[sdfx]

And releasing more often means that the changes are smaller.

Also, developers have introduced a more clever way of introducing changes to the user. Overlays with explanations of new menus etc. which I've seen first on the web (i.e. gmail) are making their way to more and more "desktop" applications.

Introducing these changes slowly over time seems to avoid the "I will never install this version" effect.

[rtpg]

the interesting counter though is that people end up being more likely to be "stuck" with something they really don't like, and get to have it happen in slow motion (see the gripes about gmail).

I wonder if that that makes it easier or harder to convince people to use alternative software