For those who cant wait for the official release of Beta apps; feature to PAM that would also grab the updates of Beta apps.
As a developer said here:
https://portableapps.com/node/16374#comment-101509
This would mean easier updating for every regular user of portable applications and might also include a special Beta updater for beta apps. (This will increase the testing of apps in Beta). My choise would be to integrate it with the PortableApps menu while keeping it as a separate application. (Easier to maintain and update)
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Note that the post you are quoting is from well before the updater was implemented and the poster had no idea of how it was going to be done.
The problem is that the updater uses a file on the server that is updated personally by John, so every time a beta test is updated John would have to manually change the database too. That is a lot of updates for him to handle, and I personally would prefer him putting that time and effort towards other things, such as furthering PortableApps.com as a viable business venture and improving the platform.
Also as a beta developer, I (and I am sure some others) would prefer a user to update manually and knowingly instead of just hitting OK to a list of apps, and then wondering why an app is all of a sudden broken or has lost settings/data. Sometimes an update to functionality or the base app does require (whether manually or by the installer) the removal of previous data or settings, and this is listed on the apps page, which the user wouldn't have read otherwise.
to my experience settings/data aren't saved regardless if they are installed manually.
His post is outdated by a few years but its doesn't change the fact that this idea it still easily plausible regardless of how its implemented
As he stated, integrated as third party application; it would handle all Beta requirements dedicated in showing all Beta information, download activity and specific installer preparations for the user by the developer. let it synchronize itself with the forum website so it could notify the beta testers of new comments for that app.
if you say Pam is ready to grow in your aspect how do you expect PAM to grow without source of apps and acquiring new apps
As John says:
Nothing is impossible if your awesome.
8)
Many test apps are done by individual devs. All of them are hosted somewhere besides PortableApps.com's download server and SF project. Some of those devs may not be getting the source together and hosting it as they should.
Official apps are scanned for viruses using at least 2 popular scanners before release. All are manually verified to function properly in terms of basic functionality. All are then added to a database of applications with the full details on the app, download location, size, MD5 file checksums, etc. None of this is done for dev tests. So it would be a rather large undertaking to ensure it was. The point of dev tests is to hash out all the issues so they are then ready to become official and be added to the system in a proper way, verified on each release, and put in a secure download location.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
to suffice all those needs the only thing that would be keeping that app Beta is the name Beta.
so what about just a simple alert that pops up when PAM runs and notifies a tester when a beta forum post has been edited or comments added, basically a rss feed for the forum.
And who will maintain such a list given that forums posts are in no way tied to the updater database and all the apps are maintained by different devs many of whom are unofficial?
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
its an alert like an rss feed not an app updater.
it would only be a rss feed specific to the Beta forum
can already do that by subscribing to a thread
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” Dr. Seuss
that is only email alerts
i would like to have just the feed address for the forum
feed://portableapps.com/feeds/forums/development/beta_testing
You can find it by subscribing to the RSS feed from the main Beta Testing forum page which gives you 2 choices, the main site feed and the Beta Testing Forum Feed. Just don't check it more often than once every few hours.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!