TntConnect 3.1 coming soon!

**So all this to say:  if you're with a large ministry, don't tell ALL your colleagues to download the beta, or you will have a mess on your hands in 30 days!**

This is a good note. When I communicate to our users, I'll be sure and tell them that if they are not encountering any problems, then they should wait until the full release. I know a lot of users are (WIndows 10/Mac El C.) and need the update. And some WANT it (Google Maps fix), but I think the majority may be oblivious to the technical issues if they are using 3.0 r39 without any problems.

I'm super excited about forward progress with TntMPD, Troy!  

That being said, early 2016 is not a good time to be forcibly removing an encryption feature and decrypting user data, possibly against their will.  See Apple vs. the US gov't, Amazon's Kindle Fire backlash, etc.

I get your point about whole disk encryption being a really good idea for some TntMPD users, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the rest shouldn't get any protection by default, or that "adding encryption to TntMPD was a big mistake".  You're obviously reacting strongly to something, but it's not clear to me from this blog article what you're reacting against.

Thank you very much for your hard work and for the advance notice about changes coming in TntConnect!

Jason --

I'll throw in an answer here. I'm not answering for Troy, but as a user advocate and frequent contributor to the forum. Troy and I discussed this user password countless hours before it was introduced in 3.0, and it was done in response to some fuzzy concerns from Cru's legal and technology areas regarding data protection. There was a lot of rumbling--not actual "requests"--to add encryption, but there were 'winds in the air' about "protecting donor data", and this password was created as a pre-emptive move, lest some folks say that TNT might be "loose with data" since that data is stored on the hard drive of a user's computer.

But the practical reality is that nothing has come of this. Cru has three other software tools that display and deliver donation data, and all three freely deliver that data unencrypted to user's computers. Furthermore, *all* data in TNT is also exportable. In fact, any time a user exports their newsletter list they have dropped donor data into an unencrypted spot. So encryption in TNT is akin to locking the doors of a convertible but leaving the windows and top down.

While the ultimate goal was to keep unwanted eyes off the data, the on-the-ground impact was that the primary people prevented from seeing the data was users themselves. I do not know how many dozens of users lost their entire database because they forgot their password and/or security questions. Many times it was when the upgraded their operating system or got a new computer... and had to re-enter the password for the first time in two years. I always felt powerless to help them. (Originally the password controls required re-entering the password every 30 days "just in case", and that too was frustrating to users). Once a user loses their TNT database, it is unlikely they will ever give TNT another chance; why take the risk of losing all their data *again*?

TNT would have required an online backup and online password restore feature, and a lot of other cumbersome features, but the question would be... Why?

I could go on and on, but the bottom line is that the encrypted database password was developed to meet a need that never materialized, and was almost universally disliked by users. And since Troy is no longer with Cru, that is one more reason why trying to meet vague Cru legal requirements--unenforced anywhere else even within Cru--is simply unnecessary.

Hi Bob and Troy,

Thank you very much for sharing all of those details about the story behind Tnt DB encryption.  That's really helpful to understand the full picture, and it sounds like you're taking some good steps moving forward.

The best use case for TntMPD database file encryption is probably when storing the DB on Dropbox.  Whole disk encryption on the missionary laptop doesn't cover the Tnt DB in that scenario. Currently, storing the DB on Dropbox is encouraged by TntMPD, and rightly so in my opinion for backup and spouse sharing purposes.  That move has probably helped prevent a number of database disasters situations.

Moving forward will TntConnect actively "push" the use of Dropbox?  Dropbox + BoxCryptor?  In other words, what's the message it'll convey to users about where they should store the database and what level of protection should be applied to the DB in that storage environment?

Thank you!!!

Jason

There is a scrolling message on the bottom that "Some data in your database [?] need to be recalculated." I'm guess that should say "may need" or "will need"?

I love a fair amount of change (as long as it's fun). Looking forward to a new season...

I am ready to dig into TntConnect 3.1 and help get it ready for the masses, including my daughter and her Navigator team in New Zealand.

Ready to help launch the next generation Troy!  Thanks for all you do.

Thanks Troy for all the hard work, fixes, and new features in TntConnect 3.1.  And thanks Bob for the Upgrade Overview video.  My upgrade on Windows 10 went gr8.  Looking forward to exploring the SmartPath videos, too. Kudos!!!

I am equally enthusiastic about this.

I have been anticipating this and want to contribute.

I use both a PC (at work) and a Mac (personal).

So when I started up my PC TNT it gave me the ability to upgrade with the message at the bottom of the screen

but with my Mac I didn't get such a message.

How should I upgrade to TNTConnect on my Mac?

Here's the Mac link...

 Download TntConnect 3.1 for Mac

www.tntware.com/.../33531.aspx

Troy,

Where and how would you like feedback on the TntConnect 3/1 beta release?

Eric

I can't thank you enough for the Access Database issue now fixed!  I gave up to ever using that tool once the issue first came.  Now that the issue is resolved... I love going back to my personal analysis tools built on the Access link.

Thanks You! Thank You!

Thank you so much Tory for fixing Google Maps! Unfortunately I just see the pins but no bubble when I click on the pins. Can you add a bubble to show at least the name of the person? That would help a lot to locate people when you show a group of people on the map

I noticed when you just hover over the pin, the name appears in a typical "title" tooltip. that helps at least for now...