Upgrade Timing - Day One or Wait for Service Pack?

[iru69]

I'm being pushed for a 2011 install against my SOP of waiting for the first new build release/webupdate/servicepack.

Frankly, this is a really tired and outdated approach to IT.

[richard.binning]

Frankly, this is a really tired and outdated approach to IT.

Tthanks for your input and criticism. It is really tried and true. It is about being able to provide a consistent level of service without constantly configuring "work arounds".

P.S. I moved the thread with a redirect in case you wanted to continue it. No sense in distracting others with a new subject.

[iru69]

They are arbitrary. The concept to mindlessly avoid new versions until a service pack is released and then install new version once service pack is released isn't an intelligent approach to IT, in my opinion. It doesn't mean mindlessly install new version on first day available either. It's using research, weighing pros and cons, experience with the company/product, and common sense. I object to the notion that "we never install anything until SP1" = "good IT". Obviously YMMV.

Tthanks for your input and criticism. It is really tried and true. It is about being able to provide a consistent level of service without constantly configuring "work arounds".

P.S. I moved the thread with a redirect in case you wanted to continue it. No sense in distracting others with a new subject.

Re-direct appears to be missing. I was about to inquire why my post had been deleted from the thread.

[ron.sanpedro]

For me it all comes down to the recognition that the first SP will not fix everything that needs fixed. Nor will the last. Nor will the next version of Revit. Short of a bug that causes regular data loss, I upgrade. Even Autodesk isn't retarded enough to ship a product with that level of problem just because of a marketing defined ship date.
For both major releases and SPs, I try to upgrade within a few weeks of release, and the only time that has caused suffering was the introduction of the idiot ribbon, not something that was subsequently "fixed" in an SP.

Gordon

[richard.binning]

We don't seem to disagree, we just vary in timing. All my experience with Autodesk tells me the safest bet is to wait until the first SP is released. This provides adequate time to update documentation, prepare training, build deployments, modify customization, upgrade libraries, etc. While I prepare, others can grind away with workarounds. I'd rather be spending my time productively rather than answering questions and troubleshooting. Nothing "mindless" in my approach.

[patricks]

2011 is the first release in which I've participated in beta testing. That plus the feedback from others on the beta testing forums told me to hit the ground running with 2011 when the RTM version was released.

Now I have typically installed the RTM the day of release, and started using it, and that has bit me in the rear a couple of times over the years (Revit Building 9 anyone???). But in this case I think using it straight away was the right choice. The problems we've had have been pretty minor.

[Wes Macaulay]

Don't you have that crazy bug where the status bar seems to be trying to refresh itself and it takes up to 30s for that business to clear itself up?

[trombe]

nice one Wes,
good distraction...although, I was wondering if it would get fixed ! I expect this will not happen during the first 2 SP cycles, and would be (pleasantly) surprised if it happened during this subscription cycle yuk yuk...well, it does not hold anything up that I have noticed !
trombe

[samov]

He knows what he's talking about... Revit 2011 is full of bugs, they are not that apparent as in 2010 where printing did not work, but i've had strange things happen in my projects too.

I don't even use the new features all that much. I wish i would have stuck with 2010 + SP a little more to save a few headaches.

Frankly, this is a really tired and outdated approach to IT.

[Wes Macaulay]

I think even with the status bar bug, we're still ahead because the ribbon refreshes itself less often in 2011 than it did in 2010. Going back you realize how much slower 2010 was all-round. And 2009 was even slower in displaying the model! (But the UI was of course blindingly fast)