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Vignette: add photos to your contacts by searching public social media profiles

caseyliss.com

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Re: Vignette: add photos to your contacts by searching public social media profiles

#41

Post by oarsinsync »

teddyh wrote: post #33
jwr wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> $5 (way too much in my opinion) I wish people considered how much it costs to develop an app and then looked at the cost, keeping in mind that somebody out there needs to make a living, and apps do not sell in millions. I am really annoyed by what Apple did to software pricing: it seems most people want stuff to be FREE or $1.99 these days. If that is your expectation, do not expect good apps, because it simply doe…

> I am really annoyed by what Apple did to software pricing Me too, but for almost the opposite reason: Apple is disallowing GPL software in the app store, and is thereby not allowing decent collaborative and communal efforts to supply good alternatives to the glut of dinky nickle-and-dime apps.

Sorry, but it's the GPL that prohibits GPL licensed software from being redistributed in the Apple appstore, not the other way around.

The Apple appstore doesn't facilitate GPL licensed software, and neither does the Google Play store. They don't prevent GPL licensed software from being distributed on their stores either, the GPL software authors do. As an example of this, see VLC making it onto the Apple appstore unofficially for a time, before the VLC devs requested it be removed, as it was violating their license.

Re: Vignette: add photos to your contacts by searching public social media profiles

#42

Post by oarsinsync »

Scanning the website, it looks like it depends on you having populated the user's Facebook, Instagram & Twitter profiles in order to use those services. If you have an email address, it'll use Gravitar, and if you have none of the above, I guess it does nothing?

Given that Facebook already takes a full copy of all of my contacts (I use WhatsApp) I'd really rather not spend the effort curating a more detailed database linking phone numbers, email addresses and real names to various social media profiles, for the benefit of Facebook.

I realise this app, and Casey, are not responsible for the actions of other apps on my phone, but second order effects should be a real concern for any app that claims to be privacy focused.

I realise that's probably secondary to the claim that it's supposedly privacy focused, and relying on your contacts not being privacy focused in order to be effective.

All that said, and I apologise for raining on the otherwise sunny parade, this looks like a beautifully executed app, and I will be purchasing it shortly, mostly because I have enjoyed listening to Casey on ATP.

Re: Vignette: add photos to your contacts by searching public social media profiles

#43

Post by teddyh »

oarsinsync wrote: post #41
teddyh wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I am really annoyed by what Apple did to software pricing Me too, but for almost the opposite reason: Apple is disallowing GPL software in the app store, and is thereby not allowing decent collaborative and communal efforts to supply good alternatives to the glut of dinky nickle-and-dime apps.

Sorry, but it's the GPL that prohibits GPL licensed software from being redistributed in the Apple appstore, not the other way around. The Apple appstore doesn't facilitate GPL licensed software, and neither does the Google Play store. They don't prevent GPL licensed software from being distributed on their stores either, the GPL software authors do. As an example of this, see VLC making it onto the Apple appstore un…

Don’t take my word for it; read the FSF directly:

https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/more-about-the-app-store...

The GPL has been in existence since long before the Apple app store, and the rules of the GPL are not meant to restrict appearances of GPLed programs in Apple’s or any similar app store; i.e. the FSF is not deliberately boycotting the Apple app store here. It is Apple, which, as part of their rules for all programs distributed in the app store, prescribes that the software may not be used in certain ways – including some ways which the GPL was explicitly made to allow end users to use the software in. Since the very point of the GPL is to allow end users to do these things, Apple is the one being restrictive here.

Re: Vignette: add photos to your contacts by searching public social media profiles

#44

Post by hoistbypetard »

wtmt wrote: post #23
jwr wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> $5 (way too much in my opinion) I wish people considered how much it costs to develop an app and then looked at the cost, keeping in mind that somebody out there needs to make a living, and apps do not sell in millions. I am really annoyed by what Apple did to software pricing: it seems most people want stuff to be FREE or $1.99 these days. If that is your expectation, do not expect good apps, because it simply doe…

I’m not sure how Apple did anything to software pricing. In the initial days of the iPhone, apps used to sell for as much as Mac apps. While you’re looking at the effort and cost of developing an app, also consider that not everybody has $4 coffees (like another commenter put it) or can afford to buy many apps that are each $5 or $10 or more. Getting an iPhone is one of the best things someone could do (on privacy an…

> In the initial days of the iPhone, apps used to sell for as much as Mac apps.

In the initial days of the iPhone, there were no third party apps. You only got Apple's apps plus any web bookmarks you wanted to add to your home screen. Then some people worked out how to force the phone to sideload apps against Apple's wishes.

Some time after that, Apple published an SDK and opened a store.

The way the store evolved to make apps discoverable encouraged app developers to steadily reduce their prices.

App developers can set their own prices per-country, but most accept the defaults.

