FELIX SCHWARZ  I did get you wrong then. Thanks for clarifying.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.10.1)

FELIX SCHWARZ  I think the price is already very low.

Fact is, you get such a huge amount of functionality for 19.99 Euro that it really is a steal. Literally everyone that I showed off Remote Buddy at the Mac Live Expo 2007 was completely baffled that Remote Buddy only costs 19.99 Euro. They had expected pricing to be more like 100 or more Euro. Many asked "Why do you sell it at such a low price? Where's the catch? There must be one, right?" .. well, there is none. I just feel that the software should be affordable to everybody - and it is.

The real question you should ask yourself is whether the added convenience of the functionality you use is worth 19.99 Euro to you. If it isn't, fine, but that doesn't mean the price is too high, but rather that really your need for the product is not really there.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.10.1)

FELIX SCHWARZ  No.

You do *not* need a permanent internet connection.

You need an internet connection to complete the online verification of the license code. This is done exactly *once* at the time you enter it. Unless you choose to completely reinstall your machine, a few seconds of online time *once* is all you need.

You do *not* need any internet connection to use Remote Buddy before or after that.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.8.10)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Let me say two things very clearly:

- Remote Buddy does NOT make any network connections without your prior consent (and the online updater, which does not transmit any data can be turned off at any time) AND the online verification informs you very clearly about which data is sent and how it was anonymified to the point where no information that isn't already known (like the hash value of valid license codes) can be extracted from it. The privacy is respected 100%.

- You need online connectivity to complete the online verification exactly once and once only. "Internet available at all times" is neither a necessity nor a requirement to use Remote Buddy.

Stating anything else is plain wrong.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.8.8)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Hi!

The reaction to presses on the touchscreen is almost instant, but that of course depends on your network connection, latency and system load.

As Apple has not yet told anybody what the SDK will look like and who will get it under which terms, I can't say either, whether we'll get access to it or develop applications with it.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.8.6)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Dan,

there's no heavy networking or secret "calling home" here. Remote Buddy verifies a license code once - and only once - when you enter the license code with our website.

I know other software vendors don't implement online verification features in a consumer friendly way.

Remote Buddy, however, is different:

- it does not send any personal information

- it does not send any details of your hardware

- it informs you about exactly what is being sent and it asks for your explicit permission

- it will not keep you from reinstalling and using your Remote Buddy license 1000 times on your Mac each and every day, if you so wish

- it will not lock you to a single machine

- it will not get in your way if you reinstalled your machine and have no internet access (as Remote Buddy has a 30 day trial period without any feature limitations - within which you most certainly get across an internet connection)

And most importantly: it has, and I can't stress this enough - not in a single case - prevented the usage of Remote Buddy by legitimate users.

All of this info is, btw, also available in our FAQ.

I understand your general concerns, seeing that other companys are incapable of implementing a scheme that is both user friendly and respects your privacy.

However, these concerns are not justified in Remote Buddy's case. It is both user friendly, always requests your permission and informs you - in detail - about what is transfered, and it fully respects your privacy.

Remote Buddy did start without online verification in the first place. It is only the rampant piracy that followed and had almost killed the project, that made me decide to go - and not light heartedly - for online verification. This decision was made for - not against - customers as (sadly) only this way enough revenue can be generated to support the steady growth of Remote Buddy and the implementation of innovative, new features.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.1)

FELIX SCHWARZ  @ pumpkinwhite:

Thanks for your comment, but the points you bring up do only apply to totally outdated versions of Remote Buddy and do no longer apply to the current version, which offers everything you are asking for:

1) You can map the Menu button's hold state to an action to open Remote Buddy's menu directly at the root level. It actually takes only one click in the global mapping table to change that.

2) You can freely configure which items you want to have in that root level. Be it universally used commands, file browsers, folders containing groups of items, etc.

3) In the mapping table, it takes you one click to choose "Custom actions…", where you can then enter AppleScript code and get fine-grained control over when it is executed. You can then also reuse that action for other buttons, temporarily assign another action to the button without losing your code, you have a central place to find, label, name and map your actions, etc. You also don't have to understand AppleScript handlers for this.

