Dash 5: API Documentation Browser and Code Snippet Manager (macOS) | Hacker News Reader

Dash 5: API Documentation Browser and Code Snippet Manager (macOS)

blog.kapeli.com

11 pointsguessmyname3 comments

I'm glad this is making the rounds on HN. I saw the update dialog the other day and wanted to know what other people thought about it.

In my mind Dash 4 didn't really add anything useful to me other than a slightly different UI. In fact I upgraded to Dash 4 mainly because the update notifications were annoying me and it was only $15 and I like Dash. Now I'm getting hit with a $20 upgrade fee and I don't really feel like any of the new "features" are really worth $20.

That coupled with the developer leaving a bit of a bad taste in my mouth in regards to couple years ago there being allegations that the developer used to produce a ton of shovel/crap-ware and Dash just so happened to take off. Their apple account was banned [0] at one point for fake reviews (both positive on their own apps and negative on competitors apps) and there was a whole back-and-forth [1] [2] [3] between Apple and the Kapeli. My memory, albeit potentially unfair/incorrect, of the event left me with the impression this developer was a bad actor.

All that to say: Is there an alternative to Dash that people like and/or am I wrong/misremembering the situation (re: Dash/Kapeli)?

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12646919

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12680131

[2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12684265

[3] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12680597

Edit:

Timeline

Oct 5th, 2016 - Apple Has Removed Dash from the App Store - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12646919

Oct 6th, 2016 - Apple Has Removed Dash from the App Store: Update -https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12654093 (same webpage linked but different comment thread)

Oct 10th, 2016 - Apple Responds to Dash Controversy - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12680435

Oct 11th, 2016 - Dash and Apple: My Side of the Story - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12680597

Interestingly the articles from the developers blog, while still online, are no longer listed in his archives: https://blog.kapeli.com/archives -- Personally I find that odd and potentially suspicious.

You can see sentiment on HN change from anti-Apple to anti-Kapeli over the span of this saga. I'm not saying that was correct necessarily but it is what appeared to happen.

Lastly I stumbled on this which seems to be a good reference so I'll leave it here: https://mjtsai.com/blog/2016/10/10/apple-and-kapeli-respond/ -- This was also covered on ATP and The Talk Show I might go back and re-listen to those episodes...

The phone call with Apple that Kapeli recorded makes it pretty clear that it wasn't him making the shovelware or manipulating reviews. But also made it clear that Apple were justified in taking action against linked accounts as part of their integrity process. That they were willing to work with Kapeli to get his account reinstated I think shows Apple in a good light.

As for the price, It's been 2.5 years since the last paid upgrade, and I use it every day so I'll probably end up paying again even if I can't expense it because it's so useful

It appears to be his mother which was doing it with a handful of apps he originally wrote then transferred to her account when he decided to focus on Dash [0]. I think he handled some of this wrong but it does appear he had nothing to do with the manipulation. As for the price I'd be more comfortable paying a subscription fee since he has servers to maintain but you are right, $20 ever few years isn't worth saying behind on an older version. I'll probably upgrade.

[0] https://www.imore.com/dash-developer-speaks-heres-his-full-s...

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