Feedback on the new Upwork Team App

[Ramandeep K]

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@Vladislav M wrote:

Guys, admit it... it's just not ready for production. That notice I've got today from Upwork that Jan 1st old app will stop working - simply throws us under the bus

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 +1 or I would say +10

The new app installer is not working on Windows Vista as well. I have also submitted a support request. Three days are gone but no satisfactory answer. Even, formatted my system and re-installed Win Vista (32 Bit).

Jan 1st deadline should be postponed until we get all these things fixed.

[Alexander K]

Dear Ivo, all following is my own opinion as a Linux user. I know it a rare case for you, but if you asked for a feedback - voila.

Upwork TeamApp should be a time tracker and to do this task well. That's enough! Several comments about features of the application:

* We’ve integrated Upwork Messages with 1:1 chat, group chat, the ability to switch between most recent conversations and unread messages

Please, do not make your application too complex, and do not spend your time to this feature. I need good (working) time tracker, that's it. You cannot make something better than well known XMPP clients, Telegram, Skype and so on which all are working for everyone and anywhere.

* You can upload files up to 95 MB in size

I'll have nothing to upload having not working time tracker, but if I have I'll find the way to send 95MB to my client.

* Keyboard shortcuts for the most-used commands

A time tracker and screenshot grabber is not Adobe Photoshop or Indesign. Nobody works all day in a time tracker. Good menu and mouse operational interface would be enough. I afraid of I wont learn keyboad shortcuts of another one application.

Now about Linux flavor of the application. It does not work as expected in case it works at all.

As a CentOS user I cannot even install it:

# rpm -i upwork_x86_64.rpm
error: Failed dependencies:
        libgtkglext-x11-1.0.so.0()(64bit) is needed by upwork-4-1fc18.x86_64
        libstdc++.so.6(GLIBCXX_3.4.14)(64bit) is needed by upwork-4-1fc18.x86_64
        libstdc++.so.6(GLIBCXX_3.4.15)(64bit) is needed by upwork-4-1fc18.x86_64
        systemd is needed by upwork-4-1fc18.x86_64
        beesu is needed by upwork-4-1fc18.x86_64

The first question about this: what for do you need systemd here: for time counting or for make screenshots? In fact it is not required for the both.

The second queston: beesu is a wrapper for "su" that provides a graphical interface. OK! What for do you need it?

I use CentOS 6 branch (officially supported until November 30, 2020), and it will never have systemd.

Unfortunately, this seems as if your developers do not like to develop in the mean of programming. It looks as they collect and adopted some modern techniques being popular for now and decided make it mandatory for all users of their application. Not the best way of programming.

It may sound strange but odeskteam/v.3 was working without systemd and especially beesu...

As an Ubuntu user I can install Upwork TeamApp v.4. Great! But I still cannot use it as a regular Linux+QT application. It seems to be written by not a UNIX/Linux developer. For example: sitting in CentOS6 I can run Skype or odeskteam/v.3 remotely from Ubuntu 14.04 host by ssh as well as a lot of other Linux applications but Upwork TeamApp v.4. I really need it! It is not a bad idea to keep an application's settings and it's work history on a single host. (Odeskteam/v.3 does not work on CentOS6 too, that's another reason of I have to run it remotely from Ubuntu when I need work with it on CentOS.) Unfortunatelly, Upwork TeamApp v.4 for Linux is not made for Linux world. 

Dear Ivo, I'm so sorry for my long and unpleasant feedback but, you know, a time tracker is too important application for a freelancer - it is a work tool really. And it is money (yours money also). It should be strong specialized, simple, and reliable. It is expected to work everywhere. And - please trust me - Linux provides to a developer all required for that.

Unfortunately, for now Upwork TeamApp v.4 for Linux is not usable. The old version is not ideal too but I could force it to work at least, if it will be disabled due to v.4 it will be serious problem to me.

I want to ask you again: please do not concentrate on a messenger or on a file transfer application, please do not substitute functionality of the Upwork site. Please give me a good time tracker!
Thank you.

[Ivo V]

Hi Alexander,

Thanks for your notes. We do try and build for users of all different OS. Can you try following these instructions to install the app on CentOS? Please let me know if this works for you.

https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/Can-t-install-the-Time-Tracker-on-openSUSE/m-p/140683#U1...

You can also turn off the Messages in your Team App Preferences.

Ivo

[Alexander K]

Hi Ivo,

> We do try and build for users of all different OS. Can you try following these instructions to install the app on CentOS? Please let me know if this works for you.
https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/Can-t-install-the-Time-Tracker-on-openSUSE/m-p/140683#U1...

> You can also turn off the Messages in your Team App Preferences.

Your solution does not work. Did you try it for your self? If you read my feedback you already know I said it is not a Linux world application. Please find a good programmer who able to fix it.

[Ionut I]

Hi Ivo,

In the oDesk Team App I could enter a proxy to connect (Tools->Advanced->Connection).  Whitout this proxy I can't login because in my network the port to upload screenshots at upwork is blocked. Please can you consider add since Jannuary 1st this ?

Best regards,

Ionut

[Marek A]

Wow

I'm impressed, there are other persons that have problem with new app.

I'm suprised because from support I always have inforamtion that this is only my problem and no one complains about it.

And I'm wondering, in that case what technical suport is doing - they didn;t look at my ticket for 2 weeks, so what are the isuess that they investigate?

[Alexander K]

Marek, it is not your problem! It is problem of Upwork if they think of bad programming is a problem or rare users. Usually rare ones do unsual things. I hope oDesk/Upwork is interested in "rare users". If it do not - finally clients will look for that "users" on other sites.

For me, this variant of a time tracker means fixed price contracts only here.

[Ivo V]

Marek,

I’ve checked on the back-end, and our technical support lead is already in contact with you. Hope your problem will be resolved soon!

[Marek A]

Well yes after two week and after I put it to forum, someone interested in my problem.

Thank you.

[Ivo V]

Ionut, I’ll message you privately and try to resolve this issue for you.