TPFC Site Resources
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:09 pm
This post is an attempt to catalog important posts and threads on the site that includes some policy items, bits that may end up on the FAQ, and relevant links from other sites. While we have a Categories page on the site that helps organize programs, there's nothing like that for site forums. This is an attempt to give some structure to the huge amount of great ideas, information, and techniques suggested over the years.
I hope to improve it over time and at some point follow with a well-organized and clear listing that makes the information easy to navigate. Feedback and additions are welcome.
---
New users
Intro to the Portable Freeware Collection:
Introduction to portability
General software (not just portable tools)
Site matters
Volunteers
Search
Testing
Submissions / database entries
Updating database entries
Database submission
Other
Defining portability
... Other definitions, explanations:
Developer resources
Frequent requests for developers
User resources
Promote freeware you love
Making requests
Lost pages: For sites that are down
Related/Other
Editors for PFW's forums (BBCode editors):
---
Misc Site Policy Questions
What's wrong with web installers?
viewtopic.php?p=92806#p92806
Mining for portable software - a list of programs I hoped to test (somewhat out of date now)
viewtopic.php?p=80705#p80705
Do you accept software that you must register for (aka registerware ... short version: not banned but we look at it case-by-case)
viewtopic.php?p=81653#p81653
Why stick with 32-bit?
viewtopic.php?p=81901#p81901
Repeated posts on multiple threads?
viewtopic.php?p=81155#p81155
Can I use URL shorteners in an entry? (the short version is no)
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=23140
Removing old versions of Windows?
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=9180.com/forums/vi ... 705#p80705
Do you accept software that you must register for (aka registerware ... short version: not banned but we look at it case-by-case)
viewtopic.php?p=81653#p81653
Why stick with 32-bit?
viewtopic.php?p=81901#p81901
Repeated posts on multiple threads?
viewtopic.php?p=81155#p81155
Can I use URL shorteners in an entry? (the short version is no)
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=23140
Removing old versions of Windows?
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=9180[/indent]
I hope to improve it over time and at some point follow with a well-organized and clear listing that makes the information easy to navigate. Feedback and additions are welcome.
---
New users
Intro to the Portable Freeware Collection:
- Presentation (short): viewtopic.php?p=93245#p93245
- Text (detailed): viewtopic.php?p=72036#p72036
- Text (detailed): viewtopic.php?p=72036#p72036
Introduction to portability
Some other introductions to portability and freeware:
viewtopic.php?p=86594#p86594
Things you can't do with installed software
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23069
Reasons to use portable software? It's very similar to the sales pitch for the commercial VMware program "Thinstall" (isolation, migration, sandboxes, etc.):
https://www.vmware.com/products/thinapp.html
How do you upgrade freeware?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6359
What is Yet another Portablizer (YaP)?
viewtopic.php?p=85685#p85685
Why Portable Freeware?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23008
Why NOT Portable Freeware (when an installer is better):
viewtopic.php?t=23393
How do you update your portable collection?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5719
viewtopic.php?p=86594#p86594
Things you can't do with installed software
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23069
Reasons to use portable software? It's very similar to the sales pitch for the commercial VMware program "Thinstall" (isolation, migration, sandboxes, etc.):
https://www.vmware.com/products/thinapp.html
How do you upgrade freeware?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6359
What is Yet another Portablizer (YaP)?
viewtopic.php?p=85685#p85685
Why Portable Freeware?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23008
Why NOT Portable Freeware (when an installer is better):
viewtopic.php?t=23393
How do you update your portable collection?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5719
General software (not just portable tools)
Mini guide: Using software securely
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=25443
About virus scanners finding issues that are not a problem aka "False Positives"
viewtopic.php?p=76247#p76247
When you say "Launch program.exe -profile," how do I enable that? (AKA launch arguments.)
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=22327
What is the "registry" and why does Windows have one? Do other operating systems have something like this?
viewtopic.php?p=29347#p29347
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=25443
About virus scanners finding issues that are not a problem aka "False Positives"
viewtopic.php?p=76247#p76247
When you say "Launch program.exe -profile," how do I enable that? (AKA launch arguments.)
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=22327
What is the "registry" and why does Windows have one? Do other operating systems have something like this?
viewtopic.php?p=29347#p29347
Site matters
Volunteers
How can I help out at portablefreeware.com?
viewtopic.php?t=23031
viewtopic.php?t=23031
Search
How do I search non-public entries entries? (Programs that haven't received enough votes to appear in the main listing.)
viewtopic.php?p=75396&sid=58277ff0805cb ... f00#p75396
DuckDuckGo 's !pfw bang
viewtopic.php?p=93107#p93107
viewtopic.php?p=75396&sid=58277ff0805cb ... f00#p75396
DuckDuckGo 's !pfw bang
viewtopic.php?p=93107#p93107
Testing
What is the portable testing process? (flowchart)
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7718
What are some tools to test portability?
