OCN Whatpulse Setup Guide and FAQ

Posted 11/9/11 • Last updated 11/9/11 • 207 views • 64 comments

OCN Whatpulse Guide and FAQ

CONTENTS

FAQ

What is Whatpulse?

Whatpulse is a small client that can be installed on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS to keep track of your keyboard and mouse activity. It can keep track of how many keystrokes you take, how often you press each key, mouse clicks, and how far your mouse has traveled. It does not record WHAT you do, only how many times/how far you do it.

What’s the point?

In reality, there isn’t one. By that I mean there are no rewards, no real end goal, and no point to the competition. You can see how often you use your peripherals and it is extremely addicting. It is fun and just one more thing to have on your PC.

Competition? I thought it was just a simple program…

Oh yes, there are team, rivalries, and other such nonsense that goes with any competition. [thread=797711]OCN has a team[/thread] and you can find how to join later on in the guide.

How do I check my stats?

You can view your stats online at Whatpulse.org. When you install Whatpulse, you will create an account if you do not already have one. The client on your computer will send your statistics online to be saved. It will break them down by what computer they were used on.

Couldn’t people just cheat and write a script that pushes buttons?

Yes they can. And they have in the past. But it is pretty silly to cheat in something that doesn’t really do anything and it is quite easy to tell when someone is averaging 500 keys per second.

Where do I download Whatpulse?

You can grab the correct client for your OS from the Whatpulse website .

How do I install? and What settings should I set?

Please see the next post in this thread for that information.

WHATPULSE INFOMATION:

Quote:

What is WhatPulse?

Sure we have a fancy website, loads of stats and lotsa users, but many people still wonder what WhatPulse exactly is. This page tries to explain a bit more about what it is, a simple keys, clicks and mouse usage counter.

The purpose of WhatPulse is simply to collect statistics about your computer behavior. Some people (Like me) use it to determine how long they've worked on something, like a programming project, a school essay, chatting by all means.
How does it work?

WhatPulse opens a so-called "keyhook" when it's booted, which listens to incoming Windows messages about the keyboard, the keyhook sends these messages to the program itself, and the program first determines if the key pressed is a proper key (Every standard keyboards' keys are counted) and then simply does PreviousKeyCount + 1.

Pulsing: When you "pulse", you're actually sending your keycounts in the program to the server along with other information about your Account, so the server can decide where to put the keycount. If the pulse goes according to plan, the server sends back an "OK", and the client's keycount is reset to 0 (zero), and your previous keys are added to your profile in the server database!

And for all you people who are thinking "oeh mi god a keylogger, no way!", well, exactly, No way. WhatPulse is not and never will be any sort of keylogger, it does not collect the keys you type, but only how many keys you type.

Whatpulse Privacy Policy

See next post for the Installation Guide

Comments (64)

IEATFISH 5/10/11 at 6:25pm

Installation GuideProgram InstallationOnce you have downloaded the correct version of Whatpulse, proceed to install it. You can get it here. In this guide, the Windows client will be used. When installation finished, run Whatpulse from the installer option, Start Menu, etc.You will be presented with a Setup Assistant to help you configure Whatpulse and associate a Whatpulse account. If you have an account already, chose that option and continue. Assuming you don’t have an account, choose a username and password. The field asking for a Computer Name is used to differentiate computers you may be using Whatpulse on. So give it a name descriptive enough that you can tell which computer you were referring to. Later on, you can add more computers such as a work PC or laptop. You should only add computer you personally use as multiple users on a single account can cause issues. This screen also has the option to set proxy information if you need to use one.Tray Icon and MenuOnce you have completed the account settings, the window will disappear and you will notice that a small icon that has appeared in the notification area. Right click it to see the options you are given.The icon:The pop-up menu:Here are the different options you are presented with in the right-click menu of the tray icon:Pulse Now – A pulse is the term for the sending of information. Whatpulse sends the statistics only when you have told it (unless we set it up automatically, keep reading). This is called a pulse and can contain a single keystroke or millions. To manually Pulse, right click the tray icon and click Pulse Now. You will see the icon turn into an arrow pointing up until the pulse has completed.Account – Here you can see some Account details, link directly to your Online Stats, reset your token, and logoff from your account.Preferences – Pretty clear, use this to access the program preferences.Open Geek Window – Opens a small window that contains your stats since your last pulse and overall.Key Frequencies – If you have told Whatpulse to keep track of your key frequencies, this will bring up a window with the data and give you the option to make an image graphically showing the usage.Extras – Creates Dynamic Images, often known as signature banners.Help & Support – You can figure this out…I hope…Exit – Exits Whatpulse. Remember that just closing an open Whatpulse preference window or geek window does not close the program. You must exit from this option.Adjusting...

