Newsgroup: it.comp.os.win.xp
Titolo: Application Usage Monitoring

I recently took over a computer lab, and there are applications
installed that I don't know if they are really used. Is there an
application out there that will log the usage of applications on a
computer? The only stuff I can find is for monitoring kids and
internet activity. I don't need all of that. I just want to see over a
period of time if an application is used.
Thanks.

mtuller wrote:

Windows does it.... even if some of the installed programs
aren't considered by the windows explorer.
btw you can get some hint by acting as you want to uninstall it; the
add/remove program applet should tell you how much the program 
is used, but only if is started by the explorer, if the program
XYZ calls the program AAA you see XYZ as "frequently used"
but AAA shows as "not used/poor usage".


How do I get the information from Windows? Thanks for the tip about
Add/Remove. Stating rarely doesn't help me much though. I would like
to see application AAA was opened on 1/1/07 and was open for 30
minutes type of information. The Event Viewer doesn't seem to have
that type of information.

mtuller wrote:

AFAIK the "monitor" you're looking for simply does'nt exist; that
kind of task reminds me what trojans spyware usually do...
Maybe you can find an antivirus (wich is supposed to monitorize
any task running) able to log detailed infos...btw i have no clue
on wich one to choose because (as example) my free-av can log
any running process, it does'nt log the "closing" event but only
the "proggy was scanned at xyz time"; so it does'nt log for how much
it has been running; in addition (I guess, coz I never did such a thing)
I suppose the log will be very difficult to read cause of the
high number of entryes you will have scanning any process...
Maybe a "hack" of the API events, a kind of HOOK on the system
trying to trap any application.opening & application.closing
event can do the trick... I think is needed a smart guy
wich have the right knowledge to build an application able to do
the trick; is you can easily guess a simple program (eg visual basic
homemade proggy) can affect the PC's performance, so is not a thing
that a beginner can handle...


No, I don't want anything like spyware. Just something that logs when
and application is opened and how long it is open. I would think
something like this would have been created at some point, as it would
be useful for administrators trying to cleanup unused applications so
they don't have tp pay for licensing.

 they don't have tp pay for licensing.
You haven't got the point, or maybe I haven't explayned my point:
The point is : wich kind of software can do the job ?
It has to be a monitor program
It has to log (some of) what the user do
It has to run smootly without hang or affect the normal PC work
All of those features are common "spyware" tasks; the only
difference is what you do with logged informations, so (as example)
I found 
http://www.pcacme.com/
 by googling for "monitor program pc".
I think you have to see what those kind of program can do, ensure
that can be configured for logging only events like:
"program PPP : total running time yyy minutes since this morning"
and the configuration can be locked to avoid inproper use
(eg student YYY want to spy ZZZ)
Also ensure that it can run clearly visible ALSO for users, and also
users CAN close it, then write down a notice and add this notice
to the pc's "autorun", kinda of:
"This machine is running XYZ software to help us keep computers
 clean, Even we do not collect personal data but you still have
 concerns about your privacy, simply click on the blue icon to
 stop the monitorizing software. YOU DO NOT NEED any kind of
 autorization to stop the monitorizing software, by the way
 if you want more information on this matter feel free
 to contact Mr xyz"
So you get the info's you like to collect and
the privacy is saved, people will not feel peeked.