Mail a Letter Online • Hacker News Board

Re: Mail a Letter Online

#11

Post by McDev » Mon, Apr 29, 2019, 2:14 PM UTC

LeifCarrotson wrote: post #9

jawns wrote: post #4

This site looks like it was designed back in the 90s, but the actual service sounds quite useful. If you mail letters infrequently and/or don't own a printer, you're saving yourself the trouble of buying envelopes, buying postage, printing at Staples, etc. But I bet the site could greatly improve its marketability by investing in a refresh of the site design.

I wonder if they've done some testing to compare designs. A site that looks like it's designed in the 90s is probably highly attractive for many users. This "Mail A Letter Online" site, if compared to a 2019-looking snazzy SPA "smail.io" Bootstrap site and mobile app, probably wouldn't do as well for some audiences. But if their target demographic likes this style better, then this site is what they should be using.…

Judging from the fact that the "How did you find us?" box on registration offers options like "Yahoo!", "MSN Search", "Ask", I'd say it's actually quite old (not saying that's a bad thing)

Re: Mail a Letter Online

#12

Post by timsco » Mon, Apr 29, 2019, 2:17 PM UTC

This is similar. I've never used it but it looks fun: https://handwriting.io/

Re: Mail a Letter Online

#13

Post by gwbas1c » Mon, Apr 29, 2019, 2:22 PM UTC

No https?

That's a major concern. It's 2019, (almost) everything needs to be https.

Re: Mail a Letter Online

#14

Post by junipertea » Mon, Apr 29, 2019, 2:29 PM UTC

I wrote a letter to a friend on the website because I honestly thought it would be amusing. But then at the address page I kinda stopped, because I didn't actually feel very comfortable with writing my friend's address and full name on a random webpage. I wonder if there is anything that can alleviate this paranoia?

Re: Mail a Letter Online

#15

Post by flanbiscuit » Mon, Apr 29, 2019, 2:29 PM UTC

timsco wrote: post #12

This is similar. I've never used it but it looks fun: https://handwriting.io/

this is pretty cool. I would love to see a service takes writing samples in your own handwriting and produces a letter that looks like you wrote it.

Re: Mail a Letter Online

#16

Post by sucrose » Mon, Apr 29, 2019, 2:29 PM UTC

I remember using this service to send mail to an incarcerated family member about 7 years ago. Works great with ASCII art too!

Re: Mail a Letter Online

#17

Post by Nux » Mon, Apr 29, 2019, 2:33 PM UTC

gwbas1c wrote: post #13

No https? That's a major concern. It's 2019, (almost) everything needs to be https.

Why?

Also there is https on the more sensitive parts of the site (login etc).

Re: Mail a Letter Online

#18

Post by vladletter » Mon, Apr 29, 2019, 2:34 PM UTC

This post makes me think of the Railway in US. So late compared to Europe haha.

Re: Mail a Letter Online

#19

Post by shawabawa3 » Mon, Apr 29, 2019, 2:37 PM UTC

Nux wrote: post #17

gwbas1c wrote: post #13

No https? That's a major concern. It's 2019, (almost) everything needs to be https.

Why? Also there is https on the more sensitive parts of the site (login etc).

pretty meaningless when you can MITM the page and remove https from all the links

Re: Mail a Letter Online

#20

Post by polygot » Mon, Apr 29, 2019, 2:37 PM UTC

junipertea wrote: post #14

I wrote a letter to a friend on the website because I honestly thought it would be amusing. But then at the address page I kinda stopped, because I didn't actually feel very comfortable with writing my friend's address and full name on a random webpage. I wonder if there is anything that can alleviate this paranoia?

Depending on where your friend lives, you can address it to a post office. However, your letter would still need your friends full name on it to get it picked up.