topbanner_forum
  *

avatar image

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Login with username, password and session length
  • Friday March 29, 2024, 10:55 am
  • Proudly celebrating 15+ years online.
  • Donate now to become a lifetime supporting member of the site and get a non-expiring license key for all of our programs.
  • donate

Author Topic: Fileforum.Betanews alternative  (Read 8956 times)

Midnight Rambler

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • **
  • Posts: 228
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Fileforum.Betanews alternative
« on: December 20, 2011, 11:00 AM »
Depended on http://fileforum.betanews.com/ automatic email alerts to track software updates on my program watch list but they've apparently discontinued that service.

Can anyone suggest a good alternative?
Compaq Presario 5716 (98), Dell Dimension 4700 (XP), Lenovo ThinkPad T530 (Win 7 Pro > Win 10 Pro).

Josh

  • Charter Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Points: 45
  • Posts: 3,411
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Fileforum.Betanews alternative
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2011, 01:48 PM »
I've been looking for something similar. Unforunately, the only service which comes close to that, and actually surpasses it in terms of number of programs monitored, is the CNET TechTracker.

Midnight Rambler

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • **
  • Posts: 228
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Fileforum.Betanews alternative
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2011, 10:58 AM »
Thanks for the TechTracker tip.  Since it works by scanning the software installed on user's computer and alerts user when updates are available, it seems to be a variant of Secunia PSI which has served me very well.

Beauty of F.B was that nothing needed to be installed.  User simply added programs to wish list on site and was notified of updates.

From the lack of responses so far, there appears to be no real alternative.  Guess F.B business model wasn't profitable.
Compaq Presario 5716 (98), Dell Dimension 4700 (XP), Lenovo ThinkPad T530 (Win 7 Pro > Win 10 Pro).

Josh

  • Charter Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Points: 45
  • Posts: 3,411
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Fileforum.Betanews alternative
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2011, 12:42 PM »
They really have turned into an advertisement delivery engine vice a real content site. Most of the "reviews" of products appear to be from paying advertisers, not that they are this is just my opinion. They are posting reviews to products which go against the primary audience of the site. Example, they recently posted a review of a "registry optimizer", which any tech worth his salt knows causes far more issues than it helps.

If you find any alternatives, please let me know.

Midnight Rambler

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • **
  • Posts: 228
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Fileforum.Betanews alternative
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2012, 11:03 AM »
Received multiple software update notices today from "[email protected]."  Couldn't believe it.  They're so darn handy that can't help but hope they're really back.
Compaq Presario 5716 (98), Dell Dimension 4700 (XP), Lenovo ThinkPad T530 (Win 7 Pro > Win 10 Pro).

Josh

  • Charter Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Points: 45
  • Posts: 3,411
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Fileforum.Betanews alternative
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2012, 09:01 PM »
Has anyone run across a tool to replace BN yet? I use cnet tech tracker but would prefer email notifications on updates per application. A community-sourced tool/service would be preferable for accuracy.

Cloq

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • default avatar
  • Posts: 282
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Fileforum.Betanews alternative
« Reply #6 on: June 28, 2012, 11:33 PM »
I have been using (local machine app) website-watcher by adding any app's (that I own/have) download page to the watch list. Only time I have to make a change is when the site author decides to spruce the page and changes the download page.

Works for me.  :)

Midnight Rambler

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • **
  • Posts: 228
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Fileforum.Betanews alternative
« Reply #7 on: June 29, 2012, 05:03 AM »
Has anyone run across a tool to replace BN yet?

Since March, BN has apparently resumed service fully as previously posted.  Are you reluctant to use them again?  An alternative, though not complete, is ChangeDetection.com.  Used them to monitor a vendor site but updates became too frequent so had to cancel change alerts.
Compaq Presario 5716 (98), Dell Dimension 4700 (XP), Lenovo ThinkPad T530 (Win 7 Pro > Win 10 Pro).

hpearce

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • default avatar
  • Posts: 139
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Fileforum.Betanews alternative
« Reply #8 on: July 01, 2012, 06:21 PM »
If you want a software advisor program, I highly recommend SUMO...  It has an extremely large database and has very few false positives in the results.  Nothing else I have seen comes close.
Windows 7 SP1 (TM) Home Premium 64-bit .. Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU P8400 @ 2.26 GHz / 2.27 GHz .. 4GB RAM .. NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GTS .. Gateway P-7805u FX

Josh

  • Charter Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Points: 45
  • Posts: 3,411
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Fileforum.Betanews alternative
« Reply #9 on: July 01, 2012, 06:28 PM »
If you want a software advisor program, I highly recommend SUMO...  It has an extremely large database and has very few false positives in the results.  Nothing else I have seen comes close.

Testing the program now but I must say....I've never had to uncheck so many "great freeware 3rd party tool" check boxes during an installation program, EVER!

Curt

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 7,566
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Fileforum.Betanews alternative
« Reply #10 on: July 26, 2012, 01:49 AM »
http://windowssecret...her-software/#story1

>Software that updates your other software

By Fred Langa on July 25, 2012 in Top Story

The release of Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) 3.0 prompts a test drive of the new version, plus six alternative general-purpose auto-update tools.

One surprise: Some of these automatic-update programs can worsen your PC’s condition<
-Windows Secrets newsletter

One big review of Secunia, and six mini reviews of competitors.  :up:
http://windowssecret...her-software/#story1