[suggestion] LITE version PL

[Galnospoke]

Maybe I am wrong, but imho PL is going into "all-in-one". I dont like this kind of software and I now from my friends that to much complicated software is no popular. So... I think that good idea is create lite version of PL: simple GUI without process list, statistics, logs, diagrams, hundreds options - only main, fev options, nothing else.

[hanemach_gt]

Hi Galnospoke,

you are right, PL is indeed very robust and some people may feel overwhelmed by numerous features.
However, I have some objections to creating Lite Edition of Process Lasso, mainly because it's another build to care about, but let's wait for the response of the developer.
What I would recommend you do to decrease memory footprint and CPU utilization:

• install older version of Process Lasso that is not so widely functional (unless you are running Windows Vista or newer)
• customize Process Lasso to squeeze memory usage and CPU utilization more:
  
  
  • set Process Lasso the way it would start only ProcessGovernor.exe, and have ProcessLasso.exe (GUI) disabled
  • disable logging
  • turn off the graphs
  • turn off gridlines in the process view
  • select not to show process icons in the GUI

These are my advice. Let's wait for Support to respond.

[edkiefer]

As  hanemach_gt posted PL is very feature rich "but" you don't need to do anything for it to work great . the defaults are there out of the box and has been posted you can set it up so GUI doesn't load so it all working under the hood w/o any user input, unless you wan to tweak something .

[Galnospoke]

Yes, You are right. Users can disable many but still it is big, complicated software. I remember first Nero - great, light software. Now... You know. Dont go this way.

[BenYeeHua]

Nero...
I still remember it, good software
But just like you said....

And yes, keeping the size of the software smaller is one of the ways to optimize too.

[hanemach_gt]

Yes, You are right. Users can disable many but still it is big, complicated software. I remember first Nero - great, light software. Now... You know. Dont go this way.

I understand your concerns, but Process Lasso is lean and well-crafted application.

[...]
And yes, keeping the size of the software smaller is one of the ways to optimize too.

In Bitsum you can see that the software assuming your disk to be 99.998% full, so I would have no worries here about it. Size matters. 

[Jeremy Collake]

This is something I've considered doing for some time. However, creating such a simplified version causes some market confusion.

Therefore, the goal has been to simplify Process Lasso, by doing things like adding a simplified view and wizards (something I'm working on). I've already been clipping out options, consolidating features, etc...  Lots to do.

For now, one can simply ignore all the advanced options. When unused, they don't slow anything down. These options won't jump out and bite anyone (they are hidden), and Process Lasso doesn't require configuration to be useful.

Nero is a good example of software bloat. However, they threw in all sorts of crap. Process Lasso, at worst, just has too many options. It isn't itself bloated from a size or performance perspective, as Nero became.

It is important to remember that Process Lasso does NOT need to be configured to 'just work'. One can install it, and forget it!

[BenYeeHua]

Nero is a good example of software bloat. However, they threw in all sorts of crap. Process Lasso, at worst, just has too many options. It isn't itself bloated from a size or performance perspective, as Nero became.

Yup, as Nero don't know what's they user want, they just threw all the thing inside it.

[Jeremy Collake]

I will give in and develop a 'LITE' GUI soon. It will be included in the standard product though. Users can simply switch between views.

[BenYeeHua]

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This is what my friend suggested for you.

• The installer should be only a simple installer, the other installer setting should be inside the "Advanced".
  (For example, CCleaner installer, only showing the shotcut setting, and the installer that can be choose the startup and data format, will be started only when the user click the "Advanced" button and install.)
• The software GUI should be Easy Mode(Lite mode/GUI) as default, only let the user know the state of the system, which software is Eating CPU, and let the user to kill it, ignore, let PL restraint it.
  Hide the technical thing/detail.(Hide to the advanced mode/GUI)
  (The Lite Windows 8 Task Manager is a good example, and highlight the restraint process etc.)
• Set a Helpful Tips to telling user that, PL is restraint the CPU Eater to protect the User Computer Responsiveness.
  (Like showing a Tip/status on the top of the Lite GUI(You has disable the PL core engine!!!, The PL is keeping your computer smooth operating, Restraining xxx process - This should be yellow color, but you can't read it if I do that, Turbo Mode now!), enable the Balloon notification as default to let them know it is working, as some user like to know what's software is doing.)

---And this is my suggestion, you can move to the new topic if you think it should be.

• Add a restraint history list, to let the user know which software is eating the CPU in the past, not finding it on the Log.
• When a process has been restraint many times, pop up a balloon to let the user know that process name, and showing the Windows Name if it can(can be controlled by another new setting), when many process have been restraint many times in a short time, pop up a balloon, let the user switch to Aggressive/Turbo Mode of ProBalance temporary, or forever.(also another setting)
• As there are still many user having a weak CPU, and they need to tweak the setting, just provide a Aggressive/Turbo Mode(yup, You know about it. ) and let user enable it when they found out after install PL, the responsiveness don't improve, the tweak setting is, at least 500ms Governor Refresh Interval and/or a aggressive ProBalance setting, like shorter time to allow the process to "Eat" their weak CPU, restraint longer etc, maybe disable the Core-parking also.
  (I think the Gaming Mode can be also set as disable Core-parking for default.)
  And yes, let the user choose what's will be do when they switching to the mode(For advanced user, maybe Advanced GUI only?)
• I/O count/usage, or Page Fault, Disk usage, Disk access time maybe? As Windows 8 can showing this thing, I think there should be some API for it, and you can give the user some "tips" that why ProBalance is not working/keeping responsive as it is HDD fault, one of the way to improve it is using ReadyBoost, IRST, or buy a SSD etc.
  And also, as Windows 8 Task Manager can showing Disk usage per process, did ProBalance can also restraint the process by lower the I/O priority?

As a conclusion, let PL be user friendly, most people hate to learn most of the time, and they also want a clean GUI.
You know, people are lazy, and also like to monitor people software.

PS:Maybe let them can customize part of the Lite GUI too.
PS2:Provide a quiet mode maybe? and also provide this feature for Gaming Mode also.
PS3:The mode can be also added into Right menu for the Tray Icon.

[Jeremy Collake]

All great suggestions! Thanks! Many I have had on my 'todo' list for a long while, but some are novel. It's mostly a question of impetus, time, and implementation. I will be working towards many of these goals as quickly as possible though.

P.S. Do feel free to remind me as portions get done - in case any specifics you find still omitted. I can then comment on if they're coming, or if I had to defer them for any reason.