this post was submitted on 27 Jan 2024
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Sync for Lemmy

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So... is Sync abandoned? (lemmy.ml)
submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by jeze3D@lemmy.ml to c/syncforlemmy@lemmy.world
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I get it. Being a dev is hard. Sometimes you need a break.

However it takes a few seconds for LJ to pop in and say "all is well everyone I'll be back soon!" Like, Mr. Dawson, just copy and paste that sentence and everything would be fine.

I'm irritated because the man is selling a relatively expensive app that even has a $100 purchase option and disappeared for months on end with complete silence. I think if you're selling an app with these kind of price points it's important to reassure your community it's not abandoned by simply acknowledging your existence once a month.

It's especially important on the fediverse where projects are abandoned frequently with little fanfare. The difference being most of these projects are donated time without a ticket price. Can we PLEASE get something here, LJ? Especially for us $100 patrons as to not feel duped? Even if you just say, "yeah I'm done, sorry" I'd appreciate it. As it stands Sync has broken features and bugs galore so I've already moved on to Boost, but I'd be very happy to hear things will either be A) fixed soon or B) abandoned so I can just uninstall sync from my phone.

Thank you.

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[โ€“] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 109 points 9 months ago (4 children)

It's still under 3 months since the last update.

There's not really any giant bugs to squash, there's no features missing that are vital (tbh, I would say that there's really only two or three QOL features missing).

I'm not sure why people think apps need constant updates. Once you're stable, and sync is, you can take time to handle minor bugs and feature changes. Hell, it's better to handle those, test them well, and only then make an update, compared to cranking out untested stuff monthly.

And, with your post here in specific, why the fuck does a dev have to waste their time and ours popping in to say anything? Makes no damn sense at all. Idgaf how much an app costs, there's is zero obligation, or point to empty posts just to check in.

[โ€“] zipzoopaboop@lemmynsfw.com 34 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Constant updates can easily lead to enshitification too

[โ€“] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 5 points 9 months ago

That it can

[โ€“] moon@lemmy.cafe 14 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Notifications are still not implemented, nor is the ability to block communities, and you can't select the new sort modes. Those are pretty big.

I swap between Sync and Boost regularly. I definitely prefer Sync's interface, but Boost is more up-to-date and feature complete, and has working notifications. So I've mostly been using Boost until Sync catches up.

[โ€“] azulavoir@sh.itjust.works 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I can't read my messages on sync :(

reply inbox works, not messages

[โ€“] can@sh.itjust.works 3 points 9 months ago

Are you sure? You selected it in the dropdown? If so have you made a bug report?

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[โ€“] Phegan@lemmy.world 82 points 9 months ago (4 children)

I am currently using sync and had no idea it wasn't being maintained, I've had zero issues nor have I been left wanting.

[โ€“] LemmyKnowsBest@lemmy.world 18 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Same! Am a devoted sync user and I don't recall paying for the Lemmy version but I did pay $4.99 for the Reddit version years ago. RIP to that But life goes on and I currently have no issues with s y n c.

[โ€“] Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world 13 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Same. Outside of some UI things, nothing that makes me upset or want to switch

[โ€“] Tier1BuildABear@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago

Same here, and a dns adblock apparently saved me $100 lol

[โ€“] Pringles@lemm.ee 8 points 9 months ago

Saying it's not being maintained is a bit of a stretch at this point. When the major instances started shifting to 19.2 some months ago, he deployed a compatible update very quickly (he was waiting for it).

There are some features I would like (having the option to open a link directly on archive.org or .is) and some that need to be addressed, like the messaging, but nothing urgent.

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[โ€“] IHawkMike@lemmy.world 62 points 9 months ago (4 children)

FWIW I use it every day and it still works perfectly. I'm not sure what updates everyone is expecting, but things seem perfectly normal to me.

[โ€“] jballs@sh.itjust.works 23 points 9 months ago

Same here. My guess is that Lemmy isn't nearly as big as Reddit, so the dev can't afford to live off Sync as his sole income stream. So he probably got another job or project that takes his primary focus.

