Modifications

[King Kovifor]

Instead of allowing downloads to every one... I think you should limit the downloads for a certain hack to those who have clicked install. As i've got 15+ downloads on my new vB 3.6 hack and only 4 installs. I think it's an unfair count...

[Paul M]

It's been talked about many times and will never happen. Not everyone downloads a hack to install it.

I used to think the same until I actually came across a site that does force you to click install first - and believe me - it's very, very annoying when you just want to download something to take a look at it.

[GTAce]

It only takes 2 seconds to click the Install link and 2 more to click Uninstall...sure, that's 4 seconds of your life gone...but the benefits of this (more people showing as installed who have actually installed), I believe outweigh that...

[Kirk Y]

I know the feeling, but I agree with Paul, it could get kind of annoying after a while. The way I see it is that if someone likes the hack enough to want to be informed of updates, then they'll click install. But you're right, a lot of people just download and go -- no thank you, install click, or anything.

[Freesteyelz]

Focus on the users who do say the "Thank Yous", post comments and clicks "Install" rather than on the users who don't. :)

As for the installs, what constitutes as a "fair count"? You'll never know the true count and frankly it might be far off from the downloads count. Especially if the download count tallies up all downloads instead of unique user downloads. Then again, maybe the users who've clicked "Install" did so just for kicks. Too many uncertainties.

[Alan @ CIT]

I honestly think people need to stop this fixation with Install counts. It's just a number, who cares if people click the install button or not... :)

Thanks,
Alan.

[tgreer]

I agree completely with Alan. It's a false metric, and creates unreasonable expectations and even stratification/division of users into "classes". The user titles are based on number of "installs" - just because a hack has high popularity doesn't make one a "Master" or "Advanced" coder.

Better simply to release all hacks as shareware, and allow appreciative users to make modest donations.

[King Kovifor]

I honestly think people need to stop this fixation with Install counts. It's just a number, who cares if people click the install button or not... :)

Thanks,
Alan.
I like a more accurate account of people who are using my hacks - as I'm pathetic and want to see how wide spread.

[Paul M]

I honestly think people need to stop this fixation with Install counts. It's just a number, who cares if people click the install button or not... :)

Thanks,
Alan.If you are not interested then you don't need to worry further. The fact is that many coders do care as it's about the only measure of how popular your work is, so please don't knock those who *are* interested.

From a more practical point of view, it's also the best way to inform people who have the hack installed of changes, updates and problems. A few mods have been removed recently due to security issues - a number of people who haven't clicked install, and hence didn't got the update messages, have been asking about where mods have gone.

[Marco van Herwaarden]

If it is just to see an indication to how popular your work is, then it shouldn't matter if everyone clicks install or not. It will be the same with other modifcations, so yours will still be more popular then another (or not ;)).

The whole "Install" is ment as a service to users of a modification. It adds the modification to their UserCP so they can easily find it, and they subscribe to an opt-in mailing list for updates. No way we will be forcing clicks and thus forcing users to opt-in. If a user don't want to be kept up2date, then this is his/her choice.

[Alan @ CIT]

If you are not interested then you don't need to worry further. The fact is that many coders do care as it's about the only measure of how popular your work is, so please don't knock those who *are* interested.

I'm not knocking anyone :) I'd love to know who installs my hacks as much as the next man, I'm just saying that people should stop worrying about who clicks install, and who doesn't - just the same as I don't "register" software that I buy sometimes :) (note: I don't mean register as in don't buy, I mean register as in those little boxes that pop up asking me for my name and address)

But anyhow, as my opinion isn't relevant in this thread, I'm going to bow out and go back to replying to my hack release threads.

Thanks,
Alan.

[Revan]

I have a solution for this problem:
Scrap the installed system as-is. Show Download counts where Install counts are now shown, and rather just have a link say "Subscribe to this mod". No counts or nothing.

I realise that a lot of people just download to check it out, and whatnot. However, I feel that there's too much of a focus on Install counts. Hell, I have too much focus. It's an e-penis thing (or e-tits, for some of the guys in the back).
If vBorg had a system for counting unique downloads (dunno if it does this thus far) then there would be no rush for install clicks, and the users could keep the same feature as they have now: HakTrack and update emails. The coders would get their count.

Some coders (myself included) lean more towards only supporting those that click install due to that being the only form of "reward" we have here, and therefore I believe this suggestion would offer a viable alternative and sort of force coders to choose to either support all or support none, since there's no "user has installed this mod" to seperate users.