Messaging like you've never seen it before.................. Watch the 30 second demo

[george727]

Hello I am one of the creators of Glimpse Messenger, a messaging app that's unlike any other messaging app you've ever seen

This app really can't be explained by screenshots or descriptions, you just have to see it in action to understand it, so watch the 30 second demo!






The app is completely free, here's a link to it on the app store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/glimpse-messenger/id709348232?mt=8


Let me know if you have any questions or feedback!

 

[Briffdogg]

Why would I want that lol

 

[Skull One]

Basically it is considered a security feature. Because it is not supposed to leave a digital footprint of the conversation that took place. IE the receiver can not simply take a screen shot of the message to keep a record of it.

Don't see this app catching on at all. For one simple reason. That message went thru a foreign server and the sender has no assurance that the message wasn't retained on that server. Hence there is no security. At that point you might as well use iMessage.

 

[george727]

Why would I want that lol

Briffdogg, while it's not for everyone, there are numerous reasons you'd want to use Glimpse. The first and most obvious is privacy. No one can go through your history of messages on your phone, because they don't exist, and you know the same is true for the recipients phone. But that doesn't separate it from other ephemeral messaging apps. What separates it is obviously our animation so you only see a word or two at a time. This adds another benefit to privacy, as mentioned by Skull One, because there is no possibility of a screenshot, but also there is no possibility of someone reading your messaging and then showing it to someone sitting next to them, as they can with any other "self destructing" messaging app.

Basically it is considered a security feature. Because it is not supposed to leave a digital footprint of the conversation that took place. IE the receiver can not simply take a screen shot of the message to keep a record of it.

Don't see this app catching on at all. For one simple reason. That message went thru a foreign server and the sender has no assurance that the message wasn't retained on that server. Hence there is no security. At that point you might as well use iMessage.

Skull One - It's important to remember that there are really two different issues with security, the one I mentioned above to Briffdogg, and the one you are talking about. The one we are solving is the one I mentioned above, so I know that if I send someone a message they can't show it to anyone else. This is the average user's concern, the average user is just not concerned with the NSA or servers. That may be your concern, and I don't blame you at all, that is a completely legitimate concern, but it's not the average users concern with privacy. Perfect example of this, Anthony Weiner. If he had used Glimpse, he would have been fine.



In regards to both of you, aside from security and privacy, ephemeral messaging apps like Glimpse also serve another purpose that often gets overlooked. This is best exemplified by Snapchat, where people use it because it's fun and it allows them to be themselves. It brings some of the temporary nature of real life to the digital world. It's hard to fully understand this and appreciate it until you have tried it (I was very skeptical of Snapchat for a long time until I tried it and realized how much I enjoyed it). I recommend reading this excellent blog post on the value of impermanent self-expression in the digital world: https://medium.com/big-basic-ideas/aabd09a1ce3b

 

[Skull One]

LOL.... You are speaking to the notion that someone can not "be themselves" unless the evidence of them "being themselves" is destroyed. That, simply put, is the most ludicrous ideology I have ever heard/read. And using Woody Allen to back up your point is a really bad idea. The man was having an affair with a minor. Which is why he doesn't want the past to haunt him.

Personal liberty and personal responsibility go hand in hand. Anyone, can say anything they want, at any time. But to expect zero repercussions for this freedom is absurd. In fact it borders on the psychotic (loss of contact with reality).

My question to someone that doesn't think they can send the same message in a SMS or iMessage versus using your app is, "What business did you have sending it at all?" Seriously, if you can't live with the consequences of sending it, then DON'T. If you think being able to say something that can't be proven instantly is the only way you can express yourself, go see a psychiatrist. You have much deeper issues than an application can solve.

Your app is not going to help people be themselves. It just enables people to act irresponsibly with seemingly no repercussions.

I am curious about one thing. First death threat that goes through your application and you are served with a warrant to confirm it, what do you plan to do?

 

[george727]

LOL.... You are speaking to the notion that someone can not "be themselves" unless the evidence of them "being themselves" is destroyed. That, simply put, is the most ludicrous ideology I have ever heard/read. And using Woody Allen to back up your point is a really bad idea. The man was having an affair with a minor. Which is why he doesn't want the past to haunt him.

Personal liberty and personal responsibility go hand in hand. Anyone, can say anything they want, at any time. But to expect zero repercussions for this freedom is absurd. In fact it borders on the psychotic (loss of contact with reality).

My question to someone that doesn't think they can send the same message in a SMS or iMessage versus using your app is, "What business did you have sending it at all?" Seriously, if you can't live with the consequences of sending it, then DON'T. If you think being able to say something that can't be proven instantly is the only way you can express yourself, go see a psychiatrist. You have much deeper issues than an application can solve.

