Related
I am a captivate owner and I have nothing to complain about.
The line above is a single sentence summary of this post. If you have no interest in the opinions of others or prefer to complain about a developers hard work then you should probably stop reading now.
After the countless hours I have spent in the Samsung Captivate section I am beginning to feel there is a growing void in the area of captivate compliments. It's as if people are angered by Samsung's apparent failure to achieve perfection. A post of positivity or satisfaction with our magical devices only seems to appear amidst the rampant firings of Iphone vs Captivate battles fanboy raids.
I do not intend to claim that Samsung has achieved perfection. Through the development and production of this device we can see that some apparent flaws have been made, HOWEVER!, these flaws are not attached to every captivate experience. After initially reading through this forum I would assume I have been blessed by the phone gods for providing me with the only fully functional captivate produced. After digging for some time though, it can be seen that there are a few who have had an awesome and intended experience with this phone. I never had a problem with GPS or Battery and I couldn't even complain about lag.
Rom after rom, my opinion has grown more positive. Through research and understanding I have learned how to make my device work more effectively for me. I have learned that most errors and malfunctions are simply user error or misinformation. A good and verified Master Clear can work wonders for a properly flashed phone's performance.
To the developers out there gilding the lily daily. You are awesome! Always should you receive an error log, but never should you hear a complaint.
I will end this with some things that have been making me smile since captivate release:
1. SAMOLED
2. Speed
3. Multitasking like a MoFo (Last.FM + My Tracks + HD video recording, simultaneously)
Updating with more smile factors:
4. Sleek sturdy hardware design
5. Phone sound quality and reception
6. Device/screen size
7. 3D acceleration
+1 to this. I too love my phone, it is a learnign curve and we have so many wonderful developers working hard to make out phones better. I agree that a little bit of learning goes a long way, most of the complaints I read and problems that are experienced are caused by over enthusiastic new owners that do not go through the proper steps for clean flashing and often have bugs do to this. Too many people improperly installing ROMS, not knowing the difference between Recovery and Download mode. Mostly due to not reading enough and following the clearly outlines steps. We all make mistakes and have all been noobs, no device is perfect and I know I had to spend two weeks of constant reading to know how to properly flash my phone, use adb, and various other usefull tools. I am constantly learning about Android and the Captivate, I am happy with my device and my current setup. These aren't I-phones thank god and you have to spend time to set it up the way it works for you, depending on individual needs and preference.
I also thing we have a wonderful comunity and need to work together to make it a pleasent atmosphere for all. I am truly enjoying my phone and appreciate the hard work the developers put into this.
The compaining gets tiresome, but with a little patience and learning these are really great Android phones. If you want something to work with no need to tweek and hack then Android id probably not the device for you, imo.
Happy to say the same! (without typing it lol)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
+1 Thank you for the post.
Good Post
I feel the same right now about mine. Everyone that has watched any of the hd movies I have loaded says the same...WOW...OMG...that looks awesome..
Does the endless complaining and *****ing do any good..Yes..it does..and while you are quite right in saying this is a great phone..please don't try to silence those who do complain about theirs..they have every right to do so,provided what they are saying is truthfull.
I know many have a hardon for Samsung because of the GPS issue..and also the 3-button recovery fiasco..and people should be made aware of them prior to buying so they can do as I did and get one that works..but..with out all of those B&M'ng threads I most likely would have not known about it..so IMHO they do serve a purpose.
On the good side..I love how fast this phone is,and how great it works..I'll be (hopefully ) even happy when 2.2 or Gingerbread is released..I do recommend them to my friends wanting to get one..and let them know to come here and sign up so they too can learn all about them and all of the great developers work on all of the phones ..This is a great place..with lots of good people working hard to make things even better for us..
Mac
It is a great phone. My friends marvel at my resolution and then bend their heads and text on theirs.
Since rooting I feel freer. Ahhh.
Mac11700 said:
Does the endless complaining and *****ing do any good..Yes..it does..and while you are quite right in saying this is a great phone..please don't try to silence those who do complain about theirs..they have every right to do so,provided what they are saying is truthfull.
