Author Topic: What do you use to keep track of your installed software? (Read 33492 times)

Darwin · « **Reply #25 on:** August 15, 2007, 07:43 PM »

Hear, hear! Where Is It? is awesome. I like SoftCat Pro's abiity to auto-catalogue the s/w on my system but I wish it would search my registry... I'm not sure if Where Is it? will auto-catalogue my installed software or not... I know I can have it catalogue the contents of whatever folders I tell it to, but that won't get to the registry, either.

Check&Get 3 is great - I don't use it's URL organizing features (even though evidently this was its original "role") and have found the developer to be quite friendly and helpful, but then I haven't been requesting features and such. Ken, what features would you like to see added - or bugs fixed for that matter? I'm curious... and might try writing to the developer myself, raising the same issues. Never hurts to try, try again... Actually, the developer has been active here in the past - why don't you start a thread and we can try to get him to respond there?

KenR · « **Reply #26 on:** August 15, 2007, 10:41 PM »

Hear, hear! Where Is It? is awesome. I like SoftCat Pro's abiity to auto-catalogue the s/w on my system but I wish it would search my registry... I'm not sure if Where Is it? will auto-catalogue my installed software or not... I know I can have it catalogue the contents of whatever folders I tell it to, but that won't get to the registry, either.

Check&Get 3 is great - I don't use it's URL organizing features (even though evidently this was its original "role") and have found the developer to be quite friendly and helpful, but then I haven't been requesting features and such. Ken, what features would you like to see added - or bugs fixed for that matter? I'm curious... and might try writing to the developer myself, raising the same issues. Never hurts to try, try again... Actually, the developer has been active here in the past - why don't you start a thread and we can try to get him to respond there?
-Darwin (August 15, 2007, 07:43 PM)

Yeah, Where Is It? will not do that as far as I know and I am pretty familiar with it.

I'm not sure what to think or say about your comments about the developer. I saw some post from him and thought he seemed interested in feedback. After not gettomg any responses to my emails though, things seemed pretty clear. Everyone else (aside from JoTo) gets my emails.

I was going to make a post. I even talked to Mouser about it. In the end though, my body/health won out and I never got around to it, like the pile of paperwork sitting patiently in front of me.

Here is a partial list of the changes I thought would be useful:

accommodate clipboard managers (or maybe it only happens with AI RoboForm) and only add the site to C&G if it is the current item in clipboard. As it is, C&G pops up the window to add it if there is one anywhere in the clipboard manager whenever anything is copied to the clipboard
Be able to control when the time cycle begins, such as 6am rather than just how often it is checked.
Be able to set sites as unread
Accommodate FTP sites
Allow the program to ignore changes without wiping that information out in the display
Go to changes, seek them, etc when the site is opened
Be able to create folders, like the ones that exist, that meet specified criteria
Use a live, progressive search for urls when the user begins to type rather than having to bring up a search window, specify criteria, initiate it, etc
Be able to update just the links in a folder without having to select them
Specify the criteria for dulplicate URLs, such as the base domain
Speed up how long it takes to show the image of the page
When an error occurs, recheck the urls after an adjustable interval instead of just waiting for the next check

Those are the ones I can think of right now. I'm pretty sure I had more, but maybe not. Let me know if any of these need clarifying.

Ken

Darwin · « **Reply #27 on:** August 16, 2007, 12:31 AM »

accommodate clipboard managers (or maybe it only happens with AI RoboForm) and only add the site to C&G if it is the current item in clipboard. As it is, C&G pops up the window to add it if there is one anywhere in the clipboard manager whenever anything is copied to the clipboard

Interesting - which clipboard manager do you use? I use Clipmate 7.2 and don't have this problem (if I select a non-url item from within the list in the "inbox" C&G ignores the clipboard- even if I have numerous urls and e-mail addresses in the clipboard). ~~I'll have to take a look at my settings and see if there's anything in there dictating this behaviour.~~ Nope - just the option to have C&G monitor the clipboard for urls. Must have something to do with how Clipmate manages the older items.

Anyway, nice list! I'll try to get in touch with the author tomorrow and see what happens. I'll direct him here as well.

KenR · « **Reply #28 on:** August 16, 2007, 03:52 AM »

accommodate clipboard managers (or maybe it only happens with AI RoboForm) and only add the site to C&G if it is the current item in clipboard. As it is, C&G pops up the window to add it if there is one anywhere in the clipboard manager whenever anything is copied to the clipboard

Interesting - which clipboard manager do you use? I use Clipmate 7.2 and don't have this problem (if I select a non-url item from within ...
-Darwin (August 16, 2007, 12:31 AM)

How interesting! I have the current version of clipmate as well.
Ken

Darwin · « **Reply #29 on:** August 16, 2007, 06:45 PM »

Hi again, Ken. I'm just sitting down to compose an e-mail to the developer and am looking over your suggestions. I'm not sure about the one:

Be able to create folders, like the ones that exist, that meet specified criteria

and want to be able to represent it accurately (I'm thinking of simply writing an e-mail and seeing what happens).

KenR · « **Reply #30 on:** August 16, 2007, 07:50 PM »

Well, some of the ones that exist are Hot Sites (called Marked), Changed, Checking Now, etc. (By the way, another thing I would like the program to have is a button to check just the hot sites. I forgot to mention that last night.) What I would like is the ability to create additional folders and then specify the criteria. So when you click on that folder, it shows the bookmarks that meet the criteria. If you would like to discuss this more, I can give you my phone number and I am also on line.

