Make users click Install before download
 

I know this one will most likely not happen but I think users should have to click installed before being able to download a modification.

Then if they don't use it they can click un-installed.

I look at the install count as the thanks mod and when you see a mod with 100+ downloads and 20 installs, It doesn't seem like the general public appreciate what time the coder puts into a modification.

That is all,
BBR-APBT

You're right - it wont happen.

You should also remember that people often download mods more than once, so the d/l count is always going to be higher.

No.
I'll download and install something but not click install.
I try it out for a little while and if it suits my needs come back and click install.

Very good point. I thought it only counted each download once for each user.

P.S. I knew it wouldn't happen but suggestions are meant to be turned down.

And just because I download it doesn't mean it gets installed, either...sometimes it just doesn't do what *I* want it to do.

Liz

But you have the ability to uninstall if you do not use it or if it does not fit your needs.

I vote yes since there is a high percentage of people who will download and install but will not mark it installed on VB.org.

The install count is a useless metric that means nothing. It doesn't ensure the quality of a mod, how it works, if it's secure or any useful information other than to boost the ego's of coders so they can feel a sense of pride and self worth for releasing something.

In your opinion ;)

It gives me a sense of whether or not I should keep supporting it, or do an upgrade. Hardly a useless or egocentric metric.

The numbers may not in themselves be accurate, but over time, they are a pretty good measure of how popular a modification is - which as DJ says, helps in decisions like whether to continue supporting, adding new features (or indeed, porting).

I don't mind either way, however there does seem to be a higher ratio of people NOT clicking install then there has been in the past. For the first time I find myself getting aggravated with users asking for help or enhancements that can't even be arsed to click an install link.

When they download give them a JS prompt "You are about to mark mod as installled...." where they can cancel if they want.

I had an annoyance in the opposite direction the other day... Users marking one of my mods as installed yet there was a bug in the install code - it didn't get reported till there were a number of installs already marked :p

I use the Downloaded section of the User CP to keep track of mods that I'm planning to install, but haven't done so yet. Granted, being forced to mark a download as installed would be a minor inconvenience, as I'd have to make sure to "Uninstall" it afterwards. But it would still be somewhat annoying, not to mention, contradictory to what you've actually done. After all, it just seems counterintuitive to have the system say you've done something, you haven't actually done.

I also vote no.

I will admit, sometimes, in the past, I've forgotten to mark things as installed but, that makes it so much harder for me, when I'm trying to find support on it or whatever. So now, I'm in the habit of tagging mods I want to look at later, or have downloaded to try. If it works, and is what I want, I then mark it as installed. But it may be a week or two later when I go back to it, usually mark several of the tagged mods as installed at once.

If I had to click installed before I downloaded it, I'd find myself having to mark it as uninstalled if i wasnt installing straight away, and then marking it as installed once i do install it, if it works, seems, too much hassle, especially if you're after a few mods at once to try out. Like upon upgrading to 4.0 i'll be downloading many of my tagged mods but may not use all of them, or not what I want.

I've also, often downloaded the file more than once :o. If I can't find it/remember where I put it, or am on a different computer and want something from the read me or whatever, I'll redownload.

Yeah, & Nah.

A better idea would be to have the ability so that, when the modification is installed, it sends a quick request to vB.org & then marks as "installed". And Upon un-installation sends request as "un-installed" :-)

Account details may need to be provided though :|, another problem is, this could cause DDOS if to many forums try to do it at once, and also, some servers may block the outgoing requests, so it would have to be optional, or by-passable if it errors out. Which would make it all a bit pointless.

But forcing people to click "installed" each time they download could become irritating to a few people, who may need to download more than once, for example if the download cancelled half way through for whatever reason :-)

I find myself always clicking the install after I have tried and tested the script. I think it's just down to human nature for most to not install it or mark as installed to show their appreciation. I know from experience, I have downloaded and tried a script only to find it doesn't fit my needs so I personally think that marking as installed would give you a more inaccurate measure than it would now.

Let's face it, most people are ungrateful but then posting my own submissions here I'm not fussed if they mark as installed or not. I post for my own enjoyment and too benefit the few who have requested.

