I'm going to add a couple things to the end of the installer for both the platform and the Suite. On the finish page, I'm going to add two check boxes:
The first will start the PortableApps.com Menu. This one will be checked by default and start the menu up as the installer closes (I think most new users especially will appreciate this). The checkbox will be labeled "Launch PortableApps.com Platform"
The second will give users the option of changing their Firefox Portable homepage to Start.PortableApps.com. This one will not be checked by default and will be disabled if it's just a Platform install and Firefox Portable isn't found. For those that don't know, start.portableapps.com is a simple start page with a Google search on it. It's linked to from the menu when you select to search the web (but it only went live 2 days ago, before that, it was just redirecting to Google). PortableApps.com gets a cut of all ad revenue generated from searches (when users click ads in the search results).
I'm debating between a couple of labels for this one. Either "Support PortableApps.com: Use our portable homepage" or "Set portable homepage to Start.PortableApps.com". If I use the second, I may set the link in part 3 to "Preview Start.PortableApps.com" (you'll understand in a second).
Third, I'm going to add a link at the bottom to "Get more portable apps from PortableApps.com" with a link to the apps directory. (Though I may use it for the purpose mentioned in option 2).
Screenshot of the installer finish page
If anyone has any thoughts on this, please let me know.
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Support PortableApps.com: Use our portable homepage, people will think it's PortableApps.com, and be like no, but if they no it's Google, I think more people will say, Oh, well I use Google, and I can support PortableApps.com by using their page, okay.
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Cool Kids Don't Have Signatures. Umm... *shifty eyes*
It has to be short as the text doesn't wrap, so that might be tough. These will fit:
"Support us: Use our portable Google homepage"
"Support us: Use our Google homepage in Firefox Portable"
I want it to be clear that this won't affect their PC's homepage, so the word portable has to be in there.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
But I understand Portable in there.
Debating between the two you just posted. I like the second more.
P.S. What, are you beta testing out opinions?
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Cool Kids Don't Have Signatures. Umm... *shifty eyes*
I don't think you can convey the message in a 10 word or less sentence. I suggest doing the following since it seems you have whitespace to put a blurb of text:
You don't have any control over the layout of that page. It's just a textbox with a single line of text next to it.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
When I used an INI one time it has Word Wrap.
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Cool Kids Don't Have Signatures. Umm... *shifty eyes*
I don't think you can do that for the finish page. And even if you can, I'd like to avoid doing a custom finish page as it complicates the installer and localization.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I see.
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Cool Kids Don't Have Signatures. Umm... *shifty eyes*
Can you put the text above the check boxes then? Basically include it with your Finish message? Then use the two options I provided?
So something like this:
Yes, but I don't want to get too wordy (people don't ready Finish screens) and "Use PortableApps.com Google as my Firefox Portable homepage" is too long.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I don't read any screen
*next next finish*
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Cool Kids Don't Have Signatures. Umm... *shifty eyes*
It doesn't make sense, people would understand that that will change the home page.
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Cool Kids Don't Have Signatures. Umm... *shifty eyes*
Can't break the text up into two lines with an "\r\n" combo? If not, I like the second better...
(I think nsDialogs, new in 2,28 might allow better fine control of pages/dialogs for you, if you're willing to experiment.)
as is? I can link to the start.portableapps.com from any browser, right?
"Support PortableApps: Set Firefox to use start.PortableApps.com Google"
if it has to be firefox, otherwise, I'd say "... Set browser ..."
"... respect, all good works are not done by only good folk. For here, at the end of all things, we shall do what needs to be done."
Don't be an uberPr∅. They are stinky.
well we wouldnt want to hijack the host pc's homepage. firefox portable is the only truly portable browser out there, so it would make most sense to use that
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I don't believe in signatures
The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
John,
Is there a specific reason why you don't just change the homepage without giving the user the option? It really isn't that hard for a user to change the homepage if they don't like what they see when they open the platform. Besides, this would guarantee maximum number of clicks...
I already asked him, it was his original intention, but he lost the privilege during licensing negotiations.
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Cool Kids Don't Have Signatures. Umm... *shifty eyes*
More like it was originally on the table, but then as the negotiations wore on and the higher level staff at Mozilla got involved, every possible thing to make Firefox Portable et al self sufficient was deemed "not allowed" as it would change the user experience.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I figured you'd comment on that, I knew that didn't sound right, but I didn't know how to word it.
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Cool Kids Don't Have Signatures. Umm... *shifty eyes*
Here's my last stab at this:
I like my last one the best.
... it's the English version of google.
Most of other native lang people prefer google in there own language.
The Firefox google pages are localized, the PA version is not
That's why i vote against a preselected option to set the PA google page as Firefox
portable start page.
Regards
Marko
Paid for Software more or less?
What You need is OSS!
Its not even that it is the English version as Marko pointed out, it is the US English version which spits out different results from say the UK version for example like the amazon or ebay sites where the US engine will have .com's at the top where the UK engine will have the .co.uk's at the top.
