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TinyBE Feedback
Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 6:49 am
by Peter Kelly
Hi,
I am developing a short-url service called
tinybe.com. I have got the basic principle sorted out and that works. I also have a simple design completed with a logo coming within the next week hopefully. I am in the middle of finishing off an API for it, possible adding ajax to the front form and also adding a few more minor features.
Once that is done I will have completed what I call the first phase. I was just hoping you could suggest some ideas for features while keeping the site simple and how to improve the design and usability.
Many Thanks
Re: TinyBE Feedback
Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 3:53 pm
by pickle
- The "Shorten URL" button is a pixel or two shorter than the textfield. It also looks just like the textfield. It should look like a button.
- Loading the page should auto-focus on the textfield. What could also be cool is if you looked in the clipboard & found a URL, auto place it in the textfield.
- The first thing I noticed was how prominent the "Created by..." line was. Adding to it's prominence is the fact that the page is extremely simple. Try making the font smaller and lighter in colour, and changing the link colour from the default, to something more matching the colour scheme (and therefore less jarring)
- The gear icon is useless. That was actually the first think I clicked on. I thought I'd be shown some preferences or something.
- The slide down animation is too slow.
- Make your "blank url" error message more useful - ie: Please enter a URL. Since you're using Javascript, have a check before the form is submitted.
Re: TinyBE Feedback
Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 9:56 pm
by greyhoundcode
I copied and pasted a URL in and expected to be shown the shortened URL - but it was nowhere to be seen. However I did then realise that I had to click on the gear icon. Bit counter intuitive, like Pickle I thought that would be for preferences or something.
I'd rather the shortened URL simply replaced the long URL within the input field (as per
bitly) or else was displayed without my having to click on something. Why make users click twice?
Also, though this may be deliberate

I found that if I repeatedly shortened the same URL different links were generated. I would expect the same shortened URL to be returned, unless that is you had a user account system to allow people to track their links.
For example, using
this riveting article I created a host of shortened URLs:
- tinybe.com/rmhqg
- tinybe.com/b2qjr
- tinybe.com/rj2ty
- etc
All pointing to the same thing.
Re: TinyBE Feedback
Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:37 pm
by Peter Kelly
Hi thanks for taking a look the shortened url is currently meant to be in the drop down section but upon generation the dropdown section was meant to automatically extend. You have given me a good suggestion which I may look into implementing in the next phase. Also as for the different shortened urls this is because in the future I plan on extending the features to allow extra features if you login including urls that can expire etc.