BeerSmith 3: Here it comes. Thoughts?

[kh54s10]

Pre ordered. Looking forward to the changes.

 

[BeerTooth]

I am very new to brewing & very new to BS. I only have played around with it since purchasing it. Free upgrade to 3.0!

 

[TenaCJed]

I pre ordered and went with the gold subscription. Two reasons for me to go with the subscription over the standalone. 1. Cloud backups and 2. access to future online tools. I really like the idea of an online editor which would allow me to make a quick change to a recipe at work!

 

[IslandLizard]

Damn, another subscription-ware!

No upgrade path for me. I guess I'll pay the $25, again, for the full standalone version, at some point, not now.
I'm sure the release is buggy, but as long as fixes and those kind of updates are considered "minor," the SA version will do.

Who really needs (cloud) recipe storage / backup anyway?

 

[Smellyglove]

I just preordered the continuious yearly thing. I don't need a cloud thing, especially if it means i have to "copy" recipes and stuff to the clould every time. I use chrome remote desktop on the laptop in my brewery, and phone (when I'm in the lhbs) to remote into my desktop which runs Beersmith, and all stuff is also synced on gdrive for recipe backups.

 

[Rodent]

• Internet connection required: License is electronically stored in your BeerSmith cloud account, and activated online

I need to dig on this aspect further, to determine if I need access to run BS. I don't have internet access where I brew, and don't plan to add it there due to the cost of bringing it to the opposite end of the property into a steel sided shop.

 

[kh54s10]

Damn, another subscription-ware!

No upgrade path for me. I guess I'll pay the $25, again, for the full standalone version, at some point, not now.
I'm sure the release is buggy, but as long as fixes and those kind of updates are considered "minor," the SA version will do.

Who really needs (cloud) recipe storage / backup anyway?

Sure wish I had my recipes in the cloud when my computer died. I lost 10-15 recipes that I had started, some I really wanted to brew and had worked on them for a while.

 

[Smellyglove]

I need to dig on this aspect further, to determine if I need access to run BS. I don't have internet access where I brew, and don't plan to add it there due to the cost of bringing it to the opposite end of the property into a steel sided shop.

This is off-topic, but maybe to help for the poster above. You can use a directional antenna which is just extended from your router, and have also an extended antenna on a repeater inside your shop.

 

[kh54s10]

I need to dig on this aspect further, to determine if I need access to run BS. I don't have internet access where I brew, and don't plan to add it there due to the cost of bringing it to the opposite end of the property into a steel sided shop.

I am sure that this is needed for downloading the program, activating it and for use of the cloud. You won't need that while brewing.

 

[Rodent]

I am sure that this is needed for downloading the program, activating it and for use of the cloud. You won't need that while brewing.

this is my hope, but want to verify.

I'll use the SA version when I do upgrade to BS3.

 

[Smellyglove]

To me it looks like you need an internet-connection to start the software, by the short info given..

If license is stored online, your copy of the software needs to connect online (logging in to your account), to validate your license (which is held in your account), that's how I'm reading it at least.

 

[balrog]

"...mead...cider...whirlpool hops..."

Yes, yes; very nice.

What about true beer?

/sarcasm_off

 

[cegan09]

To me it looks like you need an internet-connection to start the software, by the short info given..

If license is stored online, your copy of the software needs to connect online (logging in to your account), to validate your license (which is held in your account), that's how I'm reading it at least.

If this is true I won't touch this release. Nothing pisses me off more than paying for something I can't use whenever I want. And internet outages do happen. If the software truly needs to ping a server every time you open it before it lets you use it, then I won't be upgrading. I can ignore the annoying growing trend of subscription software, and making you pay for updates (which is still annoying), but do not make it so that I cannot use the software I paid for should I not have an internet connection.

 

[kh54s10]

How I read it is you will download the program over the internet, apply the activation code over the internet and then it will work the same way as BS2

 

[Neilyboy]

I am in for the gold 9.95 plan. I've spent more on semi decent beer

Neil

 

[jcav]

I am going to upgrade also. Just looking to see which plan I want.

John

 

[mashinary]

I pre-ordered the gold membership too. I've been using BeerSmith since 1.4. It's nice to see there's a plan around adding more features after v3 is released. All in all it's pretty inexpensive for software that I use so regularly.

 

[EDF713]

I'm excited, I purchased Beersmith 2 just a few months ago, so I get the free gold access for a year. If I like it, I'll continue or buy the stand-alone version, if not I've got the older version.

