Hi Bryan,
I hear what you're saying, but I simply don't remember (and I don't have a record) of the exact issues that lead to the EIP change from File to View. I know some of the _advantages_ of using the View (most specifically when it comes to secondary files) but I don't recall if there were specific disadvantages of doing it via files.
Clearly a more detailed record of the various reasons for the various tweaks would be nice around about now, but alas it doesn't exist.
I agree this version has been too long in the editing stages, and with each pre-release I've tried to move closer to a final release. Indeed a final release has been the "goal" for some time now. However I try to make sure that when there is a final release it's solid enough for "everyone to use". The last few pre-releases have clearly had bugs - and as in your EIP report some of them are rather serious and require a serious structural change. This can lead to less stability in some cases rather than more. the alternative would be to "ignore" structural inadequacies, which is clearly worse.
At the moment I'm working on another structural change because of a difference between FF and IE. So something which has been "working" forever is showing a case where it fails, specifically in IE, and specifically in a certain (rather complex) setup.
Clearly I have to fix that - which will mean _at least_ a PR15 and possibly more releases after that.
The sheer volume of people now writing apps with NetTalk (including ourselves) leads to more and more complex layouts and functionality. And inevitably some of that has unforseen knock-on effects in different situations.
Look at the bright side - all the stuff you have reported has been addressed, including this EIP issue, so at least when there is a release at least your stuff will be solid.
I hope arrogance is not setting in, at least I don't think it is. I'm trying to balance more and more needs though, in more and more potential situations. It's simply impossible for me to test _every_ combination and get builds out on a reasonable schedule. Yes there's an element of doubt sometimes - but the alternative to that is no pre-releases at all, and it'd still be 56 months between builds, and the builds would be of a lower quality.
Cheers
Bruce