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Self-recorder version numbers
Gareth Walker
Crackerjack
I'm finding it surprisingly difficult to figure out from the Community and Support sites what the latest version numbers are for the Panopto self-recorders for Windows and Mac.
Our institution rolls out software via a software centre, and we need to try and ensure updated versions are added to that -- especially when new versions come out and the Panopto recorder asks users to upgrade (which they can't do, owing to their admin rights).
It'd be helpful to have a page / place that clearly laid out the version history and spelled out the most recent version users should be deploying and have installed --- unless that already exists and I'm missing it!!!
2
Answers
Thanks Gareth, for reminding me about a point I was going to make! I second that - we use Software Center at Leeds Beckett as well, so it confuses users when that pop-up comes up and sends them to the wrong place.
Ok, after digging a bit further I can see that the release notes announcements in this community for the Windows recorder generally note the release version -- but not in the case of the most recent update, I think?
On the website, the download links for the self-recorder point to a folder called '11.11.0.00016' -- but I think that's for all the links, so can't be relied on for the individual applications. (E.g. windows seems to be at 9.x.x.)
I think a fixed page with a simple table and links to the release notes would be a useful quick-reference.
And then there's the additional factor flagged, that it is challenging if the Panopto self-recorder is telling users to download and install an upload that they can't do on managed devices (which will be the norm at many institutions). I can understand doing this for major releases with breaking changes --- so long as that's clearly communicated ahead of time and institutions can get things ready in their software centres accordingly. (E.g. as happened during the last Summer upgrade.). For more incremental tweaks to work in the same way, I think it'd be important for Panopto to ensure that there's likewise clear communication ahead of time; and/or to consider how the messaging and links could be managed in different institutional settings.
@Gareth Walker @Michael Hirst Thanks for your thoughtful feedback about versioning - I will take it back to the team! I also wanted to point out that, as a Panopto Admin, you can turn off the desktop application new version notifications for users. This setting can be changed under System - Settings from the Video Library.
Setting Name: Notifications - Desktop Application - Version Updates
Description: When enabled, Panopto desktop application users (Windows and Mac) will get a notification that a new version is available for download when available. Note: Panopto Admins will see this notification regardless of its setting.
Thanks Kathryn. That's really helpful -- I'd never clocked that this System setting would work in this way for users. (I expect there'll be more of the same in your training session this week!)
I should say that it's not a perfect solution because -- like a lot of large HE institutions -- we have a very mixed economy when it comes to devices. Most staff should be on managed PC devices. However, many also work and record on additional/other devices; students and postgrads are a whole other picture; etc.
I have the notion we can send messages out to the desktop application via the system settings too, so perhaps that's something we could look at.
@Gareth Walker We handle this by toggling the notification when we do a central deployment to managed systems. I usually send out the installer, then after a day or two, I will flip the setting for client notifications back on to catch the folks on non-managed systems.
Ideally, we would be able to set a "target/minimum" version locally that would feed this update notification so we could set our deployed version as the target, and only those below that would see it and just leave the notification on.
It would also be amazing if we could customize that notification.
Also, do note that the above does not apply to admins. If you have people that are site admins and they log into an old recorder, they will still get the notification even though another user wouldn't (at least this is how it works here).