5 ms·

How would you improve my Adobe AIR/Web App?

• flexterra 18y ago
  Me and two other developers have worked in and out for almost a year in this project and we are about to get out of beta and release the 1.0 version with some new features. I would appreciate some comments from the HN community. s3mer is a digital signage software solution build around an Adobe AIR multimedia player and a web based administration suite. We help small business start their own out of home media networks.
  • tstegart 18y ago
    What's an out of home media network? I'm a pretty geeky guy, and I don't understand that term. A small business will understand it even less.
• tstegart 18y ago
  Some critiques: Either explain how s3mer is pronounced, or change your name. If people don't know how to pronounce a word when they read it, its very, very easy to forget. Many people's brains work out words by sounding out the different syllables. Mine saw yours, didn't figure it out in a split second, and moved on. Your name was never implanted in my brain as a sound, only an image. That's not good. There's no sound on the tutorial, is that correct? "s3mer is a complete dynamic digital signage solution designed to be easy to use, cross platform and feature rich." So what does it do again? That doesn't tell me anything, its marketing speak. Does it run a giant digital billboard? Does it run computer screens across my store? Can it can turn my neon sign, OPEN sign, and store signs off when I want it to? Honestly, there's no harm in telling us exactly what it does in the first sentence. Rather than click further into your site, people will leave because you haven't told them. Actually, because there is no text on the homepage that explains what it does, (and gives an example of what someone would do with it) and no sound on the tutorial, even after looking around your site for a bit I still can't find out what it does. What do you do? Answer in two sentences, and then replace your homepage text with those two sentences.
  • flexterra 18y ago
    Wow great comments, no one has pointed out this issues before. s3mer is pronounced "streamer" To follow on your advice here are the two sentences (long sentences): s3mer is a pice of software that helps people and businesses create and maintain digital signs using flat screens, computer monitors, TVs, projectors or even giant digital billboards as a display surface. Your digital signs can have still images, animations, video and even live data from the web.
    • tstegart 18y ago
      Much better. See, before I had no idea if it applied to me. Now, a business owner would at least know if he should keep reading. If he doesn't have any tv screens or monitors around the store, then he'll stop reading, if he does, then he might be interested. Now refine and tighten up those sentences. I'd get rid of the technical stuff above the fold (OS X, .Fla files, etc). Move that below the fold, and put up sentences on what it can do FOR the business owner instead. Saying you can play Flash files isn't a hook. Saying you can coordinate digital signs across an entire store using your software is better. I would add a "How it works" link and a section with screen shots. Not everyone has sound enabled, and I know a ton of people (I'm one) who read much faster than it takes to click and wait for a video to play through. For example, you might show the (easy) process someone would use to get their sign up and running and explain it as this: 1. Create a sign using our software. You can use a pre-made sign, or add your own text, images, video, animations or even live data from the web. 2. Choose the displays across your store you want to run it on, and a length of time you want it shown on the screen. 3. Run your digital signs using our software. Accompany the above sentences with screenshots and maybe a caption or two. Then, in a few short paragraphs, explain that the customer can use flat screens, giant billboards, what kind of files work (i.e. Flash, powerpoint slides (a biggie if you want adoption by the older crowd), etc). Explain how complicated OR simple you can get (attracting big and small businesses in one pitch). Then, link to an in-depth FAQ about almost every question you can think up. On the name: I've only ever seen a 3 pronounced as as an "E." So I first thought "See-mer" but for some reason also thought of "Schemer." "Streamer" was not even on the list, so I would rate that name as low. I'm sensing a disconnect. I don't picture retail business owners who actually run stores spending time appreciating a name like "S3mer." I see them appreciating a name like "Sign Streamer easy management of in-store digital signs" Go for less techy, less Web 2.0-y, more enterprisy if business are actually your focus.