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

by kapeli 12y ago

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
        see you kind of prove my point about how people process data. you thought perhaps my comment was a complaint, an angry statement, this couldn't be further from the truth. In actuality I was just reflecting on how good signposting (through pertinent language and UI) helps people interpret meaning on websites. If you design your website so that your potential users/customers cant look at the front page and have an instant grasp of what your product is, then your website is failing to do its job. Again I say, people shouldn't have to infer what something is by association. Saying "what is this? oh look, there's an appstore link, it must be an app" is not the right way to tell people what you've made. Unambiguous and engaging language is.
      - Angostura 12y ago
        Presumably the developer would quite like people to buy his app. Some honest feedback about the clarity of the messaging should be welcome.
- Angostura 12y ago
  I assumed, looking at the site that it somehow scanned your code and attempted to document it for you. I may be cognitively challenged, but it wasn't clear to me what it was.
Fuxy 12y ago
I'm so used to ignoring marketing speak didn't even realize it's Mac only. Didn't expect a mac only app to make it to the front of HN. Must be really good I don't use a Mac though. Edit: Mac fan-boys stop down voting me just because you disagree with my choice of OS.
- joshdance 12y ago
  I think the downvotes are due to the tone. Don't necessarily agree with them, but that might be the root cause.
- cjensen 12y ago
  "Must be really good I don't use a Mac though" is regrettably ambiguous. It can either mean "Dash looks great; too bad I can't use it since I don't have a Mac" or it can mean "It's really great that I don't use a Mac", especially when read quickly. Also, you were terse so that there isn't much content in your comment. As always, ask yourself if your comment is worth the time for people to read. Cheers.

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

by 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
      see you kind of prove my point about how people process data. you thought perhaps my comment was a complaint, an angry statement, this couldn't be further from the truth. In actuality I was just reflecting on how good signposting (through pertinent language and UI) helps people interpret meaning on websites. If you design your website so that your potential users/customers cant look at the front page and have an instant grasp of what your product is, then your website is failing to do its job. Again I say, people shouldn't have to infer what something is by association. Saying "what is this? oh look, there's an appstore link, it must be an app" is not the right way to tell people what you've made. Unambiguous and engaging language is.
    - Angostura 12y ago
      Presumably the developer would quite like people to buy his app. Some honest feedback about the clarity of the messaging should be welcome.
Angostura 12y ago
I assumed, looking at the site that it somehow scanned your code and attempted to document it for you. I may be cognitively challenged, but it wasn't clear to me what it was.

Fuxy 12y ago

I'm so used to ignoring marketing speak didn't even realize it's Mac only. Didn't expect a mac only app to make it to the front of HN. Must be really good I don't use a Mac though. Edit: Mac fan-boys stop down voting me just because you disagree with my choice of OS.

joshdance 12y ago
I think the downvotes are due to the tone. Don't necessarily agree with them, but that might be the root cause.
cjensen 12y ago
"Must be really good I don't use a Mac though" is regrettably ambiguous. It can either mean "Dash looks great; too bad I can't use it since I don't have a Mac" or it can mean "It's really great that I don't use a Mac", especially when read quickly. Also, you were terse so that there isn't much content in your comment. As always, ask yourself if your comment is worth the time for people to read. Cheers.