LANCE BLAND  "A launchd background process, running as root, for a graphing app?"

As stated before, it does not run as root.

"... why even consider such a thing for a graphing app?"

Some of our customers want the features of the graphing server. We do not pigeonhole customers, but rather give them the features they request. Any customer can use the Vvidget Admin tool to turn the graphing server (launchd background process) off.

"Is Vvidget designed to do more than make pretty graphs?"

Yes, it is designed for many things from high-transaction distribution of visuals, high speed graphs (> 100,000 samples per second) to more esoteric things such as implementing a distributed control system for things like factory automation and financial risk management.

"Props to the previous poster for saving me the trouble of trying out this proto-malware."

That is really a low blow and unworthy of your previous questions. Thank you for your impressions. Please feel free to send feature requests and improvement ideas to support@vvi.com where we give them honest consideration.  
(Version 10.5.7.2)

XENOPHILE  A launchd background process, running as root, for a graphing app?

Ok, so the developer changed it so as not to need root access, but why even consider such a thing for a graphing app? Is Vvidget designed to do more than make pretty graphs?

Props to the previous poster for saving me the trouble of trying out this proto-malware.  
(Version 10.5.7.2)

LANCE BLAND  VVI support here: As far as we can determine, the server issue talked about here is a bunch of FUD. The server can be turned off by using the Vvidget Admin tool if that is what you want, it has no reported security issues, and no verified problems, it also does not run as root. The one non-verifiable report of a problem on this forum is probably due to a third party application error for which we are not responsible for. If you did have a problem with our software you should report it to: support@vvi.com.  
(Version 10.5.7.1)

TAMAGOSAN  I'm glad I saw the previous comments regarding launchd in time to cancel my download.  
(Version 10.5.7.1)

CYBERFUNK  I suggest that you don't run apps that are required by your application as root on startup. This tends to make unix-type people/security concerned people worry a bit. Common wisdom dictates that very few things should run as root, end-user applications usually should not.

Is there a reason your "graphics server" or any other application has to run as root ? Do you have to run on startup ? Why not have the appl. have it as a child process ?

Also, I guess i dont see why a graphing application needs a "server", shouldnt that be integrated into the code of the application ? It seems wasteful to have it another process entirely. If there's code you need to reuse a lot in more than one app, wouldnt' it be better just to put it into a shared library/framework instead of spawning another process and having to deal w/ the overhead of interprocess communications ?

Do you have to install your frameworks in the root system directory ? Couldn't you give the user an option to install for all users/install for one user? Or better yet, integrate the necessary frameworks into an all-inclusive package or applications directory that can sit in /Applications ? This would be much more in the way of following the "Tao of the mac" (although I'm sure apple would like you to put your frameworks in the /Library place, but at least use ~/Library or give us the option to do so)  
(Version 10.4.34)

LANCE BLAND  cyberfunk-

Lance here, tech support@vvi. Your comments are well received by us! Some of the answers are at: http://www.vvi.com/products/vvidget/faq.html

The Peer_Visual_Server startup item is a graphing server, no more than that. It is used for the graphing wizard components and other graphing apps that rely on wizard technology. The phone home is an update mechanism to inform you of new versions when available. The install is a bit more complex than drag and drop because it uses Frameworks (shared resources) that all of the apps and servers use. The smaller apps do interact with the builder app if you export the graph to the builder with the export control. The user install package does not install a kernel extension (but our data acquision installer does if you use that). The install feels more systems oriented because of the nature of the shared frameworks, server and other components that interact with each other. Feel free to email me at lbland@vvi.com with other comments or to post them here also! Thanks for your other suggestions ... I've forwarded them to the feature list for a future version. thanks!- lance  
(Version 10.4.18)

CYBERFUNK  Aieee ! I've just discovered that the program installs something called "Peer_Visual_Server" that is hooked into Launchd.

Why these people need a process running on my computer at ALL times under root permissions is VERY sketchy to me. I dont care if it's for their liscening scheme.. These people need to learn some manners and tell people when they're installing root'd applications that will run all the time on a machine. This program seems to thing it's fine to basically put whatever it wants whereever it wants. I'm trying to uninstall it now, but there's no uninstaller !

I knew there was something sketchy about all this..   
(Version 10.4.18)

CYBERFUNK  Seems pretty neat, looks like it has lots of potential.

However, it's sort of disjointed with 1 main app and 3 different random mini Apps tacked on for no apparent reason (VVidget Builder being the main, and Computer Monitor/Quadratic Lab/Web Signal being the strangly attached "extras").

Also, the app definately calls home (strange that it should do so, seeing as it's free) to mail.vvi.com on every launch. I block it w/ LittleSnitch, and it seems to have no ill effect. It could be an update check, but who knows... I'd rather the program told me about that before hand.

Another big gripe: UNDO DOESNT WORK ! Be careful, because apparently most changes have to be undone manually ( havent found one that undo actually works on)

Lastly, while filled with a bajillion cool options, they arent organized very well... It seems like the developers tried to cram controls into every nook and cranny. It's nice having them all on screen at once, if you've got a large screen like mine (two, actually), but it is very "cluttered" for a mac app.

Fix the orginization, fix the disjointed feeling of 4 apps in one package, and FIX THE UNDO! And this will be a 5 star app.

P.S. For some very very strange reason, the installer wanted me to reboot after installing. Considering I had to give it admin privs to install... and this is really an application that should be packaged as a drag and drop app, it makes me a little leary of what's going on behind the scenes in the install... I checked the logs and there's nothing sketchy, but I still have a nagging feeling that the installed installed some sort of kernel extension or something (bad if it did).   
(Version 10.4.18)