[Touch Diamond, MDA Compact IV General] low.flying.pigs:
Hello Hello Blaustein / Klaus,

In brief response:

Providing source code enables capable users wishing to familiarise themselves with the current source code to do so. Availability of recent current versions enables comparison. It can be seen how changes have been made. Much can be learned from this. Meaningful change logs are also always useful as would be frequent to do lists as were requested some time ago.

This will facilitate the continuation of the project as and when you retire from it, and possibly assist in the mean time, which can only be good for the GCC project and in the best interests of all users.

Up to 3.114, source code was always made available as a downloadable zip file. This is by far the most simplistic method. There is no real reason why 4.10, or any other version in the interim is not available. Kindly now provide 4.10 source code as a downloadable zip file as requested.

Basically the symbols are unavailable separately from the existing buttons? If so further skins involve unnecessary work.

There are many things already submitted but not yet implemented that are worthy of inclusion. If there now exists some unexplained rush to release a full version, before doing so there is one issue of particular importance which can only be good for the GCC project and in the best interests of all users. It has been mentioned briefly previously but not in detail.

User Awareness / Encouragement of User Participation:

At the time of writing, from the official download page, versions of GCC have had the following number of downloads: 4.10, 8174 downloads. 4.9, 8755 downloads. 4.8, 20537 downloads. As GCC is downloadable from a number of other locations, the actual number will exceed these.

It is thus established by conservative estimate there are potentially up to 8000 active users approximately. GCC should have a thriving community actively participating, at the very least considerably more so than it actually does at present and yet that is not the case. There are various readily apparent reasons for this, some of which are below:

Some users become aware of the existence of this forum:

Unfortunately many users that would have considered contribution have been discouraged and dissuaded from doing so by other 'contributors' to the considerable detriment of the project as exhaustively previously documented. It is to be hoped such counter productive and destructive conduct has been finally stamped out and will not recur. It may or may not be possible to recover such users as active contributors.

Many users, if aware of the forum, would contribute:

Unfortunately the official forum is given no prominence or mention at all on the official download page, or anywhere within GCC itself. It is only mentioned at the end of a lengthy Help file and on the official home page which is rarely linked to.

Many users, if aware of the forum, still would not contribute:

If encouraged however, and not subsequently dissuaded, many would contribute on forum. Some however would only contribute by other means.

In summary due to various factors, lots of potential feedback is being needlessly lost. There are a number of simple changes that could be made without significant effort whatsoever, and combined with some more involved changes, it is possible to at least make aware and encourage all users in future. Not all methods will be effective with all users, a broad range of methods is required to reach the largest number.

An initial overview is below of what could be implemented. It is by no means complete or exhaustive. Full details of some require further thought. There is however nothing fundamentally wrong with any, or anything that cannot be implemented when any challenges arising are overcome. Clearly good for the GCC project and in the best interests of all users, there is little if any genuine basis for any user objection to this, nor would any user be genuinely inconvenienced by anything proposed.

Changes outside GCC:

On the official download site, http://code.google.com/p/gccv2/downloads/list, a prominent link to, or at least mention of, the official forum could be included, perhaps within 'Summary + Labels' description area of new releases.

Where downloadable zip files are used, shortcuts could be provided therein to the official forum, http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=424423, and aforementioned official download site.

Changes within GCC:

Prominent display of official download site and forum, could be included on the About page, and at top of the Help file.

An amended update facility could be provided to automatically check for and notify new releases and new betas eliminating needing the user to click check update to do so. Users could be periodically reminded to check manually for updates, when there is no data connection.

Facility could be provided for users to retain the last stable release, and the current beta, and be able to choose which to run from within GCC. This will enable non technical users to participate easily and encourage nervous or cautious users to engage in testing, whilst providing a safeguard to those worried about malfunction on critical rides.

Users could be periodically notified and reminded feedback is sought to further development. This could be done at first installation and occasionally on startup, and thereafter perhaps once a month or similar so as to be non intrusive in conjunction with the above.

Users could be automatically notified and encouraged to submit when errors are logged in GpsCycleComputer.log

Log could be adapted to include user settings (excluding CrossingWays username and password details for privacy) and basic required details such as device manufacturer, model and OS, and even basic circumstances of the error. The log file could form the basis of an issue reporting form.

Facility to auto submit could be provided, perhaps to project specific email address which would also be usable manually. This provides a method for those that have feedback and wish to contribute but not on forum. For those emailing manually, an auto responder could acknowledge receipt and provide thanks, detailing unless further information is required, there will be no further response.

Facility could be developed to detect incorrect closure of GCC, such as a crash, and encourage reporting when next restarted. This is perhaps achievable by noting correct closures, and detecting that note being missing in an incorrect closure situation. Perhaps there is potential to automatically capture the details of Windows Crash Reports.

low.flying.pigs