No, not worth the trouble and expense. As Mark points out, I see an awful lot of these notices on software I've downloaded from big companies.
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I'm sure some will feel differently, but I strongly feel that Vista is a nuisance, an experiment really, not a proper OS. |
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After being involved with the Aquarium for 10 years, I feel I have a unique and fairly accurate perspective. I am familiar with most of the motivations, processes, and inner workings of the Aquarium and its development. These days, it is rare that my responses to customer questions are very far off-base. That you don't find our comments relevant is unfortunate, but I'd rather Jim S., Jim R., Edgar, and Mark be able to focus development on the Aquarium, rather than have to spend time responding to issues to which the answer is already known. We have direct access to the developers of the Aquarium -- let's not abuse it. |
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I don't know if this is an installer issue or program issue. When I was moving my altlogo.png file to the correct location under Application Data I ran into a strange situation.
On all my other machines I easily found the folder and placed the file in folder. However on one machine I couldn't find the folder. At first I thought I hadn't installed the program but then saw that it was installed by the installer. I did a search and saw that the folder was created under a different user profile than the one i used to install. And it was a limited user account to boot. I am not sure why MA3 would pick another user profile to create directories. I suspect it is using some offset rather than the correct name for the location. The limited user account was first alphabetically from the admin account I used to install. Has anyone else experienced this behaviour on XP SP3 and MA3? |
It requires an admin to install MA3.
To run MA3, a limited user can run it and use the admin install info. Each user will have their own data profile. If we don't let it run as limited user then it will keep asking to be installed for a limited user. As you can see each user will have their own working dir for their playlist, custom logo. |
I may yet get the opportunity to quote Cromwell!
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You'll remember that some other programs ask you, during the installation, whether you want to install for "All users" or for "Only This User". The MA3 installer doesn't do that - it just installs for "All users". But, to allow any of the users of the computer to use MA3, and to allow each user to have his/her own customizations (fish, logos, music, etc.), there has to be a separate place to put each user's settings. That's what you're hunting. However, I suspect that the place for that data, for any particular user, isn't created until that user actually runs MA3 for THAT USER'S first time. [It makes sense to do it that way] So, before "your personal account" first runs MA3, no place has been created for you to put your Altlogo files. I'm guessing that your "limited" account had already run MA3, but your "normal account" had not yet run MA3. HTH |
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There wasn't separate working directories. Only one. |
Question for markknight: (or Jim or Edgar or whomever)
I have some suggestions regarding the installer, and related to the Direct3D and DirectX9.0c issues. Would you prefer them in this topic? Or in a separate one? |
The only issue I've recently had is the February issue of the magazine I buy.
... But there has been the occasional problem, with MA3... :) ..... You Have Problems, Not Issues |
At my work we had to switch to 'observations' in case 'issues' was too inflamatory! :rolleyes:
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There are so may current cliches going around that I've lost count. It used to be that maybe once a month you would hear the phase, "Having said that...", or "That said...". Now it's 100 times a day.
And "Begging the Question" suddenly seems to be synonymous with "Asking the Question". It's actually the name of one of the classic Logical Fallacies. |
I just purchased the MA3 upgrade installer and keycode. Everything is working perfectly. I like the fact that the statistics display is off when the saver starts. I was going to wait to get the keycode but figured why not get it now, since I was going to have to get it eventually. Anyway, everything is fine. My system:
Winxp Pro SP3 - Pentium D 945 3.4Ghz - XFX 9600GT 512mb video card - 3gb 667mhz dual channel Corsair ram. |
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That's the way I looked at it too. But I haven't gotten around to installing it yet... :lol: The license is a must have if you have all of Jim's work. :TU: |
Starting with the next Beta, the clock and logo support will require a Key Code, so you guys are all set!
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I'm set too, then! (I decided to throw some money at it in case you need more pizza!)
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Thanks, now I can get the next one with extra cheese.
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All is Good
Just purchased my upgrade and all is good. Go ahead and make it double pepperoni as well Jim :) Everything is looking good and starting to come together although it would be nice to see the revised fish and movement.
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1. Finish clocks.
2. Bring clams to life. 3. New fish models. 4. New fish movement. 5 through 2,543,921 - To be determined. |
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That's extremely difficult, so it will be farther down the list.
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That image (the anemone on the far right) is one frame of a hi-def video that I shot a couple of years ago at an aquarium shop. Currently, the texture is mapped onto a low-res 3D object. There are two challenges:
1. I need to find a way of editing the video into a small file which loops seamlessly. 2. I have to create an extremely detailed model, so that the clownfish can actually play among the tentacles. |
Perhaps we can get back to the "INSTALLER test" topic.
