PAOP enhancement (for later)

[Socrates]

I know you are trying to finish 2011. So put this on the back burner.

PAOP would be more useful if I knew that virtually anyone could open the file. However, many of the people to whom I email attachments, don’t have extraction software, or at least I don’t reliably know that they do.

Earlier I suggested that you add info in the help file about the free version of PA (which I would make bare bones – maybe extraction only).

Here’s a second option. Many people’s email programs won’t accept exe files. So although sending an SFX seems like a good idea (since it doesn’t require extraction software), it doesn’t help if it won’t get through.

The option is renaming the extension to something that will avoid the email barriers against exe files. But then I have to explain to the users how to rename the ex? file. You might be surprised how many people don’t know how to do that.

So why not create a second help attachment for people who choose the (a) encryption and (b) rename the extension options? This attachment could explain to people the easiest ways to rename the extension.

This would make it possible to send a compressed file to virtually anyone.

Just a thought.

Not earth-shatteringly important. But something to consider. And it might be relatively easy to implement.

[spwolf]

attachment.help, if you pick rename extension, should actually display info about renaming it to correct extension! (it displays different things depending on options)

But problem is, as usual, with people actually reading these things!
(edit: NOT reading them)

[Socrates]

Sorry. I didn’t see anything about that, so I never tried.

[spwolf]

@Socrates:

Sorry. I didn’t see anything about that, so I never tried.

check it out and see if that satisfies your needs, if not, let us know.

we are thinking about reader option seriously.

[Socrates]

I cannot see an option to do it case by case, That’s not quite right. The user can be asked whether she wants to compress or not compress the attachment. But, as far as I can tell, I cannot choose to rename the extension case by case.

This is clearly not as important as other enhancements. Just one thing to consider next time you all change PAOP.

[spwolf]

makes sense… seems more important than other things actually :-). But we have to make it not as confusing for novice users.