Mac
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not intend to silence those with complaints about their device or experiences. I myself have listed my concerns with the device here on XDA. It is a crucial part of how our community gains understanding and shares information. I just think the overwhelming count of negative to positive posts can be frightening to a newcomer or perspective android convert. I don't want to silence the negative but encourage the positive.
The above being said, some refrain should be practiced when posting to a developers thread. I am no developer but I think some people have a tendency to be more critical than helpful when complaining about freely developed and distributed software.
Otherwise, point taken and understood. Thanks for the contribution.
I absolutely love this phone. The GPS is abysmal, the Facebook app is in severe need of an update and the lack of convenient stable visual voicemail, but beyond that the phone is awesome.
I love swype and the amount of apps and I seem to be constantly blown away by the screen. Also, the battery life is great compared to my 3g.
I was skeptical at first but I'm glad I dove in.
Well.. I do not have this phone.. But, I actually 100% understand what you mean..
The best example I can think of is a PC.
When you buy a pc, what is the first thing most (even remotely knowledgable) users do with it?
Install a few programs. I always use ccleaner, to get clear out extra files, you delete the "extra" programs you don't want (if you didn't build the pc yourself). You make quite a few changes as soon as you get it.
If your going to get a phone.. and really want to get the most out of it.. your going to have to mod it.. That means Jailbreaking it on iphone, Rooting it on android and voiding your warranty eveywhere.
If your squeamish about voiding your warranty and just want a phone for email/internet browsing.. The iphone 4 is a great choice and you are welcome to use it, Actually so is blackberry, Symbian, and a slew of other phone's.
The truth is complaints shouldn't be addressed to the phone.. but, more the respective manufacturers and carriers that prevent rooting and void your warranty for doing so.
If you know what your buying, I can't feel bad when you come back and complain... If you don't know what your buying, I can't feel bad for you at all.. Why? if your going to get the most out of *ANYTHING* in life your going to have to know what your getting into and be fully aware of your actions.. Those who aren't, I can't pity.
With that said.. I'm not saying people shouldn't strive to push manufacturers to fix problems, and being able to read warnings is nice before you buy something.. My biggest problem when I read complaints is, people don't feel the need to warn, express this dislike or try to address their problems..
They want to just run in cry, whine, and then blast the phone as if it killed their children, ate their dog and laughed in their face.
if I could persuade my parents to cover the data plan.. (not happening, they wouldn't even let me pay for it).. Then I'd spring for capt full cash right now..
Loving this thread . . . not really as much as I love persistent positivity and gratuitous kindness in general, but almost as much as I love my endearingly imperfect Captivate.
Nice work, '84. I'm gonna go ahead and assume that you're way too nice a guy to have bludgeoned to death and buried 83 to earn that nickname.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=809471
People ask me about my phone(captivate), and if they should get an iphone or captivate. Simple answer, if your a simple person, and don't like customizing or if your not really tech savvy, then get an iphone. But if you're the complete opposite, then go with an android (this is of course not involving jail breaking)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Mac11700 said:
I feel the same right now about mine. Everyone that has watched any of the hd movies I have loaded says the same...WOW...OMG...that looks awesome..
Does the endless complaining and *****ing do any good..Yes..it does..and while you are quite right in saying this is a great phone..please don't try to silence those who do complain about theirs..they have every right to do so,provided what they are saying is truthfull.
I know many have a hardon for Samsung because of the GPS issue..and also the 3-button recovery fiasco..and people should be made aware of them prior to buying so they can do as I did and get one that works..but..with out all of those B&M'ng threads I most likely would have not known about it..so IMHO they do serve a purpose.
On the good side..I love how fast this phone is,and how great it works..I'll be (hopefully ) even happy when 2.2 or Gingerbread is released..I do recommend them to my friends wanting to get one..and let them know to come here and sign up so they too can learn all about them and all of the great developers work on all of the phones ..This is a great place..with lots of good people working hard to make things even better for us..
Mac
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They have every right to complain, sure. But does that mean we have to be audience to these continually barrages of people who don't realize they have the choice to get rid of the phone if it doesn't suit them? I understand that we can have concerns, but if they're not handled constructively (ie varying, gps, lag, battery) they're cries should fall on deaf ears because I frankly don't need to hear it. Its been rehashed too many times to merit new threads and is far from necessary.