4) In addition to 3): issuing keystrokes (which you'll find you'll mostly want to use), mouse wheel events or similiar is even easier and doesn't require AppleScript at all. It's also much faster, has a smaller resource footprint, offers fine-grained options for maximum comfort and is much more reliable than AppleScript-based solutions, that can easily freak out if the name of the targeted application changes.

Best regards,

Felix  
(Version 1.1)

FELIX SCHWARZ  @ luomat:

There is no pairing involved here. The iPhone support in Remote Buddy does not work through Bluetooth, but through WLAN.

First connect your iPhone to your local WLAN, then follow the instructions from

http://www.iospirit.com/remotebuddy/ajaxremote/

and you're set up in no time.

If you have the OS X firewall set up, you may have to open a port for Remote Buddy, so your iPhone can connect. You can find instructions - with images - on that in the iPhone part of the Remote Buddy FAQ.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.1)

FELIX SCHWARZ  @ Pablo2K:

The license is not bound to a single piece of hardware. You could buy a new Mac every two weeks and the online verification would still not get in your way. Please read the Remote Buddy FAQ for more info.  
(Version 1.1)

FELIX SCHWARZ  The kernel extension needs a second or two to load into the kernel the first time (or if you just testdrive it). That's not specific to the Remote Buddy kernel extension but the norm, as - to my understanding - the kernel updates its kernel caches.

Regarding the kernel extension: nobody is being forced to install it. That's the whole point for providing a wizard. But if you experience problems with your Apple Remote under 10.4.9 (and it's quite a few people, so you're lucky if you are not affected by this), you'll be happy to have the option to install it - at any time - to be able to continue to use your Apple Remote as you are used to. Besides, it improves reaction time and allows arbitrary long button presses for Play and Menu - something no other software can offer you at all - for your Apple Remote. And this is quite handy with the new virtual keyoard. So, yes, this kernel extension is for you, too. But nobody forces you to install it. You can close the kernel extension wizard at any time - and open it again whenever you want to. I indeed have gone to the length of implementing the Apple Remote driver *twice* - once for those with and once for those without kernel extension - to support using Remote Buddy without kernel extension, if you are not affected by the 10.4.9 problems.

Also, regarding "other solutions" and "the Microsoft way". I wrestled long and hard with myself regarding activation until - finally - a look at the figures made the decision. Plus, I didn't go the Microsoft way. I tried with very generous and fair terms first - in the hope that fairness would be returned. How can someone justify to pirate a license code for an application he can try without feature limits for 60 days and buy a license for as little as 9.99 Euro, which is definately underpriced for what the product can do? And on top of using a pirated license code of this ask for free support? The generosity of the offer did not result in returned fairness but exploitation. While this does hurt me on a moral level - it does so on a financial level as well. I fully depend on this company generating income. "Work longer, work harder, get a 75% income cut in return" is not the way to go.. and it's far from being fair.

Also, the switch to activation and details on it are provided in both the changelog on the website and the description in the online updater. We've nothing to hide here, either.

I think the solution I came up with is a fair compromise. It does not intrude anybody's privacy, it does not limit a user's abilities to legitimately use the software, it does not even require them to look up their registration details. It really just hinders those using pirated license codes from continuing to do so. I don't know of any other software activation that would equally respect the user, his privacy and rights. No transmission of personal data, no secret phoning home, always clearly documenting what is being done and always asking for confirmation. The implementation used here does not limit legitimate uses in any way and it allows to continue development, innovation and financial investments therein - for the benefit of all customers.

I care for my users. Very much, even. But this world doesn't come for free. I need to pay my bills, too.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.0rc2)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Sorry for a few typos. It must of course read

".. no information can be extracted from it." and "two facts and one extra feature".

I'm in a hurry right now. Sorry.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.0rc2)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Sorry for a few typos. It must of course read

".. no information can be extracted from it." and "two facts and one extra feature".

