PA.c FAQ Part I Beta Release 2

A few months back (maybe more?) someone suggested, for all I type, I ought to make a PortableApps.com FAQ. I have been working on one off and on, and I intend for it to be in 2 parts. The first part is/will be an overview of PA.c and portable applications in general. The second part will focus on using them, backing them up, common problems, using non-PA.c apps, etc.

I've got a first draft for the first part, and I'm posting it in Beta Testing because... well... it's a beta. It's definitely not ready for prime time, but I'd like to get input on what I can trim, what should be added, and what needs to be clarified more. If you have general suggestions, that's great, or if you'd like to quote part and just rewrite it, if others like it and it looks good I'll just throw it in.

Release Notes: 2009-12-27 PA.c FAQ Part I Beta 2
* Removed italics
* Changed instances of WINE to Wine
* Removed references to Windows ME
* Clarified PortableApps compatibility
* Changed a "100%" to "absolutely"
* Updated to mention live installers

2009-12-20 (Initial release of Part I)

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Welcome to the PortableApps.com FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). In honor of the upcoming 2.0 stable build, we've put together some questions people have either asked or might be inclined to ask, and their answers in order to better welcome new members and to re-familiarize old friends with what this project is all about.

Overview

1. What is PortableApps.com and just what are portable applications?
PortableApps.com is a project dedicated to promoting portable applications. Portable applications are software applications which are designed to be used without installation. You can install them on a USB flash drive, portable hard drive, iPod, cell phone, PSP, memory card, or just about any device that can store files. These applications will work the same on just about any computer you run them on. You can even use portable applications on your local PC if you reformat your computer and reinstall Windows often (e.g. if you test operating systems). Rounding out the portable solution is the PortableApps.com Platform, a menu reminiscent of the Windows Start Menu, which launches the apps.

2. But why would I want portable apps?
If you just use one computer, and you never use another, you may not want to. If you use computers at work and/or school, you might want to use software not provided on the machine, such as a better web browser, a media player, or a game. If you use a friend's computer, you may not want to interrupt their email and social networking sessions to log in to your own. You may have a video or sound clip, or a document that you want to share, but you don't know if their computer can play it or read it. If a portable app works on your computer, it will work on other computers.

3. What computers can I run portable apps on?
All PCs running Microsoft Windows should be able to run portable apps. Support for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 is the primary focus, but Windows 98 and Windows 2000 should be able to run them as well. You can check each application's compatibility on its page. (Windows 95 predates and therefore did not support USB.) Linux users running Wine can run some PortableApps as well, but should be advised they will be running Win32 code, not native Linux apps, which carries certain consequences -- and while Wine compatibility is a goal, some won't work. Mac compatibility is sketchy and is done through a Mac (x86) port of Wine called Darwine. Instructions for setting that up on your own machine can be found here, but even if you do that at home, do not expect a Mac in the wild to support it. Consult the following table (which is in need of an update) for compatibility information.

4. Who is behind PortableApps.com? Can I help?
PortableApps.com is an open community of developers, testers, and fans. It was started by John T. Haller, who started with Portable Firefox way back in 2004, before Firefox 1.0, and before U3 (more on that in a bit). Since then, over three dozen applications have been portablized* by the community. Anybody can help by donating, as the entire PortableApps project costs more to run than it earns. Anybody can also help by telling their friends about PortableApps.com. Buy a cheap flash drive or two, load it up with the PortableApps.com Platform and a bunch of apps you think someone will like, and give it as a gift. Anybody with a little bit of computer know-how can test portable applications -- just head to the Beta Testing forum, pick something you like, and report any problems you have with it. The more people who test apps, the quicker they can be pushed out as official releases. If you really want to get your feet wet, and you know a bit about programming, head over to the Requests forum, and attempt to make an app portable.

*We know portablize isn't a word, but we use it to describe the act of making an app portable.

5. Just how portable is portable, anyway?
Many software developers define an app as portable if you can stick it on a flash drive and use it on any computer. PortableApps.com stipulates that it must not leave any personal information behind. All PortableApps.com applications feature a launcher which calls the actual program. This launcher sets up an environment for the application to run in, and when you close the application, cleans up after it.

6. What is/was U3?
U3 was an attempt by SanDisk to do what the PortableApps.com Platform does, and it mostly failed. Only specially-made flash drives could even use it -- U3 absolutely did not work on standard flash drives or other portable devices. U3 fooled computers into thinking it came with a read-only CD-ROM drive, where the applications were stored. This protected them for the most part, and was a feature standard flash drives lacked. U3-compatible portable applications are still out there, and only work on U3 devices with the U3 Launchpad software. They do not work with the PortableApps.com Platform, though many applications made available for U3 are also available in the PortableApps.com Format. Very few programs for U3 are current. Official PortableApps.com applications are released the same day to up to a week later than the release of the official, installable build.

