What's the best way for me to distribute my VB6 program?

[schnel]

I realize this may not be the best place to ask this question, but I need some ideas.

I've written a VB6 program that I think will be useful to a large group of people. One way I know to distribute it is to place the installation files in a folder on my Google Drive, share that folder with anyone who has the link, and then share that link with the people who might be interested in my program. However, that really doesn't offer me any degree of control over the process because anyone can then take that link and download the files.

Alternatively, I can ask people to send me their Gmail address, and then I can manually share that Google Drive folder with that specific address. That would be great except for the fact that it requires manual intervention on my part, and therefore someone who wants the program will have to email me and wait for a reply, which could obviously take up to 24 hours.

So what a really want is to publicly share my installation folder, but *require* that a user downloading it automatically log their email address so that I can know *who* downloaded it and later email those people when updates become available. And, preferably, I'd like a way to do this at little or no cost to me!

Any ideas? Or can you suggest a better place where I can post my question?
Thank you!

[yereverluvinuncleber]

Buy a domain for two years, quite cheap, £12 or so. Purchase some hosting that provides some bandwidth to allow a lot of downloads, still cheap, perhaps £5 pcm. Create a little website using simple HTML and place your download there.

2. Github is also a good place to host your code for free. Though it scares non-developer-type people away, though it is quite possible to zip up a binary or upload an installer as well as source.

3. You can set up a link via dropbox that anyone can access. Free as well. They may well start to become quite annoyed if the bandwidth is massive.

4. I have even given my code away via deviantart of all places. eg. https://www.deviantart.com/yereverlu...9-RC-277413550

5. There is a codebank here on the forum where you can post the source.

6. You can submit the program to Softpedia or other hosters such as CNet.

[schnel]

Buy a domain for two years, quite cheap, £12 or so. Purchase some hosting that provides some bandwidth to allow a lot of downloads, still cheap, perhaps £5 pcm. Create a little website using simple HTML and place your download there.

2. Github is also a good place to host your code for free. Though it scares non-developer-type people away, though it is quite possible to zip up a binary or upload an installer as well as source.

3. You can set up a link via dropbox that anyone can access. Free as well. They may well start to become quite annoyed if the bandwidth is massive.

4. I have even given my code away via deviantart of all places. eg. https://www.deviantart.com/yereverlu...9-RC-277413550

5. There is a codebank here on the forum where you can post the source.

6. You can submit the program to Softpedia or other hosters such as CNet.

Thanks. I'll take a look at Github. I agree that Dropbox wouldn't be the best place to host it (and I'm not sure that would even provide me with the email log that I'd like).
The target audience isn't large enough to justify hosting the files here or on a place like Softpedia.
When I said "large," I meant my target audience might be around 1,000 users with interest in the subject matter.

[yereverluvinuncleber]

Softpedia would be suitable for that amount of downloads, the uploading process is easy.

This is one of mine that has received 7,000 downloads but I have others that have received less there.
https://www.softpedia.com/get/Window...r-Widget.shtml

If you want a log of downloads and email addresses the only easy way would be to set up your own site with a suitable download tool, Joomla for the site and JDownloads as the downloader is one that I have used that provides that sort of granularity.

[Eduardo-]

For the data collection you could set-up a google form: https://www.google.com/forms/about/

The issue is that it won't redirect automatically to the Google Drive or whatever site where you have the program to download.
Another issue is that if the users pass the download url to other users, you won't collect those emails.

For redirecting the page automatically after thee form submission, there is an add-on, but it is not free: https://formfacade.com/website/redir...er-submit.html

I never used Google forms, so I don't know much more.

[schnel]

For the data collection you could set-up a google form: https://www.google.com/forms/about/

The issue is that it won't redirect automatically to the Google Drive or whatever site where you have the program to download.
Another issue is that if the users pass the download url to other users, you won't collect those emails.

For redirecting the page automatically after thee form submission, there is an add-on, but it is not free: https://formfacade.com/website/redir...er-submit.html

I never used Google forms, so I don't know much more.

