Newtek, please announce LW2020 or provide another fix update for LW2019!

**jwiede** · 01-04-2020, 06:51 PM

Newtek, please either commit to releasing further bug fix releases for LW2019, or give customers some indication of when we might expect to see a new version release for Lightwave (ostensibly containing fixes for many of the significant, outstanding bugs present in LW2019).

It's now January 2020, there's been no official announcement whether there's even a LW2020 coming (let alone when), and the last fix update received was September 2019. Further, the entire 2019.1.1-2019.1.4 set of fix updates only fixed ~30 bugs, and the last "big" bug fix release was really mid-July 2019.

Leaving customers for months to significant fractions of a year without even a clue when bugs already marked "fixed" might actually make it into customers' hands does not qualify as adequate customer service, nor as responsive or responsible defect management. Telling customers bugs are "fixed" isn't useful when you then refuse to provide any reliable correlation or communication as to when those fixes might actually be available to customers (as is occurring).

**TheLexx** · 01-04-2020, 07:13 PM

Some indication also gives people notice of when to budget, which is beneficial to both customer and Newtek.

**wingzeta** · 01-04-2020, 07:50 PM

If only. I think this is like telling your slightly strange, but otherwise good looking, cousin, that if only he would "act normal", he could get a date. Some people are their own worst enemy, and they can't help themselves no matter how much common sense you throw at them. NT doesn't do basic customer service, so they get a lot fewer dates than they should. A lot of potential suitors eventually move on. It's sad. Here's to hoping their is either a LW 2020, or another 2019 patch, and an announcement of LW2021 plan. I'm fine either way. I just want LW to be working, and in ongoing development.

**Bernie2Strokes** · 01-04-2020, 09:40 PM

I support the former and the latter!

**gar26lw** · 01-05-2020, 04:38 AM

2020 to be released on groundhog day?

**hrgiger** · 01-05-2020, 09:15 AM

When will people realize that NT lives in a reality where they don't think marketing or customer communication is necessary?

**TheLexx** · 01-05-2020, 10:21 AM

One observation - would LW2020 be the first release since Newtek sold to the other guys ? Maybe that's why a little longer in the works, for a main version as opposed to bug fixes ?

**Nicolas Jordan** · 01-05-2020, 11:17 AM

Lightwave 2018 was released on Jan 1 2018 and 2019 was released on Jan 22 2019 so hopefully we will see a release before the end of the January if they are trying to stick to what they have been doing the past couple years. I'm fairly certain LW 2020 is on it's way soon because there have been bugs submitted but no bug fix releases so those will likely be part of the paid 2020 update that we will hopefully see soon.

**hypersuperduper** · 01-05-2020, 11:17 AM

Wasn’t the sale just prior to the 2019 release (or was it just after...I can’t recall)

**rustythe1** · 01-05-2020, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by TheLexx

One observation - would LW2020 be the first release since Newtek sold to the other guys ? Maybe that's why a little longer in the works, for a main version as opposed to bug fixes ?

well did anybody notice this page changed?
https://www.lightwave3d.com/about_lightwave_group/

**Chris S. (Fez)** · 01-05-2020, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by rustythe1

well did anybody notice this page changed?
https://www.lightwave3d.com/about_lightwave_group/

Looks like they changed management. A sign they are still invested in LW.

**jwiede** · 01-05-2020, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Nicolas Jordan

Lightwave 2018 was released on Jan 1 2018 and 2019 was released on Jan 22 2019 so hopefully we will see a release before the end of the January if they are trying to stick to what they have been doing the past couple years. I'm fairly certain LW 2020 is on it's way soon because there have been bugs submitted but no bug fix releases so those will likely be part of the paid 2020 update that we will hopefully see soon.

Yes, and LW2018 was first announced in early Dec. I can't find conclusive details about LW2019, so maybe it just appeared with no pre-notice (and if so, that'd make LW2019 an anomaly itself). That it's January now and we've still not heard anything about a coming LW2020 release makes a Jan 2020 release increasingly unlikely every day that passes.

That's why I posted, it's actually starting to seem like there won't be a typical Jan release, and that kind of tosses the last bit of release patterning they'd established. Thus far, VizRT's stewardship of Lightwave and Lightwave customers looks a lot like the worst periods of Newtek's stewardship of Lightwave and Lightwave customers.

**Qexit** · 01-05-2020, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by jwiede

Yes, and LW2018 was first announced in early Dec, which I recall was around the same time LW2019 was first announced (or maybe late Nov). In both cases, Newtek announced the new version of LW typically around a month before the upgrade became available for sale, "priming the pump".

That it's January now and we've still not heard anything about coming LW2020 release makes a Jan 2020 release unlikely, and Feb 2020 release less likely every day that passes.

If I remember correctly, LW2019 did not get a pre-announcement like LW2018. It just 'appeared' at the end of January with the first people knew about it being an official announcement in the form of a Press Release and Blog Post on the 22nd January:

https://www.newtek.com/press-releases/lightwave-2019/

https://blog.lightwave3d.com/2019/01...now-available/

So still plenty of time for them to make an announcement and/or full release this month

**hypersuperduper** · 01-05-2020, 12:19 PM

Lw 2019 just dropped out of nowhere I think. No announcement. As long as releases are more or less annual I think that is a good strategy. I hope that that is what they are doing now.