Re: Vignette: add photos to your contacts by searching public social media profiles

#45

Post by danpalmer »

BozeWolf wrote: post #40

Cool! Well done!! Love the techniques used and the way you find photos. Also like the design. Good luck with being indi developer. I launched a similiar app a few weeks ago (LibreContacts), but did not make much fuzz about it yet because: busy. It adds profile pics from whatsapp to your contacts.

I just tried LibreContacts and am finding it a bit confusing. The launch experience is unlike anything I’ve seen on an app before, and I’m not sure many people will understand it or be able to use it.

I’m out with just my phone for a long weekend. I can’t imagine the rest of my family using this - my parents would find it too complicated, and my siblings wouldn’t be bothered if it doesn’t work on the phone.

What’s the reason for it?

Re: Vignette: add photos to your contacts by searching public social media profiles

#46

Post by hoistbypetard »

starik36 wrote: post #32

I would like to buy this app but having hard time understanding why it requires iOS 12.1 or later. What new API call had to be in the app to justify this limitation? I am on iOS 12.0.1 and plan on remaining there for the foreseeable future because I like my jailbreak.

Unless you very carefully preserve a stable of old devices with old versions of the OS, it's very challenging to test new software on older operating systems.

That's one of my least favorite parts of the ecosystem.

If a customer reports a problem on an iOS 12.0.x device, and I didn't go out of my way to keep one of my devices stuck on 12.0.x or to preserve the signatures from an old build, there is no way for me to go get a 12.0 device to troubleshoot their problem (unless I get lucky on eBay or similar) and no way for me to install 12.0 on a device I have sitting in my desk drawer.

Apple does not want people sticking to old versions of the OS, and makes it hard for app developers to support those who do.

Re: Vignette: add photos to your contacts by searching public social media profiles

#47

Post by BozeWolf »

danpalmer wrote: post #45
BozeWolf wrote: post #40

Cool! Well done!! Love the techniques used and the way you find photos. Also like the design. Good luck with being indi developer. I launched a similiar app a few weeks ago (LibreContacts), but did not make much fuzz about it yet because: busy. It adds profile pics from whatsapp to your contacts.

I just tried LibreContacts and am finding it a bit confusing. The launch experience is unlike anything I’ve seen on an app before, and I’m not sure many people will understand it or be able to use it. I’m out with just my phone for a long weekend. I can’t imagine the rest of my family using this - my parents would find it too complicated, and my siblings wouldn’t be bothered if it doesn’t work on the phone. What’s th…

I do not want to hijack this topic. But in short: whatsapp has all the contacts i have in my phone. Those contacts have profile pics. The qr thing is for tech reasons. Will pm if possible. Update: no email in bio. (I do though.)

Re: Vignette: add photos to your contacts by searching public social media profiles

#48

Post by icebraining »

oarsinsync wrote: post #42

Scanning the website, it looks like it depends on you having populated the user's Facebook, Instagram & Twitter profiles in order to use those services. If you have an email address, it'll use Gravitar, and if you have none of the above, I guess it does nothing? Given that Facebook already takes a full copy of all of my contacts (I use WhatsApp) I'd really rather not spend the effort curating a more detailed database…

I don't know about iOS, but on Android, you can use Whatsapp without giving it access to Contacts. It'll refuse to show the user's name, despite having it (they show in the group conversations), showing the phone number instead, but it works fine.

Re: Vignette: add photos to your contacts by searching public social media profiles

#49

Post by icebraining »

szhu wrote: post #28
chii wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> how much it costs to develop an app i don't care as a consumer how much it cost to develop. If i can see benefit of the app, and that benefit is worth more than the sticker price, then the app is worth it. Most apps aren't worth their sticker price.

I think that the Free/$1.99 price trend actually cheapens how much value you think apps provide you with. Does this app have less value to you than a Starbucks? Does it have less value than a bridge toll or a few hours of city street parking? I think that to many users, this app would be more useful than those examples above. But when people think about the value that apps provide, they tend to compare the app to Fac…

Remember BATNA. I can't get across the river without the bridge, so the opportunity cost is immense. I can replace this app with a few minutes of my time searching for these pictures myself.

Re: Vignette: add photos to your contacts by searching public social media profiles

#50

Post by icebraining »

unfunco wrote: post #30
davidcollantes wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree. It bugs me not to have an image of the person together with its contact information. Vignette approach is way too plastic for my taste. I carefully curate my contacts and associate photos I take to them. Many people use avatars they do not reflect who they are, I can’t stand that on my contacts. That, mainly, and the fact that the app costs $5 (way too much in my opinion) are the only reason that will kee…

You remind me of Robin Williams in One Hour Photo, and that's not a good thing. Carefully curating your contacts and thinking that you know more about what reflects them than they do is strange to me, it would feel wrong to override someones appearance with what I think is a better portrait of them.

A picture on my Contacts is an extension of my memory, not of their taste. It's not strange to choose what I remember someone by.
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