Ben7230, I agree hundred percent!
HI,
Yes I have read the entire topic and understand thankfully NG are not removing the desktop version, I was simply adding to the topic from a desktop user perspective as stated by @lubos, we desktop users do not comment regularly on the Forum because for the most part, we are very happy with the product and how it has been enhanced over time to our benefit as well as Server and Cloud edition users.
If it is considered to run the “App” through a browser ( as it currently can) instead of as a windows app, then from my perspective will not cause any issues as I currently run it as a windows app as well as via a Browser for convenience, and yes I do understand it is not running over the internet, I think it is very clever how it does that!! Well done NG!
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FWIW - I am a longtime desktop user and like the standalone app presentation. Stability is a function of the rapid development and deployment strategy I think more so than the platform. I consciously stay a few versions behind and test on a separate PC with a backup file to get comfortable before updating my ‘production’ PC. Happy to help test in that manner. Agree that offering a beta test version and/or stable version releases would help users manage their upgrade process and risk.
@alasdair I fully agree on the need for a stable versus development platform. We have seen a significant rise in bugs from about 3 to 25 in the space of 3 months give or take! Prior to this, over the years changes implemented were introduced without user feedback and on more than one occasion in a backlash.
So yes, I fully support the idea of having development/stable tracks.
Having said that, I was approaching this from the point of view of cost of programming time to support three different operating systems and on top of that having to support older operating systems as well as current ones. I am not sure which OS the affected Mac version is, but one of the posts mentioned a macbook circa 2012.
To me, it doesn’t make sense to support 3 different operating systems and on top of that having to rely on 3rd party products like Webview2. The reliance of 3rd party products like Webview and whatever Lubos is waiting for the developer for the mac Os crashing issue to fix is now the Achilles heel.
So this prompted this discussion. Initially my thought was to abandon the desktop in favour of server and cloud as the only 3rd party reliance would be the browser. However, a better option of running the Desktop within the browser itself like a local cloud is in my opinion the best of both worlds as I myself am a big fan of non cloud solutions.
@Gadgetman I fully agree. I had forgotten that the desktop version could be made to run in a browser. Which is interesting because I have seen it used more than once to troubleshoot the desktop version.
Yes I would propose that the Desktop run in a browser. I think the original complaints against running Manager in a browser are no longer relevant and there is absolutely no difference between Manager in a browser and standalone. The only issue would be to maintain the single/multi user restriction which would be far simpler than having to support 3 operating systems.
Anyway, I have proposed the idea and the developer is free to reflect on the opinions of users and decide.
Could someone explain what it means to run in a browser.
To have manager core running in background as a service and to use the browser as the interface.
Yes I realize that but what does the browser part mean. My browser is google chrome I can only use that when I am on the internet
No you can use any browser offline for local stored files such as html. Just create an index.html file with some content on your computer and “open” this file in Chrome, it will show as if online. Or easier, go to a webpage in your Chrome browser. Click on FILE (top-bar) and save as webpage. Then open the file you saved as webpage. Manager will be working similarly without needing the internet to work in a browser as front-end.
Manager always used two programs to deliver it’s functionality
- A web browser to render the user interface
- A web server to implement the back end accounting functionality.
In more detail
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These two programs can run on the same or different computers.
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The web browser always runs on the users computer. This is very obvious when running the cloud or server versions as the user must first start a web browser of their choice.
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When starting the desktop version, two independent programs are started 1) the back end web server which in the Windows task manager shows as “ManagerDesktop.exe” 2) A web browser which in Windows task manager shows as “msedgewebview2.exe”.
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In the desktop version the separation between the backend web server and the front end web browser doing the rendering can be made more obvious by starting Manager Desktop, then opening a link in a new window, the exact method of doing this varies with operating system. Another way is to open a link to the local web server directly via http://127.0.0.1:55667/
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Oh I remember doing that and I use it often to look at different manager pages while I am working
Awesome @Patch
Exactly. This is a very useful feature - opening in new tabs. Chrome is primarily used to access websites on the Internet, but can equally be used to access a website on your very own server or on your own computer as the Manager backend is a website effectively as you can see when you open Manager in a browser to view different Manager pages.
I have been using the Desktop version for years and I find it very good. If you have no internet you can still use the Desktop version as long as your laptop battery is fully charged. We have a lot of power outages here in South Africa so it is very handy. The battery backup is great.
As a user of the desktop version, I’m sure there are probably more of us around than any other form of user. As the desktop version is currently free, I think most people who run a small business with 1 or 2 employees welcome how it currently works. On top of this, it is a multiplatform program and interestingly, I have just installed Ubuntu onto an aging laptop and the first program I installed was Manager as I trusted its reliability and wanted to see how it faired. I installed the backup from my dropbox and off it went. The advantage of backup and restore in this way is without doubt unique and long may it continue. Linux-based systems have had a hug surge of late due to the continual development of the desktop. If development of the desktop version is a cost issue, I for one would be happy to make either a paymnt for this product or perhaps a donation if it went that way, just to keep it going. Manager is a unique product and works well from my perspective. Yes, I have had a few issues, but they soon get resolved or workarounds discovered.
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All things considered, when I say more difficulty than it’s worth, I am alluding to the expense of advancement time to help three diverse working frameworks and the need to help end client’s mono/.net/webview2 and so on and all the connected end client PC issues. You may very well extended yourself excessively far. Cloud then again is without inconvenience. All the end client needs is a functioning web and program.
Indeed I concur webview should be made mandatory as there a ton of issues with that. Great to hear that the Mac issues will be arranged soon. In any case, I would in any case think about finishing support for more seasoned working frameworks.
If the developer designed Manager desktop to work in the end user’s browser be it Chrome, Edge or Firefox then Webview (and any issues with it) and all the Mac issues would disappear overnight.
I have seen more than one case of user having issues with Manager and they are told to open Manager desktop and then open Manager within a browser from that and whatever issue they have is resolved which proves my point. Just make Manager run in a browser even for the desktop version.
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In reality all the editions of manager including desktop are running in a browser. The desktop edition might seem to be standalone but it isn’t. It still depends on the browser to run effectively.
Not entirely, the desktop apps is an webapp and not a webpage.
What we are suggesting is that manager uses multiplatform technologies at its core and provides user interface exclusively via a webpage like a website.
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