I was wondering if there was a reason for all of the portable apps first downloading in a exe file. It's only purpose seems to unzip the files into a folder. It's not a big issue, but it would be good if you could just unzip it onto a stick in linux without using wine.
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The newer executables are installers that finds the destination folder for you if you have the PortableApps menu installed.
cowsay Moo
cowthink 'Dude, why are you staring at me.'
They can display EULAs plus 100 million other things we may be doing in the future. Plus, it's friendlier for the average user who knows nothing about Zip files.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
1. Portable installers are easier for end-users to use
2. They don't require a ZIP client to be installed on the local PC
3. They can display an End User License Agreement (which is required for all the Mozilla apps)
4. They automatically detect a device with the PortableApps.com Platform on it and offer to install there
5. They allow for single downloads with multiple options (so Pidgin, for instance, you can choose whether to install the non-English translations... a difference of 30MB)
6. The downloads are smaller (20 to 30% for the larger apps)
7. The installer can upgrade the app itself, removing files that are no longer necessary, saving space and keeping the app more stable (otherwise, some of this functionality would have to be in the launchers themselves, making them more complicated and slowing them down)
8. The upcoming apps are all digitally signed so you can be sure that no one has messed with them before you've gotten them
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Another tease at the upcoming stuff!
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!
It also involves us (the developers) not compiling our own installers. But, I didn't say that, it was totally Patrick.
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Ryan McCue
Originally written by Ryan McCue based on own sources. Author changed to Patrick to remove liability
See what I did there? That's called framing Patrick
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
I'll have to wait and see how that's gonna work...
Cancer Survivors -- Remember the fight, celebrate the victory!
Help control the rugrat population -- have yourself spayed or neutered!