Bit rushed this morning so no time to sugar coat this - hopefully it helps you get on track:
I think it might've been worth a bit more time before showing it off. The front page tells me nothing and the About page is waffly. Put in some screenshots of a nice example - that wouldn't take long. Saves me reading the text.
I tried the privacy.daybook.io link you provided, but that had a fancy pageturn, then two incomplete page promos (little point providing the first three words - not enough) and a burger menu that didn't do anything.
I clicked through to the Privacy Policy, then tried to use my back button and the page didn't change. The pageturning swipe introduced earlier doesn't seem to do anything here, but I can click the burger menu now.
There are also loads of typos in the copy. In some places it's "daybook", others it's "Daybook". Get a friend to proofread for you and standardise your product name.
Where's your Daybook? Make that one great and use that as the demo.
You need a landing page, not a signup form. I'm not going to blindly input my name and email address in a form without any sort of context about the service.
This is beautifully designed, but otherwise I don't see how it differentiates from other personal journaling apps (e.g. 750words, or even Evernote, or even Notepad), and I'm not about to sign up to find out.
I think you should wait until things are further along and then share this again with HN. I imagine you have a significant vision for this thing, but that's still opaque at this point.
Also:
> Daybook was built with the idea of providing a foundation where people can write about their lives and save it for days to come, for generations to see.
I'd be wary of putting any writing that I wanted to preserve "for generations" on a website that--no offense--might disappear in two months.
Thanks for the feedback. As of right now the main difference would be the writing experience, and the way platform transforms the post into book-like form. There are still a few key features which I have yet to implement, but I thought it would be a good idea to show HN the site early so I could grow the platform from the outside in.
I suggest if showing something off, don't force user registration to be able to see what it is. It's shallow, but I don't want to spend time to register and possibly be subscribed to emails to see what it is.
This is side project I undertook this past winter-break. It's far from finished, but I though it would be great to show HN what I am currently working on. The app was more of scratching personal itch, rather than trying to bring order to the dozen blogging platforms. The app is just an attempt to give a different take on what could be if the intimacy of journaling and the power of the web where to come together.
And what was that? I mean, really, what does daybook do that, say, a Tumblr or your favourite blogging platform doesn't?
By the way, the green button says "Publish post", reaffirming my intuition... that it's just a blog, all along?
the intimacy of a book
Exactly what features of a book is daybook sharing? Will it be my own, and only my private own, unless I will explicitly share it, and only then, with one or two persons at a time? Will it will always be there for me to add notes to, even when my cell phone runs out of its data plan or out of coverage in the subway? Something else?
It rankles me a little that you want to be a trusted voice in journaling, but can't be bothered to proofread or spell-check the very first descriptive paragraph anyone sees.
But I had to be curious enough about why Daybook was a highly rated Show HN to get past my first reaction. The
All your email are belong to us.
of the link is, for me a complete turnoff. I haven't even seen what the Hell you're offering in return.
Why would I use it? If Daybook is for writers sell it that way. If it's more social media then pitch it that way. If it's a journal then pitch that. If it's all these things then come up with some sensible stories illustrating why a social media mavens would want an intimate journal.
Big suggestion. Make the writing/journaling tool standalone and make the product social media tooling and hosting. This better addresses the issue of what happens if Daybook becomes abandonware. Let me run the basis without shooting my intimate thoughts onto your server...unless I see a benefit from it.
Giving away the tool and monetizing the platform means the tool has to be good for writing and journaling But if it isn't a pure SaaS is dead anyway.
I signed up blindly out of curiosity! Agree that some context on the service needs to be added. I love the simplicity and feel. Reminds me a lot of medium and I've actually often caught myself journaling on medium by accident because it's so easy to do.
- The publish post button is weird though because I don't know what you mean by publish, is it being published to the public? Published as in like it's a finished entry?
From your site I couldn't readily figure out what this offers that a private blog on an established site like wordpress.com or blogspot.com doesn't. At least we know that these players will not vanish anytime soon, and if they do, they're likely to do so "responsibly". I recall another attempt in this space called ohlife.com which has shut down apparently.
[+] [-] prawn|11 years ago|reply
I think it might've been worth a bit more time before showing it off. The front page tells me nothing and the About page is waffly. Put in some screenshots of a nice example - that wouldn't take long. Saves me reading the text.
I tried the privacy.daybook.io link you provided, but that had a fancy pageturn, then two incomplete page promos (little point providing the first three words - not enough) and a burger menu that didn't do anything.
I clicked through to the Privacy Policy, then tried to use my back button and the page didn't change. The pageturning swipe introduced earlier doesn't seem to do anything here, but I can click the burger menu now.
There are also loads of typos in the copy. In some places it's "daybook", others it's "Daybook". Get a friend to proofread for you and standardise your product name.
Where's your Daybook? Make that one great and use that as the demo.
[+] [-] kingnothing|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] kingnothing|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] taco_emoji|11 years ago|reply
I think you should wait until things are further along and then share this again with HN. I imagine you have a significant vision for this thing, but that's still opaque at this point.
Also:
> Daybook was built with the idea of providing a foundation where people can write about their lives and save it for days to come, for generations to see.
I'd be wary of putting any writing that I wanted to preserve "for generations" on a website that--no offense--might disappear in two months.
[+] [-] daybook|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ngokevin|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] taco_emoji|11 years ago|reply
I would love to see something like this in the HN guidelines (not that anybody reads those, but...)
[+] [-] daybook|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] aepearson|11 years ago|reply
After reading the FAQ I kinda get it...but it would be EXTREMELY helpful to show some sort of example.
That said, I totally get that it's a work in progress - I'm guessing you already know what I'm telling you :)
[+] [-] listic|11 years ago|reply
By the way, the green button says "Publish post", reaffirming my intuition... that it's just a blog, all along?
Exactly what features of a book is daybook sharing? Will it be my own, and only my private own, unless I will explicitly share it, and only then, with one or two persons at a time? Will it will always be there for me to add notes to, even when my cell phone runs out of its data plan or out of coverage in the subway? Something else?[+] [-] felixgallo|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] brudgers|11 years ago|reply
But I had to be curious enough about why Daybook was a highly rated Show HN to get past my first reaction. The
of the link is, for me a complete turnoff. I haven't even seen what the Hell you're offering in return.Why would I use it? If Daybook is for writers sell it that way. If it's more social media then pitch it that way. If it's a journal then pitch that. If it's all these things then come up with some sensible stories illustrating why a social media mavens would want an intimate journal.
Big suggestion. Make the writing/journaling tool standalone and make the product social media tooling and hosting. This better addresses the issue of what happens if Daybook becomes abandonware. Let me run the basis without shooting my intimate thoughts onto your server...unless I see a benefit from it.
Giving away the tool and monetizing the platform means the tool has to be good for writing and journaling But if it isn't a pure SaaS is dead anyway.
Good luck.
[+] [-] brianliou91|11 years ago|reply
- The publish post button is weird though because I don't know what you mean by publish, is it being published to the public? Published as in like it's a finished entry?
[+] [-] Arun2009|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|11 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] DevFactor|11 years ago|reply