The Portable Freeware Collection Forums

Napiophelios wrote:

webfork wrote:

chadross wrote:Perhaps the update flag should only be triggered if the version number changes and not just the content of the entry.

That's the current setting.

I think the RSS feed should now reflect the new settings Webfork mentions
If so I am happy as a clam.

I was just about to say; the RSS feed definitely doesn't follow that rule, and I use the feed for updates much more than visiting the main page.

chadross wrote:I was just about to say; the RSS feed definitely doesn't follow that rule, and I use the feed for updates much more than visiting the main page.

I believe that the RSS feed does follow that rule. It's just that Guinness often goes through and adds the "V" or removes a space or capitalizes a "v". There have also been some apps that have been changed to a beta release and then changed back. I just scanned through the RSS feed back to August 3rd, and I don't see any instances of multiple updates with the same version number (except one that was changed something like "Vv1.2 to "V1.2").

I think it seems like it must be the other way because there are quite a few apps on this accelerated release schedule (XMediaRecode, Stinger, Q-Dir, DesktopOK, System Explorer and Simple Port Forwarding come to mind).

The number of updates has overwhelmed me as well. I've considered unsubscribing from the main RSS feed, since I have a backlog of about 50 updates or apps that I want to check out, and I don't have that much free time these days. I think I spend 10-20 minutes per week clicking the "mark as read" button in FeedDemon just for TPFC.

I also wish I had an RSS reader that could collapse all of the replies to a thread on the forum into a single view, like Gmail does with email, which would cut the number of unread items by at least a third most days.

It seems changing a TPFC entry updates the corresponding feed entry as well. Some feed readers (for example Thunderbird) mark old, updated entries as unread while other ones (like Opera) still consider them as read.

It seems changing a TPFC entry updates the corresponding feed entry as well. Some feed readers (for example Thunderbird) mark old, updated entries as unread while other ones (like Opera) still consider them as read.

This depends on the feedreader. Typically, a feedreader should use the GUID of a news item to determine whether it has been read before. However, some feedreaders try to be smart and flag an item as new if its content has changed, even when the GUID is already found in the database.

So if you are using one of these "smart" feedreaders, if someone edits the description only, the newsreader will mark it as new even though the GUID has not changed.

Can you recommend a nice "dumb" one?

My proposal for the problem would be this:

Normal maximum update-rate per application is once per month. However, if an app updates less often, it can accumulate a buffer of up to 3 updates. Thus, an app that does not put up an update for 3 months, would be able to trigger 3 updates in quick succession. If an app used up its "buffer", new updates get defered until its buffer again has room for an update. At that point, the app is "bumped" once.

This would allow apps that have a "sane" update schedule to notify users of quick emergency fixes, and simulataneusly defer "update-spamming" of devs which's favorite hobby is making users download stuff over and over.

lyx wrote:My proposal for the problem would be this:

Normal maximum update-rate per application is once per month. However, if an app updates less often, it can accumulate a buffer of up to 3 updates. Thus, an app that does not put up an update for 3 months, would be able to trigger 3 updates in quick succession. If an app used up its "buffer", new updates get defered until its buffer again has room for an update. At that point, the app is "bumped" once.

This would allow apps that have a "sane" update schedule to notify users of quick emergency fixes, and simulataneusly defer "update-spamming" of devs which's favorite hobby is making users download stuff over and over.

Great idea. Maybe "once per month" is not enough, though.

infimum wrote:

webfork wrote:

infimum wrote:Someone's garbage is another one's treasure.

It may be counter-intuitive, but part of the success of this site has to do with the fact that there are fewer updates. A huge problem with the Internet is information overload and we as a site keep that under control.

Again, who is to judge if it's garbage or treasure?

For the time being, I think we can allow forum discussion to regulate this. The site has so far been able to do things in a reasonably democratic way and we've only had a few apps that had too-frequent updates. Some kind of moderator controls as Napiophelios suggests or only so many updates-per-week / month buffer system as lyx suggests may be necessary only if this problem continues. However, I have no issue with either if they are something Andrew wants to implement.

Can you recommend a nice "dumb" one?

I am currently using Google Reader, which doesn't seem to have this problem.

Normal maximum update-rate per application is once per month. However, if an app updates less often, it can accumulate a buffer of up to 3 updates.

This is a great suggestion, but I agree with webfork that there isn't any obvious abuse of the system yet, so I will KIV it for the time being.

Dumb RSS Feed - Firefox - RSS Feeds on the Bookmark Toolbar. It does the trick and I don't have the problem of seeing the description, it only displays the title of the application.

Just a question: how many PeStudio updates have there been over the last few weeks? I feel like I'm seeing one very few days, but that might be my imagination.

webfork wrote:Just a question: how many PeStudio updates have there been over the last few weeks? I feel like I'm seeing one very few days, but that might be my imagination.

http://www.portablefreeware.com/changelog.php?id=1950

Five updates in October already.

SYSTEM wrote:

webfork wrote:Just a question: how many PeStudio updates have there been over the last few weeks? I feel like I'm seeing one very few days, but that might be my imagination.

http://www.portablefreeware.com/changelog.php?id=1950

Five updates in October already.

Nice with updates u know

Just to get a feel of what everyone thinks, please vote here:

http://www.portablefreeware.com/forums/ ... hp?p=27767

Thanks!

SYSTEM wrote:

webfork wrote:Just a question: how many PeStudio updates have there been over the last few weeks? I feel like I'm seeing one very few days, but that might be my imagination.

http://www.portablefreeware.com/changelog.php?id=1950

Five updates in October already.

Make that 6. And it still crashes when you drag any EXE (including itself) onto it for me under Win7 x64.

1 update every 3 days. Annoying.