MMOUI Minion is coming
by Eliah Hecht 
May 7th 2009 at 4:00PM
Here are some salient points about Minion:
- Will work on Windows, Mac and Linux.
- Has an option to auto-update, set to "off" by default.
- There will be a premium version, but the only difference will be that premium users don't see ads. In contrast to the Curse client, the non-premium version of Minion is not crippled, and will have an update-all button and full download speed.
- If an author enables donation requests, they will show up in the updater.
Most interesting to me is the module system that the client will support. There's going to be an API in Minion so that anyone who wants to can write plug-in modules; for instance, Curse could write a module that would let Minion users update addons from Curse in Minion. They could show their own ads, and make their own decisions about whether to enable/disable "premium" features for the module. Security concerns for third-party modules are addressed here.
WoWInterface is asking that feedback be left on their MMOUI Minion forum. Without having used it, all I can say is the UI looks a little iffy (somewhere between Curse and Matrix in quality, in my opinion) - for instance, Mac apps don't generally have menus under a window's title bar. Anyway, I'm looking forward to giving it a spin, and kudos to the WoW Interface team for not crippling their free client.
Filed under: News items, Add-Ons
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Cataca May 7th 2009 4:07PM
Looks like this will be much better than curse
MeanGreen May 7th 2009 4:12PM
Gotta Say I agree
maeby May 7th 2009 4:14PM
that's not saying much ;P
Wulfkin May 7th 2009 4:34PM
I'll definitely be trying this instead of Curse. I prefer WoWinterface as a website anyway.
Kibibi May 7th 2009 4:37PM
I'll be dumping Curse's client if this one works out. It looks like they won't try to sneak-in their own data-mining mod, either, which is a massive plus in my book.
Zoquara May 7th 2009 4:41PM
And they're making a Linux version! They can be taught!
Seriously, that excites me. The Curse version no longer works on my computer, so I'm back to doing it all manually :(
Karilyn May 7th 2009 4:53PM
"I'll be dumping Curse's client if this one works out"
Heck, I'll be dumping Curse permanently. I've always disliked their sleazy business practices.
I already take a deliberate effort to only use Wowinterface when at all possible.
nyctef May 7th 2009 6:05PM
"The Curse version no longer works on my computer, so I'm back to doing it all manually :("
I had that problem, and it turned out I needed to install ie6 from winetricks since curse now uses ie6 to display ads.
Morcego May 7th 2009 6:13PM
Curse Client using ie6 to display adds. Oh, that makes me feel oh-so-harm and fussy inside.
BaldOak May 7th 2009 10:52PM
Like others have said, I really, really hope this works out.
I avoid Curse at all costs, for many reasons which have been said many times before.
Go go WoWInterface!
jbodar May 7th 2009 11:35PM
F'ing sweet. I try to use Wowinterface exclusively and I just check the updated addons RSS feed every so often unless I have addon issues. This will be much better than my fairly primitive method.
Vidi May 8th 2009 3:11AM
"Heck, I'll be dumping Curse permanently. I've always disliked their sleazy business practices."
Karilyn,
You do realize that WoWInterface practices the exact same sleazy tactics as Curse right?
I mean two weeks ago Curse had side adds for Champions online while WoWiterfaces FRONT PAGE was a FULL PAGE ad for Champs.
They BOTH cut us off ON PATCH day and while Curse at least had a Client in place, WoWInterfaces Alphabet soup minion hasn't even entered Beta stages yet.
Just because WoWInterface isnt AS evil as Curse doesn't mean it isn't evil, just a little less.
WoWMatrix is and has always been free. That could change in the future, I do not deny that, but Curse and WoWInterface want YOUR money to offer you what is being PAID for ALREADY by advertising!!! Do NOT buy into their line that their BANDWIDTH was being stolen. Their badwidth is PAID FOR through advertising dollars from Cryptic and many other MMO developers who are trying to lure you away from WoW by advertising on these sites.
I've said it many times and I will say it again: NEVER pay for something you can get for FREE.
Vidi May 8th 2009 3:26AM
nyctef,
firefox...
Tuhljin May 8th 2009 6:43AM
Vidi:
WoWI is not evil at all. You are very much misinformed as to the situation.If you'd bother going to WoWI's forums, you could educate yourself about it. It's been done to death here, so I won't bother with that further in this comment.
