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STOP PEOPLE SAYING - "MAKE PORTABLE"

(12 posts) (8 voices)

Started 12 years ago by Turvy
Latest reply from Anonymous

Turvy
Member

Please do something about this.. It's VERY easy to make a portable version of any program, So please can you stop people from suggesting it for whatever rewards they seem to think they get for that suggestion..

It seems to be the most common suggestion, and in some cases, the program actually DOES support portable execution, proving that the "users" on this site, don't always test the software..

It doesn't hold any merits towards grading the software itself, about how it well does or doesn't perform. All it seems to do is promote demoting software that a team may have written.
They may have taken months in some cases to write the software, and have it given away here for free, for people to grade it on whether or not it should be portable is just, well, pathetic..
PLEASE PUT A STOP TO THIS!

Idea.Informer.com.. If you are reading this, maybe you should monitor posts..?? As portable versions do exist sometimes, and it is still coming through, as a suggestion..

Posted 12 years ago #
graylox
Moderator

Hi, Turvy, thanks for your comment.
You are right there are a lot of "suggestions" which make no sense at all, and show that the user did not really try to understand the programme.
However, we (Administrators/Moderators) of this forum are not able to moderate the informer box. As far as I know, only the developer's company which is connected on the other side can do that.
I hope the developers have a thick skin and take it with a good sense of humour.

graylox

Posted 12 years ago #
BuBBy
Teh adnim

I think it is more telling that many of the suggestions come from the user not actually understanding what the program is supposed to do - an absurd example to highlight this would be if a file management program was being given away and the suggestion that it needed to be able to convert/edit graphic files or tag music files. Clearly the user hasn't actually understood what the programs intention/purpose was and is in fact trying suggesting that the program should be something that it is not (effectively a suggestion that the free car should also be able to fly and brew coffee).

To compound the problem users then vote on these suggestions getting a completely misleading impression of what the program is about and what it's perceived shortcomings and flaws are. (What's the point of trying out this software if it cannot fly and make coffee?)

Maybe if the developer had the ability to reset non-helpful suggestions to zero votes - and freeze them at the bottom of the list. Then users would have to find something new to complain about - if it isn't suggestions of "make it portable", it's that the votes are rigged, or the language on the developers website isn't perfect English...

Hopefully users will take the time to use and understand the software BEFORE making "considered" suggestions on how it could be improved.

Posted 12 years ago #
Anonymous
Unregistered

You can tell but can they read say make Portable & have Portable to download not look so how do you get them to look ?
All so some to dowload >
Portable Apps for USB or Run off HardDrive
http://www.pendriveapps.com/
http://www.portablefreeware.com/
http://portableapps.com/
http://www.snapfiles.com/features/ed_usb_software.html
http://www.softpedia.com/get/PORTABLE-SOFTWARE/

Posted 12 years ago #
mikiem2
Moderator

... It's VERY easy to make a portable version of any program...

Purely FWIW & with all respect I disagree.
A truly portable app will not make any permanent changes to the PC/laptop, & many people have a stricter definition that that, worrying about deleted file caches etc. when using something like a portable browser.

When started many apps will re-create registry entries & files/folders [usually in the Users section on the system drive], but that does not make them portable, & of course if the license key is stored in the registry or one of those folders it can't re-create that. The portableapps.com format can store registry entries & User files/folders together with the app itself, often re-creating those things on the host PC/laptop, then deleting them when closed, but there's little documentation & I think for most users it's beyond their expertise. Even using the Portable Apps Creator, a free beta tool using Auto It scripting it can amount to *quite* a bit of work, as every registry entry & user file created has to be monitored & then deleted from the host Windows, then the whole thing done again to make sure it worked.

It doesn't hold any merits towards grading the software itself, about how it well does or doesn't perform.

Again with all respect I have to disagree. I'll use the well known, popular VLC as an example [videolan.org]... Unlike many (most?)media players it does not install additional files to Windows, it doesn't heavily modify the registry, & it doesn't create/use a bunch of user files. Yet VLC has more playback functionality than most by far, is available cross-platform, & it does not break media handling in Windows, regardless how many media handling apps are installed. AFAIK in those respects it's unmatched. VLC wasn't designed to be portable -- it was designed & written to work well. Contrast that with Miro for example, which too has worthy goals. If the dev team spent the time & effort to make it self-contained, i.e. portable, it would have no impact on Windows or media handling so it wouldn't break stuff, & many more people might actually use it [no one's even bothered to rate it on videohelp.com]. At any rate the Miro team didn't make that kind of effort, & it shows in how the product underperforms it's potential regardless any impact or anything else. Now granted not every app can be designed from the get go to be portable, but like spelling/grammar errors & small bugs it very often does reflect the level of commitment to quality.

Hopefully users will take the time to use and understand the software BEFORE making "considered" suggestions on how it could be improved.

Very well put. Maybe too often saying *Something* is thought more important than *what is said*. Plus I imagine having a reward makes suggestions into a sort of sweepstakes entry for some folks -- every day they copy/paste the same thing, figuring maybe they'll get lucky, & they only spent seconds on the site if not. I'm not saying rewards should/shouldn't be offered -- only a possible side effect IMHO.

