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Feb
24
Written by:
Lisa Bowes
2/24/2006
There have been some questions about the frequency of updates for the mailing products that I would like to address here. The driving factor behind the Mailing Products update schedule is always conformance to USPS requirements. Recently the USPS has begun to update their Drop Ship database on a weekly basis. The Drop Ship information contained in this database consists of critical Drop Ship Delivery Point information necessary in order to send the truckloads of mail to the correct USPS dock in order to retain your Drop Ship discounts. Mailing Products customers that are Drop Ship Mailers (those producing 8125 forms, even occasionally) will need to update their Mailing Products software on a weekly basis in order to get the latest USPS information. This update is OPTIONAL, based on your specific mailing needs. Personally, I advise you to schedule and run an update weekly. The latest version of the software has a new messaging feature that will notify you that an update has been posted and is available.
For everyone else, program updates will continue as always. Scheduled Mandatory Program updates for all users in 2006 will take place as follows:
May Release – will need to be run by 5/31/2006
August Release – will need to be run by 8/31/2006
November Release – will need to be run by 11/30/2006
All Mailing Products may also have a Mandatory Update as dictated by USPS requirements changes such as forms or rate changes, while DAT-MAIL customers may also have a Mandatory Update outside of this schedule based on required Mail.dat specification changes.
It is always our goal to minimize the impact of updating on our customers. The Programming Team is in constant development to fine-tune and improve upon each update. The new messaging system was designed to greatly speed and enhance pertinent communications out to our users. We remain committed to keeping you updated-easily!
Stop back next week for a series of important notes from the Mailer’s Technical Advisory Committee meetings that affect all mailers…
Best wishes,
Lisa
Copyright ©2006 Lisa Bowes
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1 comments so far...
Re: Software Updates
Re: Software Updates By Kevin Fred on 2/27/2006
You do understand that your program "updates", "releases", "fixes", etc are full program downloads (55 to 60 MByte) and installation? For Dat-mail you had over 120 "releases" from Dec 04 to Dec 05.
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From: Lisa Bowes
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 3:46 PM
Subject: per your blog comment
Hi Kevin,
Thank you so much for reading my blog, and for giving me an opportunity to get back to you. First off, I understand your frustration with the old update process. It is feedback like yours that is aiding us in rethinking and redesigning this process on an ongoing basis.
Let me address the “120 releases”. Terminology is the issue here. We had 120+- “builds” last year. By no means were all the “builds” made “Public Releases”. We make only our Public Releases available for downloading. Users can check the release notes to see if the release contains something they need, and download and update only if needed.
“Mandatory Updates”, which are required updates, ONLY occur in these cases:
1. If there is a USPS rate change
2. If the USPS makes a statement change
3. When the USPS updates their destination files, required for drop shippers
There were less that a dozen Mandatory updates last year.
As far as the size of updates goes, the Destination Database Updates which will be posted weekly are NOT full updates, unless the user chooses to process the full program update. With the high speed capacity of most ISPs these days, downloading and installing updates is not as difficult as in the past.
Thank you and best wishes,
Lisa
As soon as I can figure out how to get into the blogger and approve your comment, it will be posted. You are my first comment J
Thank you and best wishes,
Lisa
By rasmister on
2/27/2006
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