HaaS (Hugs as a Service) (opens in new tab)

(nowcheerup.me)

38 pointseddielee612y ago37 comments

37 comments

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

BenNunney12y 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.

rkangel12y 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?

BenNunney12y 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!

tixocloud12y 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.

sp33212y ago

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

mhurron12y ago

I think you might be taking it too seriously.

neuromancer260012y 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.

kmfrk12y 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.

randallsquared12y ago

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

Ilmesnkie_Jones12y ago

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

BenNunney12y ago

Doesn't store data or keep numbers :-)

kmfrk12y ago

No HTTPS, though. :(

1 more reply

uptown12y ago

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

dspillett12y ago

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

TimFogarty12y ago

Check out http://foaas.com/

dspillett12y ago

Now how did I forget about that one!

BenNunney12y ago

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

cgtyoder12y ago

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

8ig812y ago

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

http://www.awesomenessreminders.com/

BenNunney12y 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-logical12y 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...

joshmlewis12y 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.

Morgawr12y 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.

lcasela12y ago

This is getting ridiculous

hugs12y ago

I completely agree.

vvvVVVvvv12y ago

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

Hugs As A Real Person.

lcasela12y ago

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

bjhoops112y ago

Haas is also a popular variety of Avacado. #TheMoreYouKnow

gavinpc12y ago

I thought for sure this was a Haskell thing.

Even Haskell developers need cheering up sometimes.

Spoygg12y ago

Hehehe cheerful :D

sara_gozalo12y ago

Love it!!!!

tlarkworthy12y ago

does it hug premium numbers?

nlintz12y ago

How bout you fucking die as a service?

Cederfjard12y 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.

BenNunney12y ago

No time for death. Too busy smiling.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

37 comments

seszett12y ago

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

BenNunney12y 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.

rkangel12y 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?

BenNunney12y 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!

tixocloud12y ago

sp33212y ago

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

mhurron12y ago

I think you might be taking it too seriously.

neuromancer260012y 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.

kmfrk12y ago

randallsquared12y ago

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

Ilmesnkie_Jones12y ago

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

BenNunney12y ago

Doesn't store data or keep numbers :-)

kmfrk12y ago

No HTTPS, though. :(

1 more reply

uptown12y ago

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

dspillett12y ago

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

TimFogarty12y ago

Check out http://foaas.com/

dspillett12y ago

Now how did I forget about that one!

BenNunney12y ago

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

cgtyoder12y ago

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

8ig812y ago

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

http://www.awesomenessreminders.com/

BenNunney12y 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.

tech-no-logical12y ago

From twilio :

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

joshmlewis12y ago

Morgawr12y 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.

lcasela12y ago

This is getting ridiculous

hugs12y ago

I completely agree.

vvvVVVvvv12y ago

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

Hugs As A Real Person.

lcasela12y ago

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

bjhoops112y ago

Haas is also a popular variety of Avacado. #TheMoreYouKnow

gavinpc12y ago