Cannot download RTC files

That is an odd experience for sure.

Of course a download manager is optional, but we've just found that they can improve the experience and increase the likelihood for consistent success.

https://jazz.net/downloads/help.jsp

Seth, I had this behaviour again recently too (from the Ottawa lab).

Without a download manager, I have not been able to download any Windows client file. So what are your recommendations for a download manager for Internet Explorer? On Firefox and Linux, I installed the DownloadThemAll! plug-in. By the way, FlashGot plus Free Download Manager was not an option because I could not easily find Free Download Manager for Linux.

As you may know, IBM has a product called Download Director. It is a download manager. It is compatible with Internet Explorer 6+ and more. It is delivered as a Java applet. According to the this page on developerWorks, RTC Express-C is downloadable with either HTTP or Download Director.

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/downloads/r/rtcexpressc/index.html

Is my frustration such a small thing? How much is collectively wasted when one tries to follow a failed but recommended mechanism? Please do not send me to a page of instructions for some other browser.

Many of my customers have Internet Explorer. As an independent consultant, how can I recommend RTC to my customers when RTC cannot be predictably, reliably, unfailingly be downloaded with Internet Explorer? What does it say about the Rational Team Concert product itself? Can I reliably download large files from an RTC server without a download manager?

Note that even with a download manager, a connection (for me) consistently stops after 130MB and then quits. Eventually, the download manager displays "0 Kb/s". While it is possible, pausing and restarting a download should not be necessary, and it is annoying.

Failed downloads increase the load on the download server. Do you gather statistics on how many downloads have been started but not finished? How many times should a person try before giving up? A download manager can mask a problem with the download server. Could this possibly be the problem?

It is unnecessary and embarrasing to ask my customers to (1) install Firefox, (2) install DownloadThemAll! plug-in and (3) download and install RTC.

A download manager should be optional, shouldn't it? I am not trying to resolve the problem of one person. I am trying to resolve a problem for the community.

Thanks, but no thanks,

Gilbert, thank you for your honest assessment of our failings. We are always trying to find technical solutions to our download situation to improve performance for customers worldwide, across a diverse network environments and browsers. For one, we're working on a mirror setup. And we've talked to the folks within IBM who developed the Download Director tool. While it does run as a Java applet for the user, it is a custom setup on the server side that made the service non-transferrable to our servers.

And yes, a download manager is optional, and most people do not use one. But again, we have found it to be a good tool to aid those who for whatever reason cannot achieve predictability from our servers otherwise.

Hi Gilbert

There is another option for you. When you install RTC - you can do so using the Installation Manager (IM). This is in effect a "download manager" but is really an installation tool. I think the best way to do this (after using all the different options) is the Web Install. This pulls down a relatively small file to set up the Installation Manager, and this will grab the larger set of files to install the various components (server, build engine, client, etc).

IM also makes updating the different components much easier too.

anthony

I think the best way to do this (after using all the different options) is the Web Install. This...will grab the larger set of files to install the various components (server, build engine, client, etc).

anthony

The latest release of Installation Manager is already installed on my computer because of installing other products from IBM. Although I have seen references to the "Web Install", I could not find any additional instructions. This sounds like the solution that I am seeking. Could you provide a link to instruction?

Thanks,

There is another option for you.

anthony

Again, I am working with RTC Express-C Client for Windows. Is Web Install even an option?

Thanks,

There is another option for you.

anthony

Again, I am working with RTC Express-C Client for Windows. Is Web Install even an option?

Thanks,

Whoops - you are right - there is no Installation Manager install for Express-C. By the time I had read the posts I had forgotten that part :-)

My apologies.

anthony