On Fri, Aug 20, 2010 at 4:56 PM, Phill Wiggin <ala...@gmail.com> wrote:
> No one (recently) is arguing that we couldn't use more space. We're > discussing how to live with it and why it shouldn't be a big deal if your > description is targeted properly. > No no no. People are not discussing how to live it - people have been arguing that the shorter descriptions are a good thing. > But I'd dearly love a "changelog" section.... Who couldn't use one of >> those? =) >> > > >> Not me ... I have a website for that ... I wouldn't want to "overload" the >> "typical user" with "too much technical information" ... >=) >> > > Droll. Very droll. What's the first thing that people do when an app comes > up as 'available for update'? Everyone I've asked (techie and non-techie > alike) says "So, what's changed this time?" Thus, changelog is a happy > thing for everyone (that I've asked). > Which is easily remedied by showing a change log right in the app when they update so users see what they got. No need for a market section, really. > You are thinking like a tech/developer and that IS BAD MARKETING... >> > > >> I AM a tech/developer! I'm also a user of the Android Market and I HATE >> seeing blit.ly links in the description, etc, etc. >> > > But what you're not seeing is that 99+% (a number pulled out of my rear, of > course) of Market users are _not_ developers. > I'm aware of that. > What *you* love or hate is immaterial to the "best" manner in which to > use your 325 (or 325k) characters. > True. I was citing one example. > If you had your 100% best TreKing-approved (developer-friendly) description > on the Market, it'd be targeted at < 1% of the user-base. > At no point have I said anything about HOW descriptions should be put together. Again, you're confusing the OPTION for "longer" with "technical". I am in no way, and have not at any point, suggested that descriptions would benefit from overly-verbose, technical details. > What we've been trying to say is that level of detail would alienate an > awful lot of people and we (at least I) posit that the number you'd lose > from information overload would far outweigh those you'd gain from having > all that info up front. > And what I'm trying to say is that bumping up the measly 325 character limit IN NO WAY implies that a developer would add a "level of detail" to "alienate people". You can still be concise and to the point with 400, 500, or 600 characters, can't you? The points that I (and others) have been trying to make are: > > 1) We're trying to help you to see that you're not looking at this from a > "typical" user's perspective, and if you don't, "your" (read: typical) app > uptake may suffer. (Yes, yours apparently are doing quite well.... *With*the > 325character limit. It sounds to me like more characters could only > *hurt* your apps! ;)) > 1a) You're looking at the market through a developer bias. Most people > don't look at it that way. > You're assuming that I would use this extra space to write a technical document. I just want to be able to list a few more features that I think would appeal to many people and would be the reason they would purchase the app. Trust me, the stuff I have to leave out would only help m apps. I just want that OPTION. Why won't you let me have it ;-( > 2) I never claimed we couldn't do with more space. I was just saying that > we can make do with what we have if we have to. > Of course we can. That's not a point people are trying to make though - that we can do with what we have if we have to. People are saying we SHOULDN'T have more room which simply makes no sense. > 3) We've been trying to explain this to you through analogy... Sadly, > rather than recognizing parallels, you've focused on the specific ways they > differ. Things don't have to be completely the same to be able to have > enough similarities that they are relevant as points of comparison. > No, they don't, but they have to be similar enough to make the point. And sorry but I'm still failing to see any good analogy here. Here's a better analogy for you: eBay. A marketplace where people can sell stuff, users can browser for stuff, compare products, and buy stuff. This more closely resembles the Android Marketplace in general than an iPad or "consumer products" in general. If you sell on eBay you have no limit on how you describe / promote / sell you product. It's up to you to grab the attention of the user, clearly communicate what you're selling, and get the user interested enough to buy what you're selling. Yes? OK, now pretend eBay imposed a 325 character limit on what you post. And pretend you were trying to sell, say a gaming computer. Are you going to sit here and tell me you feel you could adequately sell this item by using "buzz words" and "clever marketing" in your description instead of a list of what's included in the product and how good it runs? This discussion has gotten rather nebulous. Let's bring it back to basics. > You primarily seem to be saying: > > "I want to be able to have > 325 Characters in order to throw more > information at people. > Whether I provide too much information should be my choice. > My apps will sink or swim based on my decisions." > Change "in order to throw more information at people" to "in order better describe and promote my app" and you've got it about right. And you seem to be saying "An arbitrary limit of 325 characters is sufficient to describe any app. If you can't adequately market your product in this space, you're doing something wrong. I know how all users think and the small descriptions is what they want. I know better, trust me, so all developers should do as I think, no need for any freedom or options. Marketing principles used in selling products that have no restrictions work just as well with restrictions in place." You know what? No one's disagreeing with you. > You could have fooled me! On Fri, Aug 20, 2010 at 5:00 PM, Brad Gies <rbg...@gmail.com> wrote: > I'm just trying to explain a concept to you that seems to be going right > over your head. > And what concept would that be? > I'm not trying to get into specifics. It's the concept that is important. > You need to understand it, then apply it to your specific situation. Sorry > you don't seem to understand :). > I'm sorry too. I don't understand you, but I also think you don't understand the simple concept *I* am trying to get across. Developers should have the option. That's it. I don't give a damn what makes for good marketing. THAT'S NOT THE POINT. I'm sorry you don't seem to grasp that. > I don't care if you don't listen.... it makes very little difference to my > life. > We agree on something! > BUT.. I do know marketing. I'm 55 years old and I have successfully > marketed 8 different companies with 8 different products. I have been named > "Entrepreneur of the year" by a couple of different local groups, have won a > "Franchisee of the Year" award from a very successful U.S. based national > company, and that was mostly because of my marketing. The award was based > mainly on increase in sales. I once raised over $7 million in venture > capital for one of my start up companies because of my marketing abilities. > I do know what I'm talking about (at least on this subject). > And I'm sure all the products you marketed were limited to 325 character each, right? And you had no other resources at your disposal to do all this marketing right? You did it all with 325 characters, two screenshots, and some savvy? Like I said... I don't care if you listen or not... just trying to explain > the concept from someone who has been very successful marketing. > You've still not explained the concept you're referring to. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