I come to this forum to get help with minor issues or improvement of my phone which is one I already love over my old 9700. That is why I love reading these kinds of threads where someone instead of injecting negativity into the community is seeking to shine a positive light. So here's to threads that offer help or new ways to improve the experience. Thanks OP glad you're enjoying your phone!
Dankenstein said:
Loving this thread . . . not really as much as I love persistent positivity and gratuitous kindness in general, but almost as much as I love my endearingly imperfect Captivate.
Nice work, '84. I'm gonna go ahead and assume that you're way too nice a guy to have bludgeoned to death and buried 83 to earn that nickname.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most people are pleasant and inviting in person then go to the internet to become complete troll nobs. I prefer to be an a repulsive ass in person and make people on the internet believe I am a nice and well adjusted individual. This process makes life more spontaneous and brings a since of humor to Online Dating.
In truth though, it is an engine reference for a "1984 Harley Davidson Shovelhead".
I love my phone. I love it more now that i have angry birds. Would like inter-op words with friends, but there are alternatives. I do wish the "issue" that people complain about gets fixed, but it doesn't bother me. I would barely use it anyway. To much like a leash to me. Did I mention I love my phone.
Shovelhead84 said:
Most people are pleasant and inviting in person then go to the internet to become complete troll nobs. I prefer to be an a repulsive ass in person and make people on the internet believe I am a nice and well adjusted individual. This process makes life more spontaneous and brings a since of humor to Online Dating.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was the best laugh I've had all day!
I love my captivate. I admit to being a bit obsessed with it. I had GPS issues, but that was the ONLY thing I didn't like about the phone. I was hesitant to exchange it because I didn't want to end up with a different set of problems, but I did exchange it.
Now I love my Captivate AND I have a working GPS I use every day
Bob
+1
Coming from a jailbroken iPhone 3g, there is no comparison. This is my 1st Android phone and couldn't be happier with it. I've only had it about a month and i've learned a lot, mainly by reading these forums...hence why this is only my 4th post
this phone is so underrated. its as good as or better than any on the market today, yet all you hear is droid droid droid
chrisz5z said:
+1
Coming from a jailbroken iPhone 3g, there is no comparison. This is my 1st Android phone and couldn't be happier with it. I've only had it about a month and i've learned a lot, mainly by reading these forums...hence why this is only my 4th post
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, welcome to XDA and to your new mobile experience. Back in my WinMo days I spents weeks reading the Kaiser forums before my first few posts. All the new acronyms and software references can be a bit daunting, even for the savviest of geeks. Luckily I made a smooth transfer by running android ports on my winmo device before fully jumping in.
shadow65781 said:
this phone is so underrated. its as good as or better than any on the market today, yet all you hear is droid droid droid
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The annoying stab by the general uninformed public is an assumption that "Droid" is the correct term to reference all android devices. I blame Verizon and their conniving marketing department. The failed recognition of your device by a passing stranger does give you an opportunity to politely correct them with a showing of the wondrous features your technologically superior device is capable of.
Just one of my thoughts on developers...
Developers of apps and such have brought us some really useful creations that allow us to personalize our Android devices in almost anyway we desire. They spend countless hours, months, or even years developing these things which they give to us for our use.
While we use these creations, we find a bug or think of a new implementation for it. Now a developer will get new feature requests and choose to not make those changes because they have no time, not enough demand, or there's just no plan for it. On the other hand, we find a bug in it. We bring it to their attention and there's a chance that it will be fixed, maybe soon or in a later update. Maybe it doesn't get fixed but it still runs fairly well.
But what the unresponsive developers who basically make their apps for a quick buck and then the project is dead? Or the ones who don't listen to the supporters of their app at all? I know there's no obligation to listen to thoughts of the consumer but shouldn't the developer at least pay attention and be somewhat responsive?
Any thoughts/comments/disagreements/criticisms/hate on this are welcome.
Jamin13 said:
Just one of my thoughts on developers...
Developers of apps and such have brought us some really useful creations that allow us to personalize our Android devices in almost anyway we desire. They spend countless hours, months, or even years developing these things which they give to us for our use.
