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Show HN: Feedback app (redpen.io)
139 points by mattrobs on May 14, 2013 | hide | past | favorite | 72 comments



Here is a sample for people to go wild on. (I hope I don't regret this.)

<edit>

[Link removed]

I have regrets. Careful, someone redirected the page to porn.

Here is a pre-porn screenshot of everyone's dots- http://awesomescreenshot.com/09f19vrpf5

</edit>

<edit-2> Here is what the feedback balloons look like (forgive the z-value issue of the dot over the ballon, that's my fault):

http://awesomescreenshot.com/07819vss00

</edit-2>


Ha ! There is an email notification every time someone comments, and no way to unsubscribe. I just got 6 emails and one minute, and Chrome re-focusing the tab automatically because gn commented <script>alert('Moo!');</script>


Redirection to porn? script alerts? No unsubscribe button? I suppose the OP doesn't have the slightest clue of web app security. Wouldn't use. Who knows where your email addresses are now.


People writing their first web app rarely do. Though in this case most of these things are covered by Rails' "Secure by Default" approach.

Also, comments like these are what turn newbies away from programming. It's really hard to start out, encouragement and a point in the right direction is what's needed.

Edit: Ahhh actually, you probably didn't realise that OP was a newbie because mods changed the title of the post. That's unfortunate. Carry on.


This launch sure hasn't gone to plan!


Thanks for that guys ;)


Security issue! You can run arbitrary Javascript!

Comments along the lines of:

  <script>alert('Moo!');</script>
Be careful about staying on a page!


Good spotting. I'll fix that.


Looks very cool, love the "signup process" if you will.

Nitpick: I don't like the "because we're not douchebags" line.


Really? I loved that


I also thought that was a very cool line.


It sounds cool, but not being a douchebag doesn't automatically put food on the table. I'd rather for this to say that this is a hobby project or that it's a part of fremium service.


Because it has the word 'douchebag' in it, or because you think the statement is false?


Nice work and looks cool. But I don't like the "bullshit" and "douchebag" words. IMHO it looks unprofessional and a little bit immature to use those kind of words (if you're trying to look/be professional).


Just a heads up - there is a XSS vulnerability in comments.


Thanks for pointing that out!


Feedback for this feedback app: it does not like uploads. Upload fails with message 'Hello. We haven't been formally introduced yet but I'm Sir Red Pen. I'm sorry to say I've let you down. This upload has failed. I'm deeply sorry. This usually doesn't happen. I swear. I will reload the page for you and I ask you try again. I will get it right this time.'


Same. Chrome Developer / OSX.


Same here. Firefox 20.0.1 / Windows.

The following call returned a 406: GET http://redpen.io/authenticate?s3_object_type=image/png&s...

According to the Firebug net console it looks like the upload doesn't even start.


Very nice, but the design is a bit tiny (font size etc), given that the amount of information needed to display is not big.


Best "signup" experience ever! No account needed to upload, only asks you your name once you try to leave a comment!


Super slick. Great application! Are you planning on monetizing it? You could do it 'per project' or by # of uploads.

Definitely don't go crazy by adding features, but it'd be cool to add versioning (so people could compare), and comment off to the side or below, so that people could provide holistic comments.


Besides the obvious issues with Javascript injection, I really love the design. I think you did a really good job here, the interface is simple and effective and this is definitely one of the nicely designed feedback apps I've seen (although I haven't seen too many, it's still a compliment). It's sad that people resorted to spamming the public link you posted with porn and annoying Javascript alert boxes. I hope you get the issues solved soon.

I have a recommendation however for the introduction text on the homepage, you've got orange text on an orange background which is impossible to read. I made a couple of little Developer Tool modifications and found the below CSS to make it more readable.

.primary-footer { font-size: 0.8em; color: #EFEFEF; font-weight: normal; }


Great design.

One suggestion is that it would be great if I can copy and paste like on Trello. This would mean that I wont have to keep saving files locally first and then drop those files to your site.


Agree, Github Issues allows this as well and once you get used to it this upload process seems a bit complicated.


Wow, this is like the Workflowy of feedback apps. Nice work.

One request: make it possible to edit a comment within a minute or 2 of posting it. Also, make it possible to reposition a marker.


I find Workflowy aesthetically clunky. This is all the usability goodness of Workflowy and great visual design. One of the best things I've seen on the web in awhile. Really impressed.


One thing I noticed is that in the feedback balloon screenshot, there seems to be a dot overlapping on top of the feedback balloon. Also, personally, I always like having a "close" or "x" button on these types of balloons, instead of the balloons disappearing when I move my cursor away.

I'm guessing that the dot colors have some meaning? Having a color legend might help (if one doesn't exist already... hard to tell from screenshots and my own testing didn't show any legend.)

Otherwise, looks good!


[deleted]


Same error running Chrome 26.0.1410.65 on OSX 10.8.2


Wow....as someone that made a feedback app...compliments. This is awesome! Especially if this is your first web app?

