On Fri, Aug 20, 2010 at 3:43 AM, Natalie Hooper < [email protected]> wrote:
> Fundamentally, it seems that we want the same thing but we have a totally > different approach to the problem. You just want a space where you can write > it all and as we are already provided with a description field, your > reasoning is that if this field had no length limit, you could put it all in > there, and this is true, this would solve your problem. > No, not quite. I don't want to write a thesis in the description field and include everything I could possibly think of to write about an app. I don't think this space should be unlimited, I just think that 325 characters is woefully inadequate to not only DESCRIBE an app, but to PROMOTE it. It is hard enough getting users to your app to begin with considering the joke of search the Market has and the flood of spam. Once users are actually on your page, you have 325 characters (and two screenshots, don't get me started on that) to convince them to even try your app. Without that extra space I have to omit key features that might be the determining factor in people giving my app a try. Again, I can describe the app, sure, but I cannot completely communicate to a user why they should use my app over other similar apps with such few words. That extra stuff, technical notes (which I think is so vague it wouldn't really serve the purpose you think it should), changelog, etc. would be nice too, but fairly pointless if people aren't even giving your app a try. Not to mention the fact that if we had these extra fields, but were still limited to 325 characters in the description, you're pretty much guaranteeing that people will use that extra space to continue to list features (much like people have started to hack the versionName string). > So things like tagging, while undoubtedly more difficult to implement, > would help with searching, and sleekiness, for me, has a lot to do with > consistency across the store, hence my reluctance for the description field > to be used for anything besides description. > Currently the description field can be used for whatever you want. Look at 10 different apps and you see them use the space in 10 different ways. There is no consistency anyway, so why not bump up that count a notch and give people the option? And if we had "technical notes", for example, you will probably use it one way and I another and the next guy yet another. I would argue that having multiple fields would actually lead to more inconsistency. Whether you have one long description field to work with, or 5 different fields that are *supposed* to serve specific purposes, in the end these will basically be spaces a developer can put whatever string they want. To me, the simplest and easiest thing to do is to make one field with a generous length that developers can use as they wish, rather then making various fields with no guarantee that they'll be used as intended (and they probably won't). Bumping up the character limit should take about 5 seconds and we would all benefit immediately. Adding more fields is more work with the UI and backend changes that would be required but not much more (if any) gain. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TreKing <http://sites.google.com/site/rezmobileapps/treking> - Chicago transit tracking app for Android-powered devices -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
