Suggestions

[SnowBall]

Hi, I have a few suggestions that can improve the Windows ISO Downloader.

1. Add the option: Create Bootable USB or Burn to CD/DVD option under ISO Tools.

2. Add the option: Mount ISO under ISO Tools for Windows 7 Users.

3. Automatically check if the Windows ISO Downloader is compatible with the Operating System and tell users what needs to be updated/changed in order for it to run and function correctly.

4. Automatically clean up files created by enabling Idle Resource Donation.

5. Create an online downloader for people using other Operating Systems or below the Minimum Requirement.

Regards, 

SnowBall

[Jan Krohn]

6 hours ago, SnowBall said:

1. Add the option: Create Bootable USB or Burn to CD/DVD option under ISO Tools.

Sort of a Rufus clone? Great idea, but probably wishful thinking. It's likely not possible to do that with Visual Basic.

6 hours ago, SnowBall said:

2. Add the option: Mount ISO under ISO Tools for Windows 7 Users.

Same as above.

6 hours ago, SnowBall said:

3. Automatically check if the Windows ISO Downloader is compatible with the Operating System and tell users what needs to be updated/changed in order for it to run and function correctly.

I don't think I can give out any message on Windows XP or below versions when the executable is compiled for Vista and above.

Apart from that, do you have any example when you don't get a meaningful message?

6 hours ago, SnowBall said:

4. Automatically clean up files created by enabling Idle Resource Donation.

Definitely coming in the next version (or the one afterward).

7 hours ago, SnowBall said:

5. Create an online downloader for people using other Operating Systems or below the Minimum Requirement. 

The downloader can run on Vista, even if I don't support it. I'm not going to support Win XP or below. I once did, and provided a legacy version of the downloader, but the current source code can't be compiled for Win XP any more. The few users who are still on Win XP should find a computer that has the minimum OS elsewhere to run the downloader.

The users who are below the minimum requirement with .NET or MSIE need to update their software. I already put a lot of effort into MSIE 8 compatibility.

[SnowBall]

Hi, 

1. Can't you embed the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool or rufus to your downloader?

2. Ok

3. For example, if am using an outdated version of Internet Explorer, instead of having a blank screen or nothing on the drop-down list you can check the IE version automatically and notify the user to update IE.

4. Great

5. I think you completely misunderstood me, I mean an ONLINE downloader just like TechBench by WZT so everyone including people who uses Mac, Linux, Windows XP or below and other operating systems can download.

Thanks for spending time looking over these suggestions,

SnowBall

[Jan Krohn]

2 hours ago, SnowBall said:

1. Can't you embed the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool or rufus to your downloader?

Not everything that you can do is allowed to do. Doing this would be quite some copyright violation.

3 hours ago, SnowBall said:

3. For example, if am using an outdated version of Internet Explorer, instead of having a blank screen or nothing on the drop-down list you can check the IE version automatically and notify the user to update IE.

That message has been in place forever. With the latest IE8 compatibility update, it only shows for IE7 users now.

As for the blank screen and blank dropdown list, several root causes have been fixed. For the remaining occurrences of these issues, I've not been able to replicate them, nor to identify the root cause. For example, I don't know which MSIE hotfix exactly deals with the blank dropdown list. Therefore, it'd be quite impossible to know which message to show to the user.

Besides that, it's the user's responsibility to keep their software up to date, and to install any hotfixes that MS provides through Windows Update. Considering all the high priority security hotfixes that come through, a blank dropdown really is one of the most harmless imaginable symptoms of a missing hotfix.

3 hours ago, SnowBall said:

5. I think you completely misunderstood me, I mean an ONLINE downloader just like TechBench by WZT so everyone including people who uses Mac, Linux, Windows XP or below and other operating systems can download. 

Sounds like a reasonable idea. At least for Win 7 and Office 2010 this is something I can do. I can't currently put that on my priorities list though. Maybe next year.

[SnowBall]

Hi Jan,

I've got another suggestion:

Add crash report sender, for example if the downloader shows a blank screen, a blank drop-down or can't connect to the server, the user can choose to collect their system information (Windows version, MSIE version, .NET framework version, List of updates installed and etc.) and sent it to you for debugging.

Regards,

SnowBall

[Jan Krohn]

Thanks for the suggestion.

The crash screen does indeed already exist. I only shows up if the web browser module contains stuff that I can't parse yet.

[SnowBall]

Sorry for the bump but I have something to add:

Quote

Error - This file is currently unavailable. Please check again later

Change the File unavailable message for Windows 7 and Office 2010 to a better message saying something similar to: 

Please request this file later. The generation of download links is currently at a highly throttled rate due to lack of product keys. You can select the language in green meaning it now available or consider to donate working keys for more download links.

Many users are posting about the error without reading other posts and could be quite annoying. Also, you should put the FAQ section in this error message it self because people are too lazy to click on the hyper link and read the FAQ.

[Jan Krohn]

1 hour ago, SnowBall said:

Change the File unavailable message for Windows 7 and Office 2010 to a better message saying something similar to:

Good idea, already done.

1 hour ago, SnowBall said:

Also, you should put the FAQ section in this error message it self because people are too lazy to click on the hyper link and read the FAQ.

The FAQ section is quite long. Adding the whole text might keep even more people from reading and understanding the message.

[SnowBall]

30 minutes ago, Jan Krohn said:

The FAQ section is quite long. Adding the whole text might keep even more people from reading and understanding the message.

I mean one section of it.

[SnowBall]

Another good one, translate all error messages (e.g. the Windows 7 one) to all the languages the ISO Downloader support so users don't have to post on the forum in their own language in the wrong section. Also, link https://www.wincert.net/forum/topic/14040-important-announcement-iso-downloader-blocked-by-microsoft/ to the Windows 7 and Office 2010 error message so at lease they can have a read.

Regards,

SnowBall

 

[Jan Krohn]

Good idea, but it will kill this message on all previous versions, and display some error code instead. I'll need to think it through how to do a smooth transition without causing an increase in forum posts "what is this strange code supposed to tell me"...

[SnowBall]

I can do a good English translation (from English UK to US, from US to UK, from AU to UK and etc.) .

Anyway I wouldn't rely on Google Translate. Most users don't read the error message even if they can understand English and that causes them to think there is a server problem or bug then they post on the forum (without reading other threads).

[aallinen]

Hi, I have a suggestions

You could change download manager.

I don't have always free space enough on drive C:

Download like Chrome does, straight where I choose. Not first on drive C: and then copy to download location.

[SnowBall]

Copy links button?