However, you said one other thing that sticks in my craw:
"I've said it many times and I will say it again: NEVER pay for something you can get for FREE."
If that's an ABSOLUTIST position, if ethics do not enter the equation and greatly outweigh cost, then yours is the position of a petty thief.
Glaras May 8th 2009 10:59AM
@Tuhljin: Why would you go to WoWI's forums to "educate" yourself on the situation between WoWI/Curse and WM? The information you're going to get there must always be considered tainted, since the WoWI people have (and have demonstrated) the ability and willingness to ban/delete anything they disagree with. For that reason, you can't trust them.
Any more than you could use Curse's forums as a de facto "proof" of the real situation surrounding this whole sordid affair. Likewise, WoWMatrix's recently released "FAQ" is suspect.
The *facts* that we know:
-Curse/WoWI blocked WM users from getting updates on the day that patch 3.1 was released.
-Curse offered as a replacement their own client, which runs on fewer systems than WM and carries additional overhead including a datamining function.
-WoWI offered nothing more than assurances that they were working on an updater that did not suck.
-WoWMatrix, in several cases, caused outdated addons to be offered as "updates", using versions of code that the author(s) of said code had requested not be served by WoWMatrix.
-The WM client performed questionable and suspicious file overwrites both within addon code, and to the WoW game client configurations, the purposes of which are not explained (or even alluded to) by WoWMatrix.
-Curse has since cut off functionality in their client, forcing users who want those functions to pay for a premium account.
-The first public beta of WoWI's client is scheduled for 5/17/09.
-WoWMatrix is now service addons from their own servers, plus whatever independent sites that are permitting them to do so.
Beyond that, we *know* nothing. What we've got is a lot of heresay. And that doesn't get any addons updated.
Blackhaven May 8th 2009 11:04AM
Keep accusing people of being petty thiefs Tuhljin, that always makes us want to support you.
Evolve or die, keep burying your reputation I know I have stopped using OverAcheiver due to that same petty thief comment.
Its unfortunate, I like that addon and almost donated. Good thing you came around to show me who you really are, I hate supporting people that don't know what it is to be curtious and umderstanding and adapt to the situation rather then childish name calling.
At the end of the day we can live without addons if needed, can you live without us?
Vidi May 8th 2009 11:16AM
Tuhljin
I have been on their forums. And if you read what they put up they claim to be victims in all this.
Guess again...they want MONEY just like Curse.
The ONLY client that isnt asking me for some form of payment it WoWMatrix.
And Ill tell you WHY I keep saying NEVER pay for what you can get for free.
Because if you sheep keep paying for things that others are providing to you for free, you establish precedent. And eventually thats the only way to get it. And then I, me, mine has to pay for a service I was getting for free.
But hey, A sucker is born every minute. Go ahead pay for Minion or Curses BETA clients, instead of using a fully functional FREE WoWMatrix.
yeah, something MUST be wrong with me HAHAHAHAHA
Blackhaven May 8th 2009 11:20AM
For those not in thew know I first heard of this petty thief banter when he accused me of it here: :http://www.wowinterface.com/forums/showpost.php?p=132145&postcount=955
Author of addons such as:
Overachiever
Achieved!
ZoneDefense
Intel
Gossipmonger
PvP Flag Broker
Think about how he treats consumers before you support him; everyone is evil and thief's.
Shadoweric May 8th 2009 12:14PM
Vidi, use your brain for a minute. Why do you think WM was linking straight to Curse/WoWI servers while showing their own ads? That's right, money. Trying to make as much as possible without spending anything (they didn't need to host files).
So please, spare us the "evil" comments peppered throughout these comments. Hate Curse/WoWI as much as you want, but start being honest and quit bringing the money argument in relation to Curse/WoWI only.
Leaf May 8th 2009 5:43PM
The only thing that keeps me from going to WM is what's already been said so far, with the whole "not complying with the addon author's wishes" thing. That and the fact that WM doesn't have an obvious community outlet, such as forums and whatnot - plus, their homepage looks very much like those that sell game knowledge, that they most likely didn't think of themselves, as guides (i.e. gold making guides etc etc) and those are always shifty in my opinion.
If someone could tell me, with a 100% certainty, that WoWMatrix have started to actually deliver good service I might switch to that one instead. Good service is to not allow downloads of false updates or anything that alters the -game- software.