Ken

Darwin · « **Reply #31 on:** August 16, 2007, 07:53 PM »

Ah... OK, I understand what you're after. I'll write something up and run it by you via PM before sending it off. I'm about to be summoned to the dinner table so this might not happen until later tonight, once kids have been bathed and cajoled into their beds!

KenR · « **Reply #32 on:** August 16, 2007, 07:59 PM »

Sounds great Darwin. I'll look forward to it.

Ken

CleverCat · « **Reply #33 on:** August 17, 2007, 01:02 AM »

KenR - Where Is It is great - just tried it and think I might buy it instead of SoftCat...

Darwin · « **Reply #34 on:** August 17, 2007, 07:55 AM »

KenR - Where Is It is great - just tried it and think I might buy it instead of SoftCat...
-CleverCat (August 17, 2007, 01:02 AM)

If you're used to entering the infor manuallly in SoftCat Plus free version anyway, you can't go wrong. Where Is It? comes with a lifetime licence, too

I'm still seduced by the IDEA of SoftCat Plus though... I'd love to be able to scan my computer - file structure and registry - and generate a database with everything filled in for me, including my registration details (I note from the demo that with SoftCat Plus you still have to do this manually).

tinjaw · « **Reply #35 on:** August 17, 2007, 07:58 AM »

I am trying to take a look at Where Is It?, but I cannot reach their website. Is it down, or are my problems local?

Darwin · « **Reply #36 on:** August 17, 2007, 11:45 AM »

I am trying to take a look at Where Is It?, but I cannot reach their website. Is it down, or are my problems local?
-tinjaw (August 17, 2007, 07:58 AM)

No - it's down here, too...

Grorgy · « **Reply #37 on:** August 17, 2007, 02:35 PM »

works now (here anyway)

tinjaw · « **Reply #38 on:** August 18, 2007, 07:06 PM »

I downloaded and installed Where Is It?. It is scanning one of my drives right now. It looks pretty good from their website. I am hoping it meets my needs. I use Locate32 for day to day file locating on my hard drives, but it isn't meant to do the things that Where Is It does. I am hoping they will compliment each other well.

J-Mac · « **Reply #39 on:** August 19, 2007, 02:10 AM »

I downloaded and installed a trial of WhereIsIt? but I cannot figure out exactly how to get started with it. Help seems geared toward placing individual CDs in an optical drive and let WhereIsIt scan them.

How did you get it to start scanning one of your drives?

Thanks.

Jim

tinjaw · « **Reply #40 on:** August 19, 2007, 08:19 AM »

I downloaded and installed a trial of WhereIsIt? but I cannot figure out exactly how to get started with it. Help seems geared toward placing individual CDs in an optical
How did you get it to start scanning one of your drives?
-J-Mac (August 19, 2007, 02:10 AM)

I just right-clicked on a catalog, chose Add New Disk Image, and picked the C: drive.

J-Mac · « **Reply #41 on:** August 19, 2007, 11:26 AM »

I downloaded and installed a trial of WhereIsIt? but I cannot figure out exactly how to get started with it. Help seems geared toward placing individual CDs in an optical
How did you get it to start scanning one of your drives?
-J-Mac (August 19, 2007, 02:10 AM)

I just right-clicked on a catalog, chose Add New Disk Image, and picked the C: drive.
-tinjaw (August 19, 2007, 08:19 AM)

Thanks, tinjaw.

I scanned what I had wanted, but as far as specifying what data you want to collect -- like trying to get a catalog of installed software as per the thread title -- looks to be a little more involved.

Where Is It appears to be very a very comprehensive program. However instructions appear to be sparse regarding determining the target of the disc scans and other uses other than just cataloging CDs. Maybe it is intended for users with a bit more scripting experience? I need a user manual/Help file that is a little more clear. On to the next one...

Thanks.

Jim

CleverCat · « **Reply #42 on:** August 23, 2007, 07:48 AM »

It catalogued my programme files with no problem!

Josh · « **Reply #43 on:** August 23, 2007, 10:57 AM »

Does anyone here use versiontracker.com or have any input on it? I am thinking about buying a subscription, but if it doesnt offer anything remotely beneficial to betanews.com, I might just hold off.

Darwin · « **Reply #44 on:** August 23, 2007, 11:31 AM »

I looked into versiontracker.com a few months ago and ran away from it. I read some reviews and opinions and also tried it out myself. My objection to it, and the main objection from the reviews that I read, is that it is not discriminating about whether or not you have betas installed, whether or not the latest version is a beta, and so on. There are also a lot of erroneous "updates" found and applied that mess up installations of programs and in bad instances, windows itself.

Secunia's Personal Software Inspector suffers from a similar problem (though a few noteworthy points: it is and will remain a free service and two it is not automated) in that it flags programs as "end of life" - ie, no longer developed, and harrasses you to uninstall them. Actually, I quite like Secunia but I'd like to be able to disable it running in my tray, an option that I have been unable to find. I *guess* I should contact the development team. What a novel idea, contacting the development team of a piece of software that is in beta... OK, I'm off to do that now.

In sum, look at the Secunia option. Google versiontracker.com for reviews before committing to them, particularly the paid service.