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CHRi5
CHRi5
Join Date 01/2006
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Need some testers for a new app

TouchstoneGadget.com looking for testers

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January 23, 2006 11:42:21 PM from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Good afternoon everyone!

I just wanted to dip my toe in the waters here (hope its ok to post this here?) and see if anyone might be interested in joining the Beta tester team for a new app we are developing over at www.touchstonegadget.com.

The app is designed to help people get a 'heads-up-display' about what's going on in their lives. This might include RSS feeds, Torrent download progresses, Bills to pay or information from the corporate intranet.

Touchstone is different because:

It is not a news reader - it is a discreet information dashboard that alerts you when something you need to know happens
It can support multiple sources - with adapters, you can make it display information from anywhere
It will be skinable - so we can make it pretty
It will allow you to define rules about what's important and then allow you to choose HOW information is displayed. So if it's just an update on a site, it might just scroll across the news ticker, but if it is a bill that's overdue, it might have an alert follow your mouse around the screen for a few seconds.

If this sounds interesting - we would love to hear your feedback and have you join the team.

Please visit the site (www.touchstonegadget.com) and drop me a line if your interested at chris@touchstonegadget.com

Regards,

Chris
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CHRi5
TYCUS
Join Date 09/2004
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Reply #1 January 24, 2006 2:40:53 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
hhuuummm..., interesting
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CHRi5
CHRi5
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Reply #2 January 26, 2006 11:22:48 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
That doesn't sound like a very positive reaction Mr Tycus

I've had quite a few people contact me with interest - I guess you don't share their enthusiasm haha
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CHRi5
Mrrste
Join Date 09/2005
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Reply #3 January 27, 2006 12:07:34 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Sounds cool. When u say it can alert u to bills that need paying, does that mean its accessing banks etc using saved information and logins?
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CHRi5
Patriots
Join Date 09/2005
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Reply #4 January 27, 2006 1:44:24 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
I'm interested, but as Stee has pointed out, I"m a tad leary of the bill pay thing...

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CHRi5
CHRi5
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Reply #5 January 27, 2006 2:54:22 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Omg no sorry guys I didn't mean it like that. When I say "Bills to pay or information from the corporate intranet." I meant that a 3rd party like MYOB, Quicken or Microsoft could write an adapter for it that would tap into the MYOB, Quicken or MS Money APIs and display information from those application for you in this toolbar.

All I am saying is that instead of just displaying content from RSS, Touchstone supports 3rd party adapters (that you manually install after lots of 'are you sure' prompts of course!) that will enable it to display content from additional sources.

As you can see on the home page, we prescribe to the Google Software Principals, meaning that the application does not do anything that it does not first announce and ask your permission for.

This is all above board - we want to make a great application - but we have to start somewhere - and that somewhere is usually obscurity where new users will have to trust us for a little while!
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CHRi5
Mrrste
Join Date 09/2005
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Reply #6 January 27, 2006 7:26:26 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Well thats doesn't sound as bad as i thought lol ill happily try it out for u. Ive sent u an email so let me know if u got it alright
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CHRi5
thomassen
Join Date 01/2003
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Reply #7 January 27, 2006 7:59:16 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
So one possible adapter could be a email notifier?
How can you make such an adapter? C++? .NET? Windows Scripting?
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CHRi5
CHRi5
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Reply #8 January 27, 2006 8:06:40 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Heya Thomassen - We haven’t published the adapter interface yet so I don’t want to give too much away - but we will be striving to make it as easy as possible and within reach of all 3 of those technologies.

But the answer is a resounding yes. You could have updates about your email (instead of just a count, the actual from/subject info even, as well as other things.

Let me know if you would like to play with the alpha by dropping me an email.

My favorite idea is to make an Azureus plugin for it so I can keep track of my torrents - but we haven’t got the time to do that yet Maybe you might be interested in doing it as soon as we publish the details.
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CHRi5
Ashtouchstonegadgetcom
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Reply #9 January 27, 2006 9:58:13 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Hey guys and gals - i am Ash (the other working on ThouchStone with Chri5)
I recently posted this Link blog, and i am interested in what you think!

