The install button
 

Has to go.

Simply downloading a hack should mark it as installed. If the user then decides not to install it, or later uninstalls it, they can click on uninstall (which should still be provided). This is the way updates work, btw.

I believe this will go a long ways toward fixing the numbers and some of the hard feelings.

Will some users get marked as installed and not have installed? Sure, but I am sure the percentage will be far, far fewer than the ones who install and don't click install.

Clicking install never really made sense to me.

Just my 2 cents.

This isn't practical.

Over 400 installed hacks my installed hacks list read the other day. Most of them I had not installed on my site. I do a lot of installations for other people, and having the install button pressed on my account does not help me work out which hacks I have installed and which I haven't.

I also download hacks to have a look at them in more detail before possibly installing them to my test boards, and from there only about about 10% actually get installed on my live board. Those that do make it to my live board get the install button clicked.

If downloading resulted in an install click, then my account would probably read as literally every hack ever written for 3.5 as installed, and trust me, thats a heck of a lot of hacks.

Actually nope.

most hacks will be downloaded and tested before installed, so i personally think, that the percentage won't be far fewer.

The updated works that way, because the user clicked install already, and wants to get informed about those things, it is not done automatically

I often use the install button to see how a hack is progressing. I like getting emails to remind me. I also click the install link if I like the hack and want to come back to it at a later time.

The same people who don't know how to use the install button, will be the ones who don't know how to use the uninstall button. I believe the numbers will be more accurate. Will someone like peterska2 need to click 'uninstall' more often, yes, but that is a small price to pay to remove the entire issue of users not clicking install and all the hard feelings and support issues it creates.

The "Install" button should be made to "Installed" or "Mark as installed" or something more clear, but not removed...

Chris

I agree with Chris on this one.

At a minimum it would be nice to see a 'downloaded' count, so we can compare it against the installed. And even possibly a 'downloaded' vs. 'installed' in the users postbit.

Edit:
And perhaps an auto 'install' reminder to users when they download.

We used to have the # of downloads shown, not sure why this was taken away. but this is a standered feature in vBulletin.

Actually that button is "Installed" already since a long time, or i may be blind...:

https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/
i have changed the textlink now

It isn't on Smooth Blue Stefan :)

Chris

The problem with that is it only counted the downloads on one file. If you removed a file and uploaded a new one (an update to your hack, lets say), the count would go back to 0 wouldn't it? That makes it pretty useless... Perhaps a new plugin that kept track of all downloads.

hambil, try clicking install on 400 mods, then having to go through and individually click uninstall on 350 of them. It takes a long time, as well as having to sort through them and remember what you actually have installed. I think it took something like 2 hours to get rid of all these excess installs from my installed hacks list. That's unaceeptable, especially as I cleared it out just after Christmas when I took my second site to 3.5.

The install button is only a courtesy, it should not be forced upon users. IF someone doesn't want to click install, then they shouldn't have too. Yes they won't get the update emails, but for some people that doesn't matter anyway.

LiveWire, Have you heard of subscribed threads? Try using them instead of the install button. It is much more accurate for the rest of the coders on their install count if people do not use the install button to bookmark threads. The subscribed threads supports multiple folders, so there is nothing stopping you from having a folder for installed hacks, one for possible installs, and one for watching with interest.

ahh, that explained it

Let me do something i like to do:

BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD ;)

Nope never heard of it.

You can view the number of times a hack has been downloaded via the attachments page in the UserCP. There is no need, IMO, to duplicate this information.

Well, if someone doesn't want a vbulletin license, they shouldn't have to buy one. Paying is only a courtesy...

My point - install numbers are our currency.

Having the download count in the hack thread is only logical.

I disagree - I personally do not believe that install counts are the be-all and end-all of everything :)

Chris

I recommend that you familiarize yourself with standard features then via www.vbulletin.com/docs ;)

I would like to see this actually, just out of interest in the "Install : Download" ratio :)

Chris

I didn't say they where, but they are our currency. They control hack of the month, they control your status (coder, advanced coder, master coder) they probably even control who will get invited to the meeting to discuss the direction of vb.org.

Install should only be clicked when a user is actually using it. Just because they download it, doesn't mean they install it or are actually using it. If it were done automatically, then the caption 'installed' would be erroneous.

I like the idea of a public display of downloads though.

Hack of the month is changing, as will titles...

And as for who gets invited to the meeting, that is probably not something that will be dictated entirely on number of installs...

Chris

Except for as Chroder pointed out, these numbers are not accurate.

So if installs don't matter, remove it entirely. Of course not, because they do matter, in many ways. Why deny that? I don't understand.

Hey when did Jelsoft add this page?

(click) should never be forced.

I believe the whole "install" feature should be abadoned.

Just like you, some of us have offered solution(s). Not only pertaining to the "install" issue but to alot of things.

I think we need a system that will demote usertitles not just promote (based on user actions).

In the real world, if you buy something you pay for it first. Then if you don't like it you return it and get a refund. You don't take it home, decide if you like it, and then maybe pay for it or maybe not even though you are using it.

Well I tried a different approach - have the hack itself tell vb.org when it was installed or uninstalled - in theory it should have been more accurate - in reality it hasn't actually worked very well - and now it seems to have caused another big storm in a teacup oh well :(

Well the question this begs is...will the new system your mentioning take more accurate and properly definable information into consideration? Because if it will...than the install button can BE just a courtesy and coders and designers can be recognized a different way with the same or more benifits.

Yes, I also agree on this.

Number on downloads would mean the number of installs the person gets, not necessarily meaning the person actually installed the hack.

As this would give credit to the author of the hack and would limit the number of downloads, the author would also need to explain their first post better and post screenshots :)

Installs served a function in the past, but now the only function they will serve is to give some idea how many people are using and subscribing to the updates of the hack...

Chris

The title system will be changing to include other factors other than just install counts - Thats all I will say for now, but some titles will only be awarded manually not automatically with the new system...

Chris

That's good to hear. I just hope it isn't shrouded in unnecessary secrecy. We can't live up to standards or strive for achieve goals we aren't aware of.

It won't be shrouded in secrecy, but the current elements and factors which will affect your title are still somewhat undecided ;)

Therefore, instead of posting some requirements at this stage that may no longer be a factor in the final system change, its better to be as vague about what factors will be included :)

Chris

/me always clicks install on his own hacks to increase the install count, and because a hack with zero install looks so stupid.

Hey, I didn't know the '/ me' hack was installed here. BTW: It doesn't work in subscription emails - just an FYI to whoever's version you are using.

[high]* Chris M was unaware of that :)[/high]

Thanks for pointing that out - I'll do a holler.....

SSSSSTTTTEEEEEEFFFFFFAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNN!!!!!!! :D

Chris

shhhh, i did not hear you ^^

There is no spoon... I mean post... I mean there... I there spoon...

Ok now I'm confused :ermm:

Chris