Lyft app

[dalydose]

I work in the IT field, it is somewhat my business to be familiar with as many platforms as possible. I own at least one device of the current top 3 mobile platforms. I will also admit I am perhaps the least impressed by Microsoft over the last two years (but prior to that they were doing quite good.)



And you assume wrong. The reason why I have little use for it is due to its inherent limitations, as I outlined earlier. Quite simply, there are many things that no matter how much an app developer was interested in doing, they absolutely cannot accomplish it. Don't take my word for it, read this very forum via the links I posted. This is why it isn't an apples to apples comparison. On the mac, at least if somebody wanted to do it...they could...but on WP very often they simply cannot.

It is not my daily driver primarily because it is simply incapable of doing what I need it to do.



That may be the case in that particular anecdote, but it is not the case across the ecosystem as a whole.



I'm not going to get into my educational background, but I will say this: What people say, compared to what they do, is two different things. I can think of many examples of where I could demonstrate this, but the easiest to compare example is this one: I remember during the noughties, Linux users frequently made demands about bringing more applications to their platforms, insisting that they would spend if they came. They did come, many times in fact, but there were no buying customers. Customers like yourself who insisted that they would pay were either far too few in between most of the actual users who would not, or else they claimed they would pay, and very LOUDLY, but they never actually ended up doing so.

Besides, porting the application is only part of the equation (and some apps cost a LOT more than that to port.) You'll also need a support team dedicated to the other platform, its maintenance, and other issues related to it. That is an ongoing cost that must be justified by the spending habits of the ongoing users. Otherwise you'll see your brand image tarnished when one group of customers who speaks loudly (as you claim they should) is then speaking loudly about why you aren't supporting them.



It was an answer to your point about the person who complained about there being no apps available, and I'm demonstrating how important it is for YOUR applications to be available rather than a simple number on a spreadsheet about available apps being "relatively" high.

Again you type a LOT and drag the conversation to all of your personal beefs with the platform. THIS thread is about the Lyft app. There is NO technical barrier in the platform preventing them from building the app. There is no "app fee" to worry about. The people who already take cabs would gladly shift their spending to this model.

For the record, I have been in IT and technology consulting and I'm sure my education compares nicely with yours. I also have post-graduate work in entrepreneurship and have been in business. I have a nice combo perspective combining business acumen and tech savvy. Let's not get into a pissing match about credentials and just discuss the topic at hand, please.

As for your perspective about the chicken and egg dilemma and how it pertains to Windows Phone, I think your Linux comparison is off base. Linux never had a singular code base for anyone to optimize for. There were/are so many builds and distros that it is impossible to code for "Linux". Also, that crowd is notorious for going the freebie route. I think Windows Phone also has a vocal contingent that feel entitled to have things "free", but as a customer base, I think we spend as freely as any other comparative group. Evernote noticed it...

Evernote sees Windows Phone users spending more on average than Android users do

I don't have time to search for other examples or raw data, because it is not the point. The developers for these services are clear in that they don't know about demand. My ORIGINAL point before you got on your anti-Windows Phone soapbox, was that we have an opportunity to tell them that we are out here and would use their services. I'm specifically speaking about Lyft...the POINT of this thread. You've gone off on network monitoring apps and other things that have zero to do with the topic, but for Lyft, it can be easily done and should be easily done and the owners of Windows Phone that would use their service can make their voices heard. It doesn't matter that YOU don't think the platform is worthy. You are free to think that and please, don't feel compelled to participate. That does not mean that I won't counter that negative voice.

 

[dalydose]

Excellent points, Rakeeshj. Especially about spending on apps - how many times do we see people here ***** about the apps costing $0.99 cents or $1.99, and that they refuse to get them unless they are free? Hell, I buy apps all the time just to support the ecosystem. I could buy an app a day for a year and it would cost less than my phone, but for the future of the ecosystem it would be more important than me getting a new phone.

The truth is that WP will never succeed unless there are apps. And owners of WP have shown themselves reluctant to buy apps. Unless you niche your app to WP only and can become a big fish in a small pond, there seems to be little reason to develop apps for WP. And as someone that is on my third WP phone and really like it, and hate Google and find iOS to be crap... that saddens me.

