Does anyone use PortableApps?

[kleinkinstein]

Does anyone use PortableApps? I get the mobility and usb benefits, but it seems to me that the real boon would be having no messy dll's, no hamhocked registry entries but simply having all your software and the accoutrements installed right where you want it. It certainly would make version updating a snap. Download the zip, wipe the old, unzip the new in the folder you define. No real reason to ever install software again.

How have you set yours up? What are the other benefits?

 

[lxskllr]

I use them exclusively for portable use, not as primary applications.

 

[cl-scott]

At a previous job, the IT department locked the workstations down to the point where it got in the way of me doing my job, so making use of the fact that only Microsoft would create a web browser that lets you execute local files, portable apps were the reason I could actually do my job with any degree of competency.

However, it's not all sugar and rainbows. The portable launchers add a little overhead to the program and there's a small performance hit. I also ran into issues with LibreOffice where randomly the portable launcher refused to work, but if I tried to run the actual executable for say Writer, that would work fine. You also sometimes run into issues with the likes of extensions for programs like Firefox.

I wouldn't go using them as primary applications unless, like was my situation, you have no other choice. However, I wouldn't hesitate to use them for what they are intended for: Providing access to some of your favorite programs in a short-term sort of way on computers where you may not have the access rights to install programs yourself.

 

[Auric]

I prefer an email client to webmail service so Thunderbird portable is handy. Even if portability is not required, it is simpler to secure since the app/config/data are together... just like in the good old days.

 

[kleinkinstein]

....The portable launchers add a little overhead to the program and there's a small performance hit.

Like what?

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Personally, I like to keep as many of my programs as possible in portable form. I only install stuff I can't live without: browsers, Office and media players/encoders.

BTW, many games are portable, too

 

[cl-scott]

Like what?

You may not notice it on most computers, but that doesn't mean it isn't there.

 

[Deathhorse]

i use a bunch of them at work because we cant do squat on these puters, they run slower but dont actually install and are easy to remove.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

I like portable apps although I don't really use them too much.

I did install portable firefox for someone who had an issue with 1 particular site and had to run an older version along with the latest.
Also, it seems convenient to use the portable Keepass to make a backup copy of the entire program that you can run from a flash drive.

 

[yinan]

I use appv for all of my applications. It makes it so all of my apps follow me to any computer I log into.