How to know when a bug has been fixed?

[Steve]

How do I know when Microsoft has fixed a bug (in my case the loadpicture
bug in VB) and it is available as a download? And roughly, how long does
it typically take for them to make such a fix and to make it available?
Please advise where is it made available? I'm kinda stuck in the water
without it.

Thanks ahead.

 

[Steve]

Also, where do I go to see a list of known bugs on a Microsoft web site? I
can't find the loadpicture bug listed anywhere except mcgimpsey.com. Is
the accepted path to work bug reports through the MVPs?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

<remove.steven.allen17-0507040847440001@1cust178.tnt1.sherman-oaks.ca.da
..uu.net>,

How do I know when Microsoft has fixed a bug (in my case the loadpicture
bug in VB) and it is available as a download? And roughly, how long does
it typically take for them to make such a fix and to make it available?
Please advise where is it made available? I'm kinda stuck in the water
without it.

Bug fix releases are posted at MacTopia downloads:

http://microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx

In addition, they're usually announced in the MacOffice e-newsletter
(which you can sign up for at the MacTopia site, if you didn't when you
registered), VersionTracker, and dozens of Mac-related sites and blogs.

Based on my observations:

Fixes for security problems and bugs that make XL unusable for the
average user are released as soon as they are tested.

Fixes for less severe bugs, or, rarely, new features, are released after
3-9 months.

After 12-18 months, a consolidated Service Release may be issued that
rolls up any previous releases, and may include new fixes.

As for any particular bug, I wouldn't hold my breath. It may well be
fixed soon. Or not. Not all bugs get fixed, and certainly not all bugs
have the same priority. Unless it's a show-stopper, MS usually doesn't
announce when/if particular bugs will be fixed.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

<remove.steven.allen17-0507040911160001@1cust178.tnt1.sherman-oaks.ca.da

Also, where do I go to see a list of known bugs on a Microsoft web site?

Won't happen. Legal issues for one thing (every MS product license
states that the software is sold "as is", and may not be fit for any
particular use). Posting a bug list would be acknowledging defects, and
would likely be interpreted as a committment to fix the bugs.

I can't find the loadpicture bug listed anywhere except
mcgimpsey.com.

That's my personal list of things I've seen or been made aware of from a
public source. I'd like it to be helpful, if only in letting people know
that the bug is real, but it's not intended to be definitive nor all
inclusive. If anyone has a reproducible bug that isn't on the list, feel
free to send it to me.

Is the accepted path to work bug reports through the MVPs?

Absolutely not. MVPs, while they have some additional access to the
MacBU developers and program managers, are users, not MS employees.
While MS makes a "big deal" of how they appreciate MVPs (and I think
it's sincere, at least at MacBU and PSS - the latter not least because
MVPs save MS a ton of tech support funding), it's also true that MS
realizes that MVPs aren't "typical" users, and therefore don't
necessarily represent the market (or, perhaps, necessarily *don't*
represent the market).

The best way to submit bug reports and feature requests is through the
"Help/Feedback on <app>" menu of any MacOffice application. Those
requests get sent to the program managers and help them to guage the
level of interest/pain.

For now, at least, reporting them in these newsgroups is also
encouraged. MS is currently reading these groups looking for feedback.
(Though they don't tend to post replies very often.)