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Moderator update [resolved]

Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 3:53 pm
by webfork
Some of you have probably caught on that I'm not as active in the last few months as in years past. I've been able to stay on top of most moderator functions and I've been able to keep posting generally shorter posts or freeware-related articles, but I'm very much down in terms of overall activity.

I haven't moved on to other projects and I'm still actively using portable freeware every day, but things have been especially intense in my professional life for quite some time and I'm struggling to stay afloat. There's some opportunities that I didn't think I'd get that are also carrying a lot of extra hours. Hopefully I'll find a better balance in the months ahead.

Anyway, if anyone has been waiting for a moment to get more involved on the site, we're very happy to have you. I've written a how to help out on the site thread, but really this place is something you can make your own.

In the meantime I'll do whatever I can in the time available to help keep things organized and spam-free.

Re: Moderator update

Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2018 4:09 am
by Midas
You've been doing a fine job in my book and I thank you for it. 8)

OTOH, overall forum activity is noticeably down since most of the old-timers went away...

Re: Moderator update

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:03 am
by webfork
Midas wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2018 4:09 amYou've been doing a fine job in my book and I thank you for it. 8)
Thanks :)

Midas wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2018 4:09 amOTOH, overall forum activity is noticeably down since most of the old-timers went away...
There's certainly a cycle of people moving into and out of projects like ours. I've often wondered if I didn't do enough to encourage participation or wasn't focused on what most users really care about. Yet I still have hope because, at least from a hardware and network perspective, portable software is still super relevant:

Storage
  • We have an ongoing speed and storage boom that shows no signs of slowing. Heck, for $30 I can store and run every program I have to an external device and do it faster than just 3 years ago.
  • A rise in SSD-based external storage media often much faster than the internal hard drive.
  • Plenty of cheap, easy, and secure cloud storage solutions.
Self-contained
  • Portable programs help keep us above the almost daily stories about security and privacy issues.
  • There's a rash of programs requiring Internet connectivity to even start, which you don't find in portable software.
  • Vitalization options mean that you can keep using older programs long past their OS compatibility expires.
Anyway, portable tools are still making my life easier and to the extent that continues, I'll continue to advocate for it.

Re: Moderator update

Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:45 am
by Midas
Ditto. 🙇

I can still remember the time when every software in a PC was portable, even the OS -- we use to carry it around in floppy disks... yep, I'm that 'legacy'. 💾 🗜 👴

Probably how I got my bent for portability, too...

Re: Moderator update

Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 7:46 pm
by webfork
Midas wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:45 am I can still remember the time when every software in a PC was portable, even the OS -- we use to carry it around in floppy disks... yep, I'm that 'legacy'. 💾 🗜 👴

Probably how I got my bent for portability, too...
We're in a similar category. Ultimately when Windows 95 came out, the notion of saving settings in "Documents and Settings" was for convenience. At the time it was probably a good idea, but over time settings and information just get tossed all over the place. New Windows versions only made it worse. This is happening on Android maybe worse than before, the primary workaround being some kind of online sync feature that sometimes backs things up properly, sometimes not. It's a long way from the DOS days.

Re: Moderator update

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:05 am
by __philippe
Mind if I join the 'legacy' choir ? ;-)
webfork wrote: Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:03 am ...
[*]Vitalization options mean that you can keep using older programs long past their OS compatibility expires.
...
THIS is one of the big + of portable programs in my book as well

Besides, well deserved Image @webfork for his unremitting dedication in moderating our peerless Portable Freeware Colletion board.

(post edited to fix one of those bloody broken postimage URL :( )

Re: Moderator update

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:56 am
by xor
+1 Thx to Webfork for keeping things much alive with his accurate forum moderation
+1 Thx to __philippe for teaching me 2 or 3 new WORDS on my quest to improve my English everytime he posts a comment with his peculiar manner ;)

Re: Moderator update

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 12:03 pm
by __philippe
@xor
Cheeky, cheeky...flattery will get you nowhere... ;-)
Anyway, thanks for your appreciation of the occasional idiosyncratic prose of mine... 8)

Re: Moderator update

Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:10 am
by webfork
__philippe wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:05 amBesides, well deserved Image @webfork for his unremitting dedication in moderating our peerless Portable Freeware Colletion board.
Thanks very much.
xor wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:56 am +1 Thx to Webfork for keeping things much alive with his accurate forum moderation
+1 Thx to __philippe for teaching me 2 or 3 new WORDS on my quest to improve my English everytime he posts a comment with his peculiar manner ;)
lol

Re: Moderator update

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2018 8:05 pm
by webfork
Since I can't support projects as much as I'd like with my time and effort, I wanted to poll the group about donating to a beloved program. Ideally would prefer to give to an open source project. Any suggestions?

Re: Moderator update

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:55 pm
by Andrew Lee
webfork wrote:Since I can't support projects as much as I'd like with my time and effort, I wanted to poll the group about donating to a beloved program. Ideally would prefer to give to an open source project. Any suggestions?
I'd suggest finding out which are the top X app you use on a daily basis, and donating to them.

Re: Moderator update

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 3:27 am
by Midas
May I suggest ReactOS (http://reactos.org/)? Development seems to be streaming along and TPFC might need something like it in a distant future to stay relevant...

Re: Moderator update

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2018 4:14 pm
by webfork
Update on this:
Andrew Lee wrote: Tue Apr 17, 2018 6:55 pm
webfork wrote:Since I can't support projects as much as I'd like with my time and effort, I wanted to poll the group about donating to a beloved program. Ideally would prefer to give to an open source project. Any suggestions?
I'd suggest finding out which are the top X app you use on a daily basis, and donating to them.
Agreed. I ended up donating to ScreenToGif on an ongoing basis, which is just getting better and better. A few short GIF/APNG vids made with that program have already saved me a remarkable amount of time.
Midas wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 3:27 am May I suggest ReactOS (http://reactos.org/)? Development seems to be streaming along and TPFC might need something like it in a distant future to stay relevant...
I didn't understand this comment (the bold text) when you posted it originally, but I think I do now. I don't know much about this project but I'll look into it.