viewtopic.php?p=21751#p21751
Windows portability testing environment
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21885#p72857
Test your applications in a sandbox
viewtopic.php?t=2046
Testing for dotNET requirement
viewtopic.php?p=81778
Checking freeware connections (aka "phones home")
viewtopic.php?p=96370#p96370
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7718
What are some tools to test portability?
viewtopic.php?p=21751#p21751
Windows portability testing environment
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21885#p72857
Test your applications in a sandbox
viewtopic.php?t=2046
Testing for dotNET requirement
viewtopic.php?p=81778
Checking freeware connections (aka "phones home")
viewtopic.php?p=96370#p96370
Submissions / database entries
How do I submit an application to the TPFC database?
viewtopic.php?p=20975
Should it be added to the database?
viewtopic.php?p=25433#p25433
I added something to the database. Where did it go? Why isn’t it “live”?
viewtopic.php?p=76820#p76820
What software do you use for Submissions?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5733
How does the popularity score algorithm work?
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=14286
viewtopic.php?p=20975
Should it be added to the database?
viewtopic.php?p=25433#p25433
I added something to the database. Where did it go? Why isn’t it “live”?
viewtopic.php?p=76820#p76820
What software do you use for Submissions?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5733
How does the popularity score algorithm work?
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=14286
Updating database entries
How to write / edit an entry?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6579
Can we write custom changelogs?
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=22445
When there are multiple portable versions of a program – what do we list first (and why)?
viewtopic.php?p=39463#p39463
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6579
Can we write custom changelogs?
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=22445
When there are multiple portable versions of a program – what do we list first (and why)?
viewtopic.php?p=39463#p39463
Database submission
What NOT to post:
viewtopic.php?p=2857#p2857
Good guidelines / a checklist to review before adding something to the database
viewtopic.php?p=92115#p92115
How do I submit an application to the database directly?
viewtopic.php?p=64717
Can we list "beta" stage software or can we only show "stable" versions?
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=24356&hilit=reflect
How to get votes for a new entry?
viewtopic.php?p=83556#p83556
Why were dotNET programs not always allowed on the site?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6079
I just posted an update and it didn’t go live – what happened? (There’s a delay for programs with over-frequent updates.)
viewtopic.php?p=26408#p26408
viewtopic.php?p=2857#p2857
Good guidelines / a checklist to review before adding something to the database
viewtopic.php?p=92115#p92115
How do I submit an application to the database directly?
viewtopic.php?p=64717
Can we list "beta" stage software or can we only show "stable" versions?
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=24356&hilit=reflect
How to get votes for a new entry?
viewtopic.php?p=83556#p83556
Why were dotNET programs not always allowed on the site?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6079
I just posted an update and it didn’t go live – what happened? (There’s a delay for programs with over-frequent updates.)
viewtopic.php?p=26408#p26408
Other
Site goals / direction of our site (as of 2017)
viewtopic.php?p=85612#p85612
Updating your portable collection
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5719
Why doesn’t my signature appear?
viewtopic.php?p=87197#p87197
viewtopic.php?p=85612#p85612
Updating your portable collection
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5719
Why doesn’t my signature appear?
viewtopic.php?p=87197#p87197
Defining portability
The sliding scale of portability
viewtopic.php?p=72574#p72574
It writes *some* settings to the "AppData" folder, is it portable?
viewtopic.php?p=80177#p80177
Why is it when some programs write to the registry, that's okay but not others?
viewtopic.php?p=81882#p81882
If it writes to the registry or has dependencies, is it still portable?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1648 (this is actually “sticky” in the discussion thread)
Why do you bother with wasteful Electron-based software? AKA what does portable freeware actually accomplish?
viewtopic.php?p=91544#p91544
Some definitions of what constitutes a portable app (from amroamroamro over on Github):
https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/293 ... -115586202
viewtopic.php?p=72574#p72574
It writes *some* settings to the "AppData" folder, is it portable?
viewtopic.php?p=80177#p80177
Why is it when some programs write to the registry, that's okay but not others?
viewtopic.php?p=81882#p81882
If it writes to the registry or has dependencies, is it still portable?
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1648 (this is actually “sticky” in the discussion thread)
Why do you bother with wasteful Electron-based software? AKA what does portable freeware actually accomplish?
