Survey posted 2000-08-05 19:31 by Nick Disabato.

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Of course the screenshot influences my decision to download or not. If I don't see a screenshot and there is no read me, I never download. It makes me nervous to download a program that I know nothing about and risk crashing my calculator.

I agree. Goldeneye for the 86 is a perfect example.

screenshots do get people's attention, but it'll take a long time to screenshot all applications on this site.

Thats why everyone should help to take screen shots!

Im Aplying.

except for the 89/92, screenshots can give me a really good idea of how good a game is. Alot of games can have a spiffy name and some good comments about them, but when it comes down to it, the look of the game matters alot.

I love ticalc.org because it features descriptions about all the programs in the archives. I also like the zip view feature where you can read the documentation before downloading. It bugs me when a web site has programs but only says names. Yeah... cool name but what is the program about. Keep up the good work ti-calc.org!

I would download files especially because of the news items screenshots. Like 20 or so programs are new or updated at ticalc.org everyday, and I don't check out all screenshots, but I like it how news items show a screenshot of the program. www.tinews.net is nice because they post lots of news and people can see lots of games they come out quickly without the little small programs. The point: news items should have screenshots, they influence my downloading a lot. Remember when SMA came out for the 89/92+, at ticalc.org and calc.org, it had a screenshot, and it sure did influence me a lot. And like SMQ. And it's first update. Cool screenshots, I couldn't believe it, almost.

At last, a survey I can say something about. That's all I have to say right now...

i'd say it does influence me sometimes... there should be a sometimes option. i mean i'd download something if it had a good name but no screenshot... then again i might download something if it had a sucky name and a good screenshot :)

I don't think that it matters to me now. I almost have the entire 86 archive memorized. But when I first found the site, I downloaded the programs I knew (like mario and ztetris), and the ones with screenshots.

I think we the programmers should be able to send ticlac.org screen shots of our programs and have them put them on. I already have screen shots of my programs and would like other people to see them, then they might be more likly to download them.

I agree. There have been times that I've included a screenshot in the ZIP (in GIF, JPEG, or BMP form) for the sole purpose of having it be a screenshot. But it just sat there in the ZIP Archive Listing, with not even so much as a link to the picture (as there is a link to the readme documents).

I think that it should be made so that any image in the ZIP file would automatically become a screenshot, just like how any text document becomes a link so that you can read it without downloading the ZIP.

My $0.02

--Darkfire

That would explain it!!! I've been trying numerous times, putting my .gif pictures in the .zip file and I don't get screen shots. I was actually about to ask how to submit screen shots. I totally agree, they really should allow us to submit them. How hard is it to make it into a screen shot? I know HTML and it's not that difficult, although now I have a greater appreciation of what they have to do to put our programs online. Especially new files and new authors.

Well at least now they do link the pictures, but that's not good enough. We should do something...Maybe this survey will start a change...

--Big Ben

I agree except not all image files should be concidered a screen shot because some programs (several I've made) may have pictures in them just for the use of the program, screen shots should have a specific name like (ss1.gif or ss2.jpg) and then they should automatically be displayed (or at least linked to) as a screen shot.

I think that screenshots really give you a better idea of what program you are getting. There must be a whole chunk of math programs that do the same thing and if you can see the interface, especially an animated one that greatly helps your downloading decision. Also if you see a game like zelda or mega man next to a game with stick figures you will know what game to get.

Yeah, I would agree that we really need to fix the screen shots. Up until recently, the only games that I've ever considered, were the ones on the news posts, and the ones colored green, red, etc.

my 2¢

yes, screenshots do affect the downloading of a program. at least, for me.... i like to see what the program looks like because if the graphics are good or semi-cool, then i am more likely to enjoy the program more than if it were text-based, or, even worse, if it had terrible graphics. also, screenshots would make ticalc.org a much much cooler place than it already is, and i would tell everybody about it just to show them the mad skills these people have.

there. i said it. happy?

I think they kinda help. Like this one time I tryed to find NIBBLES and PONG (all time favorites) and I downloaded like 12 versions because the discriptions said: "Pong. Best pong ever! fastest running!" that tells me nothing about the game. I found about 4-5 of each one that were NOT pong but bouncing a ball aroud the screen. Combo shots with GOOD discriptions and it would rule.