New website complete

Step 1 on the road to v3 is to finish the new website with forums and so on. That is complete. However, when we upload that new website, it's going to break v2.0.8 and any version before that. So before we can upload the website, first we need to make available v2.0.9.

To explain a bit more on why a new website would break the software...

In v2.0.8 and earlier, the first thing that happens when you start the software is a version check. The software asks the website "what's the minimum required version?"

Next comes the subscription check. The software asks the website "is this computer allowed to use backtesting, alerts, and/or auto-trading?"

Just to get all technical on you for a second, let's say the old website speaks English, and the new website speaks Japanese. Here's what happens now:

v2.0.8: What's the minimum required version?
website: Hello sir. Thank you for your enquiry. We are pleased to be able to tell you that the minimum required version number is v2.0.6.

When we upload the new website, here's what's going to happen:

v2.0.8: What's the minimum required version?
website: ごめんごめん。英語話せないんだけど。日本語できる人はいないんでしょうか？

Unfortunately for v2.0.8, there will indeed be no one around who can speak Japanese, so the version check will fail and you won't be able to move past the version check window.

That's where v2.0.9 comes in. So that's our next task.

Incidentally, these calls to the website have been an annoyance to many customers over the years. Mainly because it enforced an internet connection to use the software, even if you just wanted to do some backtesting or something. So in v3 we've changed it.

When you start v3, there is no version check, and there is no subscription check.  v3 will be freeware.

You can do a version check yourself, but the results will be more "what versions are available", rather than force you to upgrade to a particular version.

Lastly, you may have noticed that the minimum required version number has been set to 2.0.6. This version was chosen because the majority of customers were still using v2.0.6, instead of the current release of v2.0.8. And that's fine, because v2.0.7 and v2.0.8 added only the ability to download prices from FXCM. If you don't use FXCM then you wouldn't have needed to upgrade. However...

When the new website is published, that will essentially be a forced upgrade to v2.0.9. Just an advanced warning that you'll soon need to set aside some time to upgrade.