Why are there two apps/versions of Smultron?
It is not possible to have two versions of the same app on Mac App Store. So that’s why I had to release it as a new software. I need to keep the old version around for those millions of people who have not yet updated to Lion and are still using Snow Leopard (and also for those people who prefer the way Smultron 3 was designed).
Smultron 4 uses many Lion-only features which is why I can’t have the same version for both Snow Leopard and Lion. Of course one can argue that one shouldn’t have a Lion-only version but I think it is more important to use the very best design for the new product and spend less time making compromises to keep it compatible with both.
And it is also not just a Lion-update; it is a major update and those generally costs money, like e.g. Lion does.
I have already bought the earlier version, is there an upgrade price?
Mac App Store doesn’t allow special update prices for those who have bought an earlier version but what I have done is kept the price ridiculously low so it wouldn’t hurt too much to buy version 4. And the price has always been much, much lower then it perhaps is worth (at first I thought about selling it for much more but I want my users to be able to afford it easily and then be able to afford possible coming major releases - all version 4 updates will be free).
Some apps have free updates “forever”, why doesn’t Smultron have that?
First see above but then it also different approaches to licensing. Some prefer to have a steep introductory charge and then free updates, other prefer to have it really cheap but then major updates will cost a small amount.
Why has the UI changed?
Both the new document model in Lion and usability studies made me realise that the “one window” way is not optimal for the majority of people. If you only have a few documents open it is more flexible, easier, faster and more elegant to have them in separate windows.
I do know that some open 20, 30 or more documents and for those the new design is not optimal. But I think that once one get to be more familiar with Lion and Smultron 4 and learns what the new features are like Resume, Mission Control and App Exposé with its ability to quickly open recent documents, perhaps the tendency to open that many documents will not be used that often (that is exactly what happened to e.g. me). But I also realise that some people really use all those documents and really need all to be open all the time and then Smultron 4 is perhaps not the best text editor for them and they should use Smultron 3 (see above) or another text editor.
How can I switch between documents with the keyboard?
Use the built in system command to switch between the open documents (the shortcut can be changed here: System Preferences - Keyboard - Keyboard Shortcuts - Keyboard & Text Input - Move focus to the next window) and remember that holding shift reverses the direction. And you can also use Mission Control and App Exposé. And of course use the Documents window.
How can I see two parts of the same document?
Choose Duplicate in the File menu and then arrange/scroll the window so that you see the part that you want. And then just close the copy after you are done.
Why can’t I comment here on this site or on Facebook/Twitter any more?
Unfortunately I had to remove it as some people can’t use a civil tone. I know that the people who have nothing better to do than to share their hatred on the net is a minority and this affect the majority, but it quite simple takes too much energy to deal with that hatred and I’m not willing to give them a forum.
