Ways to use Point Motivator: goal for defined period

[wilsonch]

The basic idea for Point Motivator is to motivate the user by means of points. Duh. One can acquire points by doing certain things and one can then spend those points on rewards.

There are other ways one could use it, however. I'm going to post one now and then maybe I'll come back another day to post another way.

Goal for a defined time period: This uses only the side for earning points. It does not use the rewards purchasing side.

The user can set a goal of points to be earned during a set time period -- a day, a week, two weeks, a month, whatever. The user starts out by creating a blank log file, then keeps track of points earned during the period. At the end of the period the user compares the actual with the goal. This info could be kept in a simple spreadsheet.

One can then adjust the item definition file if one wishes, and then begin a new period. The old log file hangs around and can be reviewed. The new one starts out clean. My notion is that it is better to adjust the item definition file and the goal amount according to experience or according to changing priorities rather than to try to keep the item definition file constant so as to allow true comparisons between time periods. So if you know the annual apartment inspection is coming up and you need to do more cleaning, change the weights to encourage cleaning. And so on.

[mouser]

Fun to hear you are finding a use for it! 

[Contro]

The points are not the only important thing to me.
My idea is an interactive check list.
But no need to check, only revise and count.
The point are a graphical result.
 

[mouser]

id be interested in someone doing a comprehensive web search for web tools that do this.. my inclination would be to remake a more general web-based tool next time.

[Contro]

I supposed is the fashion. But I simply assumed is better a soft with the feets on the earth with possibilities to fly....
Now the fashion is the universal collaborative environment.
But a simple break or a war will leave everybody in the darkness.
It's important notice that Optimism was a shareware option some time ago.
Now the fashion is to be effective everywhere and don't rest in no place.
So
All the cloud is perfect beginning with an alternative web-based tool.
I see yesterday one of these cloud based applications with no-service just yesterday

Sometimes I think is a fashion to create software to create needs, instead of a software to solve needs.

          

[Contro]

id be interested in someone doing a comprehensive web search for web tools that do this.. my inclination would be to remake a more general web-based tool next time.

-mouser (May 19, 2012, 09:09 PM)

I have done that almost. But it's important to define the limits.

How would you define Point Motivator ?

Reward Software ?

Motivational software is in relation with Psichology.
I remember for years using your program Wisdom for memorize purposes.

Goals software ?
Project software ?
Checking list software ?
Dashboard software ?

Give me instructions to begin and I'll do my very best.

 

[Contro]

I was thinking in Point Motivator as a dynamic indicator of my purposes over the time.

When you are in the Kalahari oasis you don't need water , but the next day you are in the North Pole and need other things.

 

[Contro]

This is in my opinion a dangerous manipulation tool :

https://www.mypoints...com/emp/u/signup.do?

 

Fortunately don't recognize my postal code.....
 

[Contro]

Another one. Don't accept me. I don't know whyyyyy.....
 
Give several errors and don't let me select the province.

https://www.points.com/PdcSite.html#join

 

[Contro]

Incentive loyalty systems
http://www.iventa.co...y-points-system.aspx

Web environment = manipulation. Or educatives purposes of course.
That was the main presentation when you proposed the soft some years ago and a few members come with xml templates for students.
 

[Contro]

Web environment = share with myself in first instance, or optionally with others = Optimism

Auto help and help programs.

And create the need to be with the soft everywhere.

Do you know that people walking with the eyes in somewhere except in the street or in the people around ?
Do you know the friend using a phone to communicate with someone important while is two ausent hours with you ?
 

[Ignatius]

Hello,
I have been using Point Motivator for years, and over the past few days it has stopped working. When I try to start the app 2 message boxes appear. One says "EAccessViolation", and the other says "List index out of bounds (0)". What could it be?

[mouser]

Hi Ignatius.

I'm sorry to hear that you are having trouble with it.  I must say it doesn't seem the application ever really caught on much, so you may be one of a small handful of users.

The first thing to do is go and make a copy of and backup the data files with all of your items and data.
SO go and copy (zip) the entire directory of "C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\DonationCoder\PointMotivator" and put that copy someplace safe.

Ok so now there are two things for us to look at, the "PointMotivator.ini" file which is all your generic settings.
And the "UserItemDefs\myitems.itemxml" file which contains all your created items and data.

If you have nothing sensitive you could email those to me to have a look ([email protected]).

If there are sensitive items, you could just open those files in a text editor and see if you spot anything unusual.

You could (after having made a backup!) try exiting the program and deleting your PointMotivator.ini file and restarting, to see if the problem was just a weird setting that got corrupted.

If that doesn't solve it then hopefully it's just a matter of some item in the xml file got a value that is triggering a bug and we can track it down and fix it.

The worst case scenario would be if your myitems.xml file got completely corrupted or erased somehow, so that would be the other thing you can check in a text editor.

[Ignatius]

Thanks Mouser. After following your suggestion to find and delete "PointMotivator.ini" the application is now working again.

It's a pity that Point Motivator isn't more popular. Token economies are well established in psychology, are widely used, and have very strong empirical support. I don't know of any alternative software which serves the same purpose. I'd expect Point Motivator would much more likely catch on among certain niches. Anyway, thanks again. Glad to have it back in order.

[mouser]

Good to hear it's working again!

If you backed up your PointMotivator.ini I would love to see it along with the new one to see if I can spot what was causing the error.

Well regarding the popularity of PointMotivator -- I think it's due largely to two understandable things:
1. The move to web apps
2. The move to mobile apps

Similar kinds of apps exist (in more fun gamified forms) on the web and probably on mobile devices (and which run on both).

[Ignatius]

I've sent you a copy of PointMotivator.ini

The same error occurred again after closing and re-opening the program, and I found that removing myitems.xml and starting a new one afresh has stopped it from happening again. I must have messed it up while editing the items file directly (to re-arrange the list order).

Now that you mention it, I do remember seeing some of those gamified motivation apps. Their other features get in the way of simply adding and subtracting points for activities and rewards, so I still prefer PointMotivator.

[Ignatius]

Just fyi, the same problem has occurred again a few times since, although I have not edited the item definitions except from within the app. I've resolved the issue in the same way each time. It's just a matter of keeping daily backups.

[mouser]

This is not good that this happens, let's try to fix it.  can you resend me the bad ini?

[Ignatius]

Ok. I've been deleting and overwriting them, but next time it happens I'll keep the file and send it.

[Ignatius]

It just happened again, immediately on closing the Options window. I have attached the *.ini file to this post.