> * before offering to show download page,
> installer does not first check if user is
> currently connected to internet.
> BAD
Bad but acceptable perhaps?
No, ok, you're right.
But on many Windows setups the mere act of going to, for example,
http://www.beermex.com causes the internet connection "dialup" dialog to
appear, or even to automatically dial.
> 2. Running Freenet.exe
> (while not connected to Internet)
> ---------------------------------
>
> * Freenet.exe does not check if user is
> currently connected to internet
> BAD
Why is this 'BAD'? The freenet node will either work (if connected to the
internet) or fail (if not connected to the internet). [Although from
reading later I assume you just mean 'If freenet.exe checked, it would be
able to inform the user' ]
> * Double-click on icon - Freenet.exe launches
> the URL http://127.0.0.1:/
> VERY BAD
I've seen this before. Sometimes, on occasions, Sebastian's installer
totally fails to run cfgnode (or cfgclient) - whichever of Seb's tools is
supposed to create a default freenet.ini
Which means, if there's no freenet.ini, then there are no freenet settings.
This is the 'BAD' bit.
> * Java configurator launches successfully
> GOOD
Because flaunch.ini is set up correctly
>
> * FProxy port shows on configurator as 8080
> BAD
Because freenet.ini not set up correctly. Could you repost with the
contents of freenet.ini at this step?
(I'm assuming the failure you're reporting is reproducable ... I suspect it
probably is, )
> * Changing FProxy port in configurator, then
> double-clicking again, launches
> 'http://127.0.0.1:8081'. Gateway page
> comes up.
> GOOD
Because now we'll have a line in freenet.ini saying
"services.fproxy.port=8081" :)
> * After connecting to internet, I click on
> Snarfoo link - apparently node has given
> up - node doesn't connect to Freenet
> BAD
Apparently? Was the icon flashing with the "Freenet is having problems"
text at this point?
Perhaps your internet connection had died (other people are now reporting
problems that the node gets confused if an active internet connection dies
on it ...)
> * Stop and restart freenet (via tray popup)
> is successful
> GOOD
>
> * Click on Snarfoo link, after initial
> failure (from launching freenet without
> active connection, then restarting freenet)
> - successful
> GOOD
( ... and that restarting the node seems to solve it)
At which point in the above proceedings did you actually 'activate' your
internet connection? (I'm assuming from your terminology that you're using
a modem here)
> * I closed down internet connection, then
> tried another link - got a 404, and no other
> sign of what was wrong
> BAD
Bug in FProxy, if anything.
What would you prefer? An error saying "You have no active internet
connection or your internet connection has died. Try again when you have an
active internet connection" ?
[ Although from reading later we can add feedback to the systray icon ]
> * I Re-connected to internet, then tried
> surfing again - successful
> GOOD
>
> END OF TEST
- What happened to all the command-line tests?
> * If java interpreter reg key is not found,
> then installer needs to first enter a
> loop of prompting user to start up an
> internet connection.
"... iff there isn't already an active one "
> * This first loop should:
> * Gain user's permission to test
> internet connection, and assure
> him/her that you are not 'phoning
> home', sending any info, or
> violating privacy in any other way
> * Verify that there is an active
> internet connection - a ping or
> brief web hit to freenetproject.org
> should suffice
This loop is not trivial as it needs to take into account the time it takes
to train the modem (recommend up to a minute)
What if it fails to find an active connection in the time allotted?
> * This loop should provide a 'cancel'
> button to allow user to bail out
Definitely - but then where would it end up?
> * Loop MUST complete successfully before
> entering the body of the java
> selection/detection loop
See previous point.
Also, why not search for java before looking for the internet connection?
If you already have java installed, you don't need to ensure there is an
internet connection available.
> * Best to not use other ways of detecting the
> presence of an active connection - such
> measures work ok on 95/98/ME, but not
> so well on win2k
Well, why not use measures that work on 95,98,ME,2K,NT and XP then?
No point doing something half-arsed here. I'm sure there's loads of
portable things we can try, or even just detect the os and say, if Win2k, do
this, if 9X/ME do that, if NT do the other.
> * First, check that an active internet
> connection exists. If it doesn't exist,
> then flash the tray icon, with the ALT
> text "Please open an internet
> connection". Freenet.exe should enter a
> state - WAITING_FOR_INTERNET_CONNECTION
> * check every 2 seconds for a connection
> * When a connection comes up, then and
> only then, launch the node.
> * Once node is launched successfully, I'd advise
> that you invisibly send a request to fproxy
> (directly with sockets), to
> ensure that you can load the gateway
> page.
> * If you can't get the gateway page in
> this way, then flash the tray icon, with
> the ALT text "cannot load gateway page".
> * Every 30 seconds, check if user is still
> connected to net. If not, then go into
> the WAITING_FOR_INTERNET_CONNECTION state
Ok... ok... I think I see where you're coming from with this.
You're wanting to add useability and user-friendliness into the Windows gui
for freenet when/since/because the node itself doesn't/can't do it. Right.
In which case, I *like* your idea of searching for the internet
connection. Bit like ICQ, right?
Hey, I'm even going to add another brand new icon just for the purpose.
Not sure about your Gateway suggestion though. The user doesn't have to
have FProxy configured on their system.
And even if FProxy isn't started with the node, they may have some kooky
reason for starting the node without FProxy and then manually starting
FProxy. In which case they probably still want to be able to load the
gateway page from the systray icon.
A flashing tray icon for when the gateway cannot be loaded is, in my
opinion, a bad idea.
Possibly a change of icon, though?
Or, even easier, how about just:
o If the user double-clicks hops, and the gateway cannot be
'seen' by freenet.exe, it reports this with a message box
o If the user right-clicks hops and the gateway cannot be 'seen'
by freenet.exe, it greys out the Open Gateway option
This is information in itself, and the useability issue is implied and
straightforward.
Flashing icons are potentially confusing - a flashing icon saying "Cannot
Load Gateway Page" would actually mean "Oh, but hey, Freenet, the thing you
just installed, is working fine" ? Bad thinking. Prefer mine. Good ideas
though.
> * Fix the bug of 'http://127.0.0.1:/'
> (see below)
> * Fix the bug of the Java config dialog
> showing 8080 as FProxy port (below)
Did I miss something? There was no 'below'...
What _were_ you going to add? :)
Dave
Loading MSDN right now.
ps.
Sebastian - Going to bloat freenet.exe a tad though. Looks like the "<16KB
executable" crusade ends here
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