Changelog for Mac
Helpmate Version 2.6
Bug Fixes
• Fixed the broken Network Scanner so it is no longer reliant on coffer.com
for vendor information
• Network Scanner now downloads vendor information from the IEEE for faster
processing
• Added better error handling to the Network Scanner for situations when
a network connection is not available
• Added "Export" feature to network scanner to save the scan
as tab-delimited text
• Fixed bug when resetting Software Update Server under Leopard
• Improved speed and error handling during screen sharing startup
•Faster Launch Times
• ASR multicast server now properly identifies versions of Mac OS X 10.4 > 10.4.9
• Fixed an issue where disabling Auto HelpMate filled the system.log with
annoying (but harmless) messages
Changes for Mac OS X 10.5
• Improved ASR multicast server performance
• Added toggle for "Screenshot shadows" to Prefs tab
• Added toggle for "Time Machine Background Effect" to Prefs
tab
• Added cleaning routine for "Clean User Font Caches" to
Clean tab
• Clean User Caches is now more thorough
• Added "Alert on Time Machine Backup Failure" to proactive
alerts
Proactive Alerts
• Any alert may now be disabled by setting it to a value of "0" -
which allows for more granular control in the "Disks and Memory" section
of the alerts
• Alerts now default to "0" for low memory and pageout alerts
• Added Added "Alert on Time Machine Backup Failure" to Disks
portion of the alertsScreen Sharing / Control
• Growl now shows a notification for each machine that is shared, rather
than just the first machine in the popup list
• Improved screen sharing setup now has "unified" connection
and URL in the Auto HelpMate connection manager
• Subscribers may now activate screen sharing on up to five machines simultaneously
through Auto HelpMate, including end users manually sharing their screens
• Addition of "Auto HelpMate Standard" for unlimited computer
registrations for Auto HelpMate users
• Addition of "Mac HelpMate ZIRO (Zero Interaction Roll Out) for
screen sharing via URL
• Availability of Mac HelpMate Widget to initiate screen sharing from DashboardAuto
HelpMateImproved user interface
• Sessions initiated with Mac HelpMate version 2.6 and later (and Auto HelpMate
version 1.3 and later) now appear as "Unified" above the "Legacy" connections
of older versions which contained two parts - connection and URL
• Interface refinements including better viewing at all screen widths
• Added a time zone offset preference so that time stamps appear in your
local time zone in the connection managerNew Features and Capabilities
• Auto HelpMate Standard (you must be an Auto HelpMate subscriber as well
as a Mac HelpMate subscriber to use this feature) with unlimited registrations
• Auto HelpMate Pro (you must be an Auto HelpMate subscriber as well as Mac
HelpMate subscriber to use this feature)
• Added the ability to set "first alert" offset for Auto
HelpMate Pro clients for networks which might frequently go offline and come
back
online (such
as wireless networks)
• Added "SMS-friendly" alerts option that limits alert email
to a single text message
• Basic Hardware Information for Auto HelpMate Pro client machines - updated
every six hours, or by request
New capabilities and features of Mac HelpMate version 2.6 - overview
About Auto HelpMate Standard and Auto HelpMate Pro
Starting with the release of Mac HelpMate version 2.6, there are now two
classes of Auto HelpMate registrations: "Standard" and "Pro." Machines
running version 1.3 of the Auto HelpMate client may be moved from "Standard" to "Pro" and
back. Machines running earlier version fo the Auto HelpMate client may be managed
as "Pro" only.
Auto HelpMate Pro
This is the same Auto HelpMate capability that has been included with Mac
HelpMate since version 2 was first released, with some useful additions.
Auto HelpMate
Pro is targeted at managing servers or mission critical machines that need
to be constantly monitored or for computers that are managed as a service
offering (managed service) where service providers are looking for a
revenue opportunity.
