Hello, all. The POV-Team is considering adding a notification feature
to the Windows version of POV-Ray. We are aware that some people might
feel such a feature is intrusive and we are sensitive to issue. Please
bear in mind that we would not consider adding such a feature if we did
not think it would benefit both users and the developers.

  Here is what we hope to add to POV-Ray. What do you think?

"The feature does the following:

  1) Periodically checks for a new version of POV-Ray for Windows, and

  2) Periodically checks for important news items (not regular news).

Both of these would default to 'ON', but this can be turned off via an
option in the installer (an extra page with some checkboxes that they
have to pass during the install process).

The version and news check would only happen if the user was using
POV-Ray during an active internet session (i.e. it won't cause the RAS
dialer to start).

If a new version or important news item is found to exist, it will pop
up a message box asking if they want their web browser to be launched to
the page in question.

In addition to the above, the program will, when checking for upgrades,
include *non-identifying* data about the system, but ONLY if the user
has permitted it (again, this is an installer option). Incidentally,
*all* of these can also be turned on or off via a menu.

The info that is optionally submitted is stuff that we want to help the
future development of POV-Ray. This includes brand of CPU, CPU speed,
amount of RAM, OS Type, screen resolution and bit depth, number of
monitors, and default language."

  I thank you for your constructive feedback or questions.

speaking on behalf of the POV-Team,
-- 
Alan
ako### [at] povrayorg
a k o n g <at> p o v r a y <dot> o r g

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