
Show HN: Hacker News in your system tray - captn3m0
https://github.com/captn3m0/hackertray/
======
swalsh
This is a great hack, but a terribly dangerous idea. I have trouble enough
avoiding HN when I open a browser... now the thing is looming over me at all
times. Sorry, I don't have the willpower for this.

~~~
easy_rider
I'm going to try this, I think it will actually HELP. I always find myself
mindlessly ctrl+t and typing news..<enter> when I open a new browser window.

~~~
gavinpc
If you have to type "news", you're better off than I am. "n" does it for me.

~~~
easy_rider
You're right, just tested. "n" gets it. I probably get to "ne" or "new" before
realizing it. :(

------
forlorn
Thank you for targeting Linux! I'd rather expected MacOS but you truly
surprised me. I'm gonna try.

~~~
captn3m0
Actually, this is inspired by Hacker Bar [1], which launched a couple days
back as a Mac-only app.

[1]: [http://hackerbarapp.com/](http://hackerbarapp.com/)

~~~
markrickert
Thanks for the link to my app and for citing it as inspiration!

------
captn3m0
__Update __: If the app isn 't starting any more because of a JSON error, its
because the API I am using just crossed its Rate Limit.
([https://github.com/cheeaun/node-hnapi](https://github.com/cheeaun/node-
hnapi)). I'm working to fix it as soon as I can.

~~~
Sir_Cmpwn
You should think about setting up a local instance of node-hnapi and using it
instead of a remote one.

~~~
captn3m0
@cheeaun promised me on twitter that the rate limit is per-IP, and I've since
implemented fallback servers (same as hackerweb) so this shouldn't be an issue
any more. Plus setting up a local instance would make things unnecessarily
complicated (nodejs and all that)

------
rainmaking
And, at the time of commenting, this link can be found right below the link to
"How Software Companies Die".

------
eksith
I hope there are options to follow /newest. There are many great stories that
never make it to the front page. But I have to (lightly) disagree with
swalsh's apprehension. This will quadruple the time spent on my actual work
since I can quickly scan the headlines and go back without having to open a
window.

------
vanwilder77
I have exams tomorrow! But screw it, I'm gonna try this out

------
lucb1e
Thought it wouldn't work for me out until I saw someone comment "Whynot for
Windows?" Oh it's for Linux then? Nice, I guess I should check it out.

This was one of the most painless installs ever, just pip it and run it. Done!
And of course open source on Github. Great job, thanks!

------
oscilator
Thanks for open sourcing it. It'd be neat to replicate this idea for other
sites I might frequent. I'm already having enough trouble trying to stay away
from HN on the browser. Heh.

~~~
captn3m0
I'm thinking about creating a generic version of this that checks on a single
RSS feed for you.

~~~
oscilator
Hey, that'd be really awesome. I'll be checking your github.

------
erikj
Distraction at your fingertips.

------
jheriko
neat, but can i have a windows version? :P

maybe an installer instead of the standard linux way of forcing you to know
things you don't really need to know?

~~~
captn3m0
I'm working on a windows version based on the excellent node-webkit [1]. I'm
still not sure on how much effort I'll put in packaging it.

[1]: [https://github.com/rogerwang/node-
webkit/](https://github.com/rogerwang/node-webkit/)

~~~
jheriko
no worries. was just an off the cuff remark. there are already solutions for
this. :)

------
alexcason
This seems great/dangerous in equal measure.

------
m458l387
haha everyone is commenting like they have actual work to do

~~~
easy_rider
Maybe HN is some sort of social experiment/prank on information gobblers who
also happen to be more prone to ADD ;((

------
Ashuu
Is there any such thing for Windows?

~~~
captn3m0
I am thinking of using node-webkit to package cheeaun's hackerwebapp[1] into
the system tray for Windows. Similar to [2] for Mac.

[1]:
[http://cheeaun.github.io/hackerweb/](http://cheeaun.github.io/hackerweb/)

[2]: [http://www.guidefreitas.com/hacker-news-menu-tab-
app](http://www.guidefreitas.com/hacker-news-menu-tab-app)

EDIT: Popping up an entire webview from Tray doesn't seem to be easy. But
creating a menu is very easy. I might do a simple clone of hackertray to
Windows :)

~~~
Ashuu
That sounds cool! I agree that popping up an entire webview and that too on
windows would be difficult. Waiting for hackertray for windows!

------
hkbarton
good new and bad new, the good one is: this is very great hack! bad one is
that make me addicted to HN, haha

------
Mustafabei
Well, I think now there must be an in app way to enable Noprocrast or we are
all doomed:)

------
cmelbye
Thank god, a way for me to read Hacker News more often throughout the day. ;)

