Hacker News Reader

Comment by i386 | Hacker News Reader

I wrote Hackernews for Mac. Feel free to ask me questions :)

EDIT: Quick shout out to Grant Paul who built the fantastic newsyc app for iOS (http://newsyc.me) which this is partly based on and inspired from.

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It seems to require 10.8 and above! Haven't gotten around to updating my OS. Regardless, just looking at the screen shot I really like the color scheme and design. If you don't mind, here is a shameless link to a simple Chrome Extension for Hacker News I made: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/programming-news/g...

It uses NSSharingService to provide sharing via Twitter/Facebook/iMessage/etc which is a 10.8 API. I could provide you a binary without those bits for you to try - ping me at james.w.dumay@gmail.com

I like the app a lot. I wrote down a bunch of my basic questions I had after using the app in a top-level comment.

Suffice to say, I'm keeping it. I'll keep the praise to this comment and the questions to the other ;). I like how simple it is and true to the theme.

Why does it not support anything lower than Mountain Lion?

Uses the Sharing Service APIs that were introduced in ML. Ill work on some way to roll out a different version for =< 10.7 users.

You don’t need a separate version, you can check for available features at runtime:

https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/devel...

http://www.cocoawithlove.com/2009/09/building-for-earlier-os...

Ill check that out :)

I really like the app so far. A few feature ideas - adding a preference to load the story or comments first. That might fit in a bit better with some people's workflows of looking at the comments first.

Also - I found myself wanting some "read/unread" feature of the story column. I'd love to know if I've already seen a story or not.

Keep up the good work. I assume you plan to sell this on the App Store?

Thank you :)

Seeing the comments first is a popular request so Ill try todo that one soon.

Grant Paul (of the newsyc iOS app) and I were discussing making all the read/unread state work via iCloud so the iOS and Mac apps sync up nicely but we haven't agreed on it just yet.

Yes, I am planning to sell this on the AppStore when its in a state I'm happy with. I'm thinking of making it free and make Readability/Instapaper/etc functionality an In App Purchace.

I think you're on to something there. I've always thought apps that are enhancement experiences of websites that are free struggle to stand on their own. I think a free app supported by in app purchases of features the website can't match is spot on. Keep up the good work!

EDIT: just pushed a update that allows you to view comments first. Check for updates via the Application menu or by restarting the app.

fyi, ReadItLater is now called [Pocket](http://getpocket.com/blog/2012/04/introducing-the-all-new-re...).

Also, any chance of an alternate ui like [Skim HN](http://www.skimhn.com)

I didn't realise they had renamed so thanks for pointing it out. Could you tell me a few things you like about Skim HN?

I like the categories that created via filters. Try clicking edit on Skim HN. It drills down into HN than just the front page. Also, the lessmeme.com is a filter for excluding links that are also were on Techmeme.

It'll be cool to have some filtering capabilities in a native HN application. As much as I like the HTML & web, I also like using native OS X apps.

Very nice work. Clean, simple UI and I love how you managed the article vs comments views.

Thank you :)

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