As anyone here for a while has noticed, we get a lot of repeat questions for some apps that can't be made portable on the terms this website operates. Many new people just find a Requests forum and don't check to see if the request has been made (and what the answer was). I propose a link in the Forum description to a page with the status of past app requests. The link could be as simple as "Check here for previous requests status FIRST." The list itself could be just a simple alphabetical list of previous requests with a brief description of the status, like:
ABC, see Beta Forum
Safari, No - not open source
Windows Live Messenger, No - not open source
XYZ, Future
This list doesn't have to be all encompassing (all requests don't have to be included immediately), and the maintainer should not allow it to be a maintenance burden.
I'd appreciate any comments on my idea. It should reduce the volume of repeat requests.
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it would also be good so if someone is unsure about a previouly requested app they could look there and see if it is open source. U should put apps that have been requested and put if it has been made portable(For the open source requests)
and then just leave other open-source app request with a "not made Portable" so someone interested could make it portable. Also if it is made portable u should put who made it. Overall it sounds good.
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
Mahatma Gandhi,
Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)
I'm sorry but I think is not going to work, people here just "go for it" when requesting an app and don't worry in searching first...
It could work if you make it a popup or something more anoying...
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
I agree.
there could be a temporary redirect to a page right when you click on the "request Apps" link that shows what has been requested and if it is open source and etc. Then there could be a variable added so the user wont get a "go to next page" link unless they have looked at the whole page by scrolling down, and then when they reach the bottom of a page 15 sec later they get the link.
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
Mahatma Gandhi,
Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)
But I was only agreeing w/ the first half of Aciago's post. But a good idea.
it might be possible but who knows?? i know John!! hahahah is the time posted on here the time where john is, cause from the time here to where i live is a 2 hour difference( its 11:30 where i live)
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
Mahatma Gandhi,
Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)
Some people are just not interested in what license software is. They just post their requests in an impulse, maybe some might even suspect the software requested is not allowed.
Having a list sounds great but we'll end up with a list that's BIG. And the search option not always is a quick way to get needed info.
So I somehow understand why people are posting without doing a search first.
But maybe we could switch focus a little by suggesting Open Source alternatives and point to the possibility of a launcher only release.
For example, I use my own generic portable launcher which is configured using an ini file. While limited, it can cover many apps. So maybe we could point to an generic launcher and supply basic launcher variables to put in the ini file. Using a standard thing like that people can maybe help adding support for more applications that are normally not possible to get a installer. Maybe we can collect all there variables into one bigger ini file for the launcher where the users can just set the name of the application in the main part of the ini and the launcher will use earlier defined info for the application.
Example something like:
[AppInfo]
app=DreamChess
; Below are predefined portable info
[DreamChess]
1=DreamChess1
2=DreamChess2
3=DreamChess3
[DreamChess1]
copy=Data\Settings\DreamChess
appdatapaste=yes
[DreamChess2]
wait=dreamchess.exe
path=App\dreamchess\
work=App\dreamchess
error=File not found. Please make sure the files have been copied to the correct folder.
[DreamChess3]
appdatacopy=DreamChess
paste=Data\Settings\
appdataremovedir=DreamChess
For now my launcher uses [Start] but could maybe be changed. This could become a library for settings of apps without portable installers...
Turn that forum into something like, maybe a mailing list or something???
Oh, how about this, when posting a topic in the request apps, it makes you type in the name of the app you want, then it brings up what it found. Or maybe just have the mods screen all the request apps topics (Or maybe not...)...
Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.
If your idea were to be incorporated into the forum, also provide a link to the thread that shows the download link. This would only apply to programs that are able to be made portable and are already in the Beta Testing Forum.
Failure is not an option. It comes bundled with Windows.
John my account was marked as spam and i always get this message when i try to post a new forum or edit an existing one "Your IP address (x.x.x.x) was recently used to post spam to this website. For this reason, you are currently not allowed to post new content. If you believe this is in error, please contact the site administrator.
You are not authorized to access this page."
Can u unblock me.and my forum https://portableapps.com/node/11989
Also does anyone know Johns email, i click on the "Contact Us" but didnt see it there.
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
Mahatma Gandhi,
Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)
on your link, and I found...
Access denied
You are not authorized to access this page.
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
Better yet, have a template on the request app forum demanding some stuff:
* - Must be filled
The License field would be a dropdown Box with several licenses, a "Don't Know" option and a "Other" option that enables a text field.
With non OpenSource Licenses it would appear a popup saying that the app can't be portabilized. Plus if the "Don't Know" or "Other" option were enabled, then a popup would appear saying that the app may not be able to be portabilized but allowing to go on and post the app on the request apps forum.
Blue is everything.
I mean, if when you click on new request it shows a form to complete that info, but...
Put a drop down menu in the name of the app (linked to a database that someone need to have up to date) and when somebody choose a close source app a message pops up saying something like "this App can't be portabilized because it's closed source" and redirects to the page whit the info about this website only portabilize open source apps and blablabla...
If the App chosen was already requested a popup message saying "this app was already requested" and redirect to the original requesting post... with a blinking message all caps and arial 72 saying "search before request!!!"
If the App chosen is already portable a popup message saying ït is already portable, search first! you..."
or something like that, hehehe... and redirect to the app page or beta, pre-release, etc. post...
Of course, one option in the Apps dropdown menu should be other, and a text field to type it's name, but this field will not be available until you choose "other"
BTW, the rest of the fields (website, etc) should be available only after choosing the requested app...
I know it's more difficult and need another volunteer to keep a database up to date, but I think is the best solution to stop those annoying/repeated requests...
What do you think?
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
It would be really hard to do that, there are a gazillion (yeah, I made that number up) apps created every day, that, even if most people wont find, that annoying new user that seems not to understand our forum rules until it is temporarily banned will find it and request it. Beyond that it is a really nice idea.
I agree completely with the no enabled fields until name filled, and also suggest no enabled submit button until demanding fields are filled.
A form like this would make this site life much easier...
Blue is everything.
It would be really hard to do that
Who cares? I'm not gonna do it...
It will be probably Ryan or Patrick... 
And yes, I agree with you, submit button too...
And BTW, another cool thing is to ban the IP address for 24 hours after requesting one app...
... just after requesting, and just to start another thread...
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
but a good idea anyway *starts making an evil laugh like a cartoon vilain*
Blue is everything.
It can be divided into catogories, like emmulation, games, internet, ect, and sub divided. Like for internet, Email, instant messaging, Web browsing, ect.
Simplifying daily life through technology
maybe, we should make the development test apps look more official so visitors will see those too. Maybe a link to the development test page on the bottom of the applications page.
Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.
I won...
If the App chosen is already portable a popup message saying "it is already portable, search first! you..."
or something like that, hehehe... and redirect to the app page or beta, pre-release, etc. post... 
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
...I won
Dealing with commonly repeated threads
"(...)
- (request apps forum only) having a special form for creating that type of thread instead of the normal form. That way we could create some kind of "filter" techniques and have some simplified info on the beguinning.
Example:
This would only be a custom form that would create a normal thread with the info inserted +hidden comments for the filtering by some kind of script. That way there could be a simplified forum search for checking if the app already exists, telling from the beginning if the license allows the portabilization...
(...)"
Blue is everything.