ANN: Time Tracker

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sergei Gnezdov
  • Start date Start date
Psychomation said:
Oh, I see, it needs a Smalltalk VM

Gad! Nothing about that in the announcement post. Then not even on the
web page,

"To install the application download the file: TimeTracker
Self-Extracting.exe and run it."

I don't know what Smalltalk VM is, but don't care & don't want. The web
page needs to be repaired, to alert the user of the special req, to let
them decide whether to proceed. I'm fortunate to have at least seen
Psychoation's post, in advance of the trouble.
 
Gad! Nothing about that in the announcement post. Then not even on the
web page,

Yes, there should have been smùething there at least.
I don't know what Smalltalk VM is, but don't care & don't want. The web

It's a virtual machine for the Smalltalk language I assume. ANyway, I don't
even think it's free!
 
I created a small program to keep track of time spent on different
activities and tasks.
Comments and ideas on what can be added are welcome.
Thank you

Haven't used it BUT I suggest having a "history" of activity names
that can be seen as a drop down from the blank line you have for the
name. That would make it quick/easy for people to use the same name
again eg. "Lunch".

You might even consider a button option that says "Prefix activity
name with today's date".

HTH.

Regards, John.

--
****************************************************
,-._|\ (A.C.F FAQ) http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/faq.html
/ Oz \ John Fitzsimons - Melbourne, Australia.
\_,--.x/ http://www.aspects.org.au/index.htm
v http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/
 
| It's a virtual machine for the Smalltalk language I assume.
| ANyway, I don't even think it's free!

A free/open-source development environment
including the VM for SmallTalk
called Squeak is available at ....

http://www.squeak.org/

[ DownLoad ....... 11 MB ]
( Installed ...... 37 MB }

The Squeak SmallTalk environment looks very interesting
and contains a LARGE variety of examples ....

The gui/working environment is a bit different
from standard Nix/Win GUI operations, but operator
adaptability should improve with usage ....

The learning curve seems a bit steep,
but probably worth it in the long run ....

My current experience level is VERY limited ....
 
I think there is some misunderstanding here, because real installer
was not provided. The installer is on the website now.

Ok Sergei, you're saying the VM stuff is built in when using the installer
I guess, fair enough. When I tried to install (see first post), nothing
happened when the exe was run. When I moved the exe somewhere else, there
was a message complaining about the VM not being found.

I'll check the new installer.
 
On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 04:31:09 GMT, Sergei Gnezdov wrote:

Installed it and started it and I still see nothing and no tesks running in
task manager.

Does this app require any services? (Many XP services are not running on my
PC)
 
Sergei Gnezdov:
It does not need Smalltalk VM.

http://zanami.com/TimeTracker/TimeTracker Self-Extracting.exe

Error message,

"The Dolphin Smalltalk VM is required to run this application [...]
Register DolphinVM005.dll, then try running the application again."
I think there is some misunderstanding here, because real installer
was not provided. The installer is on the website now.

http://zanami.com/TimeTracker/Time Tracker Setup.exe

This one includes DolphinVM005.dll? And that's all the application wants?
 
omega said:
Sergei Gnezdov:

http://zanami.com/TimeTracker/TimeTracker Self-Extracting.exe

Error message,

"The Dolphin Smalltalk VM is required to run this application [...]
Register DolphinVM005.dll, then try running the application again."
I think there is some misunderstanding here, because real installer
was not provided. The installer is on the website now.

http://zanami.com/TimeTracker/Time Tracker Setup.exe

This one includes DolphinVM005.dll? And that's all the application wants?

I just tried running your more recent download file. The DLL is still
not included, and error message is the same. (Further, I have the least
knowledge whether it's so simple, that one DLL would suffice for this
app's reqs.)
 
On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 02:35:31 GMT, Sergei Gnezdov wrote:

[2 quoted lines suppressed]

Hi,

I downloaded it and installed it. When the exe runs, nothing happens.

Oh, I see, it needs a Smalltalk VM

It does not need Smalltalk VM.

I think there is some misunderstanding here, because real installer
was not provided. The installer is on the website now.

Posts about missing file are correct.
I had to learn that dll file has to be distributed.

The installers are updated to include the dll:
http://zanami.com/TimeTracker/index.html

I included dll as a standalone download so you don't have to get an
entire package again.
http://zanami.com/TimeTracker/DolphinVM005.dll

Thank you for your cooperation.
 
Sergei Gnezdov said:
The installers are updated to include the dll:
http://zanami.com/TimeTracker/index.html

I included dll as a standalone download so you don't have to get an
entire package again.
http://zanami.com/TimeTracker/DolphinVM005.dll

_____________________________________________________________
| PRODUCT ACTIVATION
|
| Before the product can be used, it needs to be activated ...
| Activation Requires internet access ...
| Enter your name ...
|
| [Activate] [Cancel}
| _____________________________________________________________
 
Sergei Gnezdov said:
The installers are updated to include the dll:
http://zanami.com/TimeTracker/index.html

I included dll as a standalone download so you don't have to get an
entire package again.
http://zanami.com/TimeTracker/DolphinVM005.dll

_____________________________________________________________
| PRODUCT ACTIVATION
|
| Before the product can be used, it needs to be activated ...
| Activation Requires internet access ...
| Enter your name ...
|
| [Activate] [Cancel}
| _____________________________________________________________

Activation is just a simple way to keep track of how many people
installed the application. It is not required, but it is annoying if
not done. Any opinion?
 
Activation is just a simple way to keep track of how many people
installed the application. It is not required, but it is annoying if
not done. Any opinion?

I understand perfectly why you want to do this, but most freeware folks
have a very negative view of it. The word "activate" also has Microsoft
connotations which have been endlessly debated as well.

If you really want to do this, a more sneaky... ummm.. more subtle way is
to have a check box that allows the user to check for updates of the
program. Usually people won't find the box before it calls home once. The
best way to make freeware though is to skip any kind of online access or
calling home.

Just an opinion of course, but you did ask :)
 
Sergei said:
Activation is just a simple way to keep track of how many people
installed the application. It is not required, but it is annoying if
not done. Any opinion?

Annoying to who? Not to me, as I won't use your app because of it.
 
Sergei Gnezdov said:
Sergei Gnezdov said:
_____________________________________________________________
| PRODUCT ACTIVATION
|
| Before the product can be used, it needs to be activated ...
| Activation Requires internet access ...
| Enter your name ...
|
| [Activate] [Cancel}
| _____________________________________________________________

Activation is just a simple way to keep track of how many people
installed the application. It is not required, but it is annoying if
not done. Any opinion?

It seems you have here a way to get a statistical answer to your question.
Check number of downloads vs number of activations. I'm sure many would be
interested in the results.

My own preference? Well, you can see it: no comm from my IP.

I do understand your interest in wondering what's happening, out there,
in the silent blue world, with an app you've released. I am wondering,
can you do things in a gentler way? For instance... Under the Help menu,
a dialog where we have an option to click affirmatively to send a message
to your server? As a vote of "Hi, I use and like this app"? If you were
able to do that, I'd consider it a feature, and not an intrustion.
 
You might even consider a button option that says "Prefix activity
name with today's date".

1.5.0 release keeps track of creation dates as a separate field, which
accomplishes the same goal in a different way.

Thanks for the suggestion.
 
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