Suggestions...

  1. Neil

    OK, I get credit for "first post" here, right?

    Anyway, it's kinda weird to make feature requests for a program I know very little about by design, but I'm currently searching for a potential replacement to my current download manager (Download Deputy), since that program hasn't been updated in nearly a year and it's showing a number of warts...

    But let me tell you my dream features for a download manager: Multiple list support, including support for saving lists to files for future use (Download Deputy does this, and I think it's unique to Mac OS X download managers) Support for specifying files to download using "ranges" -- for instance, the single entry to download "server.com/file000-025.gif" would download 25 files: "file000.gif" "file001.gif" etc. Bonus points for being smart enough to "do the right thing" no matter how many digits are specified in the range (i.e. 00-99 should use two-digit numbering, 000-025 should support three-digit numbering, 1-103 would use variable numbers of digits when counting from 1 to 103...) Support for extracting all download links from a web page, including attempts to "see through" some filename protection techniques like Javascript, etc. Tight integration with major Mac browsers (Safari, Netscape, Mozilla, IE), including automatic redirection of clicks on certain filename extensions to GetSmart Pro -- and the extensions that exhibit this behavior should be configurable Support for Keychain lookup of site logins/passwords, in addition to support for logins/passwords within the app itself Download logging Outstanding keyboard command support to avoid overuse of the mouse (i.e. keyboard commands for everything ) Support for specifying download destinations on an ad hoc basis on a file-by-file basis Support for specifying download destinations in preferences for certain file types (i.e. MOVs to one directory, MP3s to another directory, etc.) Support for specifying download destinations in preferences for certain web sites (i.e. all files from server.com go to one directory, and all files from server2.net go to a different directory) Support for setting the precedence of destination "rules" by the user (for instance, download based on ad-hoc file-by-file rules first, then based on site-by-site rules, then based on filetype rules, then to default directory) Support for specifying HTTP referrer headers in download requests. Bonus points for implementing this on a site-by-site preference basis! Download scheduling support Full long filename support (this is a Download Deputy bug--it can't save files with more than 32-character names without truncating the name)

    I've probably given you enough stuff to get you to version 2.5, I know, but I've gotta dream big! Unfortunately, I've not found a download manager that does everything I'd like--Download Deputy and Speed Download each fall a little short. I'm willing to be a GetSmart Pro alpha/beta tester, too!!!

    Thanks much, and good luck with the coding!!

    Neil

  2. Greg Hurrell

    Thanks for the great suggestions Neil, many of them already on my list.

    The reason I am developing this product is that there is nothing out there yet on the Mac platform which satisifies all of those "power user" needs that I (and others) have, and certainly nothing that wraps it all up in a really nice UI.

    You could summarize my two main goals for the entire project with those two points: "Power" and "Great UI design".

    Rest assured that 1.0 is going to be a ripper product and you won't have to wait for 2.5 to get all the features you want... I'll be doing lots of public beta releases (from 0.1 and up) so you'll get plenty of opportunties to see the features being rolled in.

  3. Neil

    Cool, sounds great...

    BTW, just thought of another one--and this is probably a definite long shot. What about implementing support for the currently PC-only Anti-Leech "protocol" (as implemented in Anti-Leech or NetPumper)?

    N

  4. elroy

    Sounds awesome Win. You know where to find me if you want any help.

  5. Greg Hurrell

    Quote: BTW, just thought of another one--and this is probably a definite long shot. What about implementing support for the currently PC-only Anti-Leech "protocol" (as implemented in Anti-Leech or NetPumper)?

    This stuff is all news to me, but I'll add it to the list of requested features. Do you know what sort of usage rate this "protocol" has out there in the wild?

  6. Neil

    I have no clue how much AntiLeech is actually used, really...I've found it required for some of the more "underground" download sites for web-based file trading, etc. It's also used by some webmasters to help block out people with ad-blocking software, etc. This is definitely on the bottom of a to-do list, in my opinion--I doubt the market base is really there for it.

    N

  7. anonymous

    Let me add one small request - that the program write, in the finder comment of the completed file, the URL that the file was downloaded from.

  8. Sho

    That was me above. And no, I don't believe anti-leech "technology" is really necessary .. if it's even possible, since it seems the business model of the company behind it is to give away the cloaking web service for free, and then provide either free (with adware) or pay versions of clients to access their network. Not a bad model. Anyway, previous attempts to clone the protocol for use in other clients have been fairly aggresively combated by the company in question, and it seems like they might be heading towards a full online authentication system.

    Anyway, especially for the mac market, it's simply not worth the effort. Now BT on the other hand .. ; )

    Sho

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