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Dustin Curtis's new web app

snail.dustincurtis.com

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Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#91

Post by [deleted] »

mkyc wrote: post #89
Everest wrote: post #87

A couple thoughts 1). I usually love Dustin's work but am acutally underwhelmed by the design. I hate the black on white. It hurts my eyes 2.) Snail mail is meaningful becasue it shows that the person took time to WRITE and then send a letter. Its not nearly as meaningful if its typed up.

Dear downvoters, In this community, we don't vote based on whether or not we agree. We vote up if we think it is worth reading, regardless of whether we agree or not. We downvote when the message is inappropriate - flames and trolls, cheap humor, that sort of thing. I don't go to the comments to see who agrees with me, I go there to see who disagrees, and why. Sincerely, mkyc

[deleted]

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#92

Post by techiferous »

diN0bot wrote: post #86
mrduncan wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Compared to Dustin's though, both of those hurt my eyes to look at. This reminds me of Posterous, blogging is a crowded market but they differentiated themselves by being beautiful and dead simple. Competitors are good, it just proves that there's a market for a service like this.

beauty and pain are in the eye of the beholder...

Up to a point... http://www.angelfire.com/super/badwebs/

(warning: autoplay music)

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#94

Post by tomjen2 »

notaddicted wrote: post #45

Somebody has to say it: In the year 2009 snail mail is grossly inadequate. 1. Does it prove anything? No. Sign something with a private key, that is proof. 2. Is it better for record keeping? No. Fires, floods, and rot are all enemies. Storing it digital allows one to replicate a lifetime of mail in 10 seconds. 3. Aesthetic? Only if you have a strong packrat or nesting instinct. 4. Cheaper? No. Not by a fucking longs…

As long as you are only sending charectors on the paper, you might be right, but you can send physical items in a letter - unlike in an email.

And the set of people I want to send mail to intersected with the set of people who have the faintest idea what public/private keys are is the empty set. So that won't fly.

In addition, the fact that I am willing to pay a dollar to send a message is a statement that you might want to take five seconds to look at the letter, whereas most emails aren't worth taking a look at.

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#95

Post by philwelch »

percept wrote: post #81
jeremymcanally wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should invest in a cheap trifold folder and an envelope/postage printer (or envelope tray for your existing, presumably laser, printer). That would cut down your operations time a lot if it gets popular. Though, I think big, sooo probably not worth the cash.

I've always wondered what Netflix does. Is their DVD handling/mailing a manual process?

Pretty much, you can't trust users to send DVD's back in the mailing envelopes in any kind of reliable state (at all, one to an envelope, with the barcode facing out the window, with the correct disc in the correct slipcover, with the disc in any slipcover) so they have assembly lines of people to tear the envelopes open, check the right DVD is in the right slipcover, and so forth.

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#97

Post by percept »

philwelch wrote: post #95
percept wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've always wondered what Netflix does. Is their DVD handling/mailing a manual process?

Pretty much, you can't trust users to send DVD's back in the mailing envelopes in any kind of reliable state (at all, one to an envelope, with the barcode facing out the window, with the correct disc in the correct slipcover, with the disc in any slipcover) so they have assembly lines of people to tear the envelopes open, check the right DVD is in the right slipcover, and so forth.

Thanks. Is that posted somewhere? Is shipping out to customers more automated?

I always wonder about stuff like that.

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#99

Post by jimbokun »

axod wrote: post #82
zaidf wrote: post #37

I wish I could mail myself a note on a certain date. Would be cool to receive a one year old note from myself next year.

Could be a real market for that... "Ensure you receive at least ONE brithday card, by sending it youself! By the time your birthday comes round you'll have forgotten you sent it, and will be pleasantly surprised." Also things like sending letters a year on, with a reminder of what you hoped to achieve that year etc.

The basic idea is illustrated here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A0yqKbIpAU

(Of course, the time lag is removed to demonstrate the general principle without having to watch a several month long video clip. And it's Christmas, not Birthday, cards.)

Re: Dustin Curtis's new web app

#100

Post by jrp »

ericb wrote: post #33
dcurtis wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think if someone is paying to have a letter sent, it should be made of high quality paper and be sent with a high quality envelope.

I would check that assumption. Most letters I have sent were required because some service was living in the stone age, or making my life difficult. For example, to cancel my gym membership, I had to mail a notorized document to their corporate office. The entire purpose was to discourage and inconvenience me. I'm sure they toy with the idea of making cancellations in-person only, at an office on the peak of Everest.…

just assume -> just as soon
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