You are here

Home » Forums » Support Forums » PortableApps.com Platform

Suggestion - Outdated Apps + Version Number

9 posts / 0 new
Log in or register to post comments
Last post
December 1, 2011 - 4:26pm
#1
OLLI_S
Offline
Last seen: 7 months 1 week ago
Joined: 2011-10-19 04:36
Suggestion - Outdated Apps + Version Number

Hello,

I have a new suggestion for the Portable Apps Platform.
In following I write PAP for "Portable Apps Platform".
By the way: I am using the version 4.2 of the PAP.

Some apps (like "System Explorer") are outdated.
Means that the version offered as portable app is older than version offered on the official home page of the app.

Here it would be useful to see this information while downloading apps via the PAP (in the "Portable App Directory" window).
You also should show the version number of all portable apps in a separate column.
Outdated Apps have the text "(Outdated) behind the version number.

Examples:
VLC Media Player 1.1.11
System Explorer 3.1.0 (Outdated)

Greetings

OLLI

Top
December 1, 2011 - 4:45pm
Ken Herbert
Ken Herbert's picture
Online
Last seen: 9 min 41 sec ago
DeveloperModerator
Joined: 2010-05-25 18:19
Unfortunately, there is no

Unfortunately, there is no automated way for the platform to know if an app is outdated, it would all have to be entered manually into the database, most likely by John who has far too many other things to do.

So, while it is possible, the workload to make it happen is unrealistic, especially as more and more apps are added to the platform.

Showing the version number has been mentioned elsewhere I think, but I don't remember what was said regarding it.

Top
December 1, 2011 - 4:51pm
(Reply to #2)
Aluísio A. S. G.
Offline
Last seen: 6 years 10 months ago
DeveloperTranslator
Joined: 2010-11-09 17:43
Unnecessary

It would clutter the interface, if I remember correctly.

Previously known as kAlug.

Top
December 25, 2011 - 3:05pm
OLLI_S
Offline
Last seen: 7 months 1 week ago
Joined: 2011-10-19 04:36
Really

Hello,

would it really clutter the interface when one column "Version" is added?
I think this information is useful (and needed) if you download new apps just via the PAP (Portable Apps Platform) without looking at the web page before.

Greetings

OLLI

Top
December 25, 2011 - 3:58pm
(Reply to #4)
John T. Haller
John T. Haller's picture
Offline
Last seen: 6 hours 24 min ago
AdminDeveloperModeratorTranslator
Joined: 2005-11-28 22:21
Why

But again, what would that add? As an end user, you want to install VLC. Does it matter at all if the portable version of VLC is 1.1.11 and the local version released 1.1.12 but the portable one won't update til tomorrow? Especially since we won't be able to tell you when the base app was released immediately or when the portable version will be done. And you'll be updated to the new portable version as soon as it is released.

If you're updating, why would you care that you have 1.1.11 installed once 1.1.12 is available? It doesn't matter. It's just extraneous information.

We could add the publisher, the install size, the release date and lots of other information to the updater as well, but it's all extraneous noise. And the more meaningless data you add to a given screen, the harder it is for the user to see what they care about (things like how big the download is).

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

Top
December 25, 2011 - 4:23pm
(Reply to #5)
OLLI_S
Offline
Last seen: 7 months 1 week ago
Joined: 2011-10-19 04:36
Hello, I just suggest one

Hello,

I just suggest one column (that shows the version number of the portable app).
That could help to see if an portable app is totally outdated (like system explorer) or if it is up to date (if VLC is 1.1.11 or 1.1.12 is not important, but if it would be 0.9 then this information would be important.

Greetings

OLLI

Top
December 25, 2011 - 4:42pm
(Reply to #6)
John T. Haller
John T. Haller's picture
Offline
Last seen: 6 hours 24 min ago
AdminDeveloperModeratorTranslator
Joined: 2005-11-28 22:21
Not Useful

The problem is, that information is not useful as all apps treat versioning differently. 1.1.11 to 1.1.12 could be a minor bug fix, it could be a security update, it could introduce a major new feature. Version numbers are pretty useless in terms of determining what may have changed just on sight or difference.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

Top
December 25, 2011 - 4:48pm
(Reply to #7)
OLLI_S
Offline
Last seen: 7 months 1 week ago
Joined: 2011-10-19 04:36
Hello, I agree with you that

Hello,

I agree with you that it depends on the application.

Lets modify my suggestion:
allow the user to add and remove columns in the window "Portabel App Directory" (PAD).
Some columns are fixed (like "Portable App") and others can be added and removed by the user.
So it is up to the user what columns he wants to see.

Of cause then the PAD dialog window must be resizable.
At the moment the window has a fixed dimension.

Greetings

OLLI

Top
January 1, 2012 - 6:24pm
(Reply to #8)
3D1T0R
3D1T0R's picture
Offline
Last seen: 1 year 10 months ago
Developer
Joined: 2006-12-29 23:48
Not worth it.

If you've looked at the source (and have a basic understanding of NSIS), then you should see that adding such things is simply not worth the effort. It is much better for the bugs that are still present in the Platform to be investigated and fixed than it is for a user configurable set of extraneous information columns to be added to the Updater/Directory. Perhaps we'll see something like this in the future, perhaps we wont, but since it is in no way necessary, let's drop it, and focus on more important matters for the time being.

~3D1T0R

Top
Log in or register to post comments