I'm in a hurry right now. Sorry.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.0rc2)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Hello Herve 5,

I'm sorry to say, but you are making wrong claims here (not intentionally, I guess, though):

- "intrusive, new online re-registration"

Remote Buddy now requires online activation after rampant attempts to use pirated license codes. If I see sales going down by 75 percent within days after the latest attempt and the support desk gets flooded by support inquiries that are apparantly from people using this code, with severe adverse effects on both reply time to those who have bought a license and the overall development, uncalculable financial risks and a threat to the existance of the company, a reaction has to follow. I don't think, anybody (other than competitors of course) would have been happy, if I had chosen the other possible option: stop development.

As with regards to the "intrusive" claim, please have a look at the changelog. All that is transmitted is a MD5 checksum of the license code and an MD5 checksum of a non-unique machine identifier. This can be used to verify a license code (by comparing the MD5 checksum with precomputed checksums of valid license codes on the server), but otherwise no information at all can't be extracted from it. This isn't exactly intrusive.

- "locks the application to one single machine"

Not true at all. The activation will not stop you to activate Remote Buddy on your collection of 30 Macs if you so want. The activation is designed with very generous and liberal, *time-based* limits. So unless you activate it like, 3000 times within 10 days, you will never have an issue.

- "ugly warnings"

It's a common disclaimer that is also part of every realworld license. I see no problem with that. The kernel extension was made necessary by two facts:

1) Operating a Wii Remote reliably just out of user space is not possible.

2) Apple made changes in OS 10.4.9 that make the Apple Remote behave undesirable for many users (i.e. a menu button press launches both Front Row and any app that listens to it - not limited to Remote Buddy). I think, that providing a clean fix for this problem is only in the interest of the users, who could otherwise not continue to use the software. I've seen other "fixes" for this elsewhere, which remove system files and disable default system functionality altogether. Remote Buddy takes a clean approach and actually solves the problem without messing with or changing the system software. Again, I don't see any bad thing here.

3) Emulation of an Apple Remote. Compatibility with iAlertU and all other apps that listen to the events of an Apple Remote. This is only possible in kernel space, too.

- "takes forever to setup"

1st click for the "Welcome screen", "second click on install", "third click on confirm", "enter password", done. Three clicks and entering your password once does not match my definition of "takes forever", sorry. It could be broken down to just one click for sure, but I want to inform the user first before my application installs a kernel extension. At least I want to be asked before doing such a thing.

I hope that clears things up for you - and everybody else reading your post. Please feel free to email me at any time if you have further questions.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.0rc2)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Hello Herve 5,

I'm sorry to say, but you are making wrong claims here (not intentionally, I guess, though):

- "intrusive, new online re-registration"

Remote Buddy now requires online activation after rampant attempts to use pirated license codes. If I see sales going down by 75 percent within days after the latest attempt and the support desk gets flooded by support inquiries that are apparantly from people using this code, with severe adverse effects on both reply time to those who have bought a license and the overall development, uncalculable financial risks and a threat to the existance of the company, a reaction has to follow. I don't think, anybody (other than competitors of course) would have been happy, if I had chosen the other possible option: stop development.

As with regards to the "intrusive" claim, please have a look at the changelog. All that is transmitted is a MD5 checksum of the license code and an MD5 checksum of a non-unique machine identifier. This can be used to verify a license code (by comparing the MD5 checksum with precomputed checksums of valid license codes on the server), but otherwise no information at all can't be extracted from it. This isn't exactly intrusive.

- "locks the application to one single machine"

Not true at all. The activation will not stop you to activate Remote Buddy on your collection of 30 Macs if you so want. The activation is designed with very generous and liberal, *time-based* limits. So unless you activate it like, 3000 times within 10 days, you will never have an issue.

- "ugly warnings"

It's a common disclaimer that is also part of every realworld license. I see no problem with that. The kernel extension was made necessary by two facts:

1) Operating a Wii Remote reliably just out of user space is not possible.

2) Apple made changes in OS 10.4.9 that make the Apple Remote behave undesirable for many users (i.e. a menu button press launches both Front Row and any app that listens to it - not limited to Remote Buddy). I think, that providing a clean fix for this problem is only in the interest of the users, who could otherwise not continue to use the software. I've seen other "fixes" for this elsewhere, which remove system files and disable default system functionality altogether. Remote Buddy takes a clean approach and actually solves the problem without messing with or changing the system software. Again, I don't see any bad thing here.

