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ASK HN: Review my startup Joint. Group chat + IM over your Twitter network. (joint.im)

34 points by ether ↗ HN
Joint is an Instant Messenger platform built on top of your existing Twitter social graph.

* Here are some highlights: 1. Instantly IM with anyone on Twitter. 2. Private group chat with friends on Twitter. 3. Meet friends of friends through chatrooms.

I've created a sample chatroom for this thread. Please visit and try: http://joint.im/r/khPZl9sn4eg

16 comments

[ 458 ms ] story [ 496 ms ] thread
ether
Joint is an Instant Messenger platform built on top of your existing Twitter social graph.

* Here are some highlights: 1. Instantly IM with anyone on Twitter. 2. Private group chat with friends on Twitter. 3. Meet friends of friends through chatrooms.

I've created a sample chatroom for this thread. Please visit and try. As a regular HN heavy reader, I would appreciate some help and feedback from the community. Thanks! : http://joint.im/r/khPZl9sn4eg

blehn
The Adobe AIR Application Installer seems to launch automatically. I hadn't decided whether or not I wanted to try the app at that point, but I definitely didn't want to see my CPU usage shoot to 100% and have my browser lock up. So I decided to force quit the installer and close the website. Maybe it's a great app, but the AIR experience immediately kills it, for me at least.

Chrome on OSX btw

ether
We spent quite a lot of time working on Adobe Air's CPU issue. I think many crappy air based apps out there are like that and give the impression that Adobe Air always uses up CPU power, but we've been testing and optimizing this with several people for last month and the cpu usage stays around 0.1% most of the times, so please feel free to try again. Thanks!
StevenHodson
I can attest to the hard work that Ethan has done on the AIR CPU problem and on my Windows 7 machine it behaves very well - actually much better than other AIR apps I have tried.
blehn
The problem isn't related to the app itself, but moreso the way that AIR Application Installer launches immediately when I navigate to joint.im — before I even click the "download" button. I find it intrusive, considering Application Installer hogs my CPU (and I'm not sure if there's any workaround for that). Application Installer runs in the background and consumes 100% CPU even if I navigate away from the page. So then it has to be quit via Activity Monitor. I'm not sure if this is only an issue with my AIR install or if it happens for everyone on OSX.
ecoffey
(summarizing some observations from the chat).

I really like the idea. I can see myself using it at coffee shops, or other places for impromptu groups.

I wouldn't mind seeing a web-app just because I think that would be even easier to pull people in with. Installing something just for a quick chat might be too much for people, or might not even be possible, i.e. wanting a quick group chat but you're at a public library computer.

All in all though, it's a cool idea, and solid little app. Also ethpressO was very nice and engaging in the chat :-)

ether
Thanks! it's cool to talk synchronously (in the messenger) and asynchronously (on hackernews) with you at the same time. I really appreciate your feedback :)
ericmsimons
Love it! The only thing that gets me is the name - I always think of Grandma's Boy when I hear it...
ether
I actually love how the word Joint has different meanings to different people. In San Francisco when people hear Joint....
hugobernardo
I really like this idea. Not only for casual chatting but as a way for companies/brands to connect with users/followers.
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alexhektor
This finally fixes Twitter's broken Instant Messaging.. It's about time! sure.. it's air, but at least java and air run on all the platforms..

The idea behind it is awesome..,Let's hope it gets the traction it deserves.. Imagine everyone having this!

nader_ghaffari
very nice! like the quick and simple IM built on top of my twitter graph
tabletop111
Wah...Really awesome idea man...just signed up for this and its looking good....
mansilladev
I dig it, Ethan. The Twitter contact tie is brilliant, and I can see this crossing into many different potential areas of real utility.. sexier DM sessions, group collab (work or for fun), CS. Very slick.
mikey138
Nice Joint Ethan! There are many times when I want synchronous communications. This is a perfect compliment to Twitter.