yogsloth: If only there had been someone, anyone, who could have warned people that 3rd-party gaming clients are an intrusive, unreliable, and inefficient way to manage your software.
And then offered an online gaming store where such a client wasn't used, where everything could be downloaded DRM-free, and customers that understood this concept could go to buy their games.
JakobFel: I don't mind them when they're optional like Galaxy. I don't consider them to be inherently intrusive, unreliable and DEFINITELY not inefficient. I'm not sure how anyone could think they're an inefficient way of managing your games, even if you're not a fan of game clients like this.
I just add a description of each to a plain text document, and add an HTML link for the game at the GOG website, a link to the installer in the folder (of the document), and a link to the installed game if it is installed.
Depending on how a web browser interacts with the operating system, I might simply link to the folder and that will open in the file exploring program that comes with the OS. Otherwise, I use the EWW web browser in
emacs (GNU.org) and it will start programs for me (because of a couple of lines of Lisp instructions I was able to figure out and add).
But... I usually just use the files for reference, and navigate the file system familiarly, with the file exploring tools that come with the OS. Nothing new to learn, and the default file exploring programs are familiar enough that other people know what I am talking about and can do it themselves, no installation or compatibility impediments.
Personally, I group the info about the games into lists, how ever I like. I add my own notes about installation, playing, personal progress, and whatever ideas I have I would like to try out for the game (a.k.a. my own "achievements", if you will). I have notes about the save files for a game, when it matters, if it matters.
No need to do the same thing for every game, each can be "managed" as needed, as it makes sense for the game. It always starts out simple, basic links for where the files are kept on my storage, and links to info or forums at the GOG website, a lot of just copy paste of URLs.
No overall perfect categorization necessary, no internet connection required, and the whole folder is readily copied to external storage. Or, I can copy/paste the section from the text file to a new file to be kept with the game, such for another text file of games in progress installed on a specific external disk.
No need for a computer program other than a plain text editor. I can have as many versions of a game as I like, in case an update might break something, and make notes about whether it did.
Plain text files for the win! :-p They are cross-platform compatible, no dependency on operating systems or file systems, forwards and backwards compatible. No web browser necessary, as the default means for file exploring in whichever operating system is familiar with nothing new to learn.
Other people's computer programs will always be inefficient, because they never ask me what I want, and take months or years to add/change it. Compare that to myself simply using the Delete button or copy/paste in a plain text file (with no dependence on a proprietary file format) for immediately results.
Paragraphs are <p> and links to addresses (file names, or sections in a document) are <a>, and it really doesn't get more complicated than that. And it is perfectly readable without a web browser, or else I edit the text and make it so. :-p
Similarly, consider what the fallback is for Galaxy when it is unable to satisfy. The file exploring tools that come with the computer, and probably the GOG website. That is, the same fallback either way. The difference is that a plain text file is editable, and the Galaxy databases are not so easily edited without the Galaxy program.
Does that sound more efficient, along the lines of getting what is desired immediately rather than waiting and hoping? Along the lines of having only the games that are interesting at the moment, such as a sublist of them, and ordered in whatever manner that personally makes sense at the moment? I only research the games and how to get them working, no need to research the management tools because they are just what already comes with the OS.
Or maybe I am conflating "inefficient" with the wrong impediments, other than what you care about?