There are at least two conditions that will prevent MA3 from running, and in my opinion the Installer should prevent MA3 from being inadvertantly installed when it then would not run. A. MA3 requires DirectX 9.0c. The installer now provides a warning, and a link to Microsoft. However, many folks will just click on through that. The installer should, in my opinion, do the following: 1. CHECK to see if DirectX 9.0c is present (that's a rather easy check, based on file versions). 2. If DirectX 9.0c is not present, offer (by default) to install it. That's also rather easy to do by including the redistributable 9.0c kit with the installation package. The installation could be done by permission ("Do you want us to install this for you"), or the installer could mandate it ("Choose Install or Cancel MA3 Installation"). ================ B. MA3 requires a "compatible Direct3D Device". Jim has available a test for that condition that appears to be diagnostic. The installer should, in my opinion, do the following: 1. CHECK to see if there is a compatible Direct3D Device using Jim's code. 2. If the test fails, tell the user and ask if installation should proceed - clearly warning that MA3 probably won't run until that situation is corrected. |
Including the DirectX9c runtime in the download is not an option - it's huge. The installer provides a link to Microsoft. We're looking into which would be the most direct link to install DX9, but my mother was able to use the installer, follow the link, install DX9, and get the Aquarium running without any help from me. Believe me, if she can do it, ANYBODY should be able to :)
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People can download DirectX 9. Quote:
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Chasing down every possible way that every possible system can crash is not a trivial exercise. Right now, the vast majority Aquarium fans want me to continue forward progress, and save the task of going back for stragglers for a lull in the action.
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Footnote: you already said, in the topic you incorrectly referenced, that: Quote:
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============================ OFF TOPIC -- please feel free to skip the rest. Look, guys and gals - this is the Marine Aquarium 3 Beta Test forum. Back on 10/10/2008, we were requested to: Quote:
In my view, MA3 includes a lot of stuff - the very important Marine Aquarium simulation and associated artwork; the surrounding way the program works; the Settings panels, ans associated documentation; the Installation program; and other stuff (including the SereneScreen website which seems to have had quite a bit of discussion and bug-fixing). If you only want comments about the tank, please let everybody know. In my view, "test out" and "report bugs" includes reports of actual bugs, suspected bugs, suggestions, and opinions (for instance, the opinion and suggestions that I recently posted in this topic). And suggestions for improving the user experience (for all types of users), and other things which might potentially increase sales of MA3. If you only want reports of bugs that are actual bugs, and no suspected bugs, suggestions or opinions, please say so. And finally, in my view, "report" means to write it down and post it, so it can be handled at the appropriate time by the appropriate people. Or, so it can be discussed, shot down, and nobody else (should) bother reporting it in the future (as feldon32 implied). In my view, it doesn't help for someone to find something they think is worthy of comment, and then just sit on it until some time in the future (or forget it). In particular, in my view, it doesn't help for a well-meant bug report, opinion, comment, or suggestion to be met by "why are you bothering with that." However, that's just my view. If you would like us all to not post anything except opinions about the appearance of the aquarium, then letting us all know that, would be more polite than attacking. Other opinions on those off-topic subjects are invited, but perhaps in some thread other than the Installer thread? |
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However, I really am curious why adding 33.5 MB to the download would render this "not an option". Particularly if it would make things easier for your mother (and my mother-in-law). |
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Why should Jim volunteer to foot the bill for thousands of dollars of web hosting every month that Microsoft should be paying? Quote:
Jim Sachs is responsible for the Aquarium, the entire thing. That other people including Jim R., Mark Knight, Edgar, and others are contributing to the project and doing different aspects of it does not mean that Jim does not have final say on things. If Jim says it will not come with DirectX runtime, that's the end of the story. Quote:
Your point about the DirectX has been made, received, and responded to several times. It is your choice to keep the issue alive, or realize that it has already been dealt with. The Aquarium is developed by Jim Sachs. It is HIS product. Not yours. Jim has given your answer -- he is not going to spend hundreds of man hours adding error handling and special code to deal with ancient hardware that is excluded from the Recommended Hardware List. I just wonder if you won't listen to me, Michael, Prolific, and now not even Jim Sachs, if you will listen to anyone. |
Dale - Regarding your testing of the installer - you are absolutely right to do so, and your findings are valued.
Regarding your advocating for the equipment-challenged users - Yes, somebody's got to do it, but currently I'm going to be preoccupied with forging ahead. The "No computer left behind" program will have to wait. Regarding including a 33.5 MB addition to the download, you have to be kidding. I'm struggling to pare 10k from the 3.3-meg download, and you want me to increase the size ten-fold? The servers would have a nuclear meltdown. |
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For future consideration - it would be quite possible to only do the 33.5 MB download in case of need - rather than with the first download. |
I'll let Microsoft handle the DirectX download. I forget whether it was you or someone else who suggested that we could have a better link for this, and we're looking into it.
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The current direct link is:
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...008_redist.exe The "official" DirectX 9 link at Microsoft's website is this: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en which requires proving that you have a legitimate Windows install by installing an obtrusive ActiveX control. |
How does the first link behave if you don't have Windows validation?
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The first link is a straight download link to the file. Unfortunately as you can see, the filename will probably change periodically during the year.
The second link takes you to a page where you must click "Validate" which installs an ActiveX control on your PC which then pokes your Windows XP/Vista/7 to see if it's a real Windows. If so, then you advance to the next page which is a straight download link. I would make the Aquarium point to an arbitrary redirect like http://www.serenescreen.com/getdirectx9/ and then have your web person keep that link up-to-date with whatever link is currently at Microsoft's website for DirectX 9. |
Good idea.
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