The portable version of Writer's Cafe Portable 2.29 is available on CNET. It is packaged as Portableapps (with the logo). If it is a legitimate portable appl., why it is not on this site? Did I miss it? It is also NOT free as claimed (costs $40).
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the purpose of this site is to list Open Source and FREEWARE applications that work with the Portable Apps Platform.
if Writers Cafe had a lite version that was freeware it could be listed. Otherwise it just uses the Portable Apps Platform.
so yes it is a legit program (i think) but it can not be listed on this site.
John??? any comments/corrections??
PhonerLite also uses the PA.c installer but is not on this site.
Maybe a list (without links) can be put in place as a supplement to what exists here in terms of sourceforge
Sounds like a good idea...
kind of like here: https://portableapps.com/node/19705 but without the version numbers
What's wrong with the Applications page which lists all of the currently officially released PortableApps apps?
That list is only for versions hosted on sourceforge on the part of PA.com
What is needed is a supplementary list of programs even with only a link to the website, as do the articles on software listed here, e.g. no new windows opening.
Is that not the point of this site, to showcase applications in some way whether outright, outsourced or simply presented in an informational sense?
It also lists apps from 3rd party publishers who build, distribute and support their apps in PA.c format. They only get listed once we've verified that they are properly supporting PAF and truly portable (along with no licensing issues, etc).
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I thought the programs listed on this site were only available at SourcForge, even though they may (mostly) be developed by 3rd parties and/or packaged by what are in reality 4th parties or I have my logic wrong.
The point I am trying to make is, if it uses the PA.c logo and is based on a bonafide license agreement, then why not represent it in some way so people who come here can know about other great apps.
"They only get listed once we've verified that they are properly supporting PAF and truly portable (along with no licensing issues, etc)." Anyone who hasn't done that yet isn't listed.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
You can only host open source apps at SourceForge. Don't confuse the portable appness of an app (for want of a better phrase) with it's ability to be hosted on Sourceforge. TeamViewer is an example of an app that isn't open source, but developed by a third party and listed here, because John (or someone on the team here) verifies that it is compliant with the necessary PortableApps standards. Since it's not open source the download isn't hosted with SourceForge but from the TeamViewer site directly.
My point was that it is perfectly legitimate for any Joe Schmoe to distribute an application in the PortableApps format provided he/she has the rights to do so (let's assume he/she wrote said app), and not have anything to do with this site. If that developer never comes forward and says, I've developed a PA.c version of my app, can you please list it? Then there is no way for John or other developers to know about it other than by word of mouth, Internet searching etc etc, and even then it would be up to that original developer to step forward and say "please list my app".
It doesn't really matter other than when you get illegal PA.c format apps floating around and people who don't have the knowledge necessary to discern that it is indeed illegal. Then that leads to confusion, and potential security risks etc, and also does harm to the reputation of PA.c (wrongfully so). Maybe one day there will be a Linux/Ubuntu-like repository equivalent for PortableApps, a sort of International database if you will of everything PA.c out there. Who knows.
I think once we get 2.0 out the door this month and the updated app directory, we'll get together and make a concerted effort to find publishers' own PAFs, validate and get them listed. Sound like a plan?
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
SourceForge has served the community well, but besides the reliability factor it is *not* a cloud service, also it has it's own advertising which frankly is annoying and distracts attention away from the application being downloaded.
I much rather links only navigate to publisher websites and not this dogs' breakfast of a file repository called source forge.
Um, you do realize that SourceForge provides us with upwards of $20,000 in bandwidth a month free of charge, right? And that all of that is for free projects where the original publisher isn't currently interested in hosting the downloads. Unless you'd like to give us a quarter million dollars a year, please lay off the 'sponsors'.
Cloud = Big bandwidth $. The free cloud service people are used to make tons of money off of advertising and packaging and selling user data metrics. There's no such thing as a free lunch.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Can't SF offer a more contemporary cloud service with more traditional advertising rather than this geek centric content.
Surely they must be able to make more money like google, yahoo msn, ask etc
In a real "cloud" you are able to run your apps online on to your desktop, none of this old world downloading business.
Surely there are the minds here to coax the powers that be into actually living up to the real promise of the internet, rather than goofy tablets and so on.
There is simply no one else (as in, at all) that offers what SourceForge does that will allow user downloads and direct downloads via an updater. It's either them or a quarter million a year. If you choose the latter, we require payment up front.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
It's just an idea for these internet "heavyweights" to digest.
SourceForge could be so much more than a developer community and like all things that become commercialized, you either do it in a well thought out way, or it becomes tacky and yesterdays news.
At least your avg. joe blow can come to this place for a quality open source application that might actually serve them in their daily life.
No worries as we say down under
Things that the majority of people tend to consider "old hat" tend to wither away and die off. I don't see SourceForge dying off any time soon. I think you're off on a separate tangent with cloud computing and intelligent computer networks etc. Sure, that is the future but we're not there yet. Ironically things like Facebook are driving that push to the web, but I think it'll be a while before my traditional desktop disappears and is replaced by a web-desktop.
At it's most basic, SourceForge should (in my view) allow you to execute the application online and interact with it in client/server fashion in addition to typical downloads.
The fact that it allows you to use an updater of course is awesome and the fact PA has gone down that path is brilliant so if it means putting up with advertisements then so be it I guess.
Sourceforge is for hosting programs and not for creating a cloud like client-server thing. Besides that, you'd have to ask them directly and not here
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
I am an end user, so why would I bother?
