Ask HN: Beautiful and Innovative Windows Apps?
4 comments
Hey,
Good question indeed. I've been looking for some stunning and innovative Windows software for quite some time too.
Most of them are either from the Mac platform like OmmWriter or where created from the beginning to be X-platform like Tweetdeck, Evernote or Wunderlist. However, some still exist such as Windroplr, Xobni, Hamster Zip,etc.
the main thing is that on the Windows platform there is no strict graphic guideline like on Mac. So most of the less graphical skilled developers end up maybe coding a great software but with no UIX whatsoever thus creating a "crappy" application.
Also, the business models of software distribution on the windows platform are not prone to create quality software. You ever go Freeware with Toolbar & crapware to monetize your application which piss off your consumers or go with a trial version.
In the trial model, to differentiate their software and force the users to buy it, the developers piles up on useless features, that end up making the application more complicate to use. The perfect example are all the "Pc optimiser" and "Media converter" out there on the Windows platform... They basically all do the same thing with a crappy UI :(
Finally, to mass distribute them, they don't use fancy homepage like on mac ( see Panic.com for a good example ) they go to the download.com and softonic.com which are filled with advertising and fake download buttons. This also lower the overall perceived quality of windows Software.
/Shameless Plug
All this is something we noticed here at Allmyapps. We're a French Startup that build a Windows App Store that help users discover beautiful and useful app and also manage their apps in one click like on their mobile phone. We do this through our website at http://allmyapps.com and our Desktop client.
So Windows and Web app developers, hit us up if you want to distribute your app on our platform, It's free to add your app on our store and shouldn't takes more then 5 minutes to submit it. Http://developers.allmyapps.com
As always feedback is much appreciated :)
Cheers!
Good question indeed. I've been looking for some stunning and innovative Windows software for quite some time too.
Most of them are either from the Mac platform like OmmWriter or where created from the beginning to be X-platform like Tweetdeck, Evernote or Wunderlist. However, some still exist such as Windroplr, Xobni, Hamster Zip,etc.
the main thing is that on the Windows platform there is no strict graphic guideline like on Mac. So most of the less graphical skilled developers end up maybe coding a great software but with no UIX whatsoever thus creating a "crappy" application.
Also, the business models of software distribution on the windows platform are not prone to create quality software. You ever go Freeware with Toolbar & crapware to monetize your application which piss off your consumers or go with a trial version.
In the trial model, to differentiate their software and force the users to buy it, the developers piles up on useless features, that end up making the application more complicate to use. The perfect example are all the "Pc optimiser" and "Media converter" out there on the Windows platform... They basically all do the same thing with a crappy UI :(
Finally, to mass distribute them, they don't use fancy homepage like on mac ( see Panic.com for a good example ) they go to the download.com and softonic.com which are filled with advertising and fake download buttons. This also lower the overall perceived quality of windows Software.
/Shameless Plug
All this is something we noticed here at Allmyapps. We're a French Startup that build a Windows App Store that help users discover beautiful and useful app and also manage their apps in one click like on their mobile phone. We do this through our website at http://allmyapps.com and our Desktop client.
So Windows and Web app developers, hit us up if you want to distribute your app on our platform, It's free to add your app on our store and shouldn't takes more then 5 minutes to submit it. Http://developers.allmyapps.com
As always feedback is much appreciated :)
Cheers!
IMO whats beautifully designed is a very subjective concept. Because most designers and generally people that associate with tech use Apple and follow Apple design guidelines, just about everything Apple does is considered beautiful. Because everything Apple does is considered beautiful, both designers and fans that utilize Apple guidelines consider this beautiful as well.
True, and you can almost reverse this statement and use Microsoft instead of Apple, and most would agree with it as well :)
That said, there still is so much more dev activity on Macs and mobile than Windows, now, it's incredible. Very frustrating as a Windows user...
That said, there still is so much more dev activity on Macs and mobile than Windows, now, it's incredible. Very frustrating as a Windows user...
Thirteen23 is still making some beautifully designed programs, but oddly enough, most of them can't be downloaded from their site. If they really wanted to, they could definately take the PC world by storm with innovative apps. Not sure why they aren't...
http://thirteen23.com/index.html
http://thirteen23.com/index.html
TapType: http://taptype.me/
That does look nice if you have a Windows tablet. Thanks for sharing!
That's not to say there aren't any, it's just that they're rarer. So, have you seen any new Windows programs that are beautifully designed, innovative, and simple to use? Something you'd be excited to use?
One I can add is OmmWriter. It's a beautiful writing app that finally found it's way to the PC over from Macs, and I really enjoy it on my PC. Any others you know of, please share!