Hiya.
I've been using the PortableApps suite, and while it is a great idea, it has one major flaw: it runs all the applications off the USB device.
This leads to certain applications (e.g. Firefox) running really rather slowly because they have to write to the USB device regularly.
The only real solution to this, if one wants to keep one's applications running within PortableApps suite (which is convenient) is to copy the whole PortableApps suite to the hard drive before running it, and then copy it back again when you're done. This is rather time consuming.
A solution to this would be for the Suite to have a "local cache" on the hard drive. So when you open an application it would copy the files to a location on the hard drive - e.g. "C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\PortableApps Suite" - and then when you exit the application it would copy back *only the files that had changed* and delete the rest. This wouldn't take too long, as copying down from a USB device is considerably quicker than copying up. And it would increase the running speed of the applications no end.
If you're worried that this system would be too complicated, or lead to unacceptibly long loading times for the applications (while it copies the files) you could make it an expert option that comes turned off by default, but that you can turn on if you want to.
Could you please let me know if anyone has thought of this before? Is there's currently a standard solution to the problem or if anyone is planning on working on it?
Ta,
Robin.
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> it has one major flaw: it runs all the applications off the USB device.A solution to this would be for the Suite to have a "local cache" on the hard drive. So when you open an application it would copy the files to a location on the hard drive - e.g. "C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\PortableApps Suite" - and then when you exit the application it would copy back *only the files that had changed* and delete the rest.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
Do what I do, install PortableApps on your hard disk and run them from there. And if needed copy the required PortableApps onto an USB flash drive.
Using a local cashe would be problematic as it would require copying parts of the PortableApps prior to launch and keeping it synced. This would slow down the use of the applications, even if you copy back only the changed files. Agreed, maybe its faster once the 'cashe' is set up, but the purpose of PortableApps is to have your applications run from a portable device AND to not leave any application specific data behind.
Although I like the idea partly, to for example have a local copy of your applications to increace LOADING time in regular use you end up or, using a temporary PC (in that case the copying for the cashe would take long) or using your own PC (in which case you could just as well used a local 'installed' version of the application suite).
Previous ideas were to use a local installed version of an app and use that while storing information on the portable device. This idea was nixed because in the real world the speed gained from it would be minimal. The longest time spend was on launching an app, and that's only a bit, after that the speed gain would be minimal.
I can see that it's problematic, and so this probably isn't the best solution. But I don't agree that the loading time is the most important concern. I use my portableapps from my USB drive on about 4 or 5 different computer a week - surely this is what it they were designed for - and the biggest problem I experience is with the running speed of Firefox.
I sit down, open Firefox and then have it open for an hour or more, and every time I open a new tab or try to load a new page or anything it freezes for a few seconds, presumably because it has to write to the USB drive.
So I end up just copying the FirefoxPortable folder to the local HDD and then copying it back when I'm finished, but this then makes the whole PortableApps launcher redundant.
LOGAN, you seem to be suggesting only using the PortableApps launcher on your own computer, and not using it portably at all, which surely can't be what it was designed for? On my local computer I just run all my applications natively (by installing them properly) - I only use PortableApps suite on other computers.
However, I can see that my idea is not really feasible.
Does anyone else have the same problem as I do? Does anyone else agree it could do with some sort of solution, if a good one existed?
Cheers,
Robin.
I for one do hot have the 'installed' applications of the apps anymore and only use the portable ones from HDD. This might sound strange but it's easier to backup and restore applications, or making a local copy to take on the road with you. So I use it Portable as needed when I need to. To me, it feels like I keep my windows installation a bit cleaner this way as I don't have a downside using a portable version vs. an installed one, but the advantage that I really have my settings everywhere I use the app(s).
You are indicating FireFox runs to slow on Flash drive. Did you follow the tips to get speed gain somewhere posted on these forums? You of course could copy the app every time but I have heard that the most slowdown is experienced on startup of the app and therefore I was told there was not much speed gain beyond that.
I'm afraid I haven't followed "the speed gain tips posted somewhere on these forums" because, surprisingly enough, I wasn't aware of their existence and still have no idea how to find them.
Do you not experience slow-down using FirefoxPortable from a USB drive? This seems very odd, because it happens to me every time. Try downloading a new version of FirefoxPortable and putting it on a flash drive - don't edit any settings - and then try running it off the flash drive and using it for a while, I'm sure you'll see what I mean.
If there are things that can be done to the Firefox configuration to prevent this, shouldn't they be added into the installation so that FirefoxPortable comes initially configured in the optimal way for running off a portable device?
Cheers,
Robin.
Unfortunately and due to the agreement we have with Mozilla, it cant be added to the configuration. But on Firefox's support page, there is a whole section about it.
All the support pages are linked to from the from the support-button at the top of every page.
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