While we use these creations, we find a bug or think of a new implementation for it. Now a developer will get new feature requests and choose to not make those changes because they have no time, not enough demand, or there's just no plan for it. On the other hand, we find a bug in it. We bring it to their attention and there's a chance that it will be fixed, maybe soon or in a later update. Maybe it doesn't get fixed but it still runs fairly well.
But what the unresponsive developers who basically make their apps for a quick buck and then the project is dead? Or the ones who don't listen to the supporters of their app at all? I know there's no obligation to listen to thoughts of the consumer but shouldn't the developer at least pay attention and be somewhat responsive?
Any thoughts/comments/disagreements/criticisms/hate on this are welcome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess we are lucky in that the majority of Developers in the community are not demanding of donations or the 'quick buck'. Most do it to tinker in their spare time, to prove that it can be done, and to feed their passion. They are then gracious enough to share their works with us, everyday Joes, for nil thought of monetary gain (again, mostly).
It disheartens me greatly that the overwhelming majority of users now make the most ridiculous demands of Developers, expect a full-blown 'retail (bug-less)' experience, then have the gall to call Developers out if they decide to move away from the project, hit a brick wall or even just go to sleep!
Unfortunately I have even seen the odd Developer involved in this sort of behaviour, and it's certainly not limited to Junior members either, not by a long shot
These guys don't get paid, they're (generally) doing the best they can with what they've got, and they share with us out of their own goodwill. We use and try these things at our own risk. It's printed in big red letters at the top of most ROM threads these days, for good reason
With the onset of the 'smartphone revolution', it's amazing to read through a 50-page thread and watch how many people ask for each and every feature in a 'CWM flashable zip' because they can't, or won't, read through a few pages, or even do a search. I'd wager a fair few wouldn't even know what a Command Prompt or Fastboot was. These kids are flashing whatever looks 'cool' to their devices without so much as a clue to what it does (other than OMG an extra 0.1GHz! - example only), then expecting everyone else to pull them out of the **** when it goes pear-shaped ('I need flashable zip for...'), and having a bit of a go if something doesn't work, rather than sitting back and waiting for it to get past version 0.1.
I have great sympathy for Developers today, as they don't have a hope in Hell of keeping on top of this, nor keeping up with the ridiculous demands.
Even if we make a donation, it does not entitle us to any more support than the regular user who just hits the 'Thanks' button, or even just silently downloads and uses. It's called a donation for a reason. This is a community based on goodwill and sharing, although some days it certainly doesn't look that way.
I've bored you long enough Thankyou for asking the question and giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts. Remember, the Developers are the lifeblood of this community, and (thankfully) bad eggs among them are quite rare.
Take care.
juzz86 said:
I guess we are lucky in that the majority of Developers in the community are not demanding of donations or the 'quick buck'. Most do it to tinker in their spare time, to prove that it can be done, and to feed their passion. They are then gracious enough to share their works with us, everyday Joes, for nil thought of monetary gain (again, mostly).
It disheartens me greatly that the overwhelming majority of users now make the most ridiculous demands of Developers, expect a full-blown 'retail (bug-less)' experience, then have the gall to call Developers out if they decide to move away from the project, hit a brick wall or even just go to sleep!
Unfortunately I have even seen the odd Developer involved in this sort of behaviour, and it's certainly not limited to Junior members either, not by a long shot
These guys don't get paid, they're (generally) doing the best they can with what they've got, and they share with us out of their own goodwill. We use and try these things at our own risk. It's printed in big red letters at the top of most ROM threads these days, for good reason
With the onset of the 'smartphone revolution', it's amazing to read through a 50-page thread and watch how many people ask for each and every feature in a 'CWM flashable zip' because they can't, or won't, read through a few pages, or even do a search. I'd wager a fair few wouldn't even know what a Command Prompt or Fastboot was. These kids are flashing whatever looks 'cool' to their devices without so much as a clue to what it does (other than OMG an extra 0.1GHz! - example only), then expecting everyone else to pull them out of the **** when it goes pear-shaped ('I need flashable zip for...'), and having a bit of a go if something doesn't work, rather than sitting back and waiting for it to get past version 0.1.
