I've posted a proposed "Development Test Release" splash screen for comments. The idea is that this splash will be used for early alpha and beta packages of apps before we get to the "Pre-Release" phase, during which it will have its own custom splash. It's a greyscale version of a standard splash... of the new standard splashes that you'll start to see on apps tomorrow, anyway.
Development Test Release Splash Screen
(be sure you get the version with the PortableAppps.com/DevelopmentTest URL)
I (now) have the URL pointing to portableapps.com/DevelopmentTest and my thought is that we put up a page there explaining what a development test release is and have links to the forum, etc.
I'd like to get some thoughts before we say go on this, so don't start using it yet, please.
Regards,
John
UPDATED (January 11, 2008): The correct URL is now /DevelopmentTest
UPDATED (January 13, 2008): The Development Test page is now live
The full details on use are coming, but some initial ones are within this post:
https://portableapps.com/node/10870
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Will there be a test folder on the sf project too?
Regards
marko
Paid for Software more or less?
What You need is OSS!
I look forward to working with this sort of stuff when its all ready for the general public. Shame I cannot use this yet as I have a new version of Workrave Portable to put up in Beta Forum.
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I like it. I think once these start getting used, we should make the test page a table of released apps (ala Patrick's one) with links to forum topics for support and downloading.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
... could be a sub-page of https://portableapps.com/development.
I like the table of the supported apps on https://portableapps.com/support.
Where can I find Patricks one?
Marko
Paid for Software more or less?
What You need is OSS!
That's what I meant. Also, Patrick sort of started one here, but it's not in table format.
Also, I think new help.html images in grey-scale would be good too.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
Marko
Paid for Software more or less?
What You need is OSS!
Looks very nice!
So if i understood correctly everyone is allowed to use this splash screen for their portable apps releases which they post in the "Beta Testing" forum?
Optimism is a moral duty - Karl R. Popper
As far as I know, that is the purpose of it.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
I like it. However there should be more room for the application name at the bottom.
cowsay Moo
cowthink 'Dude, why are you staring at me.'
I'm not a developer, but it's nice to have a standard splash for development. B/W/Grey is nice since folks may have modded their Menu a different main colour.
I think that there wouldn't be any more space for the app name at the bottom, because it is supposed to be generic for everyone. The app name would eventually be replacing the "Development Test Release" spot.
Of course, that default splash page makes me want to buy a PortableApps.com usb or at least a sticker. There are a lot of inexpensive online printing/branding websites that are good for this stuff.
Don't be an uberPr∅. They are stinky.
Good job.
Life is about the journey not the destination!
The Kazoo Spartan
The Grayscaled splash looks good. The first thing I noticed was the URL on the splash. Don't get me wrong, but would the special page not better suited with a bit shorter URL?
Why not just: https://portableapps.com/developement?
Some other suggestions:
https://portableapps.com/developement (for developement information and so on)
https://portableapps.com/alpha (for the test releases)
https://portableapps.com/beta (for pre-releases)
or maybe even:
https://portableapps.com/alphabeta
Anyway, it's good to see a special splash for all those tests floating around.
"of the new standard splashes that you'll start to see on apps tomorrow"
Wow, was that an announcement of (finally) having action on the frontpage again?
Cheers.
Just one URL. These are for early-release apps (essentially alphas from known developers or alpha/betas from newer devs). Once they hit pre-release status (what would be beta or release candidates in normal app terms), they have their own custom splash. This is because we can't use the terms alpha, beta or release candidate. These terms are used by the base apps themselves. We couldn't likely have Firefox Portable 3.0 Alpha 5 Beta 2 could we? But Firefox Portable 3.0 Alpha 5 Pre-Release makes more sense.
As for the URL, it would either be DevelopmentTest or development/test (since that's where the landing page will be), so I think the slash is fine.
And, yes, new apps are a-coming.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I like the ideas (even not knowing nothing about programing). As for the URLs, it could be
http://portableapps[dot]com/prereleases
or
http://portableapps[dot]com/development/prerreleases
or even
http://portableapps[dot]com/testreleases
or
http://portableapps[dot]com/development/testreleases
Blue is everything.
Like I said, pre-releases have their own real splashes with the actual logo and URL
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I was sugesting to use one of those URLs for the test-releases and to be shown on the spashes instead of the actual idea for the url, as it seems a little non-related to the idea. And, sorry, I just checked now that the splash is only to Test-Releases, and not to pre-releases.
Blue is everything.
Ah I understand the reason for not using the terms Alpha and Beta (Although I dont think I completely understand why to make a portable app from a base app thats still in Alpha/Beta itself
((Although I admit having put together an quick launcher for StickWiki - the Wiki on a Stick which is beta itself.))
New apps! Coooooool
I like it. Thanx for the tease on the new apps coming.
Semi off-topic, but moving forward I'd like to see some guidance on how an outside dev's app makes it from alpha/beta to pre-release status as in "who makes that call"? Reason I'm asking is my current three apps have been tested a while and the bugs are ironed out AFAIK (knocks on wood)...so who then say to me "Buddha, yer cleared to go to pre-release status and here's your custom splash screen"?
