Installed & Download
 

Possibly a bit of a controversial question :) Is it possible to restrict the downloading of a hack unless install has been clicked ? So many people quite obviously don't, even when you prompt them.

the attachment part of the ucp lists how many times it was downloaded, though when you update the counter is reset. It gives a closer idea of userbase although all statistics are only ever statistics...

Some people might want to download the file just to have a look at the code, or test it, but not really install it on their forum (yet anyway).
If you force the Install it will give false results...altho it's false anyway because people dont come back to click. :p

well of course it'S possible but we won'T set it up.

sometimes a mod is downloaded without beeing isntalled.
i did so several times, to test a mod and decide later not to install it because of that reason.

we won'T force the install click :)

How often does that happen ? and they can always click uninstall :)

It's just annoying when people blatently ignore such a simple request.

A lot more people download, install, and then leave rather than download without installing. Also, it's less fair for those many people who install without clicking to do so, than it is for someone who downloads without installing having to simply click "uninstall".

Exactly.

Aye but it's more annoying to click a button twice because I'm forced to. I've never installed a hack before downloading it and reading the source code, I'd say out of every 8 hacks I download I might install 1 or 2 of them.

And with so many buggy hacks that need to be uninstalled, it seems pointless to force the install.

Yup. I download quite a bit of hacks but have only installed a handful if anything. If I use a hack I'll click the "Install".

As for a reliable count, come to think of it, before I knew what it was meant for I think I may have clicked on it even when I didn't install it. My curiosity led me to think that it'll automatically install it for me. :D

yep, so we won't force the install button, as it would annoy much more people...

Have to agree with everyone against this here. And you get a fair idea of how many people have installed your mod through the install button. It's not a competition to get more installs or anything - its just a useful indication (thats not supposed to be exact) for a hack author.

its also more importantly a way for us, the "customers" so to speak, of keeping track of what we have installed. at the end of the day, i dont see what difference it makes to you if a few people dont click install.

It has its value both ways. For the users it is not only a way to keep track of the hacks you've installed but if there are any updates to the mods those who've clicked the "Install" link will get an e-mail. For the authors, it gives their work a bit of validation. Knowing roughly how many users have installed their hacks the authors get a sense of what is wanted and/or demand. With that information the authors can keep up with the trends of the community.

There are more reasons but I must attend to the other hot topics... :D

JFYI, it's not something I still want, I was satisfied with the arguments against. :)

How to view hide code ???

Maybe an email reminder to click install a few days after a download?

Personally, I can't stand being told to click install just to get support. I honestly don't consider it installed until it works! Perhaps the terminology could use a change?

Change "Install" to "Installed, Confirmed & Satisfied". :classic:

It's been suggested (several times) that "Install" be changed to "Installed" to avoid the confusion of people thinking that it will actually get installed if you click the link. No change as yet :)

How about right when you download your set to installed. and if you want to uninstall just click that

To an unsuspecting user that can be deceptive; to a veteran that will be annoying. The action of downloading does not validate whether the user has installed the mod. I often download hacks only to have it stored for reference or later use. I will not appreciate it if I have to click uninstall every time I want to see a hack.

luckydeath,

You are currently showing up as unlicensed. To be able to download hacks and/or receive support here at vBulletin.org, we ask you to please click here (vB-germany users click here) and enter your email address, to show us that you are licensed.

You will need to use your customer number and password (which will be in the email you got when you paid for your license) to access that page. Please note that your email is case sensitive. The update of your account may take up to one hour.

Thank you.

i agree with you, people work there ass of bring out hacks etc,( which they don't have too ) and only rewards on these forums, are the 'Installs' they should be forced.. if they dont want to keep it, they can uninstall. simple.?

on another note? it coulkd also be changed to

Downloaded: or something??

e.g how many people download 1101 etc etc?

I would rather that button read 'This mod works as advertised on my board'

Another button could read 'I had problems with this mod'

It would be a much more meaningful set of statistics.

They wouldn't be very meaningfull at all, as most problems are due to end user error, not the mod. Take for example the last person who had a problem with "Who Visited Today" - this was due to them having hooks disabled via the config.php - but they would have clicked the problems button, when in reality there are no problems with the hack.

you're probably right on that one Paul.

Download tally sounds good until the hack is updated.
That tally is reset. (perhaps a total download field)

The install button is just a "newsletter" subscription.
- Please inform me if the creator of the hack sends out a letter of a new update / news.

It’s up to the person who installs the hack if they wish to be bothered about updates and support.

With regards to the wording of amykhar's, "I had problems with this mod", the phrase can be taken in two ways. It's a matter of placing the emphasis within the sentence structure. Example #1:

I had problems with this mod.

In the first example, it's the user who has expressed that the problem was on his/her end. The problem may be with the mod but it is the user who has taken the burden. Example #2 below:

I had problems with this mod.

In the second example the user has expressed that the problem is with the mod. There may have been user error but for this example the user has placed the burden on the mod.

So both of you can make the case either way. :banana:

No one is going to care about the wording to that level, if the user had a problem, they would click the "I had a problem" link.

Even with merit, sometimes I really should add:

[caption]Post not to be taken seriously.[/caption]

I think it's a good idea but we don't nessassary need it.

What if people don't want to click install? If they don't, don't try to make them.

I personally get sick of the installs I have clicked, that constantly spam my email inbox with crap.

"[Blah blah blah] has updated their hack. Reason: "FiXeD a TyPo OMG LOL!11!""

I see no point in it. I always look at the amount of pointless and crap updates that a hacker has made before I click install. I feel like blocking their email addresses some of the time.

UserCP => Show installed Hacks => Uninstall
- Click Uninstall and the messages will stop. :cool:

I get some e-mail now and then:
Showing results 1 to 25 of 158

I like to be up to date on new options and fixes of things I use.

Seriously, I have done that. At one point I had 'installed' 20 or so programs, now I am down to about 5. Two of those are Revan's, because he is one of the coders on here who actually updates when the hack is worth updating.

I don't know about many others (dont really care too much either; 99 percent of hacks on here are irrelevant to what I am looking for) but its nice to get the email saying "[Name] has updated their hack. Reason: '[Hack name] has gone Gold.'" I know that many forums shy away from a hack when it's at Beta stage, so it's a good way of keeping up to date. The majority I have installed however, well... heh.

If you don't want to click it then don't use the hack, simple enough really. If you can't do that one single thing to show you appreciate the hack then you shouldn't use it. If everyone took your attitude then no one whould know that their work is being used and I'm quite sure things would dry up pretty quickly.

A few e-mails never hurt anyone, I'm sure you get a lot more spam from other sources (oh and btw, I rarely send out updates, and people complain about that as well ......).

When I buy a car, first of all I give it a test drive BEFORE I buy it. When I like it, I buy it.

Your theory: People need to buy the car first before they can test it, when they don't like it they just get thier money back.

Actually I like your idea but it's too annoying to click install first to test it, and then click uninstall because you don't like it. Too bad this place is full of leechers.

That's an old post. If you carry on reading you will notice I changed my mind. In fact, I'm a member of another site that does force you to click install first and it is quite annoying. :)

It's not a bad attitude. It's the fact that a lot of the updates that I have been notified of were pointless.

'Kay.

"Pointless" is a relative term.

True, depends on what hack it's supposed to be 'updating'.