Cannot Return to Stable Releases….

genesteinberg,

It is MY belief that once you enter into the next alpha phase of core development, you cannot revert to the previous Stable version (I think that flags have already been set that cannot be deleted). Here’s what I did recently NEAR THE END OF THE LAST BETA CYCLE:

1. I RESET this plugin to the Point Release Nightlies (to get it OUT of the Nightly Builds).

2. I used this plugin to delete All previously saved database revisions: https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/rvg-optimize-database/

3, I used this plugin to delete All of my cache: https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/wp-fastest-cache/

4. I DISABLED this WordPress Beta Tester Plugin.

5. I ran each of the previous mentioned plugins AGAIN.

6. I DELETED this WordPress Beta Tester Plugin.

7. I ran each of the previous mentioned plugins AGAIN.

8. I Logged Out of my Admin Panel, and then Logged Back in.

9. NOTHING appeared to change; and my Admin Panel still showed the Beta installation; UNTIL that particular Beta version ended and the actual New Stable Release came out.

10. At that point, my WordPress Installation settled into the Standard Stable Version, and did NOT re-enter the alpha/beta process.

May, or May Not work for you.

I do not run caching plugins, because our server is set up for Zend Opcache.

But I did do the other stuff and will wait to see what happens.

What about just doing a manual install after all this is said and done, since there probably won’t be another stable release for a while?

Peace,
Gene

IF you’re not willing to wait until the next stable release, a manual Reinstall may be the best decision for you.

WARNING: I’m just a WordPress end-user of Themes and Plugins, NOT a developer or programmer. You can reinstall through your Admin Panel, OR maybe through your Host Provider.

I would ask Someone Else if there is ANY possibility of losing any of your Content in the process you choose. I’ve never done a Reinstall, so I don’t know.

Just copying over the installation files doesn’t alter the database. The admin panel will just grab the developer version if it’s on that branch.

But I’ll try and let you know.

At least you’ve tried to respond. Too bad the developer of the beta plugin has been missing in action so far.

Peace,
Gene

This is tricky. After a log out or two once the manual upgrade is done, it did take on all but one site, where it required two stages of going through all these silly instructions.

But the problem is all due to sloppy programming on the part of the developer of the WP beta plugin. I’ve used it in the past without trouble. With 4.2 I had to go through all these hoops.

I’m even more concerned that the developer isn’t responsive to customer problems, which makes the situation even worse.

Unless things change, and the developer takes responsibility, I cannot recommend it to anyone.

Peace,
Gene

Gene,

To be fair to the developer of this plugin (and most other Core Developers) end-users such as Yourself and I are part of the problem. We like to stay on the leading edge of core development using our live sites as guinea pigs, even though a warning disclaimer does exist in the screenshot tab of this plugin. Stats show that since the plugin’s inception, there have only been approx. 138,000 downloads many of which were probably just trial installations. In the big scheme of things, You and I are probably in the minority of all global WordPress end users. We are risk takers, while most other users are probably not.

Another thing to consider is this: many plugins end up having conflicts with others. Without congruence with other plugins that address similar issues, bits and pieces of things end up not working. For awhile I have thought that the individual developers of these three plugins should get together and make sure that all three are completely compatible and don’t get into the way of each other when using their individual settings:

1. Advanced Automatic Updates
2. WordPress Beta Tester
3. Delete Multiple Themes

Currently, I don’t think an incentive exists for this to happen since end users such as You and I are in the minority. An incentive has been set into place for Core Developers to keep tabs on this plugin here: https://make.www.ads-software.com/core/2015/03/31/we-must-be-our-own-beta-audience/ (but only within their own circles).

Hope this makes you feel better…sorry if it doesn’t.

When someone takes the responsibility to develop and release a plugin of this sort, they ought to provide at least a modicum of support and answer legitimate questions.

Gene

To be fair, I think they are offering you some free development and you are chastising them for also not offering free support. What if you offered to pay for help?

Just a thought…

I expect some level of support, or to take problem reports into consideration in building new versions. If a developer wants to issue a plug-in as is, at your risk with no promise of support, they should say so. At least some developers are willing to accept donations for jobs well done, and that might provide a small amount of income.

Peace,
Gene

Wow some people should not be beta testing, how many warnings do you need.