3) Emulation of an Apple Remote. Compatibility with iAlertU and all other apps that listen to the events of an Apple Remote. This is only possible in kernel space, too.

- "takes forever to setup"

1st click for the "Welcome screen", "second click on install", "third click on confirm", "enter password", done. Three clicks and entering your password once does not match my definition of "takes forever", sorry. It could be broken down to just one click for sure, but I want to inform the user first before my application installs a kernel extension. At least I want to be asked before doing such a thing.

I hope that clears things up for you - and everybody else reading your post. Please feel free to email me at any time if you have further questions.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.0rc2)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Please feel free to have a look at the sourcecode yourself to see there is not a single line of code relating to anything like an online update feature.

The sourcecode is now available for download, too.  
(Version 1.0)

FELIX SCHWARZ  This application is not designed to make applications launch, that do not launch.

It is designed to make LS have a look at an application's Info.plist and update its internal database.

Also, LSRefresh features *not a single line of code* for online update or "new version available" alerts .. which makes me wonder whether your comment is at all related to LSRefresh.  
(Version 1.0)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Thanks for the feedback. You'll be able to select the screen the menu pops up in the next release.

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.0pre7b)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Hi Paul,

just FYI. I just implemented your suggestion 3. So, yes, preview 6 will bring it along :-)

Best regards,

Felix  
(Version 1.0pre4)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Hello Paul,

thanks for your feedback.

1) Expect to see some nice new features addressing this in the next preview (preview 6) or in preview 7.

2) Animated by your post, I took a look at mira. It has a polished outside, but (and that's in response to your post, I wouldn't otherwise post it here) it is not even close to having the features of Remote Buddy or even those of its other competition. A few things to try out to see the difference yourself (with any of the products): try to choose and load a file with it, try to share and localize a behaviour you created - or even just to back it up and use it on your other computer without having to create it from scratch, try choosing a recording or TV station via a menu in EyeTV, try to send keyboard sequences, try debugging AppleScript with it, try to write an application that gets low-level & realtime access to the Remote through it, try to make it send mouse wheel events, try to get 50 applications organized in its one-level menu and not swear when you have to scroll around, try to make it perform multiple actions on one press, .. although there'd still much more to try, I think I can stop now ;-) ..

3) You're the first to ask for this :-) .. but you're heard and I think it's a good idea. Plus it's really easy to implement. Expect to see it in preview 6. :-)

Again, thanks for your feedback!

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.0pre4)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Hello Paul,

thanks for your review.

Two important additions, though:

1) You can add about ANY function you want to Remote Buddy using behaviours (an SDK is available on the website). This does include Applescript, but is not limited to it. In fact, behaviours are Cocoa bundles, so can call any function OS X has to offer to developers.

2) Remote Buddy can help you quit ANY running application - it's a generalized concept and not just limited to a short list of apps. Regarding available menu items and the organization of the menu: Remote Buddy is currently still a preview version. Expect improvements :-)

That said, preview 4 will bring another set of major enhancements on both points (behaviours & also usability).

Best regards,

Felix Schwarz  
(Version 1.0pre3)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Thank you! That's indeed a VERY good idea. I'll add it right away.  
(Version 1.0pre3)

FELIX SCHWARZ  Since with 6 buttons every possible combination is a very precious resource and actually useful, the play hold combination is not mapped to the sleep function but can rather be used for other useful tasks - like i.e. putting players into full screen mode or putting them out of it.

Then, to put the computer to sleep, press the menu button, press left to go to the main menu, select "System", select "Sleep" and you're done.

That said, for those who want it, it'll be possible to "hardwire" a button to a certain functionality in future releases. Please keep in mind this is a preview, not a final release!

Regarding changing the key mapping for the virtual keyboard, you can achieve this by:

- opening the Preferences

- selecting "Mapping" from the top

- select "Virtual keyboard" from the list of behaviours

- then change the mapping to anything you want. Command, control, option and shift keys are available both for short presses as well as for having them kept pressed.

You can leave any behaviour by simply pressing menu, then left and selecting whatever other behaviour you want to use.

If you have any suggestions as to how to make the interface more intuitive, please let me know. I'm very open to suggestions.  
(Version 1.0pre3)