I have been thinking of doing a re-write, it's just not high on my priority list.

What did you use to manage the uploads? It worked nicely for me in Chrome.

Edit: Maybe add some more contrast to the copy at the bottom. It is very hard to read.


Front page looks great, but... "Hello. We haven't been formally introduced yet but I'm Sir Red Pen. I'm sorry to say I've let you down. This upload has failed. I'm deeply sorry. This usually doesn't happen. I swear. I will reload the page for you and I ask you try again. I will get it right this time."


This is awesome. Really intuitive UI. You've really boiled the workflow down to the bare minimum. Great work.


I noticed a bug; I went to masonhensley's sample project, added a comment (on the engine of his car), and then I noticed that any other comments showing up in realtime were labelled "Scott", in addition to some of the ones that had previously been "Mason". Refreshing fixed the issue.


Mattrobs, this is absolutely beautiful. I agree that the language is a little too informal (see the confusion on "Arreevaderchi" for example), but very useable.

Once there's a bit more security polish, I'd be happy to use this in production with clients, at least for quick-and-dirty comments!


Simple, pretty, to the point and does what it says on the tin.

Unfortunately I can't seem to copy the link at the top of the design. Instead of making it a readonly input, make it a link or tell them to copy the URL from their browser. Using Chrome 26.0.1410.64 m on Win8

Great work though


Nice and simple, I like it.

Potential security/privacy issue though: I can retrieve anyone's submission(s) with some simple cookie manipulation. I suppose this is a side-effect of the "no logging in" method, but it might be nice to allow people to delete their posts.


I'm a collaborator on the project and we're tidying up all these loopholes, but thanks for the heads up. Matts response is "Oops, I’m a designer!".


Haha, cool. There's another similar issue (which your team may already be aware of) that I'd be happy to point out less-publicly if you want to send me an email. Anyway, nice project!


Good to know its multi-language.

There seems to be a mixup though; the button on the comment page says 'Arreeverderchi', which I believe is spanish or italian, but I'm not sure what it means.

What happens when I click that button?


Arrivederci is Italian for goodbye. I assume the spelling is intended to be humourous.


Possible allusion to this scene in Inglorious Bastards? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7ZouZSlNSc (The slightly phonetic spelling being of the last word in the clip)


You got it!


Pretty cool. Just to try it out I uploaded a random picture from my desktop which happened to be somewhat large so navigating was somewhat awkward. It would be nice if you could zoom in/out.


I've made similar prototype few years ago, if someone interested here is source code:

https://github.com/buger/PointOut

Realtime stuff build on top of GAE.


Built one too, but with Meteor. I actually create a login for you automatically with auto-generated username and you can rename your username if you care. Also can copy paste images, not just drag drop

http://sket.sh/


Comments at the right edge of the screen are unreadable as the balloon is partly outside the window. Would be nice if they would pop up to the left, in that case.

Beautiful design nonetheless!


v1.1. Thanks!


Love the image uploading animation!

Here's something I've been working on if anyone has any feedback: http://redpen.io/8t5cq


I would never use a service like this with such terrible language. I understand trying to give the service a personality but this is just dumb.


I do wonder sometimes how such choices pan out in terms of users won (hey, they talk like me!) vs. lost (well, not showing this one to my boss).


~~Maybe~~ I'm immature but it made me smile.


It should be a config option - "colorful language" vs "boring speak".


I don't think the language on the homepage is necessary either. Trying a bit too hard. Otherwise looks good!


Looks great. I love when people learn to code to meet their own needs. Congrats.

EDIT: Great design. Are you a designer or did you use a template?


Yes the OP is a designer, hence the whole learning to program thing. He designs over at campaignmonitor.com


I shit you not, I literally start building something like this to learn ruby with. Feature for feature.

Well done.


Glad to see you're still alive Moeed!


beautifully designed!

I'd love to see some sort of retention limit, and the functionality to manually remove an uploaded design. An export function of all comments and a special stylesheet for printing (i.e., showing all comments below the picture) would make it perfect!


That is awesome. Probably one of mashups I loved the most lately. Great design and execution!


Great tool. Will be using it and borrowing ideas from your 'signup' process - so well done!


Very awesome concept and design. I completely agree with your sign up method... Have none!


Whatever you do, don't blink.


Cool tool, will be using it next time I need some feedback on assets!


Bookmarked. This is awesome. Love that no account is required.


I can't seem to upload anything. It always gives an error.


mattrobs, looks like your account is dead.


Shadow-banned rather. You are the only one who can see your own comments. Specifically, these two comments are [dead] -

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5708906

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5708984

Try and email pg to ask to be unbanned manually. Or wait for the mods to notice and perhaps they can do it.


I love the design. Great user experience.


The color hurts my eyes!


Really like the name!


Relevant XKCD: http://xkcd.com/927/

This might be one of the better feedback apps I've seen though. Very nice.


lol, this is not trying to be a standard




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