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I just left 200 fake parking tickets at YC Demo Day...

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Re: I just left 200 fake parking tickets at YC Demo Day...

#91

Post by cheald »

potatolicious wrote: post #35
cheald wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you not have a smartphone? They're a very common way to install apps. Heck, I sometimes scan QR codes right off my monitor.

I've been in continuous ownership of at least one smartphone since the iPhone 1. I have yet to scan a QR code "in the wild" (i.e., while not testing software that's QR-code related). I'm willing to bet I can tap the install button for a given app faster than you can scan the equivalent QR code and hit install. The challenge is for iOS. The workflow for scanning and actioning on a QR code is tediously slow. Unlock you…

I'm an Android user, so I can't really comment on the iOS experience, but for me it's as literal as "hit barcode scanner, point camera at QR code". The app detects the QR code, decodes it, tells me what it found, and asks what I want to do with it. In the case of a URL, it pops open in my browser; in the case of an app URL, it opens in the Play store app, etc. It's very quick, easy, and painless.

Re: I just left 200 fake parking tickets at YC Demo Day...

#92

Post by cheald »

ozten wrote: post #38
cheald wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you not have a smartphone? They're a very common way to install apps. Heck, I sometimes scan QR codes right off my monitor.

We've found a user! cheald - please prove it by documenting yourself using a QR code and submit to http://picturesofpeoplescanningqrcodes.tumblr.com/ Next up Sasquatch!

grin I just might have to do that. :D

Re: I just left 200 fake parking tickets at YC Demo Day...

#93

Post by cheald »

raverbashing wrote: post #51
cheald wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you not have a smartphone? They're a very common way to install apps. Heck, I sometimes scan QR codes right off my monitor.

Yes I do have a smartphone No I will not install an app to install another app Also, a QR code is opaque . What it will do? Open a page? Install what app? Compromise my cell phone with premium dialing sw?

QR codes contain nothing but text. Any barcode scanner app is going to ask what you want to do with what it found. It's not like pointing your phone in the wrong direction is going to give it malware.

Re: I just left 200 fake parking tickets at YC Demo Day...

#94

Post by Dylan16807 »

7402 wrote: post #80
grecy wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've always wondered if there is a law you could invoke against someone messing with your vehicle like this. Is it legal for a random person (not law/parking enforcement) to pick up the wiper and but whatever garbage they want under there? Can I put my used McDonald's bag under someones wiper?

"California Vehicle Code 10852. No person shall either individually or in association with one or more other persons, willfully damage or tamper with any vehicle or break or remove any part of a vehicle without the consent of the owner." This is an all-purpose section that, for example, makes it possible to arrest someone who is walking down the street trying the handles on car doors to see if they are unlocked - eve…

The word 'tamper' can seriously be applied to checking if a door is locked and causing no change whatsoever? I hate legal speak.

Re: I just left 200 fake parking tickets at YC Demo Day...

#95

Post by xb95 »

papercruncher wrote: post #64
xb95 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup, I came here to note the "its" problem. I won't try the app or look any further, because anybody who can't be bothered to use proper grammar on a publicity stunt sure as hell isn't going to release a quality product.

Just to make sure: you are being sarcastic, right?

Not really. Someone launches a hot-new-startup-you-just-have-to-see every 20 minutes. The time I have spare to devote to looking at new things is super limited, so, much like with that old adage that "first impressions count", I start to filter things based on what are, in many cases, trivialities.

In this case, though, I don't feel that it's entirely trivial. Quality is something that happens top to bottom, I believe. Think about Apple -- while I dislike a lot of things they do as far as the walled garden goes -- I feel that they have a quality experience through and through. Every step along the way -- visiting the store, buying a product, even the packaging is well done.

When you have 30 seconds to make an impression on the people that might make or break your future, "that startup that littered a bunch of cars with dead trees and didn't even get someone to proofread" is not the kind of impression I'd want to be making.

Re: I just left 200 fake parking tickets at YC Demo Day...

