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Why I built a dictionary app

wordnote.app

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Re: Why I built a dictionary app

#181

Post by prashantb »

cal85 wrote: post #91

This looks great, congratulations to the author. I will be using it. In case you’ve never read it, this 2014 blog post is an all time favourite of mine. It really opened up my thinking about words and definitions: You’re probably using the wrong dictionary - http://jsomers.net/blog/dictionary Ever since reading that, I have tended to use the 1913 Webster’s as my primary dictionary, supplemented by various modern ones…

If you're looking for a web version of Webster's 1913, here is a good one: https://www.websters1913.com/

Re: Why I built a dictionary app

#182

Post by thirdsun »

bearmode wrote: post #112
glacials wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure if I’m missing something about this method, but in many apps you can long-press the word directly to get the context menu with “Look Up”, without having to type the word into a note.

The use case here is to look up a word whilst reading a book, not to look up words that are already on your phone screen. If you see a word you don't recognise, you write it into a note and it gives you the definition instantly

Pro-tip: Now you could also use iOS' camera app to recognize the text, select it and look it up. I'm not sure if it's faster than the note route but the option is there.

Re: Why I built a dictionary app

#183

Post by jkmcf »

At first I thought this wouldn’t be interesting, then after seeing it in Hacker Newsletter 615, I gave it a read. It’s almost like the author had read my mind and actually acted on it! Nice Job and I cannot wait for the Flashcard feature!

Re: Why I built a dictionary app

#184

Post by wonderbore »

trumpablehump wrote: post #102
wonderbore wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From my experience, either an app reaches momentum and the author wants to monetize it or it was last updated 4 years ago. Non-monetized good apps are few and far between. One of which is actually related, by thai-language.com: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/thai-english-dictionary-tl/id7... It's clean, it has whole sentences mixed in the vocabulary, it links phrases parts to their sub-definitions, and lets you paste…

Why does it need updates?

The class of software that never needs updates is shrinking rapidly — unless you're ok with using software that looks like it was made for Windows 98. It's fine, but not great

Re: Why I built a dictionary app

#185

Post by Apocryphon »

xtreak29 wrote: post #153
jdthedisciple wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I also tried a rewrite in flutter Tried? Mind elaborating? I'm working on a flutter app atm - do you mean it didn't work out? / you didn't end up liking flutter?

I used rewriting as a learning experience. I found flutter to be simpler with respect to UI and state management compared to using XML by default for UI. Since mine was a crud app flutter was okay. I later found jetpack compose which has flutter like UI composition and I liked it better since I can access the existing Android library ecosystem too.

Will you release it to the iOS App Store as well?

Re: Why I built a dictionary app

#186

Post by bigredezra »

Nice! Especially your execution to create the offline database from the API. I built the WordDefiner[1] app: a lightweight, ads-free online dictionary recently using the same freeDictionary API[2]. In terms of functionality, it's simpler given that it only returns the phonetic transcription, pronunciation and meanings based on part of speech.

1: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/worddefiner/id1637774027

2: https://dictionaryapi.dev/

Re: Why I built a dictionary app

#187

Post by luckyeight »

prawn wrote: post #43
liquidise wrote: post #31

Well this is... eerie. I just released Stictionary[1] on Friday. It is an offline, ad free, dictionary that remembers words you look up. It gives a word of the day and provides (admittedly underfeatured atm) flashcards to review your word lists. It includes optional syncing to keep your word lists across devices. I've been holding off posting about it while i complete the website[2]. Love to see someone else had such…

It's very stupid, but I check dictionary definitions in an incognito window because I'm horrified of someday people coming across my browser history and thinking "Wow, he didn't know the definition of that ?! What an idiot!" The idea of a dictionary that tracks my searches horrifies me in a silly way. Ha!

hey dictionary, what is cat?
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