IEATFISH 5/10/11 at 6:25pm

Troubleshooting GuideUnder Construction

Blitz6804 5/10/11 at 6:27pm

I'm sorry, but I really do not like the idea of any keyloggers on my system, even if just for statistics. Guide is looking good though.

joemaniaci 5/10/11 at 6:35pm

Can my cat play?

MijnWraak 5/10/11 at 6:35pm

Agreed with blitz. I'm not a super-paranoid kinda guy (no anti-virus for the past 3 years) but anything designed to log my keystrokes is out of bounds.

Papa.Smurf 5/10/11 at 6:36pm

Cool stuff, Ill check it out.

AOwpr 5/10/11 at 6:40pm

Heads up, your link directly to the OCN page is broken.

IEATFISH 5/10/11 at 6:41pm

I've been using it for years and so have tons of other people. It doesn't record how much is done in order, just a tick mark for each time, if that makes sense. No worries about being paranoid, though, it's your own choice for sure.

csm725 5/10/11 at 6:43pm

This does not log keys

litho 5/10/11 at 6:44pm

Quote:Originally Posted by csm725;13459928
This does not log keysYea! you tell em.

IEATFISH 5/10/11 at 6:47pm

Quote:Originally Posted by csm725;13459928
This does not log keys, goddammit.Actually, it does and it sends them all to me. BWAHAHAHA!no, it really doesn't.

IEATFISH 5/10/11 at 6:49pm

I've added a bit more info to the first post. It covers the question "Is Whatpulse a keylogger?".Again, it isn't but if you are still wary, no worries.

csm725 5/10/11 at 6:51pm

Yes worries. I will hunt you down and snipe you.

TestECull 5/10/11 at 6:58pm

I'm a bit paranoid about it myself. I'll give it a try when I play new vegas. Not typing in any passwords then. Honestly the only reason I'm trying it at all is because a well respected staffer posted it, if some random member did I'd probably flame them into oblivion.D'oh well, let's see how many keystrokes I use during a typical New Vegas session.

csm725 5/10/11 at 7:11pm

So if I had posted the same post you would have disregarded it completely?

TestECull 5/10/11 at 7:16pm

Yeah, pretty much. No offense, bro, but it is, when you boil it down, a keylogger. I wouldn't install a program like this if it isn't from a trusted source. Like, say, a long-standing, well-respected OCN staffer.But from what I can tell it's up to nothing nefarious. It clears out of my task manager when I close it, it only sends data when told to send, and the readouts are interesting to say the least.Played New Vegas for 10-15 minutes, sent a couple of Steam IMs during, this is what resulted:

IEATFISH 5/10/11 at 7:19pm

I don't think anyone will contend that it 'logs your keys' but it is not malicious and the strings are never saved. I really find it interesting to see how many times I press a key depending on whether I am writing papers, surfing, or gaming.

TestECull 5/10/11 at 7:32pm

I'm paranoid about programs that are written to capture inputs I give to my machine. This is one of them. Besides, I've already deemed it benevolent, so I really don't get what your whole issue is.Oh, and yes, it is a keylogger. How else do you think it can detect and log how often you hit what keys, how far you move your mouse and how often you click your mouse? Magic? THINK, man!Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get a more accurate view of my keystrokes while playing new vegas.