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Review my Startup: jMockups - A Better Way to Web Design

jmockups.com

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Re: Review my Startup: jMockups - A Better Way to Web Design

#51
post #25

Very nice technology. But I think you've chosen the wrong domain. I don't think there's a big (or even small) market in doing "pixel-perfect mockups". We have Photoshop for that, which (frankly) provides better tools than yours. I would take the technology (which looks great) and search for a better field to apply it to.

I found this quote while researching how to do something with Photoshop. Your post made me think of it. --- Question: Hey, how do I create a grey rectangle with a black line border, on Photoshop CS4? Answer: I would just create two layers, one black, one grey, and then use the select tool to select most of the black one (leaving a border) and then delete it http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=839800 ---…

It's ridiculous because it's the worse advice.

Create a rectangle object.

Step 1: Select the rectangle tool

Step 2: Draw the rectangle and edit color.

Step 3: Double click on the layer to open Edit Layer Style

Step 4: Select stroke and edit size, and color.

Done. I could do that in less than 20 seconds.

Re: Review my Startup: jMockups - A Better Way to Web Design

#52
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I found this quote while researching how to do something with Photoshop. Your post made me think of it. --- Question: Hey, how do I create a grey rectangle with a black line border, on Photoshop CS4? Answer: I would just create two layers, one black, one grey, and then use the select tool to select most of the black one (leaving a border) and then delete it http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=839800 ---…

It's ridiculous because it's the worse advice. Create a rectangle object. Step 1: Select the rectangle tool Step 2: Draw the rectangle and edit color. Step 3: Double click on the layer to open Edit Layer Style Step 4: Select stroke and edit size, and color. Done. I could do that in less than 20 seconds.

The fact that we're even arguing it is what makes it ridiculous :)

Re: Review my Startup: jMockups - A Better Way to Web Design

#53
My background is visual design and I've worked at a couple agencies in NY/SF.

I think this site does a couple things pretty well: - Really easy to implement Q+D ideas - Linking to images online in a great idea.

Why I wouldn't use it (Just going to focus on my big deal breakers):

- Where I start to think this breaks down is working with a lot of layers. In Photoshop I can group things together into layer folders and either drag all layers at once, delete them all at once, or lock them so that I don't accidentally drag them. In here, I don't have that option. I know you can use the mouse tool to drag a marquee that selects multiple objects but at a certain point that isn't a great option, such as if I want to keep the background container but not the foreground content.

- Keyboard Shortcuts: This is something that most professional designers use as it speeds up the process tenfold. Keep in mind that designers have been using said shortcuts for years so by changing it up (so that I have re-learn new shortcuts for the same functions) or not having them at all is a very large dealbreaker.

- I don't like the element adjustment menu that follows me whenever I click an element. I prefer having tools docked to the side so I can view the canvas purely even I'm clicked on something.

Re: Review my Startup: jMockups - A Better Way to Web Design

#54
I wrote a similar tool in 2001, and had a tough time with it. My findings at the time were that there were 2 crowds: One who wanted an entire template laid out for them, and another that was willing to design everything from scratch. For the first crowd, tools like this are still too much. For the 2nd crowd, they had no resistance to just learning HTML and CSS, so they didn't care for the tool either.

I pursued that tool for about 6 months before shutting it down.

You may get a different result, as that was almost 10 years ago...

Re: Review my Startup: jMockups - A Better Way to Web Design

#55
I love where this is going. One thing that I would like to see included, which is absolutely essential for the way I design website is line-height: it is the core structure of my design and layout. (Read more about line-heights and vertical rhythms here: http://24ways.org/2006/compose-to-a-vertical-rhythm)

At this moment in time I feel trapped using Adobe products to produce my layouts. If jMockups solves the following problems in priority, I will make the switch!

1. Render fonts accurately 2. Render line-heights accurately 3. Better drawing path tools

Re: Review my Startup: jMockups - A Better Way to Web Design

#56

I completely disagree with everyone else, I believe there is a large market for tools like this. Adobe make a lot of money from photoshop and I personally along with most web designers I know are dissatisfied with photoshop and its alternatives, they are are terrible tools for designing websites and applications. I think it needs a lot of polish, your application is designed like a website itself, dont have a footer,…

There's a lot I dislike about Photoshop but saying that it's terrible for designing websites and applications is slightly exaggerated.

Re: Review my Startup: jMockups - A Better Way to Web Design

#57

My background is visual design and I've worked at a couple agencies in NY/SF. I think this site does a couple things pretty well: - Really easy to implement Q+D ideas - Linking to images online in a great idea. Why I wouldn't use it (Just going to focus on my big deal breakers): - Where I start to think this breaks down is working with a lot of layers. In Photoshop I can group things together into layer folders and e…

Hey James, appreciate the comments.

I have mixed feelings about layers. In an elaborate design I understand how they're useful, but for most website mockups I think you can get by without them. You can, for what its worth, lock elements currently with jMockups (see the property inspector), which might be a good middle ground.

The editor currently supports most of the standard keyboards you'd expect from an app (Ctrl+S/A/Z/Y) with the main exceptions being Copy and Paste, which I'm working on. I'm open to adding as many more as people find useful. Let me know.

Regarding the property inspector: Depending on what direction I take with the width of the canvas, I could add an option for docking it to the left or right of the canvas. What do you think?

Re: Review my Startup: jMockups - A Better Way to Web Design

#58

I love where this is going. One thing that I would like to see included, which is absolutely essential for the way I design website is line-height: it is the core structure of my design and layout. (Read more about line-heights and vertical rhythms here: http://24ways.org/2006/compose-to-a-vertical-rhythm ) At this moment in time I feel trapped using Adobe products to produce my layouts. If jMockups solves the follow…

Thanks.

Can you elaborate on the font rendering? Does it not currently do it correctly?

Line-heights: Good idea. Will do.

Drawing path tools: give me an example of how you would use this.

Stay tuned.

Re: Review my Startup: jMockups - A Better Way to Web Design

#59
I think this is pretty cool - I was immediately trying to see what the exported markup looked like though and then watched the video and realized this is not your intention. It would be nice to be able to group and nest elements. Also basic alignment features ala inkscape would go a long way.

Re: Review my Startup: jMockups - A Better Way to Web Design

#60

I think this is pretty cool - I was immediately trying to see what the exported markup looked like though and then watched the video and realized this is not your intention. It would be nice to be able to group and nest elements. Also basic alignment features ala inkscape would go a long way.

Hey I know you! Hit me up on Skype or GMail and we'll catch up.

Also, what's the inkscape alignment you're talking about?

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