---

FWIW & all that, I'm a fan of portable software, but leave that choice to the devs -- a non-portable app simply has to meet higher standards before I'll install & give it an extended try out, potentially leading to recommendations & purchase. I think pasting in the suggestion to make it portable every day or most every day a bit ridiculous, just like most everyone else, perhaps more-so because it apparently sometimes leads to people getting the wrong ideas -- it was a couple of IMHO wrong ideas from the OP I was responding to, & not the general gist of the posting.

Posted 12 years ago #
BuBBy
Teh adnim

Maybe too often saying *Something* is thought more important than *what is said*. Plus I imagine having a reward makes suggestions into a sort of sweepstakes entry for some folks -- every day they copy/paste the same thing, figuring maybe they'll get lucky, & they only spent seconds on the site if not.

When there has been a "prize" for the best suggestion - I now encourage the prize to be awarded to the suggestion that the developer feels has the most value for his program and users. Clearly the most "suggestion votes" means about as much as how many thumbs up/down a giveaway can get - or who gets in first/earliest with a pointless suggestion.

Posted 12 years ago #
Anonymous
Unregistered

I agree very much with mikiem2.

There are many occasions where it is very handy to have a portable version, especially if you use work computers and do not have admin privileges, or have a nearly full laptop HD.

Obviously some programs are more suited to having a portable version than others, but for many of the giveaways, having a portable version would be very useful on occasion, where the program doesn't already have this option.

It also isn't obvious to non-IT non-technical people which programs preclude this by necessarily having to use registry entries and sometimes access admin enabled processes!

If a lot of people vote for a portable option, then I hope the program producer takes good note. The whole point of the suggestions is to provide feedback to the program producer and if that includes a well-supported 'make it portable' suggestion, then so be it!

Posted 12 years ago #
Inas
Member

I'm learning a lot by reading everyone's helpful comments about portability options - and thanks to all for the useful links - much appreciated.

Posted 12 years ago #
Simples
Member

Whilst I appreciate program portability, I'm not much worried about it. My reason for reading and commenting on this thread is more (in agreement with Bubby) about the frequency of entirely unhelpful suggestions (as in 'make portable' a program that is already provided in portable form).

It's possible to predict the make portable/make it skinnable/produce in 30 million dialects etc comments (and probably who will make them) every day.

Then there are the apparently sensible suggestions ("Make the preview window larger" when the previews are already zoomable), which attract lots of votes from folk who equally haven't bothered to check out an application.

With the GAOTD IdeaInformer rarely separating out suggestions/bugs/problems/info requests, a perceived fault with a program("HeavenstoBetsy, the Auto update box is checked!) or frustrations with installation/activation, result in useful suggestions being swamped, exacerbated by the ordering of 'suggestions' by numbers of votes.

Looking at the bunch of 'ideas' so far thrown at today's VideoMizer, it's difficult to see how the development team will garner much of use to guide the evolution of the program. Generally, most of the best ideas and views on GAOTD offerings seem to be in the comments.

If that is the case and it's not worth bothering with the filtered version of IdeaInformer, why bother with IdeaInformer at all?

One thought might be to limit folk to a single 'Idea' per day. Not exactly much of a suggestion in itself but perhaps there is some practicable way of getting better feedback for developers whilst enthusing more of the GAOTD downloaders to comment.

Posted 12 years ago #
Simples
Member

Hats off to SeriousBit (and the few other developers who have done so) for responding rapidly to suggestions and comments/queries. That not only helps to address problems (and less than helpful suggestions) but demonstrates how thoughtful feedback influences program development.

Posted 12 years ago #
Turvy
Member

Hi,

TBH, i wasn't expecting as much replies to this thread, as it got. Thanks to everyone who did. I half believed that this site was just people searching for free software, and not actually considering the work that has gone in to much of it.
I do realise that many comments are well thought out, and do assist in the developers quest of making the near perfect program ;-)

Maybe ideainformer should look at their own software.. It is obvious, sometimes, that suggestions are just added, without testing the software.

I have just come back from a five day holiday, so i missed any of last weeks comments, but today's comments don't have that suggestion. (Thanks be to all that is worth thanking, in the heavens or wherever they may be.)

Okay, i semi agree with mikiem2 about a truly portable app. The reason i say semi agree, is because, it's true, but doesn't really apply to most of the people that ask for a portable app.

I must apologise, i am literally only home, and checked my email, which led me here and i am not the best at explaining myself, as i have had very little sleep in the last few days, and am mostly checking my spelig misteaks. :-P (as i write)

I would, however, like to suggest, after ideainformer input is suggested, that maybe the "reward" for best suggestion, is backed up in this forum. i.e. If somebody does suggest something worth looking at in software that is on GAOTD (GOTD), then maybe they could go in to a little more detail in here.?

I do also realise, that this site works mainly on testing/trying out software. But if they are going to comment, why not write a few extra lines in the forum, and let people and/or the developers question them a little more on their reasoning?

goodnight for now..

P.S.. I LOVED MY HOLIDAY... :-D :-D :-D

Posted 12 years ago #
Anonymous
Unregistered

PORTABLE to day and now say not like it as can not find in the ad-remove not know you just go Delete

Posted 12 years ago #

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