Thanx John, these new developments are getting me even MORE jazzed up to do more NSIS programming to make OSS apps portable.
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
Are we allowed to use it or is there still some things to be arranged first?
(It's been a bit quiet around this topic for some time now so i was just wondering :))
Optimism is a moral duty - Karl R. Popper
It's been almost two months now, and I was wondering if we were aloud to use the splash yet?
...releasing the thumbdrive graphic you have there in a full-colored version?...
I'm thinking that I'd LOVE to use a colorized version of that graphic as a desktop ICON to represent my thumbdrive.
I have other icons that I'm currently using (having bogarted such graphics from other sources and made 'em into icons), but to be able to use the portapps.com version of a thumbdrive icon would be GREAT!!!...
Please?...
"I don't hate cats...as long as they stay on the freeway, where they belong."
- Brad Stine
This first release he used the new graphics in, read the release node, I think it was for Firefox.
I've updated the URL to PortableApps.com/DevelopmentTest Please be sure you use the latest one (you may need to refresh in your browser). It can be used in conjunction with apps now. Brief guidelines are posted in this thread:
https://portableapps.com/node/10870
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Is the file name format AppName_Portable_1.0_DEVELOPMENTTEST1.paf.exe (Question mark)
My question mark key provides this right now - É
I just packaged WinMerge Portable as WinMerge_Portable_2.6.12_Development_Test_1_en-us.paf.exe and I'm leaving it as that
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
To me.
The development test page is now live:
https://portableapps.com/DevelopmentTest
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
goes to a 404 error
Please search before posting. ~Thanks
It may take up to 15 minutes for the cache to update.
UPDATE: I updated the cache, so it should work for everyone even if you're not logged in now.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I'm curious about the growth rate of the list.
EDIT
And I think it would be good to make a link to it from the Development page.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
I just put a couple up so the HTML table framework was there.
I added a link to the main dev page, too.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
So, erm, who do you propose copies all of them over from the wiki?
Why is everyone looking at me?
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
No, I wasn't looking at you. I was gonna go through the list and bring em over. But only the "Development Test" releases that include the new splash, official installer, etc.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
There are about 5 apps that I have done, and are... not listed on the wiki, shall I say.
I'll update each of them tonight with the appropriate installers, splash screens, etc.
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook
...And update the wiki. That's what I did.
I do think we need to chop down the # of places these things are tracked somehow to just one or two. The DevTest page (obviously) and another that lists "not ready for prime-time apps" perhaps?
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
Actually, Development Test apps aren't ready for prime time, which is why they're listed as Development Test. Some, of course, are and are just from newer devs. But that's where everything that conforms to PAF guidelines will be listed.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Roger that Blue Leader...
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
Such as myself. If you could, John, I would like to see if there is anything wrong at all with Juice Portable, MediaCoder, and/or Stellarium, as those are really my most stable and most used apps. (Stellarium with 189 downloads, MediaCoder with 283, don't know about Juice) Please let me know about anything I'm doing wrong or need to know as a new dev. Thanks a lot.
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook
Yip looks pretty good cant wait
cant wait for what?
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
Would it be okay to make an update of the splash screen with some color and the icon of the Beta/Alpha app that has bin made but with the same parameters as the original development splash screen.
If you are interested I did make one, that you can add the icon and the name of the app but I will only put it up if John T. Haller a prove of it, John if you are interested please e-mail me at danny_m_2785 @ hotmail.com also I have made the template in with gimp but I saved it as .PSD so that is easy for app creators to use but also it gives the project more life and enthusiasm to the new and former developers.
I hope to hear from you and any one that is interested in the new splash screen as long as John approves of it.
No, it's kind of suppose to look dull and boring.
It shows the user that this program is unofficial.
I do agree, but I have not removed the tags that say "Development Test Release" etc. and I maid them nice and big red letters to make sure that people know that it is not an official release.
But like I said I will not upload anything till I get the word from John.
Edit: Here is an example of it here.
The whole point of it being black and white is to make it completely obvious that it is an unofficial release (alpha/beta quality). Once an app is deemed stable and moves to pre-release status, it gets an official color splash.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Ok no problem.
Would it be ok the if I made it all black and white but with the name and app logo/icon?
@kiriko:
And the source? (of you splash screen)
Please put here the download link of the source or send it to me ( sapioit.tk@gmail.com ).
Have a good day!
You should never use anything like this. Splash screens are created when an app goes to Pre-Release or official release.
I am a Christian and a developer and moderator here.
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” – Proverbs 15:1
Will be useful to publish here an png with portableapps splash for betas, but the portableapps logo to be with aroud 1/2 + 20px of their widgh, for we, to can add the logo of that app.
That will make the splash to look more... profi... and to not be default in the PA.c template, because not all want to edit that image and will look horrible with a huge free space... in center... it will say "something miss...".
It is not meant to look "professional" as far as the app is concerned. It is meant to indicate clearly that it is a test app.
I am a Christian and a developer and moderator here.
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” – Proverbs 15:1