Show HN: Single Page Websites using Webbify | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: Single Page Websites using Webbify

webbify.in

20 pointsanilshanbhag44 comments

As a privacy concern I didn't want to give up my facebook information so I backed out of trying it.

The point where I became hesitant and backed out was when it showed my picture and said you wanted my public profile, friend list and email address. Why would this site need my friends list?

Facebook is horrible at this. You can't not ask for it. In fact, you don't ask for it. Access is automatically granted, whether you want it or not.

I suspect that this might change when there's some massive security breach that causes a big publicly visible compromise (millions of friend lists get abused/compromised by some rogue bot targeting loads of apps using Facebook as just a single sign-on provider), and it'll get changed.

I've had a couple of MVP apps I've demoed to people, wanting to use FB as a SSO, and get quite a bit of "DAMN YOU - YOU'RE NOT GETTING MY FRIEND LIST! YOU DON'T NEED IT!" You're right, I don't. Tell Facebook. I don't want it.

Well said, we just ask for basic info. It just gives it for free though we don't want it.

Same, noticed the Facebook button and walked away. Show me some live examples, and include a how it works page, and you might grab my interest.

Please people, stop requiring users to login to learn about your application or service. Why are you putting a giant hurdle at the front door? Signing up should be the very last step. For example, let me setup a Webbify page, and if I want to save it, I need to create an account. At that point, I'm invested, I'm much more likely to register.

Well, I tried it even though it requires FB login. I didn't give the app write permissions, I don't know why would you want that.

Once in... well, it's nice. It's easy to use and templates are good but there's no special thing. There're a lot of sites that allow you to create simple webpages. Why should I use this instead of Strikingly? (to say just one) What do you offer that is special?

Oh, and by the way, I think you should work on another favicon. I had Draft (https://draftin.com/) opened in another tab and it's the same icon.

@Strikingly: Well I didn't know of it. Will do a quick check.

What we noticed was that the actual text content in site is small and there is no point in having multiple webpages (one for home, contact, etc. ). Instead in Webbify, you just have themes which offer you single page flow or tabbed designs which are actually just a single page. So anytime a person visits your site and clicks on a different tab - there is no page load, the content is already there.

Interesting, well the pencil was the most relevant favicon. Will keep this in mind.

You need to pivot. Websites such as these are basically a relic from the past. (unless you need to have one. eg: Web Developer, Designer, etc). It's not like there are a dearth of tools to make them either (there are tons more than Strikingly).

If you don't mind can you elaborate on 'you need to pivot' ?

Change direction using this product as a base. Instagram was a pivot, original release was not what it is known for today. Twitter was sort of a pivot.

Web presence isn't much of an issue now than it was earlier. About.me / Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn have solved the problem of creating a web identity for an individual, and most of these go above and beyond in various aspects. Do you think Webbify is solving a valid problem that many people face?

I'm not sure if I agree with the sentiment that you need to pivot. There is a huge need to create a website by individuals and companies. Not everyone wants a social media page.

http://www.weebly.com/ and http://www.wix.com/ Very successful sites and in the same space as you.

http://techcrunch.com/2013/08/24/as-wix-heads-toward-ipo-wee...

Your site design was very clean and I was initially interested. The only deterrent for me was the FB login.

Thats great how you managed to not answer facebook concerns.

I agree that there is a need to keep other OAuth options + username/password based registration - this will be added surely :) I just didn't answer again as I had answered in another comment thread - and then the threads got reordered

Don't have a Facebook account, don't want a Facebook account.

Same here.

If you cancel out of the Facebook sign up there looks to be a totally unthemed normal sign up page at http://webbify.in/accounts/signup/ ... looks interesting but possibly not ready for prime time!

Facebook login is a nonstarter for many.

Myself included. Though I would probably use GitHub or Twitter OAuth to log in.

Like me.

True, will add an email signup and more options like Github

I think it is a non-starter for many ppl in HN since many of us are sensitive to privacy.

I wonder if it holds true outside this community.

The title is misleading - instead of showing examples of websites using Webbify you're requiring us to login with Facebook without understanding why and what exactly will we get out of it.

You should show some live examples and add a non facebook way to login (even better, require login only after the user has set his first website and just before he needs to save it)

True that, http://webbify.in/template_hidden/simplepage/ - a demo to see our editing interface

Are you sure you have the correct licensing for those themes? I notice a few, but won't list them all here for the sake of spam.

http://themeforest.net/item/curriculum-responsive-resume-one...

http://i.imgur.com/OLYxdF7.png

My source at Envato would argue otherwise.

Edit: after signing up, here's another:

http://themeforest.net/item/humanum-responsive-vcard-templat...

Too lazy to dig for the others. I'm sure someone else can.

For those that don't want to use fb to login, go to: http://webbify.in/accounts/login/ and use email:bugmenot@mailinator.com password:bugmenot

Woot thanks :) Check out our page - http://bugmenot.webbify.in/

Webbify was built with simplicity in mind. You just have a single page (tabs are not physical pages) and you edit-on-page. This is a alpha stage preview. Do let me know if you have any feedback on the app.

How about a demo of some kind that doesn't require a login, especially a facebook login.

One of the themes : http://webbify.in/template/simplepage/ The editable version : http://webbify.in/template_hidden/simplepage/

Love the simplicity and the widget play. Managing widget proportions and feel need just a little more work. It already looks quite cool. I am sure many will be waiting for the next release. Hope to see cooler stuff there! (please let me change my theme :D )

Seems like the YouTube Video widget doesn't work - dragging it to the page doesn't do anything. And I can add "social media" buttons but it's not clear how one edits what they link to or which ones show up.

It works fine for me. You need to drag it on the green lines. The problem is now getting rid of that video :/ can't drag it to trash.

Aha. That's a really narrow hit target. Yeah, it seems like if you place a video and decide you don't want it there after all or want it somewhere else, all you can do is delete the whole tab containing the video and start over. A work in progress, I suppose. :-)

You need a demo or some samples you've built. I have no idea what to expect. The graphic with a New Relic themed site is confusing to me. Is that an example of your site? You need a page of features, tools, screenshots, etc.

I'm guessing New Relic's website was not built using your tool. Posting a screenshot of their website on your marketing site implies that your tool was used to build it. A bit misleading in my opinion.

Yep my thoughts exactly. I would suggest making a demo page on webbify, and putting screenshots of different devices of that page (and even a link to it).

True that. Will do.

Hey Anil,

An "Undo" function would be nice. While editing, I clicked on an "x" in the Home button by mistake, which removed the entire button, and now I have no idea how to restore that button.

Why should I give my social login?

Social login is preferred by many (these many are people who don't read Hacker News) mainly because it eliminates the need to remember another password and do away with email verification.

That rationale is valid if it's an option, not a requirement.

this looks good

Not logging in via facebook shows an unthemed "Social Network Login Failure" page.

If you want to make a facebook app, why not just make a facebook app instead of a facebook app disguised as a normal page?

Its not a facebook app. We're just using facebook authentication to start off

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