Ask HN: Review my app: Firetweets

#1

Post by iampims » Sun, Aug 01, 2010, 4:22 PM UTC

It's written in Python and runs on Google Appengine. http://firetweets.appspot.com/

It's tracking a dozen of topics — for which I'd like to keep up with what’s new. Other topics (ruby, python, appengine…) are coming soon, but the amount of spam or assimilated spam for these topics on Twitter is significantly higher than for the current ones. I'm working on a solution to reduce noise, and duplicates, but in the mean time, if this micro-service is useful for somebody, that'd make my day.

Feedback and suggestions are welcome.

Re: Ask HN: Review my app: Firetweets

#2

Post by js4all » Sun, Aug 01, 2010, 5:20 PM UTC

Great idea. I will use it in the future.

The yellow background however is stressing. If you like yellow to be your signature color, use it on a single element like a header strip or so.

Also, go get a custom domain for it. When your app gets popular and you do that later, many people have to update their links.

Re: Ask HN: Review my app: Firetweets

#3

Post by mishmash » Sun, Aug 01, 2010, 5:49 PM UTC

js4all wrote: post #2

Great idea. I will use it in the future. The yellow background however is stressing. If you like yellow to be your signature color, use it on a single element like a header strip or so. Also, go get a custom domain for it. When your app gets popular and you do that later, many people have to update their links.

> The yellow background however is stressing.

Agreed. It's a lovely shade of yellow, but in front of maximized window on a 24" monitor, my eyes physically squinted a little when switching to it. :)

Re: Ask HN: Review my app: Firetweets

#4

Post by iampims » Sun, Aug 01, 2010, 6:22 PM UTC

js4all wrote: post #2

Great idea. I will use it in the future. The yellow background however is stressing. If you like yellow to be your signature color, use it on a single element like a header strip or so. Also, go get a custom domain for it. When your app gets popular and you do that later, many people have to update their links.

Thanks for the feedback. The background was originally white, and easier on the eyes, but it wasn't distinctive enough. The site looked like almost every other site. The yellow paint coat gives it charisma, but I might have over done it a little bit.

As for the custom domain name, I wanted to test it first before buying a domain. I used to buy the domain first and write the app afterwards. But most of the time, I was left with a domain name and no app. But yes, you're right, doing things properly requires a domain name. That'll give me the opportunity to change the name — since firetweets was just chosen randomly a long time ago.

Re: Ask HN: Review my app: Firetweets

#5

Post by iampims » Sun, Aug 01, 2010, 6:25 PM UTC

mishmash wrote: post #3

js4all wrote: post #2

Great idea. I will use it in the future. The yellow background however is stressing. If you like yellow to be your signature color, use it on a single element like a header strip or so. Also, go get a custom domain for it. When your app gets popular and you do that later, many people have to update their links.

> The yellow background however is stressing. Agreed. It's a lovely shade of yellow, but in front of maximized window on a 24" monitor, my eyes physically squinted a little when switching to it. :)

I'll revert to white and put the yellow background as an option. I indeed didn't realize it might be a little too aggressive on a 24" monitor :)

edit: changed to white. I'll provide the theme switcher in the next release :)

Re: Ask HN: Review my app: Firetweets

#6

Post by js4all » Sun, Aug 01, 2010, 6:42 PM UTC

iampims wrote: post #5

mishmash wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The yellow background however is stressing. Agreed. It's a lovely shade of yellow, but in front of maximized window on a 24" monitor, my eyes physically squinted a little when switching to it. :)

I'll revert to white and put the yellow background as an option. I indeed didn't realize it might be a little too aggressive on a 24" monitor :) edit: changed to white. I'll provide the theme switcher in the next release :)

Wow, that was fast. Much better, thanks.

Re: Ask HN: Review my app: Firetweets

#7

Post by mishmash » Sun, Aug 01, 2010, 6:45 PM UTC

iampims wrote: post #5

mishmash wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The yellow background however is stressing. Agreed. It's a lovely shade of yellow, but in front of maximized window on a 24" monitor, my eyes physically squinted a little when switching to it. :)

I'll revert to white and put the yellow background as an option. I indeed didn't realize it might be a little too aggressive on a 24" monitor :) edit: changed to white. I'll provide the theme switcher in the next release :)

Yes much better, thanks. BTW, I like the implementation and good luck with it.

Re: Ask HN: Review my app: Firetweets

#8

Post by xsltuser2010 » Sun, Aug 01, 2010, 8:07 PM UTC

iampims wrote: post #4

js4all wrote: post #2

Great idea. I will use it in the future. The yellow background however is stressing. If you like yellow to be your signature color, use it on a single element like a header strip or so. Also, go get a custom domain for it. When your app gets popular and you do that later, many people have to update their links.

Thanks for the feedback. The background was originally white, and easier on the eyes, but it wasn't distinctive enough. The site looked like almost every other site. The yellow paint coat gives it charisma, but I might have over done it a little bit. As for the custom domain name, I wanted to test it first before buying a domain. I used to buy the domain first and write the app afterwards. But most of the time, I was…

Distinction by design is easy, but your site is distinctive because it is a simple and useful tool. The 'distinctive' style will grow with its use becoming more clear and widespread.

Besides that, it really doesnt look like every other site. Almost all other sites are spoiled with eye sugar.

Re: Ask HN: Review my app: Firetweets

#9

Post by iampims » Sun, Aug 01, 2010, 8:23 PM UTC

xsltuser2010 wrote: post #8

iampims wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for the feedback. The background was originally white, and easier on the eyes, but it wasn't distinctive enough. The site looked like almost every other site. The yellow paint coat gives it charisma, but I might have over done it a little bit. As for the custom domain name, I wanted to test it first before buying a domain. I used to buy the domain first and write the app afterwards. But most of the time, I was…

Distinction by design is easy, but your site is distinctive because it is a simple and useful tool. The 'distinctive' style will grow with its use becoming more clear and widespread. Besides that, it really doesnt look like every other site. Almost all other sites are spoiled with eye sugar.

I'm glad to hear that you see this as a useful tool. I've found a handful of interesting links I hadn't seen mentioned in most popular sites — HN, Reddit,…

And as for simplicity, I'll quote St Exupery:

>A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

I certainly don't believe that this design is perfect, but it fades away to let the content shine.

Re: Ask HN: Review my app: Firetweets

#10

Post by adrianwaj » Sun, Aug 01, 2010, 9:16 PM UTC

I had an idea, which could fit in with a future phase of this app. Grabbing links from twitter lists and reposting with page title, link, and underlying tweet. It's about surfacing what's hot in certain user circles, for example, you might find twitter lists concerning the topics already displayed on Firetweets. The final display might end up somthing like: http://hackerbra.in/links -- some lists of interest http://twitter.com/tlrobinson/hackernews http://twitter.com/DHS/hacker-news.