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I really, really want to support sandstorm! I think their model is awesome, especially because i fully support a decentralized web where the masses and the reg
by mxuribe 11y ago
I really, really want to support sandstorm! I think their model is awesome, especially because i fully support a decentralized web where the masses and the regular Janes/Joes have a valid alternative to the silos on the web. However, I tried using rocket.chat recently, and while installation of app was dead simple, actually using it seemed non-obvious. I'll admit I'm no super devops/engineer, but i do successfully manage my only little server via other providers (e.g. digital ocean, etc.)...so it was a little annoying that i had to spend more time than i expected to see how to actually use rocket.chat via sandstorm. Here's where a little documentation could have gone a very long way. My interest in sandstorm was for setting up apps only for my family...and eventually having my "non-technical wife" (her words not mine) use and manage things. I'll be honest, i will speak highly of sandstorm for techies, and I will support you guys - even if only because you so greatly support open source and a decentralized web - but seriously, you guys could be getting so much more attention and BUSINESS if you only had much more "civilian" documentation (I'll say more on the "how to use an app" side, since installation of apps is so dead simple)...until then i can not in good conscious recommend your service - at least not for all apps - to the "non-techie" people that i know. Again, i state this not to disparage your service, but because I really, really want you guys to succeed! When you do (update/create more user documentation), let's talk; my handle on your platform is mxuribe. Thanks and good luck!
- kentonv 11y agoThanks for the feedback. I'd love to know what were the specific usability problems you ran into. Documentation is great but if we can eliminate the confusing parts entirely that's even better. Rocket.Chat in particular does have some rough edges that we're aware of and working with them to fix.
- mxuribe 11y agoIn essence once a grain for rocket.chat is set up, what non-ephemeral url should be used for users to connect from their rocket chat client (either desktop or mobile)? I tried the grain's url, the "share with others" url, etc...But none work via rocket chat's clients. I did find the following discussion: https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat/issues/1352 https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat/issues/1352 ...Again, I'm just not understanding what url i can share for my family to use - via for example mobile device - to connect/chat on this grain (whether i kill my browser sessions or not). Sorry i didn't mean to make this almost a support inquiry. Maybe a simple note displayed upon creation of the grain like the following would help: "Hey, you just created a rocket chat grain, if your users are going to connect using one of rocket chat's clients, they need to enter this following url: xyz12300d64bnfnskdfnfgi3o45titj34.oasis.sandostorm.io/whatever/rocketchat/whatever/2342342r". And you can imagine if you look at your "abandon logs"; how many other users try your service, can't figure out how to connect to it for a particular app (again we're talking typical, non-techie users), and then never come back? Again, my comments are coming from a fan of yours. ;-)
- kentonv 11y agoAh, the problem is that Rocket.Chat's client apps actually don't work with the Sandstorm app right now; it's only accessible in the browser. That's definitely something we're trying to get the Rocket.Chat team to fix, as you can see in that bug thread.
- mxuribe 11y agoGot it, thanks. Yeah, not specific to only rocket.chat, I think you will win more clients if you clarify - maybe in the intro text for each app? - that the app is designed currently for "in browser" use, etc. In any case, thanks a bunch for this clarification! You guys keep rocking on!!