5 ms·

Show HN: I open-sourced my Dropbox-based Mac sharing app

19 points by johnw 13y ago

johnw 13y ago
Hi HNers - I posted the below explanation to GitHub but I'm reposting it below as well in case you don't see it: I originally did this project as a Mac app that I was intending to sell but unfortunately it didn't take off the way I'd hoped. When Apple rejected it from the Mac App Store for depending on Dropbox that was the final nail in the coffin and I had to abandon it and move onto other projects. I'm now open sourcing it and making it free - mostly because I'm still using it and don't want it to die. Others have emailed me and asked if I would consider open sourcing it. So here we are. Let me know if you have questions. I'd love to have some help improving the app.
- zura 13y ago
  Maybe if you had had Dropbox vs iCloud choice, Apple had not rejected it.
  - frenger 13y ago
    Doesn't sound possible given the friends-shared data store. Can't use multiple data stores, particularly when they're totally different in operation.
  - jemeshsu 13y ago
    Apple will not reject your app just because you're using Dropbox. See 1Password as an example. I did an app using iCloud in an unconventional way, and got a call from Apple reviewer asking me to use Dropbox instead.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
chid 13y ago
So it the only advantage over Dropbox folders for this chat? (Sorry I don't have a Mac)
- johnw 13y ago
  Yep, it's for messaging using Dropbox shared folders.
agmichaca 13y ago
I have used you app and works great for me and my coworker. I was waiting for the realease of other plataform versions, that would be great. Think about linux and windows. Maybe now with the open source someone can do that. Thanks great idea.
- johnw 13y ago
  You're welcome :) I'd love to see some other platforms supported as well.
EricMuller22 13y ago
I have folders with a few different groups of friends for sharing music and web links. Really a great tool - I'm sorry it didn't work out commercially, but I am so excited to see this open sourced!
msgerbush 13y ago
I use this app literally every day, it was absolutely worth the $6 or whatever I paid for it at the time. It's a shame it didn't work out for you financially, but I think this is still a great app. It really just makes sharing webpages and files totally seamless, but it's not as disruptive as texting, as noisy as facebook or twitter, and it doesn't flood your email inbox. Also, I know exactly who is getting what, it all lives in my Dropbox account, and the file format is totally transparent so I am able to do whatever I want with my data. I am excited to take a look at the code. A friend and I were actually already working on a simple mobile app because we use this so often--now with access to the code things should go a lot faster.
- johnw 13y ago
  Thanks. Really glad you're enjoying it. The code is a real mess, but I'm hoping to gradually improve it now it's open source.

19 points by johnw 13y ago

johnw 13y ago

Hi HNers - I posted the below explanation to GitHub but I'm reposting it below as well in case you don't see it: I originally did this project as a Mac app that I was intending to sell but unfortunately it didn't take off the way I'd hoped. When Apple rejected it from the Mac App Store for depending on Dropbox that was the final nail in the coffin and I had to abandon it and move onto other projects. I'm now open sourcing it and making it free - mostly because I'm still using it and don't want it to die. Others have emailed me and asked if I would consider open sourcing it. So here we are. Let me know if you have questions. I'd love to have some help improving the app.

zura 13y ago
Maybe if you had had Dropbox vs iCloud choice, Apple had not rejected it.
- frenger 13y ago
  Doesn't sound possible given the friends-shared data store. Can't use multiple data stores, particularly when they're totally different in operation.
- jemeshsu 13y ago
  Apple will not reject your app just because you're using Dropbox. See 1Password as an example. I did an app using iCloud in an unconventional way, and got a call from Apple reviewer asking me to use Dropbox instead.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

chid 13y ago

So it the only advantage over Dropbox folders for this chat? (Sorry I don't have a Mac)

johnw 13y ago
Yep, it's for messaging using Dropbox shared folders.

agmichaca 13y ago

I have used you app and works great for me and my coworker. I was waiting for the realease of other plataform versions, that would be great. Think about linux and windows. Maybe now with the open source someone can do that. Thanks great idea.

johnw 13y ago
You're welcome :) I'd love to see some other platforms supported as well.

EricMuller22 13y ago

I have folders with a few different groups of friends for sharing music and web links. Really a great tool - I'm sorry it didn't work out commercially, but I am so excited to see this open sourced!

msgerbush 13y ago

I use this app literally every day, it was absolutely worth the $6 or whatever I paid for it at the time. It's a shame it didn't work out for you financially, but I think this is still a great app. It really just makes sharing webpages and files totally seamless, but it's not as disruptive as texting, as noisy as facebook or twitter, and it doesn't flood your email inbox. Also, I know exactly who is getting what, it all lives in my Dropbox account, and the file format is totally transparent so I am able to do whatever I want with my data. I am excited to take a look at the code. A friend and I were actually already working on a simple mobile app because we use this so often--now with access to the code things should go a lot faster.

johnw 13y ago
Thanks. Really glad you're enjoying it. The code is a real mess, but I'm hoping to gradually improve it now it's open source.