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Show HN: Improving WhatsApp

maximiliankiener.com

21–30 of 46 posts

Re: Show HN: Improving WhatsApp

#22
Looks like I am in the minority but I don't like the drag to share action. You would need to long press the message as you need to do right now in the current app. Pressing the forward button and then tapping on the person/group's name (the current implementation) is much easier to me. Specially with the ever increasing size of phones. I would be always worried about dropping the photo/message on the wrong group/person's bucket.

As others have pointed out, the double check is not read confirmation but is delivery confirmation. I like the way FB messenger does it right now instead of the colors that you have. I don't think it would scale very well. The average size of the groups that I am part of on WhatsApp right now is about 10.

Notes/bookmark feature is fine but I don't know how much would I use it until I start using it.

Re: Show HN: Improving WhatsApp

#23

What I learned from this is a great way to prototype/demo and share an idea before building the whole app. The three improvements you suggest - 1) re-sharing in groups 2) read confirmation in groups and 3) saving - aren't the pain points that I have. Personally, my pain is just p2p sharing with a person sitting in front (or next to me) - I want the app to understand (say, when both users press a button - its like sca…

thanks for the feedback, i'm glad you got something out of it. i think proximity in IM-apps are a really interesting topic.

Re: Show HN: Improving WhatsApp

#24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always assumed that the first checkmark indicates "delivered" and the second one "read", since right after you post it it shows a clock-symbol. also interesting, that i assume with current network speeds sent=delivered.

How about the first checkmark indicates delivery and the second "read". do you guys care about the "it left the phone" state?

Definitely. You want confirmation it got to someplace same until delivered to the recipient. 1 check for got to server, 1 check for delivered to recipient device, and then "Read" underneath the furthest part of the conversation that has been read. Or I'm just crazy and niche.

Re: Show HN: Improving WhatsApp

#25
Why are empty circles even necessary for the read status of a message? If the colors and names are known at the top, then you only need to show which ones have read the message as filled circles and those who haven't will be known as the difference.

Re: Show HN: Improving WhatsApp

#26
post #25

Why are empty circles even necessary for the read status of a message? If the colors and names are known at the top, then you only need to show which ones have read the message as filled circles and those who haven't will be known as the difference.

the thinking was that an empty circle shows the message has been delivered. once it is filled, it is read.

Re: Show HN: Improving WhatsApp

#27
Honest question: Can I use the "last seen" time as a rough proxy for "they have read your message"? I've been wondering this for a while.

At least on Android, my 'last seen' counter doesn't update until WhatApp is brought to the foreground on my chat partner's phone, which is normally a good sign that they have read my message. If they just see the notification but don't open the app my 'last seen' counter does not update

Re: Show HN: Improving WhatsApp

#28

Honest question: Can I use the "last seen" time as a rough proxy for "they have read your message"? I've been wondering this for a while. At least on Android, my 'last seen' counter doesn't update until WhatApp is brought to the foreground on my chat partner's phone, which is normally a good sign that they have read my message. If they just see the notification but don't open the app my 'last seen' counter does not u…

the current implementation leaves room for speculation. especially, since others have pointed out, two checkmarks only show that it has been delivered.

the "last online" time means (AFAIK) the last time the user was using the app (could also be in a different chat).

Re: Show HN: Improving WhatsApp

#29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny enough, Telegram (the open replacement for WhatsApp) works in the way you had expected (double check is read confirmation).

I always assumed that the first checkmark indicates "delivered" and the second one "read", since right after you post it it shows a clock-symbol. also interesting, that i assume with current network speeds sent=delivered.

User you are sending to could be underground/out of signal range/have 3G disabled. I like having a separate delivered confirmation and I would prefer not to have people see what I have read.

Re: Show HN: Improving WhatsApp

#30
What I really want is a desktop version of WhatsApp. I have a lot of conversations on there and typing on a piece of glass is just never as efficient as typing on a laptop. I haven't been able to find a desktop client that isn't blatantly laden with spam or viruses. I might take a stab at building one myself. I'd be curious if anyone has already reverse-engineered their backend API.
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