Auto HelpMate Pro machines have the following capabilities and features
as of the release of Mac HelpMate 2.6:
• Online presence tracking updated every minute
• Screen Sharing that activates in approximately one minute
• Up/down alerts by email when the machine is out of contact with the connection
manager for more than five minutes
• Configurable interval for up/down alerts with repeated contact by email
if desired
• Basic Hardware Profile and Mac OS X version now available within the
machine record, as well as Ethernet address and external IP address
• 100 Auto HelpMate Pro registrations per subscriber (additional Auto
HelpMate Pro registrations are priced at $175 per 100 per year)
Auto HelpMate Standard
Auto HelpMate standard is a new capability that all Auto HelpMate subscribers
have in addition to their 100 Auto HelpMate Pro registrations. There is
no limit on the number of Auto HelpMate standard registrations. Auto
HelpMate
Standard is targed at consumers, SOHO users, or for entire sites, such
as education one-to-one deployments. Auto HelpMate Standard machines
have the
following capabilities and features as of the release of Mac HelpMate 2.6:
• Unlimited Auto HelpMate Standard registrations for each subscriber with
Auto HelpMate
• Online presence tracking updated every six hours
• Screen Sharing that activates in approximately one minute
• Ability to ascertain the external IP address of the machine
About Mac
HelpMate ZIRO
Since the release of Mac HelpMate 1.0 in March of 2006, subscribers
to our service have had one outstanding feature request: to make
it easier
for end
users to share their screens. The AutoShare version of Mac HelpMate
went a long way towards achieving this goal, as it started screen sharing
once the
application was download and launched by an end user. However, for
some
end users, the process of navigating to the download link and the act
of downloading,
locating, and launching Mac HelpMate proved to be challenging. Now,
Mac HelpMate ZIRO streamlines that step by offering a single-click download-and-launch
experience via a URL either posted on a web site, emailed to an end
user,
or even transmitted
via a chat session (provided that the chat service supports URLs).
No accounts to configure or sign up for, no downloading on the part of
the end user.
After the screen sharing session ends, the end user may either keep
or
dispose
of
the Mac HelpMate application - it's their choice.
Here's how Mac HelpMate
ZIRO works:
• Each subscriber may download their individual launcher for Mac
HelpMate ZIRO from the Auto HelpMate connection manager
• The Mac HelpMate service provider either posts a link to their
ZIRO launcher, or emails the launcher to the end user (or chats
it)
• The end user downloads the ZIRO launcher, which then securely
downloads the service provider's AutoShare version of Mac HelpMate
to the end
user's Desktop
• The ZIRO launcher then starts Mac HelpMate, initiating screen
sharing
Key Usage Information
1. Mac HelpMate version 2.6 is backward-compatible with all previous versions
and installations of Mac HelpMate, Win HelpMate, Mac UserMate and Auto HelpMate.
There's still only one program for sharing and control.
2. Mac HelpMate version 2.6 supports Mac OS X 10.3, Mac OS X 10.4, and Mac
OS X 10.5. It supersedes and replaces all previous versions of Mac HelpMate.
We highly recommend everyone immediately begin distributing version 2.6 and
replace as many copies of MHM in the field as possible as soon as possible.
Everyone using Mac HelpMate should upgrade to take advantage of improvements.
•••Important••• Please also use MHM v 2.6 for any new Auto HelpMate registrations
(as well as to update existing registrations - this is very important). Many
outstanding issues with Auto HelpMate have been addressed and resolved in version
2.6 and the Auto HelpMate components bundled with it. While we have no immediate
plans to discontinue support for older versions of the AHM components for machines
which currently exist in the connection manager, we will be disabling Auto
HelpMate registrations for Mac HelpMate versions < 2.5 on October 15, 2008.
3. It is easy to upgrade Mac Helpmate and Auto HelpMate remotely. Instructions
on how to do this will be posted soon on the Auto HelpMate/Mac HelpMate connection
manager. If you've never logged in, simply visit https://www.autohelpmate.com,
and log in with your control username and password. At the top of the page,
you'll see links to subscriber resources and information.
4. For support, we still encourage emails direct to developer@machelpmate.com.This
e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled
to view it Please check the Auto HelpMate/Mac HelpMate connection manager
by logging into http://www.autohelpmate.com with your control username and
password
before emailing us or posting on the forum to verify that you and your customer
have both connected to the Mac HelpMate gateway.