App links in settings vs launch screen
For some apps I found that there are App Store and Play Store links like so:
However for some reason surprisingly adding these links in the “Edit Page” is not available — and has to be done in a product update ( I know because I spent over an hour looking for these entry fields )
In order to add them you have to publish a product update — as if your apps App Store and Play Store links change between app updates? IMO this is just really weird
Adding a Maker tag/app to your profile
The way that you become a Maker for your own app is also similarly to adding your apps store links for some reason done in an app update and or an app launch and not in the app edit screen.
I only mention this because I managed to make myself a Maker for this set of Medium articles as a “Maker” and I see that in my profile + the new green badge. But I am somehow not a maker for my bicycle app perhaps because I put it on Product Hunt before “Makers” were a thing?
Its just weird that I cant do it in the “Edit page” or “Profile”
All the different ways editing your app is called
On your product page its called a “page” which you edit
In your products its called “Manage” implying its a “Product you manage”
It seems that the ‘Product’ objects on Product Hunt should always be ‘Products’ throughout the platform wherever they appear and never ‘pages’ or anything else wherever they appear. ( there was perhaps a 3rd thing they were called that I saw but which I can not find anymore rtn 😅 )
What is a “Product” anyway
I have some strong opinions about the word ‘product’ and perhaps this does not apply if “Product Hunt” wants to name everything that's postable on it a product for branding reasons
Before the internet indeed everything WAS a physical product including software ( such as Monkey Island on 10 diskettes ) because it was made once and there was no way to update it without manufacturing a fixed version and sending it to customers on their request. This all changed when the internet came around and all software became service-orientated — that is code which could be updated over the internet ( and later on, even sold directly over the internet )
Therefore its actually a misnomer to call sofware services as products when they're anything but. Physical products sold to customers are products. Digital services sold to customers over the internet are services. The only other place where this gets confusing is with something like Lyft rideshare bikes where the bicyles are products purchased B2B by a corporation but still provided as a service to a customer since one rents them through software and never owns them.
It would be awesome if in 2024 we stopped stubbornly conflating products like lipstick with services like mobile apps. And Product Hunt could be a big part of that. Just my 2¢
I will do a 3rd article when I am able to get some time in between all the Christmas celebrations :) and I will add a link below when thats available
