

Ask HN: Please review my MVP - Instant Drop Box - travism
http://instantdropbox.com

======
hellweaver666
I like the idea, it's like uservoice, getsatisfaction etc only really really
simple.

My only complaint is the fact you've called it 'dropbox' most people associate
that word with a file storage/sharing device (such as getdropbox.com or the
OSX dropbox).

Perhaps 'comment box' would be more appropriate?

Also, you may want to add some flood control - I was able to bombard my test
account with all manner of crap ;)

~~~
thehickmans
I have the same issue with the naming - it needs to be related to suggestions,
comments, feedback.

I had to chuckle when the 'create a premium dropbox now!' button took me to...
a dropbox! You're taking the MVP approach pretty seriously, aren't you?

I can also see the benefit of providing some embed code to allow users to
integrate it on their own site.

Good job on the design, BTW.

------
noodle
innovative.

i'd brush up the design usability. you're on the right track, but i'd avoid
the float right/left on the form labels/inputs respectively on a flexible
layout, because it makes it harder on the eyes.

also, perhaps set a cookie or something to allow someone to possibly go back
to their last created dropbox from the main page. would be more convenient for
the people who lose their urls. and/or an option to enter their email address
and have the urls emailed to them, and maybe new comments.

~~~
Xichekolas
I'd second all these suggestions, but especially the one about floating
left/right. On a widescreen monitor they are so far apart as to be hard to
line up.

------
endtwist
I like the simplicity of the concept, however, it would be very helpful to
provide a Javascript widget (a la UserVoice). As well, having the ability for
the user to choose (or change) the given URL to be more readable would be a
plus.

------
nir
I like it a lot, quick and simple. I've been looking for something like this
for gathering quick feedback on small sites, instead of forcing users to go
through the whole getsatisfaction & co process.

If you'd add some JS snippet for including it on a web page (popup etc), it
would be very helpful. Also, email integration (both for mailing the admin URL
so the user won't lose it and for sending user feedback) would be great.

------
tsally
Decrease the size of everything. Or if you're set on the size, at least
increase the contrast.

------
marc28443
I like the concept.. suggestions:

\- the URL of the dropbox and the admin page should be human-readable

\- some way to find my dropbox if I have lost the URL (see suggestions by
noodle)

\- some way to integrate it as a widget in my own site

------
dan_sim
I really like the design and the logo. Are you a designer? Did you find
someone else to work on that? (I'm interested because I'm looking for a way to
have a good looking design)

~~~
travism
Thanks! That encouragement means a lot. Some of my other designs
(<http://mushpot.net/>) weren't so well-received by HN..

It was just dumb luck (plus aesthetic help from my wife) that the box graphic
came out as well as it did. I made it in OmniGraffle (mac drawing program),
and I just kept playing around with the splines until I liked the shape. I'm
just a programmer, so I tend to go with the simplest, bare-bones designs I can
get away with.

------
vorador
Could you replace your image buttons by text buttons (or at least better image
buttons). The buttons I see on my 15-inch monitor running ff3/ubuntu are
really ugly)

~~~
travism
I tried to make the image buttons as simple as possible..they're just text
surrounded by a drop shadow. I'm surprised to hear objections. Could you
describe what you don't like about them in more detail?

~~~
vorador
Sure,

On my screen the buttons look crenelated.

Here is what I see : <http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/3030/capture3.png>

------
wooster
Good idea. It would be nice to have a JS widget ala Get Satisfaction that
could be used to provide feedback without leaving a site.

------
utsmokingaces
You did a good job communicating what this app does. Add to the front page,
"Why do people need this?"

------
mdonahoe
How are you protecting against spam? How do any of these no-signup services
protect against spam without resorting to captchas?

~~~
travism
Each dropbox url has a random code appended to the end, so spammers can't step
step through all the drop boxes in order and pass in garbage. But otherwise
nothing keeps spammers out. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

------
staunch
Show me the user agent and IP address of the user.

~~~
calambrac
Um, isn't it supposed to be anonymous? I'm pretty sure it says, right on the
front page, kind of big letters: "Collect anonymous comments".

~~~
tvon
UserAgent and IP don't tell you who the person is.

------
zackattack
What does MVP stand for?

~~~
coglethorpe
Minimum Viable Product: The least you can do and let the user actually do
something. Features can be added later.

Edit: I did this comment in the MVP way. I just put the term, then added the
definition later.

