I Don't Want Your Fucking App • Hacker News Board

Re: I Don't Want Your Fucking App

#251

Post by qu4z-2 » Sun, May 12, 2013, 11:50 PM UTC

rmrfrmrf wrote: post #214

apunic wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And with this decision you break 99% of the web on mobile devices. It's a tiny thing to override this CSS property and makes mobile browsing of desktop sites so more convenient -- there's is no difference between Chrome on a mobile device and Chrome on desktops in terms of speed and usability of sites. In contrast, using the web browser on iOS is a real pain considering that Apple forbids to install any other renderi…

> And with this decision you break 99% of the web on mobile devices. There's nothing broken about it. You can zoom in just fine; you just have to scroll back and forth, much like if you had a desktop browser opened to a tiny size. What you describe is "broken" is actually conforming to HTML and CSS spec; Android is the one that's technically "broken". Internet Explorer had a knack for creating "features" that broke s…

Scrolling back and forth to read each line sounds pretty broken to me. On the desktop, if I had something open in a small window I'd probably pull out Firebug and "fix" the css.

Personally I'm a believer in the original scheme where the site provided the content and it's largely up to the user agent to decide how to present it. This whole "Every rendering engine should create the exact same rendering of the page down to the pixel" is super useful for web apps and stuff, but most of the time I just want to read stuff. Honestly, I'm surprised there's no web browser that just runs the Readable scriptlet on any page that looks like an article by default.

Re: I Don't Want Your Fucking App

#252

Post by qu4z-2 » Sun, May 12, 2013, 11:57 PM UTC

wes-exp wrote: post #86

FYI to developers: Apple tried to fix the obtrusiveness of these popups with "smart app banners" in iOS 6: http://www.macgasm.net/2012/09/19/ios-6-smart-app-banners/ Please use them!

While that's neat, I feel like the kind of developer who makes a fullscreen pop-up ad for their app every time you visit the site simply doesn't care enough to do this thing.

Unrelatedly, I feel like I saw a presentation about security flaws with these a little while back? (Not a danger to people using them on their site, but rather they could be used to sniff various information about the user's device)

Re: I Don't Want Your Fucking App

#253

Post by qu4z-2 » Mon, May 13, 2013, 12:14 AM UTC

dmd wrote: post #147

sbirchall wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my research during a (somewhat fruitless) comment transaction here on HN about pirates (actual salt sea-dog type pirates) I came across the following story which I think some of the people commenting here might find interesting... I'm in the process of writing this up as a sea shantie: A pirate captain by the name of Bartholemew Roberts captured a British official by the name of Plunkett who had double crossed a c…

If you do get around to writing this up as a sea shanty, please send it my way!

Also post it to Hacker News so the rest of us have a chance of seeing it. It sounds awesome.

Re: I Don't Want Your Fucking App

#254

Post by qu4z-2 » Mon, May 13, 2013, 12:18 AM UTC

lotharbot wrote: post #207

edent wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(I'm the creator of the site) I've noticed - and I may be wrong - that all the folk in the UK are unfazed by the swearing and have reacted quite positively either in person or on Twitter. The Americans, by contrast, seem a lot more upset about the swearing. I wonder why that is? Either way, I do wonder if some sections of the tech community are to... corporate in their approach to language. Look at the fuss when Linu…

> " Americans, by contrast, seem a lot more upset about the swearing." Consider the term "f-bomb". The reason the term exists is because it's evocative: a bomb produces a "sudden and violent release of energy", typically intended to destroy a target or to draw attention, often producing a sentiment of "shock and awe". The word "fuck" can intensify a destructive sentiment, or draw attention and produce shock. It carri…

I've always thought of the term "f-bomb" as being the domain of mothers and housewives who are uncomfortable saying fuck.

Am I wrong? Is it more common in America?

Also to me it always seemed less descriptive and more an attempt to link the concept of bombs (which we can probably all agree are bad) with the word. Maybe it's a cultural thing.

Re: I Don't Want Your Fucking App

#255

Post by qu4z-2 » Mon, May 13, 2013, 12:20 AM UTC

dreamfactory wrote: post #89

snprbob86 wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm also male, but I know better than to make sweeping generalizations about women, if I ever hope to work with one. This is the internet. There are Americans here. In fact, most of the sites with these annoying mobile experiences are American companies. Let's assume for a moment that the generalization is accurate... Consider: Successful persuasive writing must be written with a particular audience in mind.

Why would you assume it's supposed to persuade you of anything? Seems more observational to me.

I'm sure there's another joke at the expense of Americans here, but I can't quite figure it out.

