Show HN: CompressX, my FFmpeg wrapper for macOS • Hacker News Board

Re: Show HN: CompressX, my FFmpeg wrapper for macOS

#41

Post by hieu_dinh » Wed, Apr 10, 2024, 3:44 PM UTC

nen-nomad wrote: post #11

I like the automation features! Good job; it is well-polished Hieu!

Thanks! Feel free to let me know if you need anything

Re: Show HN: CompressX, my FFmpeg wrapper for macOS

#42

Post by brigadier132 » Wed, Apr 10, 2024, 3:45 PM UTC

Can you share how you did the marketing? Was it just twitter? I'm getting ready to launch an app right now and have no idea where to start with marketing.

Re: Show HN: CompressX, my FFmpeg wrapper for macOS

#43

Post by hieu_dinh » Wed, Apr 10, 2024, 3:46 PM UTC

edyc5 wrote: post #15

Can you describe what you did on your twitter and marketing efforts?

I share my journey, the development progress, the SEO learnings, the lessons in public

Re: Show HN: CompressX, my FFmpeg wrapper for macOS

#44

Post by egorfine » Wed, Apr 10, 2024, 3:47 PM UTC

Amazing! Congratulations and so happy for you.

Could you please share the marketing side? I'd love to start a side project as well but I have exactly zero ideas on how to get initial traction.

Re: Show HN: CompressX, my FFmpeg wrapper for macOS

#45

Post by ghusto » Wed, Apr 10, 2024, 3:47 PM UTC

You're being modest in describing it as an FFmpeg "wrapper". Although technically true, I can see a lot of thought and effort went into the UX, and I think that's where the value lies. Good job!

Re: Show HN: CompressX, my FFmpeg wrapper for macOS

#46

Post by ghusto » Wed, Apr 10, 2024, 3:49 PM UTC

hieu_dinh wrote: post #37

zamalek wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Just curious, how much are you contributing upstream? Additionally, in terms of code and financial support?

10% of last month revenue was donated to FFmpeg

Now that's responsible Open Source behaviour :) Glad to see people being decent

Re: Show HN: CompressX, my FFmpeg wrapper for macOS

#47

Post by hieu_dinh » Wed, Apr 10, 2024, 3:50 PM UTC

Solvency wrote: post #16

can you explain why would i pay and use this over Handbrake on a Mac?

If you're a Handbrake user, you most likely won't need this app. The main feature that I think Handbrake users want to have is the automatic compress new files in a folder, and maybe integration with Raycast extension.

Re: Show HN: CompressX, my FFmpeg wrapper for macOS

#48

Post by hieu_dinh » Wed, Apr 10, 2024, 3:52 PM UTC

ghusto wrote: post #45

You're being modest in describing it as an FFmpeg "wrapper". Although technically true, I can see a lot of thought and effort went into the UX, and I think that's where the value lies. Good job!

Thanks, I just want to make it clear upfront to avoid any confusion

Re: Show HN: CompressX, my FFmpeg wrapper for macOS

#49

Post by Topgamer7 » Wed, Apr 10, 2024, 3:53 PM UTC

hieu_dinh wrote: post #28

TheDong wrote: post #19

While it's true that ffmpeg's license doesn't require you to release the source code of your application, ffmpeg is GPL, and so it's in good form to also make your application open source. You can still charge for it just as you do now, but it will also give your users the essential freedoms they deserve. You wouldn't be able to build this tool so easily without the commons of the open source projects you're building…

FFmpeg is not bundled with the app. User will have to install it separately and link it with CompressX. Hope this explains

He's commenting on the spirit of software released under permissive licenses like GPL.

By selling software built on the backs of free developers, you're effectively profiting off of a significant amount of their work.

I hope you donate a nice chunk of money to ffmpeg. https://ffmpeg.org/donations.html

Re: Show HN: CompressX, my FFmpeg wrapper for macOS

#50

Post by hieu_dinh » Wed, Apr 10, 2024, 3:53 PM UTC

brigadier132 wrote: post #42

Can you share how you did the marketing? Was it just twitter? I'm getting ready to launch an app right now and have no idea where to start with marketing.

I have an audience on Twitter, so when I launch my app on Product Hunt, my audience helped to spread awareness of the launch. If you don't have an audience, I recommend building one. I also launch my app on other SaaS directories to get some traffic from them.