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WindowTop / WindowTop-App

Set window on top, make it dark, transparent and more
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Consider changing the trial method from 30 days limitation to 2 hours per day limitation #244

Closed rp1231 closed 1 year ago

rp1231 commented 2 years ago

Got trial expired on first run from windows store. Installed the exe afterwards and got the same message. Would that be because I installed the windows store version first and it declared my pc as trial expired?

gileli121 commented 2 years ago

Hi The check is per unique hardware UDID that generated for each computer. The unique udid doesn't contain any private information

It is the same check in the store version and the regular version.

It verify if you can start the trial using backend server and the unique computer hardware UDID

If you really want to bypass it instead of support the hard work of it, you can block the internet connection to the app via firewall but you will have to remove app settings each 30 days because it count it locally

But if you really want the full functionality, the best option is to purchase it. Windows itself cost a lot more so the small price here is very small addition :)

gileli121 commented 2 years ago

@rp1231 Did you started the app more than 30 days ago? If yes then it is the expected behaviour.

If no then it is a bug

rp1231 commented 2 years ago

@gileli121 no this was on first run. This was the first time I installed it.

gileli121 commented 2 years ago

@rp1231 Please try to install this older version https://github.com/BiGilSoft/WindowTop/releases/tag/v5.13.1

Let me know if you still get the same issue

rp1231 commented 2 years ago

This is the screenshot of the license page from the older version install. Its the same as the newer version page. WindowTop_yeakjKCfsf Is it supposed to have an activate trial button somewhere?

gileli121 commented 2 years ago

@rp1231 Long time ago there was such button to start trial but it removed and instead it just automatically start the trial without asking.

About the issue, I will return back to you later today to analyze the issue better.

Sorry about the issue

gileli121 commented 2 years ago

@rp1231 Please follow these steps:

  1. Install the app not via Microsoft store (so it will be easier to debug the issue)
  2. Go to the following location: %AppData%/WindowTop image
  3. Send here these files: image

These files are just the app settings and cache. I will need to check something to troubleshoot the issue.

Thank you.

rp1231 commented 2 years ago

Hi, I have uploaded the files.

WindowTop.zip

gileli121 commented 2 years ago

@rp1231 There is a record that you installed and started it at 2022-01-04T07:13:39Z But I understand the issue here.. if someone installed it and run it only once, then maybe no need to count it if you did not use it.

I deleted the record. Please delete the settings and start the app again. You should get the 30 days back now.

Please try it during this time and let me know how it works, and any feedback is welcome.

gileli121 commented 2 years ago

@rp1231

I wonder if maybe there is a better idea on how to implement the trial mode. Maybe I make the trial never expire if you count days but at the same time, make it expire each day after 3 hours of using the advanced features.

This way no need to store all of this data in the backend, and users even get more time to try the app and think if they want to purchase, and while I still limit them to give them a reason to support the project and pay.

Maybe this is much better

rp1231 commented 2 years ago

Huh, that's strange. I found out about the app just yesterday. I made a request for pinning the window on the powertoys GitHub page. And then found your app through your post on one of the issues while browsing for similar requests.

Hadn't heard of the app before that.

rp1231 commented 2 years ago

I keep trying out a lot of such apps, So maybe I must have installed it before.... But I usually remember the apps I try out..... I dunno.....

rp1231 commented 2 years ago

I wonder if maybe there is a better idea on how to implement the trial mode. Maybe I make the trial never expire if you count days but at the same time, make it expire each day after 3 hours of using the advanced features.

I don't have a problem with the current trial method, except that I didn't get to try it out..... I got the notification pop up saying trial expired or somthing the first time I ran it.

gileli121 commented 2 years ago

So maybe the computer UDID is not unique after all. This is the only way to reproduce this issue.

Anyway, if I will switch the way of counting 30 days (that is not necessary counts 30 days of active usage) to the way to limit usage to about 2 hours a day, it will fix such an issue and also solve cases like yours that it count days that you did not really try it during the days.

It will not even need a backend to make such a trial mode, no need to store unique UDIDs I think that I will give it a try. At worse, I will revert it.

The 2 hours limit will be for all the pro stuff.

You said that you don't have a problem with the 30 days limit idea. But you just had one and opened an issue exactly about it. Do you have a problem with 2 hours limit per day? For me, it is easier to implement and I see here good advantages. But I want to see your feedback

rp1231 commented 2 years ago

What I meant was that I don't mind the 30 day trial idea if it works properly. I don't know if I am the only one who encountered this problem or this has happened to others as well.

But I don't mind the idea with the timer you've suggested as well. As long as the users get to test drive the app. And two hours is a good amount of time to try out the pro features.

rp1231 commented 2 years ago

I think maybe the microsoft store has a trial apps option as well. So maybe you can use the microsoft store's trial mehtod instead of implementing your own? I have seen the "Free trial" button below the apps in the microsoft store. I've seen this button on the windows 11 app store so I don't know if this button exists on the windows 10 app store. But that wouldn't solve the trial problem for the standalone exe though.......

gileli121 commented 2 years ago

@rp1231 Some time ago I used the Microsoft store service also for the trial.

But I decided not to do it because to start MS Store trial, you need to log in/register to a Microsoft account and not everyone does it. I want to give people the option to start the trial with the minimum amount of effort.

I will test the new idea of the trial mode. I think that I never saw any app that does such a trial method but I see a lot of benefits here. I can market it as "FREE" ( For 2 hours per day for pro features). I can use the word "FREE" and at the same time, still make it a trial and give people a reason purchase it and support the project, and give them unlimited time to consider it (to not lose any chance that they will decide to purchase it), remove the need for backend, a way to implement trial mode when no internet connection is there (I mean, no need to verify stuff with a remote server, etc..)

gileli121 commented 2 years ago

I updated the title

rp1231 commented 2 years ago

Oh ok. Makes sense.

gileli121 commented 2 years ago

This task is scheduled to be developed by the end of the next weekend

gileli121 commented 1 year ago

Closed until I will reconsider again