HaaS (Hugs as a Service)

38 points by eddielee6 12 years ago | 37 comments

seszett 12 years ago |

If you won't do anything with the telephone numbers you collect, you might want to mention it on your page. Otherwise, well no thanks for selling or using them later for something else without explicit consent.

By the way, it seems you have an uncaught exception here when giving a number which isn't a cell phone:

  Fatal error: Uncaught exception 'Services_Twilio_RestException' with message 'To number: +33123456789, is not a mobile number' in /home/nunney/cheerup/twilio/Services/Twilio.php:213 Stack trace: #0 /home/nunney/cheerup/twilio/Services/Twilio.php(185): Services_Twilio->_processResponse(Array) #1 /home/nunney/cheerup/twilio/Services/Twilio/ListResource.php(83): Services_Twilio->createData('/2010-04-01/Acc...', Array) #2 /home/nunney/cheerup/twilio/Services/Twilio/Rest/SmsMessages.php(17): Services_Twilio_ListResource->_create(Array) #3 /home/nunney/cheerup/index.php(91): Services_Twilio_Rest_SmsMessages->create('13039005542', '+33123456789', 'You rock. I mea...') #4 {main} thrown in /home/nunney/cheerup/twilio/Services/Twilio.php on line 213

BenNunney 12 years ago | |

I've added in a footer comment re storing numbers - good call. Not storing numbers, mostly because I have morals.

Cheers for pointing out the uncaught exception. You deserve a hug.

rkangel 12 years ago |

I'm aware I'm going to come off sounding like the grinch, or an old man moaning "In My Day...", but:

Has it really got to the point where, if we want to cheer someone up, instead of sending them a cheering text ourselves, we outsource it to an online service?

BenNunney 12 years ago | |

Oh, totally. Nothing can replace being truly there for someone, and I'd never try.

All I wanted NowCheerUp.Me to do was make a few people smile. No friend worth their salt would outsource their compliment-giving but as a casual way of lighting up someone's face, this works!

tixocloud 12 years ago | |

I think it's sad because sometimes all people need is a friend with some time to listen to them. Outsourcing doesn't give that sort of warmth and closeness. It just says "I'm too busy to cheer you up so I'll get someone else to do it". No offence but I feel the same way about gift cards - if you genuinely know the person and you care about the person, you would have some idea on what to get them. I feel like relationships can be more meaningful if we put more effort into it.

sp332 12 years ago | |

This is more of a "long tail" of cheeriness :)

mhurron 12 years ago | |

I think you might be taking it too seriously.

neuromancer2600 12 years ago |

I assume most people would first enter their own number to see what this really does. Then they enter all their friends' numbers. Another way to collect address books.

kmfrk 12 years ago | |

Same can be said of many of the websites submitted to HN where people submit their e-mail. There used to be value in keeping your e-mail address to yourself, but it seems people just toss it at whomever willy-nilly these days.

randallsquared 12 years ago | | |

Spam control on email is nearly perfect, though. Spam control on my phone is much less so.

Ilmesnkie_Jones 12 years ago | | |

Or people have more than one email and some of them are worth less to them than others.

BenNunney 12 years ago | |

Doesn't store data or keep numbers :-)

kmfrk 12 years ago | | |

No HTTPS, though. :(

uptown 12 years ago |

Let me guess - raising funds at a 7 billion dollar valuation?

dspillett 12 years ago |

Tomorrow on HN: IaaS (Insults as a Service).

TimFogarty 12 years ago | |

Check out http://foaas.com/

dspillett 12 years ago | | |

Now how did I forget about that one!

BenNunney 12 years ago | |

I think you'll fine nowinsult.me redirects to nowcheerup.me ;-)

cgtyoder 12 years ago | |

Really looking forward to SaaS 2.0 (Snark as a Service)

8ig8 12 years ago |

Reminds me of Awesomeness Reminders. I wonder how they (he's) doing?

http://www.awesomenessreminders.com/

BenNunney 12 years ago |

Since a lot of you are asking - this doesn't store numbers, collect data, or track anything other than hits via Google Analytics and API hits on Twilio.

No marketing scam, no selling of address books - just a little hack to make people smile.

I really, really really, really really really hate things that collect data and use it for marketing purposes or spam. I added a disclaimer to the bottom of the page (thanks @seszett for that idea) with words to that effect too.

tech-no-logical 12 years ago | |

From twilio :

> When you use our [...] services Twilio may collect from you the following personally identifiable information: [...] and phone number. [...] Twilio may keep a cached copy of the content you serve us as a part of your use of the service for an indeterminate amount of time

although I believe your good intentions that doesn't imply I trust Twilio...

joshmlewis 12 years ago |

A lot of people don't realize the country code part and will start putting in the phone number (cough me), and then I get the error and go back but I have to retype the number. A little nitpicky maybe, but still a bit frustrating.

Morgawr 12 years ago |

Yeah no sorry, I'm not going to post my (or a friend's) mobile phone number on the Internet, thanks. Why not use emails instead? Phone numbers on the net make me feel weird, I don't like it.

lcasela 12 years ago |

This is getting ridiculous

hugs 12 years ago | |

I completely agree.

vvvVVVvvv 12 years ago | | |

I feel for you mate, you're worth more than that.

Hugs As A Real Person.

lcasela 12 years ago | | |

I mean. SaaS is pretty cool but all of these stupid services are just a waste.

bjhoops1 12 years ago |

Haas is also a popular variety of Avacado. #TheMoreYouKnow

gavinpc 12 years ago |

I thought for sure this was a Haskell thing.

Even Haskell developers need cheering up sometimes.

Spoygg 12 years ago |

Hehehe cheerful :D

sara_gozalo 12 years ago |

Love it!!!!

tlarkworthy 12 years ago |

does it hug premium numbers?

nlintz 12 years ago |

How bout you fucking die as a service?

Cederfjard 12 years ago | |

Found this upthread, perhaps it's more to your liking: http://foaas.com

See, it's quite useful: http://foaas.com/off/nlintz/Cederfjard

Please don't be so rude, it's uncalled for I think.

BenNunney 12 years ago | |

No time for death. Too busy smiling.

Fatal error: Uncaught exception 'Services_Twilio_RestException' with message 'To number: +33123456789, is not a mobile number' in /home/nunney/cheerup/twilio/Services/Twilio.php:213 Stack trace: #0 /home/nunney/cheerup/twilio/Services/Twilio.php(185): Services_Twilio->_processResponse(Array) #1 /home/nunney/cheerup/twilio/Services/Twilio/ListResource.php(83): Services_Twilio->createData('/2010-04-01/Acc...', Array) #2 /home/nunney/cheerup/twilio/Services/Twilio/Rest/SmsMessages.php(17): Services_Twilio_ListResource->_create(Array) #3 /home/nunney/cheerup/index.php(91): Services_Twilio_Rest_SmsMessages->create('13039005542', '+33123456789', 'You rock. I mea...') #4 {main} thrown in /home/nunney/cheerup/twilio/Services/Twilio.php on line 213