Re: I Don't Want Your Fucking App

#256

Post by qu4z-2 » Mon, May 13, 2013, 12:22 AM UTC

rza wrote: post #75

edent wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(I'm the creator of the site) I've noticed - and I may be wrong - that all the folk in the UK are unfazed by the swearing and have reacted quite positively either in person or on Twitter. The Americans, by contrast, seem a lot more upset about the swearing. I wonder why that is? Either way, I do wonder if some sections of the tech community are to... corporate in their approach to language. Look at the fuss when Linu…

In the same line as when people over-use the phrase "get shit done"; it just seems like a bunch of try-hard developers trying to appear super edgy. We get it, you're not a "corporate drone" and you can curse, but you're a developer, not a rockstar. Phone-apps aren't that serious.

Wait, rock stars are known for being serious now?

Re: I Don't Want Your Fucking App

#257

Post by qu4z-2 » Mon, May 13, 2013, 12:27 AM UTC

a_p wrote: post #143

Wintamute wrote: post #23

How about we drop the prudishness, and discuss the points raised by the article? Seriously, what's with all the language moralising? This guys is totally free to make his points colourfully and passionately however he wants to. If it upsets you so much (it really shouldn't) then don't read it. His word choices are not hate speech or discriminatory so the fact that they may offend your sensibilities has precisely zero…

I posted this comment about obscenities on another thread recently, but I think it is relevant to this thread as well. According to Paul Fussell's Class: A Guide Through the American Status System, aversion to profanity is a middle class thing. The upper class[1] do not use euphemisms for profanity or obscenity. Fussell wrote that Jilly Cooper reported "I once overheard my son regaling his friends: 'Mummy says pardon…

Hah. Cheers for this. I was going to comment about this book, but then I realised that I didn't remember what it was called, or when I'd read it, or any actual details, and didn't actually have enough content for a comment.

It's a good book, and I'd recommend it if you have an interest in this area.

Re: I Don't Want Your Fucking App

#258

Post by qu4z-2 » Mon, May 13, 2013, 12:31 AM UTC

antoko wrote: post #82

sghill wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This guys is totally free to make his points colourfully and passionately however he wants to. I agree. He's created a very good and useful showcase of a specific frustration that many of us would prefer to never implement or deal with. For an exercise in venting, this style makes a lot of sense. > His word choices are not hate speech or discriminatory so the fact that they may offend your sensibilities has precise…

That's interesting, I'd have no problem linking this to my boss or PM if they were trying to convince us to implement something that resembled a doorslam. I'd probably include some reference to the fact that the language is colorful in the email and suggest this is the kind of passion that the proposed doorslam will raise in our own customers. I'm a brit living in the US so add that as a datapoint too! It doesn't eve…

I do seem to remember a fair bit of hand-wringing over "heroku fucking console" though.

Re: I Don't Want Your Fucking App

#259

Post by qu4z-2 » Mon, May 13, 2013, 12:38 AM UTC

MrMan wrote: post #204

jabits wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's simply low-class and adds nothing. Extra words from an author that cannot make a point without pointless, useless, extraneous, immaterial, unrelated, redundant extra words.

showing too much class obsession is a red flag, probably. like saying the word "classy."

I'm pretty sure you're allowed to say "classy" if you're talking about fake moustaches and top-hats, a la reddit. That's firmly tongue-in-cheek though.

Also, replying to GP, I'm pretty sure swearing is less "low-class" and more "not middle-class".

Re: I Don't Want Your Fucking App

#260

Post by qu4z-2 » Mon, May 13, 2013, 12:50 AM UTC

pullo wrote: post #98

Reading through the comments I am glad I am not the only one who finds over the top profanity upsetting. Yes , the author is free to make his/her point any way they want to. and No, not everyone who thinks that this profanity is undue is a prude. and I dont think it is fair to make a culture or age characterization based on a user's response. Extreme or sometimes, any profanity changes the tone of the article. that a…

I would argue that most of these aren't "good" reasons.

a) "Throwing good money after bad", see also "Sunk Cost Fallacy"

b) If the functionality the user wants is "Read the fucking article in piece without having to deal with app stores and downloads and installing and finding my article again once I've got the app installed", then the only reason your site is not functional is 'cause you're pushing the app.

c) This one is probably an acceptable reason if you don't care about the people who are driven away from your site by the stupid pop-ups, and only about the small percentage who download your app and actually start using it instead of better sites that just give you the information you need. It may make business sense, but it's still sketchy.

d) Point D is actually the biggest issue for me: I have a limited quantity mental space, and I don't want sites I don't give a fuck about to take it up. No-one but you cares about your "brand". Be good at answering my questions and I'll prefer your results in my searches. Nag me to install an app, and I'll avoid you.