Plugin enhancement suggestion

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Csimbi
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Plugin enhancement suggestion

Post by *Csimbi »

Hi all,
I've been using Firefox quite a while now. I kinda like the plugin update system.
Would it be possible to enhance the TC plugin system with something similar?
That would spare me a lot of time checking them one by one.
If automatic install is not supported, that's OK, but it would be great if at least I would be notified that there is an update, and I can fetch it from here and there.
Thank You!
Best regards: Csimbi
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Sheepdog
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Re: Plugin enhancement suggestion

Post by *Sheepdog »

Csimbi wrote:If automatic install is not supported, that's OK, but it would be great if at least I would be notified that there is an update, and I can fetch it from here and there.
It has been discussed before and would probably not builtin. But chack Totalcmd.net for Version-Plugin. That should do the trick.

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icfu
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Post by *icfu »

totalcmd.net also has an RSS feed, so if you use an RSS reader that can alert you on certain keywords...

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Csimbi
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Post by *Csimbi »

Hmmm... Sad, but thanks for the hint, gonna check it out.
Sorry about the dupe then.
Best regards: Csimbi
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Sir_SiLvA
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Post by *Sir_SiLvA »

icfu wrote:totalcmd.net also has an RSS feed, so if you use an RSS reader that can alert you on certain keywords...
If you take a look around youll see that the TotalCmd.Net-Rss-Feed isnt updated anymore since 29/12/2005. I even started a thread becuase of that but ERGO didnt reacted anyhow.

So Csimbi use the Versions-Plugin with Totalcmd as this is a good combination :)
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Post by *ghisler(Author) »

2Csimbi
I've been using Firefox quite a while now. I kinda like the plugin update system.
Would it be possible to enhance the TC plugin system with something similar?
I'm sorry but I will never add any such auto-update system. I consider such "calling home" behaviour as spyware, and many users would agree.
Author of Total Commander
https://www.ghisler.com
Csimbi
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Post by *Csimbi »

I agree and disagree at the same time.
Agree because quite a few people don't trust sw that attempts connecting to the net every now and then without knowing exactly what's going on.
Disagree, because:
1. the update is triggered manually. Only checking for updates is automatic.
2. the plugins would be on one secure server, so they would not need to dial home but to Your own web site - You could make it as secure as You would want to.
In any case, it was just an idea, I am looking at the version plugin now, it seems to be hard to set up (all the SW I want to check for), but it seems all right.
Best regards: Csimbi
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Post by *Sheepdog »

Csimbi wrote: 1. the update is triggered manually. Only checking for updates is automatic.
If you trust the software-author it may be okay but on the other hand:
Who knows which information is given to the software server while checking for an update.

Mandatory it is the current version of the software, but there may be many more informations to send that a common user would not be able to monitor and posssibly also not want to be submitted.

That is why I prefer to check for versions manually.

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icfu
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Post by *icfu »

I consider such "calling home" behaviour as spyware, and many users would agree.
Sounds like a nice alibi at least but truth is that there is only one site in the moment that is worth to be checked for updates regularly anyway: totalcmd.net.
As soon as this one disappears your "autoupdate" function would not find any updates anymore besides those you have personally uploaded to your plugins site every once in a while. All the cool ones are missing there, it's just "basic" stuff and not worth the efforts.

This again raises the question if the present situation with only one platform used as download resource is acceptable. Club Total was suddenly gone without a warning and the totalcmd.net RSS feed not updated anymore is a sign for that external sites are not reliable in a longer time frame. When totalcmd.net disappears only the forum will be left to announce plugins, all of them distributed on hundreds of personal websites, the end of all update checks and an inacceptable situation considering the amount of extensions. Will there be an alternative in no time? I doubt.

As Csimbi has already pointed out you don't need to do an automatic installation feature (which in fact is very cool in Miranda but not acceptable in a file manager) but only fetch new archives on user request.

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Post by *majkinetor ! »

Dog wrote:Who knows which information is given to the software server while checking for an update.
What.. you don't trust Ghisler! Shame on you....
icfu wrote:This again raises the question if the present situation with only one platform used as download resource is acceptable
This (again) raises the question if the present situation with only one developer is acceptable. TC can not be maintend by Ghisler alone anymore. There should be other people involved, redesign of "internal plans".. etc... We need consistent place for plugins, better scheme for sugesstions, bugs, requests.... etc...

I salut (non)automatic updates for plugins. Its up to individual if he wants to use it or no.
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