Question 1.5.0a removed from download?

Can I make a bold suggestion? Would it be possible to insert into the K 1.5.0b release kit (when it eventually sees the light of day) so that, where it\'s installed, the forum pages will display, in big bold letters, the following text:
UNSUPPORTED KUNENA TEST VERSION - NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PRODUCTION USE

That might help

Good suggestion but no it won't. The alpha was the same.

No, I think you misunderstand me, GM. I mean, the text (that I suggested) should be planted into the Kunena source code, as part of the installation kit that the user downloads, so that it appears on the user's website! Now do you understand?

I guess what I mean is that no matter how many warnings and what manner of warning you attempt to furnish the problem is that the terminology for most Joomla newcomers is too alien. Terms like "Alpha" and "production environment" mean nothing to anyone save those that understand them-usually experienced users. Most of the problems reported were by those that simply thought they were installing the latest version and didn't look past that. Others just simply didn't not read the warnings and if they did failed to heed them. So even if the language was as plain as you could make it people will still install it/upgrade in situations where they otherwise should not.

I did tech support for many years and many of the problems I ran into was people failing to read and/or understand directions.

If that is the case, GM - that no amount of what-part-about-UNSUPPORTED-TEST-VERSION-don't-you-understand warning isn't going to penetrate the user base - I would strongly suggest that the beta test version download must be quarantined from the main production download site. Further, the beta test version release notes need to peppered with repeated warnings that the version is not guaranteed stable, the potential risks that users expose themselves to if they implement the version on a live production site and the limited support that will be available.

If it's not possible to educate users to read warning notices (or if those notices are buried so deeply that they easily miss them) then why not place a few hurdles in the way to make it more difficult to access the material? I would sooner deal with questions about why it's hard to download K 1.5.0b than see questions about why K 1.5.0b isn't working.

Lastly, with K 1.0.10 about to be publicly released, let's not confound matters by simultaneously releasing K 1.5.0b. One thing at a time, please.

I think you guys are making a mountain out of a mole hill here.
Sure there are going to be people who don't read instructions and don't follow directions, but this happens in all walks of life, not just here on Kunena.com.
The reality is the dev team does want people to download the alpha and beta versions in order to find as many bugs as possible.
I don't know this information but I'm willing to bet the percentage of downloads of the alpha version that have actually been put into production environments is very small. Sure there have been a few people coming on here to report bugs and then we find out that they have installed it onto there live site. But as stated earlier there is always going to be people who don't follow directions or don't have a grasp of the differences between Alpha, Beta, RC and Stable. This is all part of the game.
No amount of warnings are going to be enough for the kind of user who installs alpha/beta versions of software into production environments.
Best thing you can do when they come here is advise them of there mistake and thank them for reporting the bug.