Hacker News Reader

I wanted to work there after I saw the docs. Now I work on the docs and libraries at Twilio :)

I'm sorry you ran into the issue with Twilio. I'm in the position now where I can find and fix all of these issues so hopefully you won't see that happen again. If you email me your shirt size and address, I'll try to make it up to you. jsheehan@twilio.com

johnson I quit my high-paying job to follow my dream of launching a startup. Here it is.

In the 36 hours after being on the home page the site had 13.5K visitors, 18K visits.

johnson Make HTTP requests from your browser

Hurl.it was originally created by Chris Wanstranth and Leah Culver at the 2009 Rails Rumble. We (Twilio) just took over maintenance of the project because it has some obvious utility when testing URL callbacks and webhooks. We want to make some improvements to it, so if you have any ideas or suggestions, I'd love to hear them. You can post them here or create an issue on the current home of the project on Github: https://github.com/twilio/hurl

And you can follow @hurlit for updates

johnson Make HTTP requests from your browser

A pull request or issue created on https://github.com/twilio/hurl would be fantastic :)

johnson Make HTTP requests from your browser

Thanks for the report, can you put this into the issues list on https://github.com/twilio/hurl?

johnson Make HTTP requests from your browser

No need to pay, we (Twilio) are now actively maintaining it and going to be adding some new features. Common templates exists (not documented) yet. You can put values in URL parameters and the fields will autopopulate effectively giving you URL-based templates. Responses are already saved, click the permalink to get back to them later.

If you have any other feedback items, feel free to post them here or on https://github.com/twilio/hurl and we'll take a look at them. Pull requests are even better.

johnson Show HN: Scrollorama

Excellent landing page. Epitomizes "show, don't tell"

johnson SOPA Opponents May Go Nuclear

Hopefully the threat is enough. If I'm Google I'm strategically going to leak out plans (memos, design mocks, etc) for a blackout to see if it makes a difference without actually having to do it. They just have to be ready to back it up if it's not enough.

johnson Show HN: The Honeybadger

Email someone there and offer to include their logo and a link in exchange for a higher limit. API limits are almost always negotiable.

johnson GMAIL: Send a personalized Phone Call from Santa

We have, and we're working to make it better. For something like this you could use any engine you want as long as it generates wav or mp3 files.

johnson GMAIL: Send a personalized Phone Call from Santa

wink wink twilio.com

johnson Productizing Twilio Applications

We just added full support for SMS in Canada[0], have local voice-enabled numbers in the UK, many more European countries on the way[1] and international SMS in beta[2]. If we're not where you need us, most likely we're working hard to be there as soon as it's possible.

If you have a phone number you want to use to make calls from in a country we don't offer local numbers, you can verify it to use as a caller ID then call to any of our supported countries[3].

[0] http://www.twilio.com/CA/pricing [1] http://www.twilio.com/eu-beta-signup [2] http://www.twilio.com/faq/international [3] http://www.twilio.com/pricing/international-calling-rates

johnson Tell HN: You can have 80% of my startup for $1

If someone wants to take this on, but defer the billing for the Twilio usage to the end user, this would make a great candidate for Twilio Connect (http://www.twilio.com/api/connect)

johnson The Techcrunch Embargo

Yes. It's very common for blogs and press outlets to ask for exclusives with a deadline at which it expires (embargo). If you want their coverage, you agree to their terms. Or if you have your act together, you set your terms, pitch it and have back up plans if they don't accept.

johnson The Techcrunch Embargo

Welcome to the PR game. Embargoes are part of it. If you don't like this, find someone else to run PR for your company or at the very least, find someone with a lot of experience to advise you on how things work.

As hackers we're idealistic about how things work, expecting the world to follow logical patterns. But trust me, the press does not work remotely close to how one would hope. If you cannot stomach that, outsource it.

For TechCrunch, don't let them set the embargo time. Set one yourself, offer it to them as an exclusive. If they pass it up, move on. If they don't run it at the time you set, have a back up plan in place. TC will not make or break you. Do not allow yourself to be at their mercy. They have way more experience than you do. Act like you belong and control your own destiny.

johnson Phil Haack is leaving Microsoft - will all the remaining coolness go with him?

Per the site guidelines, please do not editorialize titles. Flagged

johnson Finally, a Markdown editor for Windows

A friend of mine who knows these guys got me an early preview and I was impressed with the speed of the Live Preview.

Now to be a Debbie Downer, if you have VS installed, this addon is pretty good http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/0855e23e-4c4c-...

johnson The Dropbox API

Before the redesign they had a page that explained the API is not for desktop client use, only mobile and web apps. I can't find the new equivalent, but maybe I'm missing something.

For mobile you can embed the key and secret, because they only work in combination with someone authenticating their account to use your app https://www.dropbox.com/developers/start/authentication#ios

johnson Starting is easy. Finishing is hard. Finish something at Finish Weekend.

How do we get in touch to sponsor? Or feel free to get in touch. jsheehan@twilio.com

johnson List.js

I would say that a working example on the home page should be required.

johnson New HTTP Codes

You can return any content type you want and you should use content negotiation to return the type the client is expecting. The HTML descriptions are only suggestions.

johnson Startup Ideas We'd Be Willing To Pay For

HA. You would know ;) http://www.swaglove.com/ Is the closest I've seen.

johnson Startup Ideas We'd Be Willing To Pay For

Swag as a service: http://www.swaglove.com/ (Boulder-based startup)

johnson Considerations When Planning Endpoints for your RESTful API

Routing on the path is trivial for many different proxies.

johnson Stop asking me for my phone number

I think we've got enough people that have emailed me interested that this problem is going to be solved soon.

johnson Stop asking me for my phone number

I will give anyone here that wants to do this a boat load of Twilio credit to get started. Email me jsheehan@twilio.com

johnson Python Requests: HTTP for Humans

  - It's too low level for quick stuff
  - It handles HTTP basic auth wrong
  - It throws an exception, AN EXCEPTION, for any response that isn't 2xx
  - Async is an ugly mess
  - In love with streams
  - Horribly inconsistent across framework profiles
  - ServicePointManager.Expect100Continue
  - Inconsistent header handling and restrictions
  - Terrible cookie API

johnson Python Requests: HTTP for Humans

No, no it's not. (Http)WebRequest IS AWFUL. I built RestSharp because HWR is so bad. WebClient is closer to requests, but still horribly awful if you know anything about HTTP.

The new System.Net.Http.HttpClient in .NET 4.5 is closer to Requests and not entirely bad, if a little rigid.

johnson A reboot of PHP: keep the philosophy, improve the syntax with the jvm

ASP.NET Web Pages/WebMatrix is pretty close to what you describe. Nice syntax with Razor and full .NET framework access with some shortcuts added on.