I was thinking that sometimes computers disable the system tray, disabling access to the menu (they disabled the global hotkey too). Then I remembered a Desktop Sidebar. Unfortunately, it's closed source, so I went to sf.net and found Sidebar XP. I was thinking John might be able to implement a sidebar feature into the menu. And I am still trying to figure out how to make a PortableApp in the PAF Format.
New: Run-Command (Dec 2, 2024), Platform 29.5.3 (Jun 27, 2024)
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Don't know if you were aware, but it's written in C# which means it requires the .NET framework to be installed on the PC.
"Because they stand on a wall and say, 'Nothing is going to hurt you tonight. Not on my watch.'" (A Few Good Men)
Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.(Albert Einstein)
It's a very good idea...
EDIT: I found a con... Vista uses a sidebar, so there can be a problem...
If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port,
and the bus is interrupted as a very last resort,
and the address of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
then the socket packet pocket has an error to report
Are you sure, as C# is longer around that .NET.
Remember, test build is dated 2003, source code 2005.
C# needs .NET...they are synonymous.
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
Wow, didn't know a app that was created in 2003, and source last updated in 2005 already used .NET.
But indeed: "This is the first release of the .NET Framework. Released on February 13, 2002. Available for Windows 98, NT 4.0, 2000, and XP". But im sure .NET is only something gaining popularity scince 2006 or so.
And C# "is an object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft as part of the .NET initiative". Hmm ok the I'm happy I never bothered with it. I think it would make it virtually impossible to port it to other platforms.
C and C++ are a better choice for Open Source applications I guess... (Parts of it are patented by MicroSoft as well)
While we can't host this app here, it is natively portable.
It can be sized, it uses relative file paths, supports wallpapers, all kinds of good stuff.
I use it as a desktop replacement - just made it big enough to cover the whole desktop - but I've also used it to make a single desktop button just to start up the PAM.
http://www.cylog.org/utils_4.asp
Of course, it doesn't have the bells and whistles of the Sidebar app, but it solves your original problem - it allows you start PAM without relying on the system tray.
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
It solve the probable "confusion" with Vista's sidebar... thanks for this one...
I found a use for this one... I have an extra old PDrive that I carry just with security and repair Apps, you know those "can you help me, my computer have a virus" or "My PC is too slow" friends... now I have a new and nice launcher just for this PDrive...
If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port,
and the bus is interrupted as a very last resort,
and the address of the memory makes your floppy disk abort,
then the socket packet pocket has an error to report
*cough* Bloat *cough*
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
*AhhhChoo* Agreed *BlessMe*
Things have got to get better, they can't get worse, or can they?
Are you referring to the Sidebar program as bloat, or the Toolbox program?
Because Toolbox is fairly straightforward, and I have not seen it causing problems...
It does not have a large number of unnecessary features, and typically takes less resources than the PAM (at least on my machine).
Also, it does not require the system tray, which puts it one up on PAM.
Somewhere down the line, I'd like to see a future version of PAM that allows the user the option to put a small floating button on the desktop to activate the PAM, if the tray is unavailable.
Just a polite request, Ryan and Tim, but if you are going to make these little side remarks, could you be more specific about the application you are referring to?
Thanks.
P.S. And if you are referring to Toolbox, could you let me know exactly what your objection is? Just in case there is an issue that I have not yet encountered.
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
While I would never presume to Speak for Ryan I can tell you that his reply is to the original post [Which is fairly obvious if you follow the indents of the responses. Though not everyone is good at replying to the right post, Ryan is].
Bloat generally refers to the addition of features which bog down a program or project.
There have been a couple of projects here at PAs that I was originally interested in but after numerous requests for everything up to and including the kitchen sink, which the creator tried to accommodate the projects got stuck in limbo.
Part of the progress [or lack thereof] in the PAM/PAS/PAP and its dozens of mods have been held up by things like themes. I could care less about themes, I will not use them, but some people like them, more power to them. I think they are bloat.
Tim
{edit: you edited your post while I was writing mine. I will need to re-read it to see if anything has changed}
{edit 2: Since you added me to your edited reply, originally you only mentioned Ryan, I must say that I was only giving him some support to the idea that having the PAM do Yet Another Thing [good or bad] was one more thing to slow it down, i.e. "Bloat". No offense was intended.}
Things have got to get better, they can't get worse, or can they?
Adding a sidebar to PAM would just bloat it. I'd like to see a plugin system of some sort.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
When I read the original post, and checked out Sidebar, my reaction was that Sidebar had a lot of extras that are already done by existing programs, and that it DID seem a little bloated...
As for the addition of features to PAM, I agree. I like simple themes functions, like menu backgrounds, but it's easy enough in the current PA 1.1b4 so no further improvement is really necessary there. I think the locked system tray issue is important enough to be addressed, but it can wait until a later release, maybe 1.5 or 1.6
Of course, the entire PA suite is made to run on the world's most famous bloatware, Windows!
8-)
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.