# Fed up with Versiontracker



## serpicolugnut (Jun 10, 2003)

Let me preface what I'm about to say with this: I fully appreciate the owner of a site to make money off his/her endeavours. If a site can charge "admission" and survive on it, power to them...

Now on to my rant...

WTF is up with the guys running Versiontracker? I mean, it seems like every week they tweak their site to put more and more roadblocks in the way of users. Of course, if you buy a VT Pro membership, you get unfettered access. I can appreciate that. But the recent changes have just gotten my blood boiling to the point that I've now removed VT from my bookmarks, and will use Macupdate.com solely from here on out.

Am I the only one who's become completely frustrated with VT to the point of shunning it from here on out?

Macupdate reminds me alot of what VT was before it started searching for an income model. Items are listed clearly, and a single click can start the download. My only beef is that many developers still opt to post on VT first, so Macupdate sometimes lags behind VT 30 minutes or so. But that seems to be changing, as I guess more and more developers are getting peeved with VT too.


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## kainjow (Jun 10, 2003)

Yeah I'm getting frustrated with them now too. VT has some options that MacUpdate doesn't have, but MacUpdate is catching on. VT is down now too, so I can't even check stuff out. I think VT is going out of business too. And their site just keeps getting worse and worse in every aspect.


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## macosXrumors (Jun 10, 2003)

Last year I had written a mail to VT about that, they answered me that they wanted to make it viable. I answered them by joining all the .gif/.jpg files of the ads they have in one page only.

I also noticed that now they hide the links to the software maker's site so that people get dependent on VT.

I think the only solution is to visit another site like MacUpdate. As even when you mail VT about their mess of banners they don't seem to understand.


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## toast (Jun 10, 2003)

Use this:

javascript:q=prompt(%22Search%20Version%20Tracker:%22,%22%22);if(q)location.href='http://www.versiontracker.com/mp/new_search.m%5C?%20productDB=mac&mode=Quick&OS_Filter=MacOSX&search='+escape(q);

Create a bookmark and paste the script in the location field.

This way you'll find exactly what you need on VT without even loading their bloated index page.


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## Dime5150 (Jun 10, 2003)

yea versiontracker is pissing me off too. There recent redesign was garbage. People went stark raving mad. Mac Update is going to take over soon.

I am not going to pay someone for "links".


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## RPS (Jun 10, 2003)

Exactly the same here.


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## twister (Jun 10, 2003)

Am  i the only one who doesn't see any issues?  Seems to be pretty much the same as before only with a few new features that don't seem to get in my way.  I find everything just as easily as before.


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## Shifting (Jun 10, 2003)

it's not an issue to me either.  IMO, VT has always been a bit of a pain to deal with...but it's no big deal.  i have no problem finding & downloading what i'm looking for there, so i have no reason to complain.


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## maclick (Jun 10, 2003)

Yep VT is making it harder and harder to put up with. I like Macupdate for the fact that every Sunday I get an email from them to tell me whats new, I like that.


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## toast (Jun 10, 2003)

Just use the script guys ! I don't see any ads myself, I just get what I want in two clicks using it !


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## tkdragon (Jun 11, 2003)

The only drawback to MacUpdate is that it doesn't have a "What's new in this version" part, which is rather nice. Other than that, I think it's much better than VT.


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## kainjow (Jun 11, 2003)

> _Originally posted by tkdragon _
> *The only drawback to MacUpdate is that it doesn't have a "What's new in this version" part, which is rather nice. Other than that, I think it's much better than VT. *


Yeah it does what are you talking about? It could be that some developers don't put that info for their product on there, but I think most do. At least mine does.


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## twister (Jun 11, 2003)

So is everyone mad about the ads?  If so go downlad PithHelmet Link and get rid of the ads.  Or use Watson.

Side Note: the long javascript code in this form is pissing me off.


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## cybergoober (Jun 11, 2003)

> _Originally posted by twister _
> *...Or use Watson.*



Heh, that's what I was going to say. 

My biggest gripe with VT is they made it so only pro or plus users can download directly from the index page. It was bad enough when they changed it to that "your download should start momentarily..." crap. Now you have to click two different download links just to START THE EFFING DOWNLOAD!

Bah, I'm going home.


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## ScottW (Jun 11, 2003)

Well, I see things from two different view points.

VT makes a killing off their ads, and have been very successful with their update product. In fact, I purchased it... it is a neat utility, but nothing I couldn't on my own if I had more time to keep track of what I had, what had been updated, etc I wouldn't need it... but I also don't have to deal with their oddities on the website as well.

Their recent revision sucks. I hate it, I think its cumbersome, and has too much information on the site. More is not always better.

On the other hand, they actually have employees and have to make payroll and pay the bills. Although in it's early years it was just a one-man operation... it is no-where near that today... and it is also a much bigger site.

How about that pop-up at MacCentral... BUY MACWORLD... or those damn ads on macosx.com... WTF?!

Scott


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## Koelling (Jun 11, 2003)

It's not so much the ads I don't like at VT, it;s the layout. For a long time the text would overlap and even now it gets right up next to the pictures and stuff so it's hard to read. Maybe I'm just using an unsupported browser but it does it in all my favorites so I just ignore it. 

I also don't like the revised rating system now. You can only get comments from the current version so most apps don't have any at all. 

Oh did I mention it's slow?


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## ksv (Jun 12, 2003)

Seems like everyone have put toast on their ignore list 

(moved the thread to Opinions & Reviews)


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## toast (Jun 12, 2003)

Someone's talking to me ? Where ? Where ?


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## tkdragon (Jun 12, 2003)

> _Originally posted by tkdragon _
> *The only drawback to MacUpdate is that it doesn't have a "What's new in this version" part, which is rather nice. Other than that, I think it's much better than VT. *



Ah, I see the "What's new" section now.
So now, there aren't any drawbacks to MacUpdate! hahah!


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## Arden (Jun 12, 2003)

Scott, you make a good site.  Why don't you put up a download site?  Perhaps www.macosx.com/downloads/...

I wish VT would tell you how many hits you have to a query.

Toast: please edit your post and take out the 
	
	



```
tags.  It's f***ing up the layout of the entire thread.
```


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## ScottW (Jun 12, 2003)

oh and I have time?


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## Arden (Jun 12, 2003)

I would if I could.


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## toast (Jun 12, 2003)

[Toast: please edit your post and take out the 
	
	



```
tags.  It's f***ing up the layout of the entire thread.]

Please send me a screenshot of what a f***ed up layout is. If you're talking of a scrollbar down your screen, you really should try a beer or something like that to cool down.
```


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## boi (Jun 12, 2003)

> _Originally posted by toast _
> *[Toast: please edit your post and take out the
> 
> 
> ...


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## toast (Jun 13, 2003)

Oh GOD ! That's the NEW design !

I'm sorry, I'm still using the Beige design, I cannot stand the new one (too small, graphical problems, and bad <code> parsing )

Sorry arden, I'm changing this. I didn't even remember about this new design.


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