Let me address the frustration that has been expressed lately with regard to the lack of firmware upgrades for Hapax.
The last release of hapaxOS was 6 months ago, which is uncharacteristic of our usual release cycle.
We understand this unexpected delay can be frustrating, but please understand the firmware is being worked on right now, and has been worked on since the latest 1.13 update. One reason for the delay is the adjustment of key pieces of the code architecture meant to make Hapax more stable and powerful, which has unfortunately significantly delayed the release of the next update. Another reason is of course the reallocation of some of our resources towards the redesign of Hermod, into the newly released Hermod+.
I know some of you felt the release of Hermod+ as a stab in the back, a proof that Hapax firmware updates were empty promises, and that firmware development was abandoned to maximize profit, and sadly I understand how you could come to that conclusion. It’s been said before that our communication could be improved, so here are a few points which I feel could clarify some things:
For the record, Hermod had become nearly impossible for us to manufacture, and our inability to meet demand severely impacted us financially. Making Hermod+ was becoming necessary
HapaxOs has been worked on this entire time, albeit at a slower rate
Developing Hermod+Os cascaded into overall improvements in HapaxOs, as they share a lot at their core
Our two top priorities today:
Finalize hapaxOs 1.14, which will be almost exclusively bugfixes.
Finalize the subsequent hapaxOs release
I’ve brought it up before, but we re-focused 1.14 to bugfixes only to speed up the release, however, some new features which have been developed over time should be introduced soon, once they’re properly validated. (note: version number is undecided 1.15/1.20, will depend on final scope of the update)
We have big plans for Hapax, and we clearly intend to continuously improve it for a long time.
If you have some Hapax bugs to report, now would be a great time to reach out through our contact form below:
Thank you all for your understanding
Back to coding
Cheers
TL;DR:
Two hapaxOs updates coming soon.
1.14 (ETA: within a few weeks) will be bugfixes only
next one (ETA: a few weeks after 1.14) will include additional features
Thibault, thank you for the insight/update. This type of communication goes a long way to make the customer base feel heard, and I hope this openness continues.
I understand that you probably couldn’t just say “we are working on a new product and that’s taking a lot of our time” for various reasons (user frustration probably being one of them) but it’s good to now know the actual reason. (I was a bit worried that it was something pretty serious)
and is now really hoping this makes a reappearance in 1.14/1.15/1.20
Please more updates, though! I think I speak for many here when I say that I’d actually be ok with an update of “nothing to report… still working on it” from time to time.
Thanks for conforming what I had hoped - that the two share some common code base and thus you can develop new things and improvements for both the Hapax and the Hermod+ at once!
I could be " disappointed by the lack of updates for Hapax "
but I prefer a company who spend time to solve bugs and start to develop new features on a reliable base.
I’m very happy to see a new product that share some codes with the Hapax, code will become robust. I Hope the Pyramid will join the party.
I prefer a company with a long term developppement than a company who respond to all the costumers demands and never solve any bug.
The most important action, as a user, is to report bugs and new ideas to help to improve Hapax and the other products.
The original post in this thread is perhaps the most, and is at least one of the most, transparent and inspiring explanations I’ve ever seen from any company from whom I’ve purchased a product. I am not one of those complaining too loudly with the current state of Hapax. Sure, I’d love to see more options in terms of Midi FX and other areas of growth for Hapax, but I bought it based on what it did at that time, not what I hoped it would do later, and am very satisfied with what it can do now. Either way, serious applause to Thibault@Squarp for their candid and encouraging post!
I never doubted there would be updates. In this world of smartphone instant gratification, impatience is a very common trait. We’ve seen it with video games, synths, and everything between. Software should not be rushed. Rushed software will ruin faith in a company much faster than slow firmware updates. That being said, the communication is much appreciated.
I’m really looking forward to see my Hapax grow!
Thank you for the update! It’s a wild time to be a small hardware manufacturer. Glad you are staying afloat and making headway in improving your products.
As a software developer, I 100% appreciate where you are coming from. It gets hard sometimes hey? I’m glad you’re still trucking along, and look forward to whatever fun things you have to show us in the future.
As someone who just received their Hapax not that long ago (after lusting for it since first announcement), I’m very happy to hear this, as I was wondering a little if it was still in development given how long ago 1.13 was.
Glad to hear things are on their way, and thanks for all the hard work so far.
Is there any way to get involved in beta testing or help in other ways?
I’m putting all my eggs in basket hapax currently - after following hardware sequencer development for almost 20 years, trying pretty much all of them, trying my hand at making my own sequencer with Max/Msp and other DIY solutions… It seems like an almost perfect fit for my needs/desires.
