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Comment by monkey_slap | Hacker News Reader

I'm not sure I'm understanding the point of this tool. It looks trendy, but it takes notes. No syncing. I mean, this is the guy that wrote NetNewsWire. Wouldn't an app like this be doable in a weekend?

I honestly want to find something new that the app does that is supposed to change my workflow, but there is just nothing. A cynical part of me feels like this exists (especially with the $5 price tag) just to ride the fame coattails of Gruber+Simmons+Wiskus.

I don't condemn them for taking the opportunity of their current notoriety. I'm coming off of week 4 of an app launch that completely failed to garner any reviews or growth, so it does really hurt to see reviews of this app that are nearly 4,000 words long: http://www.macstories.net/reviews/vesper-review-collect-your...

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Wouldn't an app like this be doable in a weekend?

Paul Graham, I know you can hear me, and I know this is possible because I know a thing or two about the Javascripts, and so I'm telling you now: the site's banner should strobe clown colors for 5 minutes every time news.arc sees this string.

That is pretty unfair to pg and people that don't like clown colors. A browser extension version should only take a couple hours.

That's true. At the very least a browser extension would be doable in a weekend.

Think of all the strings that cold be extended out to as well. If there's any justice in the world this will be at least an option.

Topical clownstrobe proposal: "nothing to hide"

I feel your pain. The truth about getting publicity for apps on major blogs is: you wont get publicity for your app, unless...

- it is visually novel or has some cute gimmick

- there is some story about the people behind the app (already have an audience)

- there is some story/narrative that is only tangentially related to the actual quality of the app

- a massive game changer (incremental improvements aren't going to cut it). Massive game changers dont happen often, and your app most likely isnt one even if it has features that other apps dont.

I've decided to forgo spending much time trying to get major blog/tech site coverage for my apps. It's a wash now - better to build your own audience and market in other ways.

Feel free to email me if you wish to discuss this: krishna @ logiccolony dot com

I've come to the conclusion, after my latest release, to just make apps that I will use everyday (aka quit dogfooding), not spend a dime on marketing, and release them for $3-5. I just want to make things that people will actually get some benefit from.

Seriously, so you aren't aware of that from the beginning?

I'll try to give you a scaled perspective:

1. Announce in your site that you are going to give a speech.

2. Obama announces that he is going to give a speech.

There is high probability that your speech is going to be more interesting, entertaining and informing. However, your viewers are going to be close to 0, and Obama is watched by the entire world and covered by major medias.

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