The scale of portable

When we're talking about portability, we're not just talking about "can it run from a USB drive"?  We're talking about whatever settings you change, they stay with the program, regardless of the medium it's launched from (USB, DropBox, OneDrive, etc.)  Re-running a process or re-changing a setting on each computer is not portable.

Most programs work on a scale from very portable to not portable at all:

1. Command-line tools are very rarely anything BUT portable so we don't spend much time on them
2. Writes unimportant data to C:\Users\USER\AppData\, but for example just a recent file list.  This is one that falls on the line and may be acceptable to some users.
3. Runs outside of Program Files folder and without dependencies, but but doesn't write settings to the local folder.  This is considered "no-install" but is not portable.
4. Windows Explorer integration by it's very nature isn't portable.  Registry entries don't transfer from computer to computer.  You would have to run this process every time you launched the program and it leaves behind junk each time you do so.
5. Program requirements like DotNET 4.0, which mean that functionality on older computers (like WinXP) isn't a sure thing.

Adobe fail

It would be very good for my career if I really sat down and took the time to learn the Adobe line of products.  One thing that keeps stopping me is the remarkably poor performance of their showcase products (like Adobe Acrobat):

I can think of worse ways to word this, but it's pretty bad.

Related: Adobe Acrobat DC problems (aka how not to do "freemium")

Transfer files via webcam

I've been digging for a way to work with QR codes on Windows and, in this process, found, a novel way to transfer files from your desktop to Android.

Some items on the list to check for portability:

• http://www.codetwo.com/freeware/qr-code-desktop-reader-thanks
• http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/bctester-lets-you-read-barcodes-qr-codes-in-windows/
• http://www.thewindowsclub.com/barcode-scanner-app-windows

A day in the life of a moderator

I generally do things on the site in batches, usually once a week.  I decided to detail out some of the changes I did in a single day ...

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New stuff

• Suggest the "Meld" file/directory comparison tool

Entry Edits:

• Created a screenshot slideshow (animated GIF) for FreeMeter
• Fix links for EverEdit as the freeware version has gone offline
• Try to test (and update) the WinMend File Copy file extraction process
• Updated MP3-Splt, including a new screenshot and a move from the WinPenPack to PortableApps version (there's an old version update that one caught that the other didn't)

Other

• Added some additional websites to some older threads on Pass-O-Meter and Flash Xtractor
• Get some File Data (hashes) for a few different programs on the site for safety/mirroring purposes
  Updated a few entries, including .GIF -> .PNG conversion
• Posted about FoxIt issue from earlier in the week
• Thread split - break PDF XChange Viewer and Editor posts

Why portable?

Something I'm constantly trying to answer.  Here are 3 approaches:

• Analysis of junk created by installers.
• Advantages your users gain with portable
• From a developer who writes portable software  (thanks smaragdus)

Arguments for local software (programs not run over the Internet)

Of course the worst security flaw is something that directly hurts you with identity theft or otherwise, but this is a great argument for just not doing things online.

Certainly some things can be done safely, but I paradoxically get less and less enamored with technology the more and more I learn about it.

"I don't think I'd want tools for manipulating local media tied even loosely to the uptime of a remote computer (or network connection)." (source)

Today's reason to love LibreOffice

The program can handle HUGE files with no weird crap happening to the formatting.  I've had some gigantic Word files just fall apart with some kind of formatting oddity.  I've never had that happen in the multiple years I've been working with 50+ page LibreOffice docs. (website)