"TO DO" List For Simple Internet Meter

[Shane]

This is my current to do list for the program. Things I want to add or I am going to add to make the program better.

One note to remember, I won't sacrifice performance for any feature. So any feature that is requested I will do my best to add as long as it doesn't slow anything down 

Current List:

Feature: Remote Viewer - Done
Description: A remote viewer to let a user see and view current stats of multiple computers. Will even work over the internet.
Can it be added?: Has been added as of Simple Internet Meter 2.2.0

Feature: Skinning
Description: Users will be able to skin the monitors.
Can it be added?: Maybe, the program is made in VB6 which doesn't play nice with PNG files. Since VB6 will only support bmp, gif, and jpg for the window background this limits how good it will look. While other programs use png files for better looks. Until I can find a way to use png with vb6 windows this feature will be on hold, I'm not going to half ass it by not using png  . Any fellow programmers out there want to point me in the right direction please let me know!

UPDATE: I now know how to skin with png and VB For now I will wait till I get request for skinning before I add it.


Want to see if I can add a feature? Only way to find out is ask!
You have a request feel free to post it here 

Shane

[mpdooley]

This is coming from a newbie to Simple Internet Meter - so will see in time how well this helps or "replaces" what I am after.

I have simply "relied" on long-ago mothballed program called NetMedic or Net Medic that to me is "the cat's meow" in terms of providing a simple graphical display of network activity and issues and with some graphic displays of comparative history for a site, system, or piece of equipment - router - computer.

Not arguing for "its accuracy" but in terms of a quick visual to identify where problems are - to me this was the best monitoring tool I have come across to date and have relied on it for identifying problems using dial-up connections, problems within networks and/or with pages on web sites - for as long as I can remember - which is way too long -  .

Unfortunately this (NetMedic) was designed in the days of IE4, IE5 or IE6, does not measure activity very well or at all for some other browsers and with the eventual demise of IE6 - will be of even less use to get a quick picture where the most likely source of delays or problems with page loading can be traced with some of the the more sophisticated tools that are available.

I have even come across "hacked" versions of the program or related program tools circulating on the "net" that contain elements that could install "spyware" or "trojans".

Not sure if elements of the NetMedic program can be adapted or included in the Internet Meter but if I was "editing someone's TO DO list" I would find a way to wangle this project into the list.

Of course that is just my "selfish" wish.

HTH

Mike

[Shane]

I am always happy to add what the users want. As long as it falls into the following...

The new feature doesn't sacrifice performance and I am able to do the new feature 

Simple internet meter uses winpcap to look at each and every packet that goes through the system. (The faster the connection the more cpu needed, such as a gigabit network)

In those packets I see each port the packet goes to and from. From this I can do a netstat call and find the programs using those ports. Thus track what programs are using how much internet.

The problem is performance on this. For every packet the program would need to check the list netstat list. You can see how when you have a lot of open connections and a lot of programs using the network this can really use a lot of CPU.

Granted now that we are in the multi core cpu days I could add something like this for the people who needed it. But I am having trouble convincing myself to do it.

I am not sure how NetMedic worked, but why it depended on IE I don't know. But you say it kept track of sites as well, perhaps that's what it was doing.

Also with the packets my program watches is the IP's the packets are going to, so I guess that could be used for the site stats.

I am currently working on 5 new programs so it might be a while before I get anything rolling, but for right now its good to get an idea. 

Shane

[mpdooley]

Just a request.  When and if you want to dabble with this I can send you a copy of NetMedic or will identify a safe resource where to download a copy.

Generally, have not seen where anyone has tried or been able to emulate much of what I glean from NetMedic.  As for the browser issue.  Just that when the program was designed it relied on Internet Explorer and maybe some of the other browsers active at the time - say Mozilla Application Suite (would have to test this but that is my recollection).

I suspect that program elements looked for browser components when it was designed - hence no design or capture for a browser that did not exist.

Probably a poor explanation but quite simply to mean:
I can load a web page in IE6 and it will register and data will be collected and displayed in NetMedic for that website in the panel or window for the Server in question.

Load the same page in SeaMonkey and/or Firefox and page loads but the NetMedic monitor does not display any information for the web page or site in the panel or window that monitors server delays and activities.  Some of the other activity is monitored but not specific browser interaction with that web page or with the site history.

Site reached OK in both of these browsers just that NetMedic does not record or log any of the server activity unless I am using IE6 to reach the website.

As an aside - NetMedic used a scalable window for each of it's selectable panels.

Comparing to you Internet Monitor:

There would be single NetMedic Window or screen that is displayed or loaded and can be minimized and then a user could select which of the NetMedic features they want included.

e.g.
Network Traffic
Port Traffic
Extra Stats
Graph Monitor

would or could all be part of a single display panel and user selects which of these or none of these or all of these are shown when they chose to view the NetMedic "Dashboard" or in your case the Simple Internet Meter "Dashboard" - elements which currently are viewed and loaded as desired by user but only as separate elements.

HTH

Thanks for at least considering this at some future date.

Mike