Don't confuse the vocal morons with the userbase at large:

Windows Phone users are more willing to pay for apps compared to those on Android | WinBeta

Besides, this app, Lyft, isn't about spending money on the app, but rather getting people to shift their spending habit away from cabs and toward their service. This is a way to redirect what someone is ALREADY spending in a more convenient and cost saving manner.

 

[Rakeeshj]

Again you type a LOT and drag the conversation to all of your personal beefs with the platform. THIS thread is about the Lyft app. There is NO technical barrier in the platform preventing them from building the app. There is no "app fee" to worry about. The people who already take cabs would gladly shift their spending to this model.

You're misinterpreting what I'm saying. I didn't make any inferences about there being a technical barrier for Lyft (although there is a marginal cost increase for WP.)

As for your perspective about the chicken and egg dilemma and how it pertains to Windows Phone, I think your Linux comparison is off base. Linux never had a singular code base for anyone to optimize for. There were/are so many builds and distros that it is impossible to code for "Linux". Also, that crowd is notorious for going the freebie route. I think Windows Phone also has a vocal contingent that feel entitled to have things "free", but as a customer base, I think we spend as freely as any other comparative group. Evernote noticed it...

This is incorrect on both counts. With Linux, beyond the kernel you largely have a combination of X11 combined with GTK or QT. If anything is missing, it is generally easy to either add it or statically compile it. Windows has the same problem (perhaps worse in some respects because it cannot be statically compiled in many cases due to license restrictions) when it comes to this, namely all of the different frameworks involved (the base system doesn't always include directx, vc, vb, .net, and all of the different years and service packs of each of those, many of which can be mutually exclusive.) Developers usually work around this problem by including redistributable packages, but I've had plenty of cases where they can't install correctly, and since static linking isn't an option in many cases, you're left with a pretty hefty support burden.

Linux users also have higher spending habits in that area.

Humble Bundle shows Windows gamers are cheap, Linux users aren't - TechSpot

Also you already linked evernote.

I don't have time to search for other examples or raw data, because it is not the point. The developers for these services are clear in that they don't know about demand. My ORIGINAL point before you got on your anti-Windows Phone soapbox, was that we have an opportunity to tell them that we are out here and would use their services. I'm specifically speaking about Lyft...the POINT of this thread.

All I'm doing here is offering you food for thought about bringing a developer and then keeping that developer. Simply speaking loudly isn't going to work. I've already seen the result of that more than once.

 

[dalydose]

You're misinterpreting what I'm saying. I didn't make any inferences about there being a technical barrier for Lyft (although there is a marginal cost increase for WP.)



This is incorrect on both counts. With Linux, beyond the kernel you largely have a combination of X11 combined with GTK or QT. If anything is missing, it is generally easy to either add it or statically compile it. Windows has the same problem (perhaps worse in some respects because it cannot be statically compiled in many cases due to license restrictions) when it comes to this, namely all of the different frameworks involved (the base system doesn't always include directx, vc, vb, .net, and all of the different years and service packs of each of those, many of which can be mutually exclusive.) Developers usually work around this problem by including redistributable packages, but I've had plenty of cases where they can't install correctly, and since static linking isn't an option in many cases, you're left with a pretty hefty support burden.

Linux users also have higher spending habits in that area.

Humble Bundle shows Windows gamers are cheap, Linux users aren't - TechSpot

Also you already linked evernote.



All I'm doing here is offering you food for thought about bringing a developer and then keeping that developer. Simply speaking loudly isn't going to work. I've already seen the result of that more than once.

None of that matters. The chicken and the egg thing for what the masses want is more important. The masses are using transportation services. Windows phone users would also use them. Therefore, if we let THIS developer know that there is demand for their product, everyone in this scenario wins. Then we lose a barrier of entry for more users.

I'm not sure why you are against that? Under your thinking, no developer should ever develop for the platform and then there will be no users. You are advocating for the failure of the platform. If you hate the platform so much, why bother coming to comment. These failure advocating posts in this thread are your only posted on the site, which makes me additionally suspicious of your intent. suspect

 

[Rakeeshj]

I'm not sure why you are against that? Under your thinking, no developer should ever develop for the platform and then there will be no users. You are advocating for the failure of the platform. If you hate the platform so much, why bother coming to comment. These failure advocating posts in this thread are your only posted on the site, which makes me additionally suspicious of your intent. suspect

I think you're reading into my posts for content that isn't there. (Reminds me of a south park episode where the masses read between the lines in allegories that the writer never intended.)