#96

Post by jewbacca »

DigitalSea wrote: post #56
fabricode wrote: post #25

"You have illegally been subjected to make..." "Try the new app right now, its beautiful:" As clever as it is, it would have been far more effective if you had checked your grammar before printing two hundred flyers.

Because as humans we don't make mistakes, right? You probably mean well, but this is the kind of attitude that people are complaining about in the HN community right now. People being cynical and instead of giving positive criticism people (like yourself) are picking on a lot of peoples grammar. I understand grammar is important, but working in an industry that heavily relies on print I see far worse mistakes than th…

While I can't speak for him, my take on the kind of lame grammar sniping that sw007 was referring to in the post that kicked off that shitstorm[0], is posters on HN using irrelevant, petty criticism to dismiss and shit on others' opinions and arguments, in informal discussions internal to the community.

The grammar mistakes that fabricode (the guy you're responding to) is criticizing are in user- and investor-facing advertising copy. If superficial presentation matters anywhere, it matters there. And I feel like since this was something so bold, and those flyers and this post are probably going to be the most attention this company is going to get unless it takes off, the stakes are even higher. While it was maybe (maybe) a little snarky, no other top-level comment has pointed these mistakes out, and I think such cosmetic topics are fair-game to discussing things like this. If it's not already there, that criticism is pretty close to constructive given the subject matter.

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[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4396747

Re: I just left 200 fake parking tickets at YC Demo Day...

#97

Post by xb95 »

matznerd wrote: post #40
xb95 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup, I came here to note the "its" problem. I won't try the app or look any further, because anybody who can't be bothered to use proper grammar on a publicity stunt sure as hell isn't going to release a quality product.

That is not a just correlation. Someone who is creative enough to come up with something like this, probably has a creative app as well. It is nearly impossible to put out a product without any minor mistakes.

I don't consider this creative, personally. People have been littering my car with leaflets for many years. Every single time, I get annoyed and throw them away.

Re: I just left 200 fake parking tickets at YC Demo Day...

#98

Post by mkopinsky »

malbiniak wrote: post #60
nessus42 wrote: post #33

Personally, I would be rather peeved to be advertised to in this way. I wouldn't find it clever or cute--I would just find it annoying. I would not end up with a good impression of the company, and I wouldn't want to do business with it. One reason why I don't find it particularly clever, is that it's really not all that different from all the physical junk mail I receive that tries to visually mimic some sort of imp…

It seems gimmicky, which could work, but then throw in the QR code and incorrect usage of "its" and it just seems unprofessional. If you're investing in the person and not the idea, this seems like a very bad first impression to make. However, what's there to lose?

Why is the QR code unprofessional?

Re: I just left 200 fake parking tickets at YC Demo Day...

#99

Post by MikeCampo »

bryne wrote: post #69
MikeCampo wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's pretty harsh. I understand that it's silly to not proofread very carefully when doing a stunt like this, but language mistakes aren't a sign of incompetence.

Grammar mistakes are a sign of laziness, not incompetence. Both should be warning signs.

Right, by incompetence I was referring to the parent's comment towards the guy not being able to build a quality product because he left an apostrophe out of a word.

Re: I just left 200 fake parking tickets at YC Demo Day...

#100

Post by PythonDeveloper »

gergles wrote: post #26
PythonDeveloper wrote: post #9

Interesting idea, and I hope it works out for you! Sadly, it's almost certainly against municipal code. All it takes is one jerk to make a smart street team effort go bad by complaining to the police or mayor.

How is someone being a 'jerk' for reporting someone for littering and impersonating the police?

Well, placing papers on cars is legal in most cities, and is not littering unless the recipient (or weather) places it on the ground after it's been placed on the car.

All one has to do is discard it. To go the extra mile to trudge down to the police station or Mayor's office and make a stink about it appearing to be a ticket would indeed make the person a vindictive jerk.

Now, as an aside, the mindset of one who sees a "ticket" on their car from a distance is probably not conducive to a positive response to the pitch.

The fact that the poster here clearly calculated the weight of his actions versus the impact of the preceding event the on the attendee was what I thought was interesting.

It's a calculated risk, and one or two pings of interest is clearly worth the possible fine.

Again, in my opinion.

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