7. Who are all these other players (R34, geek.menu, and others)?
PAM MOD R34 is a fork of the old PortableApps.com Menu 1.1 which adds a boatload of features such as categories, the ability to rename and hide apps, and change the folders (e.g. Documents, Videos). This fork comes in the form of a patch which overwrites your menu. There is a new version of the patch, but all it does is patch the new menu, 1.5.2 -- it is not a new version of R34 at all.

geek.menu is another fork that adds categories, but its primary selling point is its inclusion of TrueCrypt, which will encrypt your drive, but you can only decrypt it in computers which give admin access, so you probably can't use it at work or school.

PortableApps.com cannot officially recommend either of these forks, but many users enjoy them. Just know they are not supported by PortableApps.com and asking for help for them is generally frowned upon.

Asuite, Pstart, and Appetizer are not forks at all. They are "competing" menu systems that do things a little differently. While we passionately recommend the PortableApps.com Platform for launching portable apps, these and others like them are generally fine. Experiment, see what works for you, but we hope you will find the PortableApps.com Platform best serves your needs.

Then there are portable app sites which portablize freeware and even commercial software illegally, and offer modified versions of open source projects, minus the source, and with their name (or something like PLUS) plastered all over them. Since these sites willfully break the law and violate the rights of others, we tend to frown upon their mention. If you discover such a site, discuss it at your own risk, but never post links. If you make use of their services, we definitely do not want to hear about it.

8. Can I really use portable apps at work/school? Will that get me into trouble?
It is not the intention of PortableApps.com for you to do anything contrary to any network agreement you've signed at work or school to limit your activities, and furthermore take no responsibility for any actions you take to stray from such an agreement.

That being said, many schools and employers which allow you to use their computers do not forbid running software from a portable device, although there is a growing trend to disallow this, particularly in highly-sensitive (e.g. military and government) environments. If you are doing any kind of top-secret work, it is likely that your employer will frown upon you having a flash drive in the first place. However, while most educational and corporate environments prefer that you do not install software on their machines, many IT departments are hip to portable applications and smile upon them favorably. There are those who do not, however, so it is best to ask if in doubt.

9. Is it safe to use portable apps in the wild?
PortableApps.com apps, again, do not leave personal information behind, but the host computer will keep a record of software that has run. The administrator will be able to go behind you and see what programs you have run, and PortableApps.com launchers do not cover these digital footprints. With a program like CCleaner or CleanAfterMe, you can do exactly that. However, be advised that in any case, if you digitally access another computer you do not have physical access to, or the Internet, these logs may be kept. Modern web browsers encrypt your login and password when you log into a site, but the local machine could have a keylogger on it. Also, if the computer has a virus, there is a chance your applications can become infected. PortableApps.com does offer a spyware remover and an antivirus program, but neither features the kind of on-access scanner you need to stop these threats before they occur. If you run portable apps in the wild and at home, you should have an on-access virus scanner to check your flash drive before it has a chance to potentially infect your system.

10. Just how legal is all of this?
Originally, PortableApps.com focused only on open source software with a license approved by the Open Source Initiative (OSI). Open source software is, by nature and intent, legal to modify and redistribute. Recently, PortableApps.com has begun supporting freeware as well. Despite its name, freeware typically means free to use, but not to modify or redistribute. Rest assured that every non-open source freeware application on PortableApps.com is legal. Every freeware app's author has given the portable version their blessing. Many host the portable version themselves. Some enthusiastically sought partnership with PortableApps.com. But not one has any grievance with PortableApps.com. If PortableApps.com can't make contact with and secure permission, the app is not released, but rather, a "live installer" is released, which will download the application from the author's page and configure it on-the-fly for portability.

There are other sites out there that make portable apps, and not all are legal -- in fact, most are not. PortableApps.com only uses the one site (and hosts with SourceForge.net, where it holds an account). Any site claiming affiliation, e.g. by using the name or logo, perhaps slightly altered, is doing so without permission, authorization, or endorsement from PortableApps.com. Also, if you see a site offering portable variants of high-profile software (e.g. Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop) you can be absolutely certain that they are illegal. There are a few commercial programs out there that do use the PortableApps.com Format, and if they are offered by the author, they are legal.

11. Great! How do I get started?
First, download the PortableApps.com Platform. You can download a full suite, a light suite (OpenOffice.org office suite removed and replaced with a word processor, AbiWord), or the Platform by itself. The applications in the suite are not kept up-to-date, however, so if staying current is a concern, just get the Platform by itself and pick out the apps you want. The current stable version will always be offered on the application's page. (Sometimes, such as in the case of Audacity, the latest beta is preferable, and you can get help in the forums for running the latest beta.) If you want to stay on top of updates, you can follow @PortableApps on Twitter or become a fan of PortableApps.com on Facebook. In the not-too-distant future, it is our hope that you will be able to purchase flash drives pre-loaded with the PortableApps.com Suite.

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