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Call me stupid, but I can't get simple question answered by reading the page: What is Dash? A website? Locally run server listening at 8080? Desktop application

by jablan 12y ago

Call me stupid, but I can't get simple question answered by reading the page: What is Dash? A website? Locally run server listening at 8080? Desktop application? From the screenshots I guess it is probably OSX app, but is it so hard to put it clearly somewhere in the top?

LatencyKills 12y ago
In the upper-right corner of the main page there are "Download" and "App Store" links. That seems to indicate that it is an OS X app. ;-)
- listic 12y ago
  "App Store" _hints_ that "Download" must be an application for Mac OS X, but I had to download and browse through the .zip archive to make sure. I think it could be stated more clearly, at least somewhere on the page (if the author doesn't want to ruin the illusion that there are only Apple products by stating it at the top)
poolpool 12y ago
One of the first things you see is a link to download on the App Store...
- jablan 12y ago
  Frankly, I don't know whether AppStore offers only OSX apps (or you can also buy iOS apps, or certain website access). It also doesn't mean that it's not some kind of portable application (working also on OSX). That's also suggested by the "Download" link below AppStore link, which may mean that there is also other forms of whatever Dash is, apart from the form which is available through AppStore. Ok, I guess the target audience would in 99% _guess_ what Dash is, but that still doesn't mean that it shouldn't be written somewhere clearly.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
- green7ea 12y ago
  Right bellow is a download button. My immediate thought was that OSX platforms obtained the app from the appstore while other platforms could use the download link. When I see an appstore link I don't immediatly assume OS X only.
ozh 12y ago
Wondered the same, had to download to understand it's an OSX .app which should be clear on the page. Having a iTune link isn't explicit. Boo.
- therealunreal 12y ago
  Same here.
kapeli 12y ago
Thanks for pointing this out. I've changed the tagline to "Dash gives your Mac instant offline access to 150+ documentation sets".
- jablan 12y ago
  Thank you, but it's still too subtle IMO. Is there some unspoken marketing rule not to include simple phrases such as "Dash is an OS X application"?
  - wingerlang 12y ago
    Is "Dash gives your Mac .." too subtle? It says MAC, and the website has got an AppStore button with Apples logo.
    - serf 12y ago
      as someone who just downloaded the zip and unpacked it to a windows desktop only to be disappointed by the .app at the end of the folder, yes.
    - nemof 12y ago
      people shouldn't have to infer these types of things. Not everyone's brains makes the same connections in the same way, not because they're stupid, but because we all process information differently. I looked at the page and it wasn't immediately obvious to me what it was. Dash is... an app? a site? a collation of data? If I'd hit the front page to something like: > DASH > An application for browsing API documentation sets I'd know what was going on immediately.
      - DCKing 12y ago
        Please don't get angry with other people for your own failures in comprehension. Come on.
        nemof 12y ago
edwintorok 12y ago
Dash is also Debian's shell: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almquist_shell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almquist_shell If someone tells me "I'm using dash" I'll think about the shell, so I think they should call it "dash the API browser" to make it obvious that it is NOT what everyone thinks about.

by jablan 12y ago

LatencyKills 12y ago

In the upper-right corner of the main page there are "Download" and "App Store" links. That seems to indicate that it is an OS X app. ;-)

listic 12y ago
"App Store" _hints_ that "Download" must be an application for Mac OS X, but I had to download and browse through the .zip archive to make sure. I think it could be stated more clearly, at least somewhere on the page (if the author doesn't want to ruin the illusion that there are only Apple products by stating it at the top)

poolpool 12y ago

One of the first things you see is a link to download on the App Store...

jablan 12y ago
Frankly, I don't know whether AppStore offers only OSX apps (or you can also buy iOS apps, or certain website access). It also doesn't mean that it's not some kind of portable application (working also on OSX). That's also suggested by the "Download" link below AppStore link, which may mean that there is also other forms of whatever Dash is, apart from the form which is available through AppStore. Ok, I guess the target audience would in 99% _guess_ what Dash is, but that still doesn't mean that it shouldn't be written somewhere clearly.
deleted 12y ago
[deleted]
green7ea 12y ago
Right bellow is a download button. My immediate thought was that OSX platforms obtained the app from the appstore while other platforms could use the download link. When I see an appstore link I don't immediatly assume OS X only.

ozh 12y ago

Wondered the same, had to download to understand it's an OSX .app which should be clear on the page. Having a iTune link isn't explicit. Boo.

therealunreal 12y ago
Same here.

kapeli 12y ago

Thanks for pointing this out. I've changed the tagline to "Dash gives your Mac instant offline access to 150+ documentation sets".

jablan 12y ago
Thank you, but it's still too subtle IMO. Is there some unspoken marketing rule not to include simple phrases such as "Dash is an OS X application"?
- wingerlang 12y ago
  Is "Dash gives your Mac .." too subtle? It says MAC, and the website has got an AppStore button with Apples logo.
  - serf 12y ago
    as someone who just downloaded the zip and unpacked it to a windows desktop only to be disappointed by the .app at the end of the folder, yes.
  - nemof 12y ago
    people shouldn't have to infer these types of things. Not everyone's brains makes the same connections in the same way, not because they're stupid, but because we all process information differently. I looked at the page and it wasn't immediately obvious to me what it was. Dash is... an app? a site? a collation of data? If I'd hit the front page to something like: > DASH > An application for browsing API documentation sets I'd know what was going on immediately.
    - DCKing 12y ago
      Please don't get angry with other people for your own failures in comprehension. Come on.
      - nemof 12y ago

edwintorok 12y ago

Dash is also Debian's shell: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almquist_shell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almquist_shell If someone tells me "I'm using dash" I'll think about the shell, so I think they should call it "dash the API browser" to make it obvious that it is NOT what everyone thinks about.