new MARK version checker link...

[egc]

Greetings -

Although the setup program for MARK isn't that large, its large enought that sometimes if you see an announcement for a 'new MARK build', it would be nice to know if, in fact, the version of MARK on the server is actually newer than the the the version you've already installed. Previously, the only way to do this was to (i) check the time-stamp of the version you currently have installed (you do this by starting MARK, then selecting 'Help'-'About' to get the build dates for mark.exe and mark_int.exe, then (ii) installing the version you download from the server, and then (iii) repeat step (i) to see if the build dates have changed.

Not a particularly elegant, or efficient way to check for updates. So, I added a simple (well, more or less simple) 'version checker' link to the download page I have on my mirror server: - if you're using a recent browser (Firefox, Safari, Mozilla, IE 6.0 or better, Opera...), try pointing your browser at

http://www.phidot.org/software/mark/download

The primary download link for MARK setup.exe is the bright (ugly) yellow box on the right-hand side. At the bottom of the yellow box is a link to check the version date. If you click this link, the timestamp of the setup.exe file on the mirror server is shown. The way I have mirroring set up - if the timestamp of setup.exe on the server is more recent that the 'Help'-'About' build dates MARK reports on your computer, then the version of MARK on the server is newer than the version you currently have installed - which might prompt you to download and install the new version.

Sort of a hack approach to a formal version checker utility, but I'm not smart enough to do more than hack (translation: I'm not Gary, or Jim Hines, or any of the other 'real' programmers). But, the hack seems to work, for most browsers I've tested.