I have great sympathy for Developers today, as they don't have a hope in Hell of keeping on top of this, nor keeping up with the ridiculous demands.
Even if we make a donation, it does not entitle us to any more support than the regular user who just hits the 'Thanks' button, or even just silently downloads and uses. It's called a donation for a reason. This is a community based on goodwill and sharing, although some days it certainly doesn't look that way.
I've bored you long enough Thankyou for asking the question and giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts. Remember, the Developers are the lifeblood of this community, and (thankfully) bad eggs among them are quite rare.
Take care.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem, always nice to know others thoughts on an idea.
There are the dedicated devs who do spend vast amounts of time on their work and everyone (most everyone anyway) are quite appreciative of it. I'm more concerned with devs, whether new or old, just maybe responding. Not just toward reasonable (or ludicrous) requests but just a general question. I wouldn't look for them to respond to everyone who does ask something though, they would be there for days.
I'm just trying to port a recovery for my phone and cannot get a response from any of those respected and revered devs that have done all the work on those recoveries. I've done my fair share of Googling and asking around here and still have not been able to make any progress on it. There was one member who has been lending a hand but other than him, I haven't gotten any other responses.
It sounded like the first post was more about app devs and the second was about rom devs...
I was just talking about devs in general, not any specific kind. Could be ROMs, could be Apps, people will still ask for more and more and pester until they get what they want or until the developer gets fed up and: makes the changes, stops responding, or gets run off.
I'd like to start a movement...
Android's openness is a double-edged sword. Too often many devs (sadly most Android devs) seem to omit any sort of design when it comes to their apps. Doesn't matter if the app is amazing, or horrid, the design is far too often hideous.
Due to the lack of an approval process we become that approval process. We tell them what's good, what's bad, and what needs to be modified. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to happen enough and a lot of apps have old Android 1.0 looking icons and UI/UXs or simply horrendous everything visual.
I try my best to tell however many devs I can that they need to up the quality of their apps...I often reference examples in the market that show a dev who gets it. And while the number of great looking apps is skyrocketing a lot of ugly apps still persist...way too many.
So, I'd like to start a movement...a sort of motivational movement...advice...even help...
you don't need to be a dev, or a designer...just a person who understands the difference between a good looking app and an ugly/could be better app.
After that all you'd need to do is inform the dev of the issues and simply hope for the best. lol
We can't force the dev's to change their designs...but we can offer advice, help, tips...etc.
PS...Apps that look like iPhone apps are deemed BAD APPS...Android design paradigm allows for great looking apps that in no way mimic the look of an iPhone app...
I'm a designer as well and I feel good about my accomplishments thus far. I'm trying to learn more about developing for android so that I can make a difference in terms of aesthetically pleasing applications for the platform. Would be cool to work with a current developer on a program from start to finish.
chrisdarwin said:
I'm a designer as well and I feel good about my accomplishments thus far. I'm trying to learn more about developing for android so that I can make a difference in terms of aesthetically pleasing applications for the platform. Would be cool to work with a current developer on a program from start to finish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I need to brush up on interface design...oddly I can design a web page with ease but when it comes to smaller scale designs I struggle...I "paint with a broad brush" so to speak.
but yea. I'm willing to help as well...so any devs in the NY/Northern NJ area if you need help on an application from start to finish let me know.
Also I hope this thread can catch on...Android needs help...and we are the ones who can help.
Don't let this thread die. It's kind of important.
of course no one cares.
This is a great idea. I think the Android community as a whole lacks in the design department. Just look at the users' screenshots.
Hear hear!
@AbsoluteDesignz, I'm not sure if you've given up on this movement or not due to apparent lack of interest, but I for one totally agree with you. I suggest you stir up interest by posting in the threads of users who clearly DO see the difference between good looking and ugly apps/UIs/UXs. Such threads include:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=476483
and
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=990233.
In either of these threads you'll find the work of many themers and other skillful end users who go to lengths to ensure their devices look as good as they work.
Hope this helps.
