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WhatPulse

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by BattyBot (talk | contribs) at 03:19, 28 September 2013 (removed Template:Multiple issues & general fixes using AWB (9501)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.


Developer(s)Martijn Smit
Initial release9 February 2003; 22 years ago (2003-02-09)
Stable release
2.1.1 / 1 January 2013; 12 years ago (2013-01-01)
Preview release
2.2b3 / 30 July 2013; 11 years ago (2013-07-30)
Written inC++
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows
OS X
Linux
PlatformQt
TypeUsage statistics (Key & mouse click counting, bandwidth and uptime measuring)
LicenseFreeware
Websitewhatpulse.org

WhatPulse is a key counting program which monitors the number of keystrokes, mouseclicks, and bandwidth usage, that a user makes over a period of time. Unlike keyloggers, the authors claim WhatPulse does not record the order of the keys that are pressed, but instead measures the number of times that keys are pressed.[1]

Features

The software tracks the users pressed keys, mouse clicks, used bandwidth, and the system's uptime. Periodically, one can upload the number of keystrokes that one makes to the server; this is called "pulsing". Users can see where they are in the leaderboard of people who have joined the program and compare themselves against people from their own countries. Users can also join teams, which enables them to compare themselves against people with similar interests. As of January 31, 2013, over 100,000+ active users are active on WhatPulse, and that amount is rapidly growing.[2]

Version history

Major versions and notable features for the Windows client are listed below:[3][4]

Version number Changes
Version 1.0 (6 February 2003; 22 years ago (2003-02-06)) Initial release. Pressed keys were counted.
Version 1.1 (12 November 2003; 21 years ago (2003-11-12)) The following features were added:
  • Ability to change password via the client
  • Geek Window, which have always displayed the current statistics
  • Token System, which have blocked cheating by multiple times pulsing the same data (A string had to be matched from the previous pulse)
  • Automatic pulsing after every X keys
Version 1.2 (1 January 2004; 21 years ago (2004-01-01)) Click are now counted along with pressed keys
Version 1.3 (15 May 2004; 21 years ago (2004-05-15)) The client now counts and stores which keys have been pressed, and how many times. (The order of the keys are not stored, not making the program a keylogger)
Version 1.4 (10 September 2004; 20 years ago (2004-09-10))
  • The ability to pulse every X click was added
  • The client now displays the current logged in user
Version 1.5 (19 August 2006; 18 years ago (2006-08-19))
  • The client now tracks mouse distance
  • Pulse Profiles (now Computers) appeared
Version 1.6 (12 March 2009; 16 years ago (2009-03-12))
  • New login window for existing accounts and new users
  • Optimized local database file and its location for newer operating systems and stability
Version 1.7 (10 August 2010; 14 years ago (2010-08-10))
  • Windows 7 support
  • Portable mode, which allows the user to save its data without an internet connection
  • Key frequencies image generator, which makes a keyboard heatmap, and displays it in the user's web browser
Version 2.0 (22 December 2012; 12 years ago (2012-12-22))
  • Dropped mouse distance tracking (because of the different and inaccurate methods to track mouse distance between the supported operating systems)
  • Added Bandwidth tracking, which counts the user's downloaded and uploaded data (using WinPcap)
  • The client now also stores system uptime
Version 2.0.1 (31 December 2012; 12 years ago (2012-12-31))
  • Add some critical keys to keyboard heatmap.
  • Unable to set a proxy when logging in.
  • The heatmaps do not update 'today' after a manual reset.
  • Windows closes input hooks when putting your CPU under load (games), which makes it stop counting keys and clicks.
  • Random crashes when using a wireless network connection.
  • Random crashes when using sleep or hibernation mode.
  • Auto pulsing is disabled too quickly when detecting pulse errors.
  • The client does not see certain USB network adapters.
  • Computer crashes (BSOD) can cause the client to ask for a login, next start up.
  • Only show active metrics in tooltip (icon hover).
  • Allow a password reset without knowing the old password.
  • Several optimisations for speed and memory management.
Version 2.0.2 (17 January 2013; 12 years ago (2013-01-17))
  • Add an option to disable automated pulse notifications
  • Blink tray icon on keyboard or mouse option (plus an option to disable that)
  • Launch Geek Window on startup when it was open upon closing the client
  • Update statistics more often in Geek Window
  • Don't show notifications when a fullscreen application is running
  • Add the ability to auto detect the system proxy server
  • Don't write database queries right away, cache them. (saves disk I/O)
  • Make scheduled backups of databases and fall back on backups when main database file gets corrupted
  • Add total account overview (totals + ranks) to account tab
  • Count uptime more accurately (2.0.1 was about 1% off)
  • Count bandwidth more accurately
  • Count bandwidth from and to a proxy server in unpulsed stats (was excluded in previous clients)
  • Show more accurate network usage on interface overview
  • Don't check for updates or internet IP when "Work Offline" is enabled
  • The 'Year' option in the keyboard + mouse heatmap was not the last 12 months, but the current year
  • Extra precautions for double pulsing

Fixed in Linux

  • Some network interfaces were not detected if certain system files did not exist
  • Optimize application bandwidth measuring (70% less CPU)

Fixed in Windows

  • The client crashed when certain applications were running
  • Enhance input hook usage (i.e. fullscreen applications, busy CPU)
  • Ignore system services for application uptime

Enhancements in Mac OS X

  • Optimize detection of network interfaces (2500% quicker)
  • Optimize detection of running processes (120% quicker)

Platform compatibility

WhatPulse is a freeware cross-platform application, running on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.[5] However, the Mac and Linux clients were not always updated as often as the Windows client. This changed in the latest version, 2.0, which became available for all platforms at the same time and aims at letting the client act the same across all platforms.

Cheating

There is a very large "WhatPulse" anti-cheat team being formed to help stop cheating for WhatPulse. The latest versions of WhatPulse includes many anti-cheat measures. Despite these measures, there is typically a lot of blatant cheating, which is against site rules.[6]

The site rules state that activity "must be done with your own two hands."[7]

Automated measures against cheating include a 50 keys per second maximum.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Does WhatPulse contain any spyware?". WhatPulse.
  2. ^ "Signup Statistics". WhatPulse. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  3. ^ "News posts". WhatPulse. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  4. ^ Smit, Martijn (22 December 2012). "WhatPulse 2.0!". WhatPulse. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  5. ^ "Downloads". WhatPulse. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Terms of Service". WhatPulse. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  7. ^ "Are there any rules?". WhatPulse Wiki. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  8. ^ "What does "Activity Breached" mean?". WhatPulse Wiki. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
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