viewtopic.php?p=91544#p91544
Some definitions of what constitutes a portable app (from amroamroamro over on Github):
https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/293 ... -115586202
... Other definitions, explanations:
Developer resources
Agile use cases for portability (why a given user type benefits from portability features)
viewtopic.php?p=79704#p79704
Suggestions on picking a name for your program
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=24685
Top 6 wishlist for developer websites
viewtopic.php?p=97321#p97321
(Similar to the above "ongoing wishlist" but more involved) Project suggestions for freeware developers
viewtopic.php?p=83153#p83153
When NOT to make a portable version (sort of an anti-use case)
viewtopic.php?p=86495#p86495
Example of a great intro video: fast motion account of the program actually doing something useful is a great way to see what can happen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM4JKPeaISo
Security freeware developers: an open letter
viewtopic.php?p=76156#p76156
A list of software annoyances AKA what to avoid when making great software
viewtopic.php?p=65306
Creating help files
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13222
Problem: Not enough donations
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23512
viewtopic.php?p=79704#p79704
Suggestions on picking a name for your program
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=24685
Top 6 wishlist for developer websites
viewtopic.php?p=97321#p97321
(Similar to the above "ongoing wishlist" but more involved) Project suggestions for freeware developers
viewtopic.php?p=83153#p83153
When NOT to make a portable version (sort of an anti-use case)
viewtopic.php?p=86495#p86495
Example of a great intro video: fast motion account of the program actually doing something useful is a great way to see what can happen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM4JKPeaISo
Security freeware developers: an open letter
viewtopic.php?p=76156#p76156
A list of software annoyances AKA what to avoid when making great software
viewtopic.php?p=65306
Creating help files
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13222
Problem: Not enough donations
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23512
Frequent requests for developers
Top 6 wishlist for developer websites
viewtopic.php?p=97321#p97321
(Similar to the above "ongoing wishlist" but more involved) Project suggestions for freeware developers
viewtopic.php?p=83153#p83153
A list of software annoyances AKA what to avoid when making great software
viewtopic.php?p=65306
viewtopic.php?p=97321#p97321
(Similar to the above "ongoing wishlist" but more involved) Project suggestions for freeware developers
viewtopic.php?p=83153#p83153
A list of software annoyances AKA what to avoid when making great software
viewtopic.php?p=65306
User resources
Promote freeware you love
How to promote / advocate your favorite program
viewtopic.php?p=80845#p80845
How do you pay for freeware?
viewtopic.php?p=29297#p29297
viewtopic.php?p=80845#p80845
How do you pay for freeware?
viewtopic.php?p=29297#p29297
Making requests
How do I make requests for portablefreeware? What hasn't been developed yet?
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=8267
Donation coder's freeware request page
http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?board=71.0
Tools for making existing software portable
viewtopic.php?p=93471#p93471
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=8267
Donation coder's freeware request page
http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?board=71.0
Tools for making existing software portable
viewtopic.php?p=93471#p93471
Lost pages: For sites that are down
Cached Pages
http://www.cachedpages.com/
A Firefox plugin to deal with older programs whose websites have died:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... ne-162148/
Site pointing to the last free version of various software tools:
http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/index.html
Tips for using archive.org
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=24588
Dealing with dead websites
viewtopic.php?p=70178#p70178
http://www.cachedpages.com/
A Firefox plugin to deal with older programs whose websites have died:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... ne-162148/
Site pointing to the last free version of various software tools:
http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/index.html
Tips for using archive.org
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=24588
Dealing with dead websites
viewtopic.php?p=70178#p70178
Related/Other
Awards / Recognition for
viewtopic.php?p=15774#p15774
What will make you buy software AKA what software I'll buy
viewtopic.php?p=67140
Why would you give away source code? (An example of someone that literally died without giving away the source code so all his project stopped abruptly):
viewtopic.php?p=83656#p83656
File posting accessories
viewtopic.php?p=81774#p81774
WINE+Portable software / a.k.a. our stuff on Mac/Linux
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6964
History of avoiding Download.com
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/93 ... otivations
viewtopic.php?p=15774#p15774
What will make you buy software AKA what software I'll buy
viewtopic.php?p=67140
Why would you give away source code? (An example of someone that literally died without giving away the source code so all his project stopped abruptly):
viewtopic.php?p=83656#p83656
File posting accessories
viewtopic.php?p=81774#p81774
WINE+Portable software / a.k.a. our stuff on Mac/Linux
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6964
History of avoiding Download.com
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/93 ... otivations
Editors for PFW's forums (BBCode editors):
SCEditor - Web based: http://www.ecardmax.com/hoteditor/index_mini.html and https://www.sceditor.com/
BBCeditor - Downloadable, many features: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=24971&p=96596
bbEditor - Downloadable, basic: viewtopic.php?t=24212
BBCeditor - Downloadable, many features: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=24971&p=96596
bbEditor - Downloadable, basic: viewtopic.php?t=24212
---
Misc Site Policy Questions
What's wrong with web installers?
viewtopic.php?p=92806#p92806
Mining for portable software - a list of programs I hoped to test (somewhat out of date now)
viewtopic.php?p=80705#p80705
Do you accept software that you must register for (aka registerware ... short version: not banned but we look at it case-by-case)
viewtopic.php?p=81653#p81653
Why stick with 32-bit?
viewtopic.php?p=81901#p81901
Repeated posts on multiple threads?
viewtopic.php?p=81155#p81155
Can I use URL shorteners in an entry? (the short version is no)
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=23140
Removing old versions of Windows?
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=9180.com/forums/vi ... 705#p80705
Do you accept software that you must register for (aka registerware ... short version: not banned but we look at it case-by-case)
viewtopic.php?p=81653#p81653
Why stick with 32-bit?
viewtopic.php?p=81901#p81901
Repeated posts on multiple threads?
viewtopic.php?p=81155#p81155
Can I use URL shorteners in an entry? (the short version is no)
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=23140
Removing old versions of Windows?
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=9180[/indent]