I think there is no motivation for devs to make good-looking apps because they get more money on iOS than the open Android. Many users think - why buy app if you can just download it from blackmarket or find apk online?
I wrote about it here: LINK
Does anyone know more about the background - from the twitter account it seems like just a general run-down and a disappointing community.
Other developers on here feel the same?
I'd love to get comments from some of the developers on here, if that is the case.
I'm not a developer but did read this already on a posting at Google+.
But you are right, moving into that direction would be very bad.
Some people think they can be rude because they stay anonymous.
Its something that happens more and more these days on the internet.
I realize it's impossible - there are 12 year olds who probably run rampant.
Seems like there is SOMETHING that can be done.
I'm as Pro-Android as they come. But at times it feels like starting a relationship with a beautiful boy/girl only to find they come with a sack load of emotional baggage.
Here's my take on it: http://andgamesdevblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/android-culture-its-own-worst-enemy.html
I am far from giving up (thick skinned) but there is a real troll culture growing and needs to be stomped out. Anonymity has it's uses but, as with everything else, has its drawbacks. What we need is troll hunters!
Paul
(aka Strangemoo)
I have seen that there are some stupid comments on the market... But not so extreme as to take down your app...
Some users is just plain stupid... I'm from Denmark, so a lot of the comments are in danish... But that devs are many times foreign and really don't look or understand the comments... But a lot of them complain about pathetic things like no app 2 sd or that some function suddenly's gone instead of just writing the dev an email about the issue and giving the app the respect it deserves... 1/5 rating is a lot of the times not justified...
Just my 2-cents...
I'm sorry but this is a silly and immature move by the developer. Receiving negative feedback, dealing with trolls and idiotic users that don't understand technology are fundamental assumptions of the internet, just like not giving out your passwords or helping Nigerian princes get their money out of Africa.
I loved ShootMe and used it for our screenshots, but I don't have a lot of empathy for people that empower others to control how they feel.
Wrote about this a few weeks back: http://www.androidstatic.com/what-shootme-removed-from-the-android-market
I work in IT support and one of the things I have to support is phones. It blows my mind how many 10-12 year old kids have nicer phones than I do because their rich mommy and daddys think their precious little angels needs the latest and greatest smart phones. I went over to a client's office a couple of months ago and he had 3 brand new Droid 2s for his kids, ranging from 10-14.
Point of all this?
In this day and age, there are so many rude little kids with nice phones all over these forums, its amazing to me anyone sticks around. Im over 40 and was raised in a different time than these self entitled children I see around here that want everything now, for free and want you to do it for them.
I cant blame the guy for leaving. A lot of times I wish I could go live on an island somewhere where I didnt have to deal with people because most of them suck.
s15274n said:
I wrote about it here: LINK
Does anyone know more about the background - from the twitter account it seems like just a general run-down and a disappointing community.
Other developers on here feel the same?
I'd love to get comments from some of the developers on here, if that is the case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not a developer, but I was a ShootMe user on my EVO 4G. When it received the upgrade to Gingerbread, the app stopped working. The developer never replied to my email and from reading comments on Market didn't reply to anyone.
He did finally released a new version of ShootMe, but you had to have a computer to use it. Also everytime your reboot your phone, you had to sync everytime with your computer.
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D using Tapatalk
Welcome to the "masses".
Want a better experience? Go smaller. Dev for Windows Phone, or Web OS, or RIM.
Once something becomes part of the main stream, you'll see the d-bags start rolling in. Even something like xda can be tarnished once it "gets too big". There is hardly a day that goes by where I don't read a thread here that doesn't make me shake my head. This used to be a highly technical forum, back when every devices was htc and running windows mobile.
The only thing that can really be done, is to work with a smaller, more appreciative community. I doubt you would get very many jerk off comments from a Windows Phone user, they are happy to get whatever they can.
All very good points. I wish I had put a little into my thoughts before typing that up - dev's need to be tougher AND respond to people.
s15274n said:
All very good points. I wish I had put a little into my thoughts before typing that up - dev's need to be tougher AND respond to people.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As a android developer IMHO the android community is as bad as they come. Xda for example used to be a place of collaboration. Currently its a place where maybe .1% do dev, .9% appreciate the development and try to help, 99% ether complain or say nothing at all. Whether the development is for free or profite(which I won't evev get into here) how is a developer supposed to work off of that? Users would rather right a comment blasting a developer who has literally spent days of his life on some product without even attempting to resolve the issue themselves.