Edit: I voted No.

BBR-APBT, I understand the reasoning behind this but at the same time there might be a user like me that will try it out and see how it effects the forum overall. I always run a test run before I decide to keep it or not.

Same as many others, I download, try out then if I keep it on the site come back and mark it as installed. I'm all for supporting the guys who bring us these modifications, but I'm not going to mark something as installed if it's not :)

Same here ;) I download and if it does what I need it to do then I mark installed otherwise I did not install it so why mark as installed OR have to come back and unmark it? I think the system is fine how it is and I'm a coder :p

Ego?? What is ego? :p :p :p

This is why I like Shelley ;) well minus the most are ungrateful comment (ahh let's be optimistic when we can Shelley :p ;))

:D

Mike

I'll give it a shot. 2010 was going to bring great things, then I woke up. :P

What I meant by my comment is the majority of people won't click the mark as installed because it's mainly down to laziness or they didn't see the link to click. Let's face fact, most users are new, they come on download and be on their way. By the time they familiarize how vb.org works they have forgotten the script they might want to install or too bone idle to find the thread and mark as installed. Okay, I never said that directly but that might just be another possibility why people aren't clicking. How's that for a touch of 2010 helping of Optimism? I'm optimistic that they won't return to click the link.

Personally, I always mark as installed once I have verified the script is working and fits my needs. Heck, I even donate to the people who I found that their script benefited my site.

The way I see it. You contribute because you want to not to expect to gain or get a "mark as installed" extra rating. Though that isn't the debate here.

Well said Shelley, I agree. This is the instant gratification generation... Quick, now, moving on to the next big thing...

I don't see how marking the modification as installed can be a measure of how much your mod is appreciated. If they don't mark it Installed, they don't get automatic notifications of when the mod has been upgraded, bug fixed or when a mod has security issues and needs to be uninstalled or patched. Marking as Installed is for the users benefit, not mine. Sure, you need to know whether your mod is popular enough to bother with anymore. And that's a good enough indicator without being scientifically accurate. But that feature is there for you more then it is there for me.

That's a pretty dang good idea :)

Sometimes I try out a mod only on our beta forums and dont install it on the live forums because it doesnt work properly or isnt to my liking.

I dont install all the mods I download on our live forums. Also as it has been mentioned before I sometimes download a mod more than once.

If I were to click install for all of these then people will get a totally wrong idea about what all I have installed.

Same with me. I used to install a lot of things, but in the last few years I don't really care for a lot of the mods that are put out, but I give them a try. If I like them and decide to leave them, I always come back and click install so I can receive updates if something changes with them.

IMO, that adds an unnecessary step. If someone downloads and installs something without clicking installed, they're the ones with the disadvantage because they'll miss out on e-mails about fixes and enhancements.

The system works fine as it is. unless you have no arms or they miraculously been chopped off or an act of god is at pending status for their removal there's no reason stopping anyone from click the mark as installed.

The system should not be questioned for the lack of laziness and know how. Nothing stops anyone returning to click the mark as installed link once they have familiarized themselves with vbulletin.org

Bah, that's no excuse... you could use your nose to point and click with :p

Why would she do that when she has an army of smilies to do her bidding???

:p

I still wuv you Shelley ;)

Mike

I disagree with forcing users to click the install button.

A better suggestion IMO would be to show a notice at the top of a mod thread when you downloaded it, but you didn't click the install button. Something in the same style as the rating notice. This shouldn't be very difficult to code.

It could also include (a link to) some information about the install button (show appreciation, update notifications, ...). At the moment there's no info page about it. This could be useful for new users.

That is a better suggestion.

The reason I suggested this from the get go is. I know people come here and download our mods just to take them to other sites to share them with people that do not have a vBulletin licence. I really would not like people who do not pay for their software to use my mods. I also know there is really no way to stop it. I started to think about not sharing my mods, but that wouldn't hurt no one all of us who do have legal licence.

This is one of them things we just have to over look.

I actually thought this thread died after Paul spoke and said it would not happen. I didn't mean to stir the pot.