Yeah, I tried the Google Form approach as well and couldn't get it to work. So I gave up.

[schnel]

Softpedia would be suitable for that amount of downloads, the uploading process is easy.

This is one of mine that has received 7,000 downloads but I have others that have received less there.
https://www.softpedia.com/get/Window...r-Widget.shtml

If you want a log of downloads and email addresses the only easy way would be to set up your own site with a suitable download tool, Joomla for the site and JDownloads as the downloader is one that I have used that provides that sort of granularity.

So in other words, Softpedia doesn't provide you with a log of email addresses who've downloaded the program?
Honestly, if I have to set up my own web site along with a download tool to accomplish this, I'm not going to bother. I'd rather just manually collect the email addresses and manually share the files.
I'm just a little surprised that there's no website that can do this automatically for me.

[Eduardo-]

Yeah, I tried the Google Form approach as well and couldn't get it to work. So I gave up.

But I know it works. I never have set-up a form but I filled several. They ask for an email address in some.
I don't think it must be too hard, it is done by people that are not programmers.

The other way is to set-up a site and program a form there. For sure much more complicated (and not free).

[schnel]

Buy a domain for two years, quite cheap, £12 or so. Purchase some hosting that provides some bandwidth to allow a lot of downloads, still cheap, perhaps £5 pcm. Create a little website using simple HTML and place your download there.

2. Github is also a good place to host your code for free. Though it scares non-developer-type people away, though it is quite possible to zip up a binary or upload an installer as well as source.

3. You can set up a link via dropbox that anyone can access. Free as well. They may well start to become quite annoyed if the bandwidth is massive.

4. I have even given my code away via deviantart of all places. eg. https://www.deviantart.com/yereverlu...9-RC-277413550

5. There is a codebank here on the forum where you can post the source.

6. You can submit the program to Softpedia or other hosters such as CNet.

This would be funny if it weren't ridiculous. I went to Github and discovered I already had a login account there. But the password I had was out of date and wouldn't work. So I tried to reset my password.

In order to reset my password, I have to choose an image of dice--15 times, mind you--that add up to 14. When I've done this 15 times, I'm told I wasn't fast enough, and I should try again.
I've now tried this 5 times, and each time, I get the same unbelievably moronic response.

My son who just graduated with a PhD in particle physics from Harvard (I'm not joking) tried to reset my password for me, he tried twice, then cursed and walked away.

So, finally, I decided to write to Github tech support for help. After composing my message, I was told I had to solve the same f***ing puzzle in order to get help.

So much for Github. (I googled the problem, and it seems others think the puzzle is also some form of cosmic joke on humanity.)

[yereverluvinuncleber]

So this comes down to - When you have a specific requirement but expect it to be achieved for free by someone out there on the web...

If you have a requirement expect to pay for it. If you want something for free then you are at their mercy so prepare to beg them for it or there will be a hidden cost, ie. they'll advertise on your page or read your emails.

Your title was "What's the best way for me to distribute my VB6 program?" You have some choices for that specific request now. The email bit can be achieved but it requires a little more effort from you. You may find it, perhaps keep looking but personally, I would amend my requirement or create a small site to do it.

[schnel]

So this comes down to - When you have a specific requirement but expect it to be achieved for free by someone out there on the web...

If you have a requirement expect to pay for it. If you want something for free then you are at their mercy so prepare to beg them for it or there will be a hidden cost, ie. they'll advertise on your page or read your emails.

Your title was "What's the best way for me to distribute my VB6 program?" You have some choices for that specific request now. The email bit can be achieved but it requires a little more effort from you. You may find it, perhaps keep looking but personally, I would amend my requirement or create a small site to do it.

I hear ya. And I'm willing to pay a reasonable fee for some existing solution that does what I want it to do.
At the moment, I have to worry about finishing touches to the program, setting up a beta test group, creating instructional videos, etc. I really didn't want to add anything more to my plate right now.