I agree with folks that aren't crazy about the subscription model, but I hate to break it to everyone - the software industry is moving away from perpetual licenses and toward subscription models. There are a lot of reasons why and benefits for the customer, but it costs more over time with a lower up-front cost.

 

[cegan09]

How I read it is you will download the program over the internet, apply the activation code over the internet and then it will work the same way as BS2

if that is true, fine. But I want to see it confirmed one way or the other.

 

[Smellyglove]

I have no problem with a subscription model, if it's worth it. To me BS2 has been worth every penny I paid once. If I can support it further I'll do it as I quite often watch the podcasts and use the tool all the time. My plan is nine bucks a year. I feel I can afford nine bucks a year, it's just one less beer with a higher ABV pr year. If I want to upgrade I'll upgrade my plan because I feel it would be worth it. then maybe it would be one or two less store-bough beers pr year.

 

[EDF713]

I have no problem with a subscription model, if it's worth it. To me BS2 has been worth every penny I paid once. If I can support it further I'll do it as I quite often watch the podcasts and use the tool all the time. My plan is nine bucks a year. I feel I can afford nine bucks a year, it's just one less beer with a higher ABV pr year. If I want to upgrade I'll upgrade my plan because I feel it would be worth it. then maybe it would be one or two less store-bough beers pr year.

I agree with something like Beersmith, paying for a subscription supports a valued member of the homebrewing community. My opinion is different when it comes to paying an annual fee the same as the old standalone fee to upgrade Quicken...

 

[kh54s10]

The BeerSmith 3 License and Online Activation System
For the new activation system your license is tied to your BeerSmith cloud account, which offers a secure way to manage the licenses and computers you have activated. When you purchase a license, it is added directly to your account. You can manage your licenses by logging into your account here. You do need an internet connection to activate your computer. It only takes a minute and is good for the term of your license. You also have the option when purchasing to sign up for a yearly subscription, which will renew automatically each year.

When you activate your software it will ask you to open a secure link and log into your cloud account, and then it will tie the activation to your online license. Each license comes with two or more device activations, and you can deactivate devices, renew your license or manage license options from your BeerSmithRecipes account, or by logging in and going to the profile page at any time.


I only see from this that you would need the internet to download the program and to use the activation key. Not to be online to use the program.

 

[Bassman2003]

I am looking at the basic, non-subscription package but am confused with "minor updates only" text. Anybody know what this means?

 

[day_trippr]

Earlier speculation in this thread suggests bug fixes and minor improvements - the .n versions - would be covered, but a major release would not for one-timers.
Makes sense to me, particularly the expectation of subscriptions to cover anything that changes in a subscription year. If BS4 comes out the last week of a subscription one should expect the upgrade to happen...

Cheers!

 

[Horseflesh]

BeerSmith is important to me and so I am interested in the new version. It was good to see someone here say the UI is now better... BS2 is not awesome in that regard.

Zero chance I will buy a subscription. I never use the online features of BS2 and can’t see that changing. I’ll buy an upgrade down the road if I need it.

 

[mscroggi]

I agree with folks that aren't crazy about the subscription model, but I hate to break it to everyone - the software industry is moving away from perpetual licenses and toward subscription models. There are a lot of reasons why and benefits for the customer, but it costs more over time with a lower up-front cost.

Whether it's a trend or not doesn't make it the best practice. If you purchase a product up front, it should be usable without a subscription fee, but possibly without the extra features the subscription delivers. If a subscription service is used, there shouldn't be an up-front cost for the application.

 

[mscroggi]

I am looking at the basic, non-subscription package but am confused with "minor updates only" text. Anybody know what this means?

Major updates would be a change in design. like what you are seeing from BS 2.x to 3.0. Minor updates would be the 3.1, 3.2 ... 3.x updates that would deliver bug fixes and tweaks.

 

[Exception13]

I just went ahead and preordered the Gold License subscription, $9.95 for the first year, $14.95 each year after that.

+1

 

[Exception13]

I need to dig on this aspect further, to determine if I need access to run BS. I don't have internet access where I brew, and don't plan to add it there due to the cost of bringing it to the opposite end of the property into a steel sided shop.

Again, not to hijack, but have you considered a powerline adapter like this ?

Plug em in, sync them up and you'll have two utp ports in your shop, plus your WiFi signal is rebroadcast as well. Speeds up to 2000Mbps depending on the model you choose.

Cheers!

Chris

 

[eric19312]

Anybody know if there is a way to add photos to a brew session or recipe in beer Smith? This is one feature I miss the most form migrating from beer alchemy.