Macro Recorder is dead. Long live Macro Recorder!
by Alex Yumashev ·
Feb 23 2011
It's been a while since I announced anything "official" on this blog, but this announcement is worth mentioning here.
Our four-months project is finished: we have completely rewritten Jitbit Macro Recorder to the .NET platform. It's a HUGE amount of work done. It seemed unbelievable, absolutely unachievable when we started it... But here we are. It's been published on our website and it works. Even on our old XP-based test computers.
Why, there are several huge advantages:
1. The "ClickOnce" technology - Microsoft's deployment framework that enables the user to install and run an application by simply clicking a link in a web page. It even has a built-in auto-update feature. Which means - critical fixes and improvements reach Macro Recorder users faster. It works almost like in a web-application: we release a fix - all users get it instantly.
2. The .NET Framework - I'm so tired of C++ and VB6... Yes, I know, C++ is "cool". But I'm tired, sorry. The .NET framework makes the development process amazingly fast. Adding new features and releasing updates for the Macro Recorder has never been easier for developers. And - we made the application compatible with .NET version 2.0, which makes it compatible even with the oldest Windows computers.
3. Code-signature - the application is now "signed" with a security certificate from Comodo. Which means - no scary "untrusted publisher" boxes when a user installs our application, no false alarms from antiviruses and firewalls.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed cause I've never been that scared in the history of Jitbit Software. Jitbit Macro Recorder is dead, ladies and gentlemen. Long live Jitbit Macro Recorder!
Our four-months project is finished: we have completely rewritten Jitbit Macro Recorder to the .NET platform. It's a HUGE amount of work done. It seemed unbelievable, absolutely unachievable when we started it... But here we are. It's been published on our website and it works. Even on our old XP-based test computers.
What's so great about the new version?
Why, there are several huge advantages:
1. The "ClickOnce" technology - Microsoft's deployment framework that enables the user to install and run an application by simply clicking a link in a web page. It even has a built-in auto-update feature. Which means - critical fixes and improvements reach Macro Recorder users faster. It works almost like in a web-application: we release a fix - all users get it instantly.
2. The .NET Framework - I'm so tired of C++ and VB6... Yes, I know, C++ is "cool". But I'm tired, sorry. The .NET framework makes the development process amazingly fast. Adding new features and releasing updates for the Macro Recorder has never been easier for developers. And - we made the application compatible with .NET version 2.0, which makes it compatible even with the oldest Windows computers.
3. Code-signature - the application is now "signed" with a security certificate from Comodo. Which means - no scary "untrusted publisher" boxes when a user installs our application, no false alarms from antiviruses and firewalls.
Oh, don't get me started on this! Comodo (the certification authority) has been pestering me for weeks. They asked for my phone bills, they asked for copies of all documents possible, written signatures, bank account statements, utility contracts, address verifications... They called my cell phone and my landline number to verify we exist. In the middle of the night, of course, since I'm not in the US (I actually had to tell them how to dial outside the US: "dial 011..."). It took me dozens of emails, 5 lengthy support tickets, faxes... But it was totally worth it. Now I have that magic certificate that tells our users "those guys are real, relax and run the installer".4. Lots and lots of minor fixes throughout the application.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed cause I've never been that scared in the history of Jitbit Software. Jitbit Macro Recorder is dead, ladies and gentlemen. Long live Jitbit Macro Recorder!