 

[dalydose]

I think you're reading into my posts for content that isn't there. (Reminds me of a south park episode where the masses read between the lines in allegories that the writer never intended.)

So you aren't saying that developers shouldn't develop for Windows Phone? I think you should reread what you wrote.

 

[Brokn Wing]

Come on guys ! Just Chill. Well I am not a software developer but one thing I can assure you : IN COming months everyone will prefer windows compared to android. I was a hardcore Fan of android for past few years...but I ditched my Note II for Nokia Lumia 900. Windows phone is a refreshing OS and moreover it's secure I am loving My Lumia 1520 Waiting for Cyan now..hope it comes in next few days.

 

[dalydose]

Come on guys ! Just Chill. Well I am not a software developer but one thing I can assure you : IN COming months everyone will prefer windows compared to android. I was a hardcore Fan of android for past few years...but I ditched my Note II for Nokia Lumia 900. Windows phone is a refreshing OS and moreover it's secure I am loving My Lumia 1520 Waiting for Cyan now..hope it comes in next few days.

I'd love to try out the 1520. Is it big enough where you'd feel comfortable reading a book on it?

While I agree with you, I'd still be an advocate of letting developers know that we are out here and ready to use their services and spend money. Especially with apps like Lyft and Uber.

 

[Brokn Wing]

Yes Big enough for everything I guess. Specially Watching Movies on the go has never been so easy

 

[Quin 2013]

my biggest gripe about lyft is that as a business, they've decided to say no to money. What business actually thinks in the terms of I'd rather not make an app and not make extra earnings from a well used source that's asking for services?

I hope I said that correctly, I think everyone will understand what I mean. However, I'm ?ber happy to have the official ?ber app! They figured out that they have customers and make a percentage out of it.

Lyft should stand for shooting yourself in the foot.

 

[Quin 2013]

if anyone is still interested in sending them an email a week (a la shawshank redemption), here's the email; support@lyft.com

 

[wpn00b]

if anyone is still interested in sending them an email a week (a la shawshank redemption), here's the email; support@lyft.com

I'm going to post my Uber code when I get home. If anyone wants to use it, please do and then perhaps post yours if that's okay to do here. I'll start a new thread if required. Anyways, I'll also be emailing Lyft again.

 

[wpn00b]

It didn't take me this long to get home... I simply forgot.

MARCUSS159

That's my promo code for first time users. It gives you a free ride and after you use the service once I get a free ride in return.

Another way to get developers interested is to give our business to those that actually develop for the platform.

 

[SammyD97]

It didn't take me this long to get home... I simply forgot.

Lol.

 

[cchen028]

Not enough WP users for them to considered developing on

 

[amb9800]

Well, for what it's worth, I tweeted @Lyft last month asking "any word on a Windows app?" and a got a response saying:

Our product team is working hard to make the Lyft app accessible to everyone.

I suppose that's not an outright denial, as they've done in the past...

 

[wpn00b]

Well, for what it's worth, I tweeted @Lyft last month asking "any word on a Windows app?" and a got a response saying:



I suppose that's not an outright denial, as they've done in the past...

I'm not sure if this was intentional but in the Windows Central app it looks like this

"got a response saying" **blank space** "I suppose that's not an out right denial..."
It's that the joke? Or is the app being wonkulous again?

 

[androidtoWM]

I'm not sure if this was intentional but in the Windows Central app it looks like this

"got a response saying" **blank space** "I suppose that's not an out right denial..."
It's that the joke? Or is the app being wonkulous again?

he quoted the tweet.

it read: "Our product team is working hard to make the Lyft app accessible to everyone. "

 

[wpn00b]

he quoted the tweet.

it read: "Our product team is working hard to make the Lyft app accessible to everyone. "

Thank you. Yeah I guess that's not a denial. I think I'll try my hand to see if they've changed their tune.

I feel like companies are coming on board at a faster rate in the past month or so... There have been a few high profile app releases lately.

 

[mjn1982]

How is this the "shi**iest reply ever? They let you know that they don't, and aren't planning on supporting, the Windows phone. Did you expect for the rep to go ahead and code an app on the spot?