All I know is I h8 their geek specific advertising and I believe it does nothing for the image of pa.com
Install an ad blocking extension in firefox....no more ads, and you still get to download all the wonderful free apps that PortableApps.com provides for FREE and where all the work is done by volunteers.
Centrally based hosting would be terribly expensive, so much so, that PortableApps.com could cease to exist as funding would not be there to pay the high server costs, maintenance costs and bandwidth costs.
I'd personally rather see an ad supported, but free, hosting service than have no PortableApps at all.
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
same of course but I'm also open to the idea of a server cloud running apps across an IP based network, but I guess privacy is an obstacle as well there are no programs e.g. "teamviewer" that would really warrant it bar your typical productivity softwares
I hear your point and I don't like ads in general. However, between an ad for a new computer, a new hard drive or a new server, and and ad for a vendor of pop or junk food or for a trip to the southern sun, I much prefer computer-related stuff. If only ads geared for the "common public" were promoting good nutritional values, eco-sensible spending (or even saving), that might be better... but that's a totally different debate.
In the end, the question is whether we want to pay the costs up front – a pay-per-view downloading option – or in the background via the products we buy or preferably via the products *others* buy.
Michel Gagnon
Montréal (Québec, Canada)
All of the tools used to package applications in the PA.c format are free, open source tools. Therefore, anybody can take those tools and create a "PortableApp" app. However, only the ones listed on this site are officially supported. Users should beware because some (unscrupulous) third party developers use these tools to package applications illegally such as commercial applications (without express permission to do so) or applications that may be open source by are restricted by trademarks such as Firefox or OpenOffice. There are however legitimate uses for third party developers creating apps, such as lone developers who create their own apps and want to increase the appeal of their app by including a portable version.
Basically, if it isn't listed here then you should be cautious as it may or may not be legitimate. As far as I know PortableApps will never charge you for an app, so if you find a download of a "PortableApp" somewhere that does cost money then it isn't legit. Furthermore, if it is using the PortableApps logo then it is outright illegal since that is trademarked too.
In general, be cautious and ask here if ever in doubt. I'd have to say that in this particular case "Writer's Cafe Portable" is totally and 100% illegal. Avoid at all costs.
Yes so how about supporting the legitimate developers and simply listing known apps under development that also use the PA.c installer?
Surely the license agreement allows an application to be listed and/or presented in a rudimentary fashion in order to increase further exposure (and potentially proliferation) of a said program.
That's a question for John. I know for example that FreeOTFE has a PortableApps version available that is to the best of my knowledge perfectly legitimate but not listed on this site. I think the biggest issue is that of manageability; John and his team simply don't have the resources to keep track of every single legitimate third party PA.c app developed.
Edit: Applications not officially released but under development is another kettle of fish entirely. That is set to change soon with some site improvements here at PA.c but now the only semi-accurate list is Test Releases under the Development tab, and these lists only apply developers developing here. Like I said, third party developer lists is a question for John.
Maybe but again my understanding always ways that the concept of "make your life portable" meant that even if it is not those involved with this particular site who are developing awesome products, that they would also have an additional benefit of being listed in some kind of directory here, as opposed to SourceForge for example.
That was not my understanding. My understanding is that third party developers are able and welcome to embrace the PA.c standards but that PortableApps.com is not a universal repository for every application ever put into the PA.c format.
John will no doubt clear this up, but he'll probably be on later, a bit too early for the night owl yet.
No but the PA.c system is gaining traction due to enhancements such as the updater and so on.
Now that there is also a comparative backup application available, how long will it be that there is incremental backups, OS imaging and so on.
What do incremental backups have to do with what was said in this thread?
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
PA needs to become the "everyman toolkit" to fix and administer a PC in the post industrial age.
Putting an app in the PortableApps.com format and releasing it doesn't mean AT ALL that it will be listed here or somewhere. It may in the future be listed here but thats not for certain.
We can only ensure that everything that can be downloaded from PortableApps.com is safe and does what it says if we test things before releasing them to the public.
Back in the days where we had some 20 apps, it was easier to be done by one man than it is today where the concept is becoming more and more popular. The transformation from a "one man show" to a more team-based thing is in progress (Release Team etc). It just may take a little longer.
And besides that, Sourceforge was never intended to be a cloud service so complaining about it being not a "real cloud" is kinda strange.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
Sure the team concept is great, but now it must be taken into account that there are those outer members that are using the format and thus may need additional exposure, otherwise how would PA.C reach critical mass.
is how you win the race. Make sure what you have is good and right.
Portableapps.com is a separate concept from cloud computing. It keeps the control on the portable usb/harddrive that you control, not some outside server.
And cloud will cost you $$. Portableapps.com won't.
Don't be an uberPr∅. They are stinky.
As FreeOTFE doesn't work on Windows 7 x64 (which accounts for over 1/2 of Windows 7 installs), it can't yet be listed in the app directory. Same with Wireshark which is using a very outdated format and installer. These issues will be remedied and they'll be listed once they are, though.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
What about the TrueCrypt? Is it fully compatible? It is a good appl. in this class...
I placed it into Portableapps and it opens from the menu.
TrueCrypt requires admin rights to run.
Otherwise, I'm pretty sure that it's portable. Compatiblity with the menu is a different story (someone needs to PAL it before it's fully compatible).
My Dev Tests: ~ KeePass Pro Portable (awaiting .NET directory) ~ FreeCol Portable (needs testers)
"... proving to everyone that we are operating on Valve Time..." - us
You'd want to install TrueCrypt first and then the platform and your apps into your TrueCrypt volume, me thinks.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!