I'm not saying some complaints are not warranted, just saying flip the coin around and its not so hard to understand the developers standpoint.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
There is no denying that there is frustration on both sides. This frustration seems to stem from expectation, communication and control.
The developer expects their customers to be civil.
The users expects the developers to devote anything between some to all of their resources/free time building/making their products better.
Both are unreasonable expectations if you think about it.
Civility can only be maintained in a mediated environment - the Android Market seems only concerned about brand and copyright issues. Google seems to think that it's ok to put its developer behind chicken-wire with lights in their eyes whilst their customers are free to hurl beer bottles at them. Dealing with anony-trolls is time consuming and offputting.
Developers range from teenagers with spare time on their hands up to multi-million dollar development studios. I, myself, am a father of three, I work a full week (we've got to eat!) and I code when time permits. Even though I respond to every request put to my apps, if you think that I'm going to compromise the balance of other areas of my life to put in a bug fix - think again. Sure, some of the more effluent businesses can throw more resources into a project, but just bare in mind that most of us are just people and not doormats. Respect and encouragement is all it takes to make the market a happy place. Flaming just ruins things for all (on both sides).
Communication between devs and end users is and most likely always will be a bit of a sticking point. The fact that everyone has their own opinions, likes, dislikes kind of makes it obvious that there will never be an app with 100% 5 stars. Even the most popular apps on the market have ratings across the board. Though, admittedly, some of the low grades may be down to trolling - but some of them will be genuine. Communication takes time. From a user, it may take a couple of minutes out of their day. For the dev, they may have hundreds a day to deal with. This takes them away from the development that the mail is probably asking for!
A user doesn't, and should never have control over the developer. They should, however, be able to request, beg, plead *nicely*. If they get frustrated then they should remember the phrase 'you get what you pay for'. The developer doesn't get any money when you bought your phone - so don't think they have any obligation to give you something for nothing. If it's a paid app, then the developer is saying 'yes, I'll support it.' That's fair sport.
The developer should have some control over their customers in the sense that a shopkeeper can choose who they let in their shops. Unfortunately they have none. They can't even moderate the comments on the market. I've had a 'GAY - Pointless, uninstall' (his words, not mine) on a free app downloaded 12,000 times and has a 4* rating. I can't do anything about it. It always appears when people go to the page. This individual has hurt my app and me without provocation. I didn't ask anything from them. Fortunately, the following message pointed out that the 'Pointless' user was an idiot (thanks XZombie), hopefully it will negate some of the damage. We're completely at the mercy of the masses, and being a relatively new dev, it's a scary place to be!
It's a shame that the most influential party in all of this is hiding behind a wall of silence.
If you're interested - I'm keeping a track of my experience of Android development. The link is in my earlier post.
Paul
Strangemoo
Paul, I do agree with you to a point. But I'm not sure if I like about developers editing comments. But I do see what you mean about people leaving dumb comments for an app that does work.
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D using Tapatalk
Katt,
I don't suggest developers could edit comments - that would make the process equally pointless, as devs can put all of the 'nice' things they want in the description anyway. Sorry if I implied otherwise.
Devs should be able to either remove, request for removal or even block the rogue elements. At present, we have to just live with the insults with no way to disprove their claims. Even a 'troll flag' would be an improvement - to show other users that the dev disagrees with the comment.
All accountability is on the devs whereas trolls can run freely.
Do any other devs out there agree with me on this? Others may have had a much more dealings with such than I have.
Cheers,
Paul
IMO if google was smart they would allow for a limited ammount(% of total) of "submissions" of there comments to a third party(google). If they are found outlandish they can be removed.
My 2 cents lol. I can say as a dev of a few apps on the market I have gotten rediculous comments n 1 stars b4. I mean if they are justified that's a different thing entirely. But my 1 stars are disproportionally higher then the trend of the others. Which proves one thing...
