I've signed up and created a couple of groups. Here's my thoughts and feedback after exploring what I could find:
1. Need a favicon. In the expectation that I'll use the service, I added it to my bookmarks bar - where it shows up as the default icon. d'oh!
2. Notification on new posts is great! I'd also like the option to subscribe to new comments as well. Two levels: 1) an option to automatically subscribe to comments for each new post, and 2) an option on each post to subscribe to that post. I would use the former; but most would probably like the latter to subscribe to the occasional interesting post. Also, 3) if both above options were implemented, an option to unsubscribe from new commenta made to a post (that would over-ride the global subscription comments - so I could opt-out of a post I had no interest in)
3. UI when uploading a pic could use some work. I'm not sure what you can detect, but I assume you can know how many files you're getting - at a bare minimum, "Uploading $num of $total..." would be a help.
4. Youtube videos are only embedded when the URL is the entirety of the post. Took me a few tries to figure that out... Perhaps a button like "Add a Youtube video" that, when clicked, becomes a text box to paste the URL into with a "Post" button on that...
5. Similarly - it looks to me like pictures upload as a separate post - so instead of clicking in the post field, then clicking 'add pictures' - maybe that should be separated out like the Youtube button idea above - an "add pictures" button (or separate function somewhere easy to find, but separate from a text post). Well, could even have tabbed submission - chosing text or pics or youtube...
6. Profile pics need a little work: looks like it makes the largest square it can from the picture, starting at top-left, and cuts off the rest of the picture. All thumbnails seem to do this, which is a little odd. Might be better to at least center the square in the cropped dimension... On the profile pic: Being able to drag the image to set what part of the image was displayed for the profile pic would be awesome, and UI-light, I'd think.
7. Per a suggestion below, I set up an "HN" group - for anyone interested: http://www.frid.ge/?ginvitation=3kharhhlv8owo4wgk0wwo4kcc - I note that the email address to send is at "hn@" - which is great. To test, I set up another group also called "HN", and its email is "hn1@" - which means this is extraordinarily easy for spammers to guess... certainly to send to a@, b@, c@ etc... Also, when I changed the name of the group and created another "HN" - it got the "hn1@" email - meaning if the name is changed and someone has the old addy in their address book and someone else uses the name.......... I don't see how this can end well, even if I like the email feature itself.
I like the cleanliness of the interface. I like the ease of switching between the groups I created.
1. doh. get one up asap (little launch things we overlooked thanks!)
2. we are working on a bit more custom notification settings. right now they default to post ON but you can always turn them off for specific group. you get notifications if someone comments on your post as well as if you have commented on something and there is follow up. the idea of subscribing to a post is great. on the list!
3. yes, we have a new photo upload interface coming out soon. know that it is not ideal!
4. youtube (and vimeo) native URLs are supported if you don't add any text. if you do it is just the video (like FB actually) however we do let use the embed code to post videos inline and add comments before or after. works for any video service as well as any flash embed.
5. see 3. but yes. coming soon!
6. absolutely. we are working on the whole photo experience one step at a time.
7. well for the dedicated email addresses for each group you have to be a Member of each group in order to post to that group. we check the sender email with the group members so people who aren't members but just try to spam all the groups won't be able to.
Thanks! We are working on rolling out a much easier to use and "polished" design that keeps the simplicity but fixes alot of these UI issues.
As you continue to use it would love any feedback, comments, or concerns. cheers!
1. Need a favicon. In the expectation that I'll use the service, I added it to my bookmarks bar - where it shows up as the default icon. d'oh!
2. Notification on new posts is great! I'd also like the option to subscribe to new comments as well. Two levels: 1) an option to automatically subscribe to comments for each new post, and 2) an option on each post to subscribe to that post. I would use the former; but most would probably like the latter to subscribe to the occasional interesting post. Also, 3) if both above options were implemented, an option to unsubscribe from new commenta made to a post (that would over-ride the global subscription comments - so I could opt-out of a post I had no interest in)
3. UI when uploading a pic could use some work. I'm not sure what you can detect, but I assume you can know how many files you're getting - at a bare minimum, "Uploading $num of $total..." would be a help.
4. Youtube videos are only embedded when the URL is the entirety of the post. Took me a few tries to figure that out... Perhaps a button like "Add a Youtube video" that, when clicked, becomes a text box to paste the URL into with a "Post" button on that...
5. Similarly - it looks to me like pictures upload as a separate post - so instead of clicking in the post field, then clicking 'add pictures' - maybe that should be separated out like the Youtube button idea above - an "add pictures" button (or separate function somewhere easy to find, but separate from a text post). Well, could even have tabbed submission - chosing text or pics or youtube...
6. Profile pics need a little work: looks like it makes the largest square it can from the picture, starting at top-left, and cuts off the rest of the picture. All thumbnails seem to do this, which is a little odd. Might be better to at least center the square in the cropped dimension... On the profile pic: Being able to drag the image to set what part of the image was displayed for the profile pic would be awesome, and UI-light, I'd think.
7. Per a suggestion below, I set up an "HN" group - for anyone interested: http://www.frid.ge/?ginvitation=3kharhhlv8owo4wgk0wwo4kcc - I note that the email address to send is at "hn@" - which is great. To test, I set up another group also called "HN", and its email is "hn1@" - which means this is extraordinarily easy for spammers to guess... certainly to send to a@, b@, c@ etc... Also, when I changed the name of the group and created another "HN" - it got the "hn1@" email - meaning if the name is changed and someone has the old addy in their address book and someone else uses the name.......... I don't see how this can end well, even if I like the email feature itself.
I like the cleanliness of the interface. I like the ease of switching between the groups I created.
I hope this takes off - it seems useful and good.