will be familiar to Linux users, but it's not something that has been an option for anyone running Windows. But now this has changed since Microsoft released a preview of its Windows Package Manager utility.
You can think of using the winget command as an alternative to using the Microsoft Store to install app, or using traditional executable installers. But it's not just and alternative -- it also has the potential to be more flexible and powerful. Here's how to use Windows Package Manager and how to script it to automate the installation of several programs.
AOMEI makes its cloud management tool free for three months
We've seen lots of companies making their products available free during the current crisis. AOMEI has already made its backup tool available free for a year.
It's now added to that by making the full version of its cloud management tool MultCloud available free for three months.
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