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
This is an honestly great thread. Good initiative to |OP|
Taking down an app just because of a few nasty comments is just
childish and quite frankly pathetic.
Seems that developer has chucked his toys out the pram, if he does
decide to release it again who is going to trust such a developer?
I know I wouldn't use the app again, seeing as he's stuck 2 fingers up
to loyal users and the whole android community all because of a small
minority of people.
The whole thing stinks of the guy thinking he is above any kind of bad
feedback, obviously a developer that doesn't listen to the users of his
app and a developer that turns his back at the drop of a hat.
I'm sure he will be missed... Not
Ps. there are better screenshot apps out there
I agree with your comment. Though I am not a dev. I have experience working in the retail end of software. This is a I want it now society, folks forget that they got this software/app for free and as soon as they have a little issue they fly off the deep end cussing out the maker/distribitor of the product. Anyhow like you said you get what you pay for.LIke in my IT course in school my book said "check the dummy behind the keyboard" anyhow thanks for the great apps i use the time flies app.
If a dev dropped his customers because of a couple of snide comments then, yeah, I'd agree with you.
But was that the case for ShootMe?
Before we start flinging hooks around here, wouldn't it be more productive to actually find out what happened first.
I may be proven wrong here, but the guy must've been given some serious grief to take such a newsworthy action.
In fact, that's not been mentioned - it could be media storming. Drum up enough publicity and come back blazing. Only time will tell on that one.
At the end of the day, it's his property. And if he makes a lot of people unhappy that's his prerogative. The reason he's giving though are indeed a real issue the community needs to address.
The plot thickens.
(Glad you like Times Flies! You're most welcome)
Paul
I've noticed that the flavor of a community will vary a lot by device. The Captivate community seems to be generally good and helpful for the most part, but I've heard horror stories of ungratefulness and rudeness about communities around other devices. It may be the same sort of thing with different varieties of apps. If people feel like an app performs a function they deserve outright, they may be less inclined to courtesy and more inclined to selfish expectation.
Recently I decided to start online school this coming January . With my work schedule, ( 12 hour swing shifts ) it's pretty much the only way possible. I wanted to go into computer programming. It was brought to my attention recently that, that is a skill better self taught. And that there are more lucrative diplomas in college to peruse. So my question is, what are yaw opinions on what is best ? More financially promising, or get my foot in the door to self teach more to do with software. Im new to this site and am not trying to cross the boundary between what is allowed and personal gain. I've talked to alot of people I consider intelligent, and am basically seeking a last turn of advice. Feel free to p.m me and discuss anything. From internet security to software development, all the way to another door I met not have considered . Any advice is appreciated.
Whyaintyoudeadyet said:
Recently I decided to start online school this coming January . With my work schedule, ( 12 hour swing shifts ) it's pretty much the only way possible. I wanted to go into computer programming. It was brought to my attention recently that, that is a skill better self taught. And that there are more lucrative diplomas in college to peruse. So my question is, what are yaw opinions on what is best ? More financially promising, or get my foot in the door to self teach more to do with software. Im new to this site and am not trying to cross the boundary between what is allowed and personal gain. I've talked to alot of people I consider intelligent, and am basically seeking a last turn of advice. Feel free to p.m me and discuss anything. From internet security to software development, all the way to another door I met not have considered . Any advice is appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
This is a really interesting question, you're not crossing any boundaries, you've posted at the right place.
So you're considering attending college courses online, to finally get a diploma and a job if I'm correct.
To me, it is true that programming is "better" self-taught, and this is what XDA is all about. And by self taught I mean that you can browse YouTube for content creators that'll explain your very well, or much better than some ****ty school that make you pay 10 grands and don't know how to teach anything.
But if you're searching a job, you'll have a lot less chances if you self-teach, because what a company wants are guarantees: a diploma, and if you compete for the job with two other guy with degrees, you'll be in a delicate situation. So if you want a job, it would be better to attend college courses.
And for the job choice, it's up to you, what do you want to dedicate your life to? If you chose to study Computer Science, you'll make it your job. If you self teach, you'll be considered like an "amateur", and less chances to find a job. There are always more lucrative options, but you won't be happy making a job you don't like.
Hope this helped. Good luck