It isn't the average computer user that is likely to buy a product like this (unless a computer geek recommends it to them). I say this from my own experience with family and friends who are computer users. Of the two dozen or more computer users I know, 95% of them don't know what a cache is, and they're not familiar with the terms, ReadyBoost, SuperFetch, or even Flash Memory. And, they've never went looking for products to optimize or speed up their computers. That means the primary customer base for eBoostr is advanced computer users. And accordingly, I feel the eBoostr Development Team needs to pay close attention to the features asked for by the eBoostr Beta Testers. It's very likely that the average computer user will learn about eBoostr from a computer geek who has found that the product meets or exceeds their needs, and is very happy with the product.
With that in mind, I would like to suggest a simple change that advanced computer users would appreciate. And that is for eBoostr to store it's configuration files in the eBoostr installation folder, rather than the Windows User's Application Data Folders. I'm referring to these files:
settings.ini
filestat.dat
exclude.ini
application.ini
badlnk.dat
Let me explain why that's important:
Many advanced users partition their hard drives and install their applications on one of those other partitions. That keeps the Ghost Backups of the Windows Partition as small as possible, which also keeps Backups and Defrags of Windows relatively quick and painless.
OK, here is the problem with using the Windows User's Application Data Folders for configuration data:
From time to time it becomes necessary to restore the Windows partition from a Ghost Backup. If the User's Application Data Folders are used to store the eBoostr configuration data, recent configuration changes to eBoostr are lost every time Windows is Restored from a backup. If the eBoostr configuration files are stored in Eboostr's Installation Folder, recent configuration changes are not lost.
I really hope the development team will change the configuration data storage locations as requested here. This change is sure to delight all the more computer savvy eBoostr customers. And the happier a customer is with a product, the more likely he is to recommend it.