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I have been a little unhappy with how we have been doing our monthly survey for some time, so I am making some steps towards making a better one.

It will no longer use an outside source (google forms), instead it will be using our own database so you can be 100% sure there's no google tracking involved. This was a complaint I saw a few times, so I am happy to remove it.

People wanted some of it to be automated, so that is going to happen, but the key is how we will do that.

I am first going to expand the profile system here on GOL with some key information about your computer. So you will be able to list your CPU/GPU vendor on your profile for example.

What I am looking to do is when the survey is open, it will prompt you to make sure your profile is up to date and then allow you to go to the new survey page.

It will still remain anonymous since the actual results won't send your GOL user_id (if you're logged in), and we don't take any other personal info from you anyway.

It will have a static page to link to on other sites, so people can still do it without even being a member on GOL.

What are your thoughts on such a system? It probably wouldn't be ready for another month at the earliest (probably longer), as I have lots of other things to fix up on GOL and other features that may be more useful (more info on those in another post soon). Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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23 comments
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z3ntu May 8, 2016
Sounds good.
rkfg May 8, 2016
How about writing a simple bash script that gets most of the related system information automatically and allows the user to copypaste it to the site (just a text area that's parsed automatically would be fine)? Just like Steam does. It could also cover some audio configuration that was mentioned here some time ago. And of course, the user should be able to correct any field that was filled incorrectly by that script.

As it should be cross-distro compatible, starting a github project might be a good idea so everyone could participate.
GustyGhost May 8, 2016
Even though I commend your switch away from Google forms, this will have a detrimental effect on total responses. In the past, a link to the survey could be shared on sites like Voat and Reddit. Will the new one have functionality for non-registered users?
Eike May 8, 2016
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You could store previous answers in a cookie and retrieve them (where it makes sense, like, not the games bought last month) from there.
Eric1212 May 8, 2016
Great to see that nearly automated now. It's was a bit redundant, spacially on the GPU/CPU/OS side...


For the "(no automatic submissions)" part, are you sure ? It's would be nice to have a "live" evolution... ?
Liam Dawe May 8, 2016
Quoting: AnxiousInfusionEven though I commend your switch away from Google forms, this will have a detrimental effect on total responses. In the past, a link to the survey could be shared on sites like Voat and Reddit. Will the new one have functionality for non-registered users?
Already planning for that. The survey will have a static link, and simply grab the data for people who are logged in.

Quoting: EikeYou could store previous answers in a cookie and retrieve them (where it makes sense, like, not the games bought last month) from there.
Also a good idea I can quite easily do for stuff that wont change often.
Eike May 8, 2016
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Quoting: liamdaweAlso a good idea I can quite easily do for stuff that wont change often.

That wouldn't require a login, so easier for reddit and other folks.


Last edited by Eike on 8 May 2016 at 6:43 pm UTC
tuubi May 8, 2016
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Quoting: rkfgHow about writing a simple bash script that gets most of the related system information automatically and allows the user to copypaste it to the site (just a text area that's parsed automatically would be fine)?
Why reinvent the wheel? Just copy-paste the contents of Steam's System Information dialog. I don't know if this feature would be worth it though. Lots of parser code just to save the user a handful of clicks.
Psycic101 May 8, 2016
Would be cool to have an indication as to whether a GOL user has filled in the survey for that month. What I mean by this is, if I'm logged into GOL and have filled in the survey for May 2016, there should be an indication of that for me alone so that I know I've previously filled in the survey. I'm terrible at remembering what the last survey that I filled in was.
Segata Sanshiro May 8, 2016
Sweet. Yeah, this is a great idea, leaves the door open for automated reminder messages and stuff as well if people want that.

Part of the reason I stopped doing the survey was that it got to a point where this kind of stuff needed to happen and I can't code or anything, so I'm glad it's getting done.
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