Your app is not going to help people be themselves. It just enables people to act irresponsibly with seemingly no repercussions.

I am curious about one thing. First death threat that goes through your application and you are served with a warrant to confirm it, what do you plan to do?

May I pose a question to you....

If every time you hung out with your friends and family each person was using a tape recorder, recording everything you said and keeping those tapes forever, would you be a little self conscious and maybe hold back a little?

To most people, the answer to this question is yes. If your answer is no, I'm not saying you are wrong, but then I believe you are in a very small minority.



So we believe that the digital world works in a similar fashion. When something isn't permanent, you aren't as nervous about being yourself. This is why Snapchat is so popular. People aren't sending mean or malicious photos, they are just free to be themselves. How else do you explain people sending 350 million Snapchats per day?



If served with a warrant I'd consult a lawyer of course! At first glance though it seems similar to serving a warrant to a convenience store owner who tapes over his surveillance tapes every 24 hours for a crime that happened last week, I don't think the convenience store owner is at fault in anyway... but since you don't see the app catching on at all it shouldn't be a problem

 

[Skull One]

May I pose a question to you....

If every time you hung out with your friends and family each person was using a tape recorder, recording everything you said and keeping those tapes forever, would you be a little self conscious and maybe hold back a little?

Never. You can interview my wife, who I have been dating for over 30 years, to verify that fact. In fact it sometimes gets me in trouble with the owners of these forums because I say exactly what I want. And I am pretty sure they will verify that as fact too.

To most people, the answer to this question is yes. If your answer is no, I'm not saying you are wrong, but then I believe you are in a very small minority.

Don't believe that at all. In fact everyone I know says exactly what is on their minds. It has to do with who you surround yourself with. I have taught my children and grandchildren that you can say anything as long as you are willing to accept the fact that someone else might not like it. And that being true to yourself is more important that having to lie to someone so that they can hear what they want to hear.

So we believe that the digital world works in a similar fashion. When something isn't permanent, you aren't as nervous about being yourself. This is why Snapchat is so popular. People aren't sending mean or malicious photos, they are just free to be themselves. How else do you explain people sending 350 million Snapchats per day?

Snapchat is popular because it is used by teenagers to do things that are illegal at their age. Take a look at how many of those chats contain nudity, hook up information or drug talk. Please don't try to rationalize illegal behavior as a reason to need or use a service.

If served with a warrant I'd consult a lawyer of course! At first glance though it seems similar to serving a warrant to a convenience store owner who tapes over his surveillance tapes every 24 hours for a crime that happened last week, I don't think the convenience store owner is at fault in anyway... but since you don't see the app catching on at all it shouldn't be a problem

Never implied you would be at fault. I asked because even if only two people ever use your app and one threatens to kill the other, your service will be served a warranty if charges are filed. I am curious what your stance will be in regards to that situation. We both know you have to store the message, if even temporarily, before it can be delivered to someone that is offline. That leaves a digital footprint on the hard disk that must handle that temporary storage. Which means it is possible to recover that information.

Oh and I should make you aware, I code for a living. So please feel free to get as technical as you want. Because if your are using an SQL server to store the records of conversations and you are using a variable length field for the message, that means you have to deal with (for the lack of a better term) digital bleed as the records are deleted and recycled. Have you accounted for this fact in your business model?

 

[george727]

Snapchat is popular because it is used by teenagers to do things that are illegal at their age. Take a look at how many of those chats contain nudity, hook up information or drug talk. Please don't try to rationalize illegal behavior as a reason to need or use a service.

You couldn't be more wrong. Your sir are very very out of touch on this subject, I suggest you do a little research on the topic of Snapchat.



Anyway, I get it man, you don't like the app, that's alright, everyone isn't going to like every app out there, no need for us to continue arguing here.

 

[Skull One]

You couldn't be more wrong. Your sir are very very out of touch on this subject, I suggest you do a little research on the topic of Snapchat.



Anyway, I get it man, you don't like the app, that's alright, everyone isn't going to like every app out there, no need for us to continue arguing here.

Actually I tend to be spot on. Let me explain why. I look at the entire picture. In fact that is the problem today. No one understands the "why" or the history of how things got started versus why things went from obscurity to rock star.

VHS.... Porn. BTW it was the weaker of two standards. It then became bigger than its genesis.

Facebook... Sex. Good thing is at least it was going legit as high schoolers got to it.

Snapchat... Sexting. Went legit actually very quickly. But it had social media to thank for that.

So I do understand. And I agree that all of these items have out growing their genesis. But forgetting the how doesn't mean it didn't happen.

BTW still very interested in the business model question I asked. Rarely do I get to chat with someone that is actually "getting it done". So let's discuss theory since I already know history.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I might actually find this useful, if the recipient doesn't also have to have the app for it to work. Got sister in laws who love to forward my private texts.