I know, I'm a bastard for continuing an already closed post, which appears in a completely different forum then this... but....
This is somewhat of a compilation/expansion of all the things others have said that I agree with.
I must say I'd have to agree with many of the others, in that the tweak utility should be separate from the monitoring utility. I code in many languages myself and know that, as critical as I am with it, *something* is going to go wacky, one day. (This, usually due to a /random user of said software that interacts with my creation in a way un-intended and usually unimaginable). If ATITool is too complex, it will be far harder to lock down the code. Even Riva Tuner and other apps, split their 'diag' servers from their 'screw with settings' apps.
Further: If your tweak software were to incorporate objects which interface with the systems SMBUS, ISABUS, etc, it could interfeer with other software that may have far greater capability then you've probably got the time to add (or worse, it interfeers with *your* utility).
There is, however, much need for other types of tweaks, such as the Acoustic Management Undoer-er Kit (AMUK I'll call it), which is the primary cause for my sudden appearance to begin with
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One thing I'd love to see, is an "Ooh! s#$%!.exe" (well, something like that). A separate executable that can be run fairly quickly, in the event of an emergency. I can't tell you how many times I've had someone screw something up so bad, the only way to quickly fix it, was to nuke the registry/ini settings, aka "The Uninstall/Reboot/Reinstall" routine).
- Should be (almost) completely independant from ATITool. (You know, incase ATITool just won't load right this second and I can't get my; obviously native american made video card, to stop sending smoke signals when im only 5 feet away.)
- Would check for local admin rights and smack the fool who ran it any other way. (I pitty da fool)
- Could be smart enough to detect supported card(s) and offer a few quick choices, such as...
---Reset to factory defaults
---Reset to initial settings (which would be saved upon the first load-up of ATITool).
---Reset to lowest possible settings (zomg! This one is very important. I 1/2 fried a card once and could only get it to function by under-clocking it. I see on the boards here, at least one other person experienced this).
---Reset to last known, good, configuration.
- Would kill any instance of ATITool if any action were chosen. (and possibly any other known software that could conflict)
- Could be auto-launched, in the event that ATITool crashed. I.E. ON_EXIT();
- Possibly create command line arguments that could be used in the creation of shortcuts that use windows native CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+? key sequences, to reset to a specific configuration, as we, at this point, can no longer rely on a program thats crashing/crash'ed, to accept even the most trivial of requests
Would also be great for 'fixing in the dark' (if the card is even salvagable at the point of black-out).
- Would include a troubleshooting guide , much like Microsoft's, which could ask a question, suggest a resolution, ask politely if the suggestion worked, then tell the user "You're screwed", when said suggestion fails to aid them. (whoa, maybe that's *too* much like Microsoft... never mind that. Avoid the trademark infringement battle that would ensue.)
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Another idea I've had, after reading a lot of posts and personally committing acts of "Fire Marshall Bill" proportions... is a collection/database of other peoples experiences (good, but mostly bad) with over-clocking. Could be searchable by specific card type, card brand, card 'era', mobo type/brand/era etc. Past that, ATITool could search/present based on these criteria, automatically. This would hopefully stop issues such as poor bastids who max over-clock their stock card which still has a stock cooling system in place (which is actually all gunked up with cigarette smoke, cat hair and god knows what else).
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An easy way to go about all this, would be to create an interface much like SiSoft Sandra incorporated. A simple list box of solo programs (in their case, scripts) that could even house shortcuts to your other favorites, such as SpeedFan, MBM, etc. Once that interface was designed, updates would be as simple as adding/replacing .info files which could be read and displayed dynamically, by the "Tweaker's Guide to the Galaxy" (... i'd call it).You could then add/update/group modules with ease and the user could determine which 'setup' was right for them.
This could also possibly create a larger community of folks, that are willing to *do*, rather then simply suggest
/em puts down his managerial coffee-cup
and picks up his jesters cap. 
All in all, I just want to say, "Great program". As opposed to Riva-Tuner, which presents the user merely with a few slider bars and a separate engine that simply shows the user how fast they're frying their shit, you provided great (...and automatic) ways, to assist the end user. You further created a way to manage AAM, on all my drives, via a win32 app, which is something no hard-drive company has offered me to date. They act like I even have a 1.44 'floppy' just layin' around, like back in the day when AoL sent disks, instead of those useless CD's. (... well , at least we get to keep the nifty cover for all those coverless CD's we burn now'days.)
Keep up the good work!
