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Show HN: Automated, scheduled, website screenshots to your inbox

blit.xyz

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Re: Show HN: Automated, scheduled, website screenshots to your inbox

#21

Post by alistairclark7 »

soneca wrote: post #11
oneeyedpigeon wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've signed up. I help run a news-based site which changes on a daily basis; a complete history of screenshots to show both evolution of the site and the news that we covered will be most welcome. I know I could have set this up myself, but this service makes it very easy.

Would care to share what website is it? Also, do you think this service would be of value to you? https://www.bugmuncher.com/ I am helping the founder with some marketing research. Thanks!

I just tried this, but the screenshots that get submitted don't look anything like what they did when I took them.

Edit: The email confirmation link also doesn't work.

Edit edit: The issue was that I was testing localhost and it needs access to the css. It's working now, pretty cool!

Re: Show HN: Automated, scheduled, website screenshots to your inbox

#22

Post by delta1 »

rubidium wrote: post #18
jamessb wrote: post #16

You could do pretty much the same thing by running something like wkhtmltopdf/wkhtmltoimage from cron. Like blit, this will "even take screenshots behind login forms" if you login with Firefox, export cookies, and provide the --cookie-jar argument, but without charging $5/mo. [1]: http://wkhtmltopdf.org/

Who could? A programmer with time to figure out how to do it. Who couldn't? Everyone else.

Even for a programmer I'd argue that $5/mo is less than potentially having to fuss around supporting your own junk.

Re: Show HN: Automated, scheduled, website screenshots to your inbox

#23

Post by timwebgl »

jamessb wrote: post #16

You could do pretty much the same thing by running something like wkhtmltopdf/wkhtmltoimage from cron. Like blit, this will "even take screenshots behind login forms" if you login with Firefox, export cookies, and provide the --cookie-jar argument, but without charging $5/mo. [1]: http://wkhtmltopdf.org/

Another option for automated screenshots is using the Kantu Browser, https://kantu.io/ . This gives you the advantage that you can do some complex navigation before taking the screenshot, and at the same time it is significantly easier to use than PhantomJS and friends.

But the beauty and selling point of blit.xyz is simplicity. If all you need are periodical screenshots, it can not get easier than that.

Re: Show HN: Automated, scheduled, website screenshots to your inbox

#24

Post by boredpudding »

scrollaway wrote: post #19
jamessb wrote: post #16

You could do pretty much the same thing by running something like wkhtmltopdf/wkhtmltoimage from cron. Like blit, this will "even take screenshots behind login forms" if you login with Firefox, export cookies, and provide the --cookie-jar argument, but without charging $5/mo. [1]: http://wkhtmltopdf.org/

I actually can't tell if this comment is serious, or sarcastically referencing the dropbox comment from a few years ago.

Either way, it's a great way to show how developers see new services. There are a lot of things easy for developers that aren't easy for everybody else, but everybody else would pay for an easy way to do it.

Re: Show HN: Automated, scheduled, website screenshots to your inbox

#25

Post by mdrzn »

scrollaway wrote: post #19
jamessb wrote: post #16

You could do pretty much the same thing by running something like wkhtmltopdf/wkhtmltoimage from cron. Like blit, this will "even take screenshots behind login forms" if you login with Firefox, export cookies, and provide the --cookie-jar argument, but without charging $5/mo. [1]: http://wkhtmltopdf.org/

I actually can't tell if this comment is serious, or sarcastically referencing the dropbox comment from a few years ago.

I had the same thought, it recalls too much the dropbox comment. Must be sarcastic.

Re: Show HN: Automated, scheduled, website screenshots to your inbox

#26

Post by mbaye »

oneeyedpigeon wrote: post #9
chrismorgan wrote: post #8

What’s the expected use case for this?

I've signed up. I help run a news-based site which changes on a daily basis; a complete history of screenshots to show both evolution of the site and the news that we covered will be most welcome. I know I could have set this up myself, but this service makes it very easy.

It's interesting that even in 2017 there are still people on HN willing to tolerate signup forms served without TLS.

Re: Show HN: Automated, scheduled, website screenshots to your inbox

#27

Post by amelius »

jamessb wrote: post #16

You could do pretty much the same thing by running something like wkhtmltopdf/wkhtmltoimage from cron. Like blit, this will "even take screenshots behind login forms" if you login with Firefox, export cookies, and provide the --cookie-jar argument, but without charging $5/mo. [1]: http://wkhtmltopdf.org/

How would this approach deal with popups such as "This site uses cookies", or "please subscribe"? Can these popups somehow be prevented from ruining the final image?

Re: Show HN: Automated, scheduled, website screenshots to your inbox

#28

Post by amelius »

delta1 wrote: post #22
rubidium wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who could? A programmer with time to figure out how to do it. Who couldn't? Everyone else.

Even for a programmer I'd argue that $5/mo is less than potentially having to fuss around supporting your own junk.

However, if it breaks ...
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