Chapp
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- karj0
Glad to hear that you’re enjoying it. What’s your username on Chapp?
I’m not so sure about adding custom colors as I don’t think that feature would make the app any more functional. (We have limited time, in between client projects, so we need to focus on the most critical fixes/improvements.)
For the most part, we’re just using a dark blue, grey, and white throughout Chapp. The exception is on the main channel indexes (Active, Recent Watching). In these settings we varying color so users have an easy way to differentiate between each grouping.
Color is tricky with this sort of an app, as it can’t get in the way of content. Meanwhile, there are a number of colors in use that indicate some kind of state, status, or alert. For example, green is used in the growler (and soon, buttons) to show completion of an action; green will also be used to indicate when a user is online; yellow indicates some kind of non-critical alert; meanwhile, red is used only for bigger system errors.
I’ve spent a fair bit of time refining color for this app, but mostly in areas you wouldn’t even notice. Most notably, this work has been in selecting shades of grey for supplemental text areas/links. These are currently being updated.
I suppose I’ve carried on. That said, I do appreciate your feedback and wanted you to know what the underlying thinking is behind these choices.
BTW: I’ve attached an example of where the mobile app wires are currently at. Although it’s too small to make out any details, you can get a sense for overall color usage from it. :-)
- kalkal0
Please add custom colours, that purple and pink is driving me mental.
I actually love the site though
- karj0
Chapp now supports embedded media: YouTube, Soundcloud and Bandcamp—we'll add others later. Just paste in either the URL or embed code for most services. :-)
- karj0
@set I remember wireframing with the name above, and deciding it worked better below. I can't recall exactly why. Could be to allow the name, and functions (i.e. Nod and Comments) to be easier to tap, using one's thumb. That is, trying to reduce how far folks have to reach—and avoiding having to add another line of text to each post.
- it doesn't work better that way round though, at all...********
- only knowing who's written a post once you've read it all is terrible UX********
- it doesn't work better that way round though, at all...
- ********0
It's looking great karj. On mobile view the username it's below the post so if it's a long past you can't see who wrote without having to scroll down then back up. Should go at the top I think.
Nice work mate
- karj0
More updates. Still many to go, but I think it's coming. The design thread has had some good discussions—particularly some of the Carson stuff: http://chapp.is/Design
- karj0
We pushed a number of updates out to this, last night. It's still really functioning more like a mobile web app than a desktop web app. That said, we're pretty happy with how it's improving. Once we tighten up this part of the app, we'll start to get on the full desktop app. :-)
- karj0
I was going to respond (cheekily) to the "cocks" reference above. However, I first ran it by my colleague. I thought I was being funny; he noted that I sounded like a jerk. So, I avoided posting my "playful" retort.
Regardless, this topic is something that we're really trying to resolve. On one hand, I want Chapp to be open to anything. On the other, my seven-year-old wants to use Chapp, and I'm a little weary of opening him up to certain subject matter (boobies OK; snuff films, less so).
If you're open to sharing your perspectives, I'd welcome you to chime in: http://chapp.is/Chapp/Mvgiyi5e9z…
- ( • Y • )monospaced
- http://chatttr.com/monospaced
- Interesting. So many folks trying to do something like this.karj
- I'm always curious to see what approaches others have chosen.
karj - chatttr is actually old, and created by a QBNermonospaced
- DIdn't realize that. Nevertheless, there are a lot of folks trying to solve this chat/topic thing.karj
- karj0
BTW: We've added some more granularity to controlling the number of email notifications you receive from Chapp. It's still crude, but should help a little in the meanwhile: http://chapp.is/profile/alerts/o…
We'll continue to work on improving this as we learn what works best.
- sine0
where do i draw cocks?
- karj0
That's no good, and it's certainly not the association we want you to have with the service.
Notifications are difficult. Personally, I like getting them frequently, so I can stay in the conversation. On the other hand, I know just how irritating getting too many can be.
My first request would be that you give us some time to work things out. This is still really new, and we're working hard to make the service function naturally, and unobtrusively. That said, doing so takes time.
The second would be an offer. If you're open to it, I'd love for you to help us with notifications. I'm not talking about anything particularly involved here. I'd just like to connect you with @shelkie. That way, as we make changes, you could tell us what's working for you, and what isn't.
We want Chapp to be good, and we'd really like your feedback and help in making it so. If you're open to it, perhaps we could start a more direct conversation. Let me know. You can reach me at:
- ********0
I've had about ten emails since I signed up.
I know I'm able to unsubscribe, which I have, but now I associate your forum with annoying emails.
- karj0
That's easy. Just click the Create button and start a topic on anything.
Here's the link to yours: http://chapp.is/nsfw
- GeorgesII0
wow cool,
now where do I post nsfw images?
- karj0
BTW. I should also note (not sure if this is implicit in the current treatments) that you can also post in sub-threads.
For example, if you go to http://chapp.is/Art and click on the Andy Goldsworthy post at the bottom, you can see more: http://chapp.is/Art/nMEkMDWBk97X…
As a result, we think folks will be able to dig into more specific conversations on topics—when they'd like.
- karj0
Awesome—thanks!
- ohhhhhsnap0
LIKE!
- karj0
Thanks—glad you liked it!
Chapp is a portamanteau of the words chat and app. It's something we quickly tossed about, and it seemed to stick.
As for the community, I'm not sure. Right now, I think we'll likely see some designers try it out, just because many of our friends work in the field. Later, though, I'd hope it would expand to a broader audience.
The Private function is kind of handy, as you can create a hidden channel just for a small number of people. I'm using one to communicate with my mom, dad, and brother. It works well for this. I can also imagine some studios/businesses using it as a simple (and free) chat tool.
- utopian0
Looks really slick Erick...
What is the Chapp community?
What does Chapp mean?
- karj0
We have a bit of a weird set-up here, because we're so small. As such, we take on client work as necessary and then work on stuff like this whenever we get the chance. (We're never going to be wealthy with this approach, but it's fun.)
@shelkie built this using Meteor, which has allowed us to prototype really quickly. That said, we don't think it will hold up that well if the site ever gets significant traffic. For now, though, it allowed a really easy way to prototype, with the notion of rebuilding from the ground up if performance becomes an issue.
The scroll bar issue just popped up, and @shelkie noted that it will be gone shortly.