in reply to Gathering module usage statistics

I have a different solution for you which I think is more respectful of the user and will probably result in more feedback for you. In your README file and at the bottom of the documentation include a request for feedback. Something like:

"If you like this software please send me a message at <your email> letting me know you are using it. Your feedback will help me in developing this and other modules in the following ways (list them). Inclusion of the following details would also assist me (list them). To make this easy for you I have included the script tell_me_you_care.sh which emails the following information (list again) to me. Thanks for using xxxx, Juerd."

This way you have let the users know you care about them, the security concerns are minimised, and you have given people who are installing the software on boxes that are not connected to the internet a way of reaching you as well. Personally I think this is a much more polite and respectful way of going about it, give people a reason to opt-in and I believe that they will. I can tell you that I never allow software packages to remote connect (if I get a choice) but I have registered postcard-ware software and sent "fan mail" to authors of software that I like.

--
Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought. -Basho

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Re: Re: Gathering module usage statistics
by Juerd (Abbot) on May 05, 2004 at 08:54 UTC

    Please consider reading the entire thread. I am convinced that opt-in does not work.

    I already get some fan mail, and some bug reports. Although I like that, it is not the kind of information I'm after.

    Besides that, email is too bloated for this. I don't want someone's email address, I don't want to know which MTA they use and which SMTP routes the message followed.

    But most importantly, I don't want the user to have to do anything more than hit Enter to send me this information, because anything harder than that will result in many, many less counts.

    Juerd # { site => 'juerd.nl', plp_site => 'plp.juerd.nl', do_not_use => 'spamtrap' }

[reply]

      Please consider reading the entire thread. I am convinced that opt-in does not work.

      Well I did but you have an opt-in system any-way "Opt-out doesn't seem to be very popular". And it does not give the user any good reason to opt-in. And it does not cater for boxes behind firewalls etc. And it breaks standard automated builds. And it raises security concerns for people.

      Besides that, email is too bloated for this. I don't want someone's email address, I don't want to know which MTA they use and which SMTP routes the message followed.

      Fair enough make the tell_me_you_care.sh script do an put on your website then :)

      But most importantly, I don't want the user to have to do anything more than hit Enter to send me this information, because anything harder than that will result in many, many less counts.

      Well I respectfully disagree, I think many people will not opt-in for the reasons I have already given. I think you need to stop thinking about what you want and think about what the user wants- yeah they can be the same thing but a random user downloading from CPAN isn't going to see that, all they are going to see is Big Brother watching.

      --
      Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought. -Basho

[reply]

        Well I did (...)

        You did indeed. My apologies for not phrasing carefully. I am convinced that opt-in does not work if the user has to do anything to opt-in, where reading documentation is considered doing something.

        And it does not give the user any good reason to opt-in.

        The only reason I can give is that I can with this information divide my time better. That is of no direct help to the users, but will eventually benefit them.

        And it does not cater for boxes behind firewalls etc.

        The thing will also only work if LWP is installed. That is not a problem. There is no way to have it all. There is a way to have much more than we have now, and that is what I want. For now, anyway :)

        And it breaks standard automated builds.

        It does not.

        And it raises security concerns for people.

        Good. Perhaps people will finally get rid of the false sense of security they apparently have now.

        I think you need to stop thinking about what you want

        No. What I want is the point. This time, I want something. I think that having put hundreds of hours into my open source work gives me the right to *want* something in return.

        Juerd # { site => 'juerd.nl', plp_site => 'plp.juerd.nl', do_not_use => 'spamtrap' }

[reply]

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