- Zoultan
Owner/Operator of the g33k Federation
This is somewhat of a compilation/expansion of all the things others have said that I agree with.
I must say I'd have to agree with many of the others, in that the tweak utility should be separate from the monitoring utility. I code in many languages myself and know that, as critical as I am with it, *something* is going to go wacky, one day. (This, usually due to a /random user of said software that interacts with my creation in a way un-intended and usually unimaginable). If ATITool is too complex, it will be far harder to lock down the code. Even Riva Tuner and other apps, split their 'diag' servers from their 'screw with settings' apps.
Further: If your tweak software were to incorporate objects which interface with the systems SMBUS, ISABUS, etc, it could interfeer with other software that may have far greater capability then you've probably got the time to add (or worse, it interfeers with *your* utility).
There is, however, much need for other types of tweaks, such as the Acoustic Management Undoer-er Kit (AMUK I'll call it), which is the primary cause for my sudden appearance to begin with
-----------------------------------------------------------------
One thing I'd love to see, is an "Ooh! s#$%!.exe" (well, something like that). A separate executable that can be run fairly quickly, in the event of an emergency. I can't tell you how many times I've had someone screw something up so bad, the only way to quickly fix it, was to nuke the registry/ini settings, aka "The Uninstall/Reboot/Reinstall" routine).
- Should be (almost) completely independant from ATITool. (You know, incase ATITool just won't load right this second and I can't get my; obviously native american made video card, to stop sending smoke signals when im only 5 feet away.)
- Would check for local admin rights and smack the fool who ran it any other way. (I pitty da fool)
- Could be smart enough to detect supported card(s) and offer a few quick choices, such as...
---Reset to factory defaults
---Reset to initial settings (which would be saved upon the first load-up of ATITool).
---Reset to lowest possible settings (zomg! This one is very important. I 1/2 fried a card once and could only get it to function by under-clocking it. I see on the boards here, at least one other person experienced this).
---Reset to last known, good, configuration.
- Would kill any instance of ATITool if any action were chosen. (and possibly any other known software that could conflict)
- Could be auto-launched, in the event that ATITool crashed. I.E. ON_EXIT();
- Possibly create command line arguments that could be used in the creation of shortcuts that use windows native CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+? key sequences, to reset to a specific configuration, as we, at this point, can no longer rely on a program thats crashing/crash'ed, to accept even the most trivial of requests
Would also be great for 'fixing in the dark' (if the card is even salvagable at the point of black-out).- Would include a troubleshooting guide , much like Microsoft's, which could ask a question, suggest a resolution, ask politely if the suggestion worked, then tell the user "You're screwed", when said suggestion fails to aid them. (whoa, maybe that's *too* much like Microsoft... never mind that. Avoid the trademark infringement battle that would ensue.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Another idea I've had, after reading a lot of posts and personally committing acts of "Fire Marshall Bill" proportions... is a collection/database of other peoples experiences (good, but mostly bad) with over-clocking. Could be searchable by specific card type, card brand, card 'era', mobo type/brand/era etc. Past that, ATITool could search/present based on these criteria, automatically. This would hopefully stop issues such as poor bastids who max over-clock their stock card which still has a stock cooling system in place (which is actually all gunked up with cigarette smoke, cat hair and god knows what else).
-----------------------------------------------------------------
An easy way to go about all this, would be to create an interface much like SiSoft Sandra incorporated. A simple list box of solo programs (in their case, scripts) that could even house shortcuts to your other favorites, such as SpeedFan, MBM, etc. Once that interface was designed, updates would be as simple as adding/replacing .info files which could be read and displayed dynamically, by the "Tweaker's Guide to the Galaxy" (... i'd call it).You could then add/update/group modules with ease and the user could determine which 'setup' was right for them.
This could also possibly create a larger community of folks, that are willing to *do*, rather then simply suggest
/em puts down his managerial coffee-cup
and picks up his jesters cap. All in all, I just want to say, "Great program". As opposed to Riva-Tuner, which presents the user merely with a few slider bars and a separate engine that simply shows the user how fast they're frying their shit, you provided great (...and automatic) ways, to assist the end user. You further created a way to manage AAM, on all my drives, via a win32 app, which is something no hard-drive company has offered me to date. They act like I even have a 1.44 'floppy' just layin' around, like back in the day when AoL sent disks, instead of those useless CD's. (... well , at least we get to keep the nifty cover for all those coverless CD's we burn now'days.)
Keep up the good work!
- Zoultan
Owner/Operator of the g33k Federation
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