Zotero 5

mmckone · April 28, 2017

I would like to get some advice about Zotero 5 beta. I have been running it for awhile now because it solved some issues for me with loading large data files. I work at a library and do some basic teaching of Zotero to our patrons.

Even though the new version is still beta, I am inclined to advise our users new to Zotero to just go ahead and load the new beta version. My questions are:

1. do you think the beta version is stable enough to recommend now?
2. Is there good documentation for upgrading to the new version? In my case it was not risky to upgrade because I do not publish, but our patrons do so I need to have solid documentation about upgrading and making sure that everything including notes/attachments/tags etc. are preserved.
3. I had to hunt to find the link for loading the new beta version when I did it. Where is the link?
4. Are there reasons at this point to not upgrade?

Thank you!

Gracile · April 30, 2017

1. I'd say yes, but it's still a beta version… https://www.zotero.org/support/zotero_data#backing_up_your_zotero_library
2. No, but: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/59829/zotero-5-0-beta/p1 (by the way, Zotero makes a backup before upgrading your database.)
3. Same thread.
4. E.g: https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/269764/#Comment_269764

adamsmith · April 30, 2017

I'd actually be a little wary of encouraging large groups of users to use the beta, not because the software itself isn't stable enough (I agree it is and most of the reasons I give against upgrading that Gracile links to under 4. don't apply to new users) but because -- as you have seen -- the installation procedure is bit awkward (given that it's only documented in that thread) and there's very little documentation on 5.0 overall.

If you feel like you can handle those, I think having people start in 5.0 makes sense . It might be best to write your own little installation guide for 5.0 if you do that given the problems above.
What I would recommend either way is for new users to _not_ use the Firefox add-on only, as that's about to go away.

lkern · June 19, 2017

Care to speculate on a release date for the wider population?

Gracile · July 18, 2017

@mmckone and @lkern 5.0 is now available : https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/66414/now-available-zotero-5-0