I REALLY like this idea mind and the search page looks good but if it could be localized it would make it all the better. In respects to the pages it should not be all that difficult to setup and an option could be included at the beginning of the installation to to select which country to use rather than what language if this is at all possible with NSIS.
As for word choice on the installation i think
"Support us: Use our Google homepage in Firefox Portable"
or
"Support us: Set Firefox Portable to use our Google Page"
put across the clearest message
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RAM disk is not an installation procedure.
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RAM disk is not an installation procedure.
I think its good to have the option to start the menu directly. For the second checkbox, I would either use your second suggestion (Set portable homepage to Start.PortableApps.com) or"Support us: Set Firefox Portable to use our Google Page".
If you use your second suggestion, I would set the link to preview it, although a "get more Apps" link would be cool, too. Can you make 2 links or would that be too confusing for newbies?
“I can live with doubt and uncertainty and not knowing. I think it is much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers that might be wrong.” - Richard P. Feynman
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
Hmmm I personally use the Searchbar of Firefox when it comes to do a search and don't use a startpage at all.
So my question: Why not include a searchengine-plugin (the ones you can choose in the searchbar), too and set it as default? Would that be possible? If yes, you could get searches and thus support even if the user doesn't use the PA Google version as default page.
Just my 2 cents...
I like this option "Support us: Set Firefox Portable to use our Google Page", because it tells that its the Firefox PA page and that its a modified google version.
I can't bundle additional search plugins due to Mozilla's licensing.
I can't use Yahoo anything anyway since they don't make a version of their searchbox with revenue sharing like Google does.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I also really like "Support us: Set Firefox Portable to use our Google Page" if it fits. I think it's straight forward and makes sense.
That being said, I am in exactly the same position as RedCider--I don't ever use home pages/Google page for searches. Just the search bar, and I do tons of searching. Maybe it's not something you could bundle with the package, but is it still possible to do a searchengine-plugin that we could add after the fact? I for one would love to support PA with something simple like this, but it would be a lot nicer if it were easily integrated into the habits I already have (translation: I'm lazy).
There is an addon for Firefox called "Add to Search Bar". You can add any search page to the search bar, thus you could add Start.PortableApps.com.
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There are 10 kind of people in this world: those who understand binary, and those with friends.
here but I am sure there will be an "official" one.
“I can live with doubt and uncertainty and not knowing. I think it is much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers that might be wrong.” - Richard P. Feynman
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
If I had to go with one of your options, I would go with "Set portable homepage to Start.PortableApps.com". Though, I would like something more like "Set portable homepage to PortableApps Google search" or something like that.
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"Pray as if everything depended upon God and work as if everything depended upon man."
Francis Cardinal Spell
-Please search before posting.
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook
I hate anything changing my homepage, and am pretty sure I'd interpret a few of these suggestions as changing my main homepage, I think the 'Firefox Portable' has to be in there.
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* programmer (noun) : a predominantly nocturnal creature fueled by either Caffeine or Sugar (Or Both).
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* programmer (noun) : a predominantly nocturnal creature fueled by either Caffeine or Sugar (Or Both).
I like something along the lines of "Support us: Use our Google homepage in Firefox Portable".
It would clearly identify which browser is going to be set with the new home page.
John, I think you should consider using the red banner, along with the same colors of text as the website. Also a little bigger text size would be nice. I think this would help with the whole name recognition! But, just my opinion. Awesome job and thanks to everyone!
Helping To Maxximize Applications!
Even if it wasn't the entire width.
And the Donations seem orphaned down there, not sure if it's because of the alignment or what.
Suggestion: Preview (OK borders of banner would be better, but I did this in about 30 seconds) And the banner should probably be a bit smaller, but I went with the screen capture off this page...
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* programmer (noun) : a predominantly nocturnal creature fueled by either Caffeine or Sugar (Or Both).
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* programmer (noun) : a predominantly nocturnal creature fueled by either Caffeine or Sugar (Or Both).
That looks great. I like it
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The developer formerly known as ZGitRDun8705
I like it, but what about placing the "Make A Donation" a little lower so those viewing don't get a feeling of wanting money? I just think a little lower placement, will take the edge off of the want of the $$$$! Just an idea.....
Helping To Maxximize Applications!
It's your App so, why don't put start.papps.com by default in a first install? I think is nothing bad with that... but let the installer check if that was changed in a previous version of PFirefox then ask first...
I think there is also a search addon for PApps somewhere... (yes there is... I have it... lol) why not add it also?...
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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
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
Changing people's anything without asking is a bad idea. And I think it should default to off. It's about respecting the end user.
And the search plugin can't be added by default either.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I said in a first install, if the installer is updating then ask... can't be done that way?
and the plugins I didn't say as default... it looks on PApps.com not on google...
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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
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
If you've ever bought a computer from D***, etc... How many little changes you've got to undo, and how annoying these all are.
(Does it show I'm in the middle of a rollout?)