[yereverluvinuncleber]

I am doing roughly the same at the moment. Setting up a small site to handle the distribution of a program that I am making. It will be Joomla, probably an older version as that will be fun, and it will have the JDownloads component all ready to distribute the installer/binary. The domain is already bought and paid for, the hosting is in progress, I have to find an old backup of a site to restore where all the configuration is already done.

[schnel]

I am doing roughly the same at the moment. Setting up a small site to handle the distribution of a program that I am making. It will be Joomla, probably an older version as that will be fun, and it will have the JDownloads component all ready to distribute the installer/binary. The domain is already bought and paid for, the hosting is in progress, I have to find an old backup of a site to restore where all the configuration is already done.

Hmm. Let me know if you decide to document your steps somewhere. That would save me a lot of time from having to figure all this out on my own!

[baka]

one way is to have a site that u own where the program is checking for updates, like
http://mysite.com/ver

u make your program download "ver" that is a simple txt file, like

<version>
1.01
</version>
<changelog>
1.01 bugfix: arrow now working
1.00 first version
</changelog>
<message>
hello, its time for a new update
if you enjoy this program, check my website for more info and updates
</message>
<website>
http://mynewsite.com/index.html
</site>
<versionsite>
http://mynewsite.com/ver
</versionsite>

well u get it,
that way, when a new update is available, u create a popup message when the user start the program, about new updates
u can make the update automatically if u wish or manually, if u tell the user to go to the site.

to have email communication is just a mess.

[yereverluvinuncleber]

Setting up a Joomla site is not easy-peasey as it requires some knowledge of that CMS but having said that it is entirely do-able by a CMS noob. My route can't be yours as I have a site already set up to go, I am just going to restore it and hey presto it will appear. I would suggest an HTML site for what you are doing as it will be easier for you to set up.

[dilettante]

If I wanted a way to communicate updates and such I'd probably avoid email.

RSS might be one way, but even when RSS "was a thing" a lot of people never used it.

One easy way might be to get web hosting that supports WebDAV. Then create a directory there with public read-only access or some limited user account with read-only access to that folder.

WebDAV supports queries for "files created since date/time" which would get you a list of new downloads. Your program could do that on startup based on a saved "last update" timestamp, then download any new files and store them locally. They could be fairly small.

The files might be HTML or even RTF. Your program could have a "browser" to list your update blurbs and even have something like a status bar indicator for "new news." Your "browser" could even process clicks on hyperlinks that would launch the user's default web browser to bring up a web page.


Putting the "smarts" in your program beats relying on the vagaries of what's in vogue. Imagine you had bet the farm on RSS and then a lot of RSS support dried up (as it has)? WebDAV isn't going away, and the hosted part is just plain files.


But if you want email addresses to sell, well it won't help you there.

[dilettante]

I'm not saying that's the "best" way, but a way. Note that it can even be a separate program your product spawns, silently to harvest updates and on demand for viewing.

[Eduardo-]

If you are going to interact from the program to the web site, then you can ask for the email from the program itself and then send it to the web site and store them in a database.

You were looking for something simple, even simpler than setting up a Google form?

[schnel]

If you are going to interact from the program to the web site, then you can ask for the email from the program itself and then send it to the web site and store them in a database.

You were looking for something simple, even simpler than setting up a Google form?

Google form is simple enough to get the email address. I still have to manually share the folder with that address so there's a built-in delay between requesting the folder and then receiving the invitation to access it. But it appears that's the best I can do without having to create a website that automates the process.

[Eduardo-]

I still have to manually share the folder with that address

Make some public address (on Google Drive or wherever), shared with anyone.

[schnel]

Make some public address (on Google Drive or wherever), shared with anyone.

I can't do that and enforce the submission of the email address. What I wanted was the email address to be the key to getting the download.

[DllHell]

are you charging money for this software?

[schnel]

are you charging money for this software?

No. It’s free.