We really want TouchStone to become "the gadget for the people". Also, thanks for some AWESOME feedback - its been constructive and confronting - exactly waht it should be - Keep it coming.
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CHRi5
Ashtouchstonegadgetcom
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Reply #10 January 27, 2006 10:01:19 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Hey guys and gals - i am Ash (the other working on ThouchStone with Chri5)
I recently posted this Link blog, and i am interested in what you think!

We really want TouchStone to become "the gadget for the people". Also, thanks for some AWESOME feedback - its been constructive and confronting - exactly waht it should be - Keep it coming.
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CHRi5
Patriots
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Reply #11 January 27, 2006 12:03:34 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Hey Chris,

Sent ya an e-mail...Let me know

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CHRi5
CHRi5
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Reply #12 January 31, 2006 8:08:42 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Hey guys - just wanted to say thanks for the awesome response both on the forum and via emails. Thanks for your support - we hope to make Touchstone an indispensable little app with your help and involvement.
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CHRi5
Jafo
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #13 January 31, 2006 9:03:17 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

we prescribe to the Google Software Principals, meaning that the application does not do anything that it does not first announce and ask your permission for.

Gee...I'd be inclined to find a 'better' model.

I don't think anyone has shown Google to be squeeky clean....

Think Gmail.

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CHRi5
ZubaZ
Join Date 11/2001
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Reply #14 January 31, 2006 9:17:57 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Think Gmail.


What has google done with gmail that they weren't up-front about? They parse the content and throw up relevant ads.

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CHRi5
Gregory2001
Join Date 11/2002
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Reply #15 January 31, 2006 11:52:20 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
If they were "up front" they would tell you not to use it.
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CHRi5
ZubaZ
Join Date 11/2001
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Reply #16 January 31, 2006 12:54:27 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
If they were "up front" they would tell you not to use it.


Because . . . . ???

I have been more than happy with the service (knowing that some system is looking at my mail for keywords and providing related ads - the same thing it does with the ads on my website and search results). Is that the issue?

Jafo said:
I don't think anyone has shown Google to be squeeky clean....


I think that Google has done a good job keeping to their goals http://www.google.com/corporate/index.html. I have not seen evidence that they are dirty. So what gives?

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CHRi5
CHRi5
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Reply #17 January 31, 2006 5:29:53 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
I think the google reference on the site is more about the spirit of the Google principles (if you click on the logo it explains what they are) rather than saying anything about the company itself.

But I would agree with Zubaz - What gives with the Google resentment? Parsing email for ad keywords is hardly a violation of privacy.
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CHRi5
ZubaZ
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Reply #18 January 31, 2006 5:43:46 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Sorry Chri5, didn't mean to go so far off topic. Good luck with yoru gadget.

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CHRi5
CHRi5
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Reply #19 January 31, 2006 5:55:04 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
No that's ok mate! Trusting the gadget is actually a very real concern for us. People are concerned about privacy and your instinct to question Google's principles and by extension our own (because we mention them!) is totally valid.

This is all part of the feedback/community reaction I was after. If Touchstone is to create a new product category (Attention Management Engine) like ICQ did (Instant Messenger) then we need to make it quite popular hey!
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CHRi5
Jafo
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Reply #20 January 31, 2006 6:02:41 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Parsing email for ad keywords is hardly a violation of privacy.

The ONLY way it is NOT a 'violation of privacy' is that idiots have said yes to it....

When Google accepts/agrees to modify information search results, for ANY reason it is playing with truth.  Whether that is to directly aid and abet its advertisers or allow greater market saturation through accepting China's demands for 'truth adjustment', just for the benefit of 3 billion more potential saps to be targetted by those same advertisers they are less than noble.

When someone 'markets' information for their own ends then God help us all.

We are in the 'information age', thanks to the Inet, etc..... and he who dominates that medium will control the world.  Again, it's time for some to read 1984 and A Brave New World.

....and think again....

However....

this was supposed to be a passing comment....[somewhat off-topic]...and has only been replied to because  of  #17.

Otherwise....back to Citizen CHRi5's topic....

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