[โ€“] Shyfer@ttrpg.network 11 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Personally I am missing Scaled sort, a new sorting options for instances on 0.19 that I don't think Sync has but some other apps like Thunder and Voyager do. But other than that, I still like Sync.

[โ€“] Communist@lemmy.ml 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I'm using sync with scaled sort right now, it works perfectly

[โ€“] Shyfer@ttrpg.network 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Oh weird. Should I reinstall my app or something?

[โ€“] russjr08@bitforged.space 9 points 9 months ago

As far as I'm aware, it works if you set it as your default sort order through the Web for your account, but if you change it in app you have to force close and reopen to reset it back to the default from the web/API.

[โ€“] twistypencil@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

Wait until there is a required android API update, then we will be stuck

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[โ€“] WarmSoda@lemm.ee 43 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I don't use sync but a quick look at the authors profile shows he updated the app a month ago.

But yeah, before that there was a four month gap in communication. I agree if you're going to charge money for something you really need to supply customer support as well.

[โ€“] boyi@lemmy.sdf.org 38 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, that's typical of him. He went dormant for a long time during the first major version of Sync for Reddit, accumulating some quite critical bugs. But suddenly he came back with a new look of Reddit Sync, full of features, impressed me so much that I just let go of the past.

My hunch is, he would (try to) come out with the best app, and then move on to something (that we don't know) so that he can support his life. Sync for lemmy is not enough to economically gain the critical mass for him to do that fulltime. But once awhile, he'll be back to fix some critical bugs like what he did about a month ago for v0.19.

Yes he should do more and add more features. I myself only encounter non-critical bugs and don't use Sync for mod, so I am still be satisfied with its current condition. Others surely have different requirements.

[โ€“] SaintWacko@midwest.social 13 points 9 months ago (1 children)

And that was fine when you paid $3 for a lifetime unlock, but the big justification behind the massively increased prices was that he would be working on it full time, and he has not held up his end of that bargain

[โ€“] boyi@lemmy.sdf.org 11 points 9 months ago

And that was fine when you paid $3 for a lifetime unlock

This is where you got this all wrong. I only paid 99ยข for lifetime unlock.

[โ€“] jeze3D@lemmy.ml 15 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

The android app hasn't seen an update since Lemmy .19 which we're now on .19.3. That was back in November of 2023. LJ hasn't made a Lemmy post in over 2 months. If this was FOSS software I wouldn't be complaining, but Sync has pricey features that carry with it an obligation of better support/communication with your users.

[โ€“] tonyn@lemmy.ml 19 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Guys, he does this. It's ok. This is his way of balancing this project with the rest of his life. He always comes back.

[โ€“] Mr_Blott@lemmy.world 18 points 9 months ago

I'm inclined to think this way too. Guy gave us a decade of the best Reddit app for free if we wanted, he'd pop in now and again to update it.

Agreed, though, that if you were daft enough to pay Megabucks for it, you're allowed to be fucked off

[โ€“] CosmicSploogeDrizzle@lemmy.world 17 points 9 months ago

In his defense he put in hella hours to get it where it is. I agree he should give more feedback though. He was MIA when someone pinged him in the discord about the breaking changes of 19 and he chimed in and updated it. I was active in the discord and was in the closed beta. He did a LOT of work around the clock. Here's to hoping he comes back with more frequent (even if minor) updates.

[โ€“] InEnduringGrowStrong@sh.itjust.works 37 points 9 months ago (3 children)

I hope y'all get some feedback on this.

FWIW, I've tried several apps, I used Relay back on reddit and didn't really find a replacement app for lemmy that felt right.

With lemmy not being outright hostile to mobile browsers, I've taken to just use it in Firefox for Android and it's been great just having multiple tabs, adblocker plug-in, favorites and whatnot.
Notifications are kinda missing, but that's just less interruptions in my day, which probably isn't a bad thing.
I still kinda miss Relay, but the mobile UI is good enough.

Still, paying for software then being ghosted must suck. :/

[โ€“] BarrelAgedBoredom@lemm.ee 9 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Connect is pretty good if you haven't tried it yet. Good UI, not super buggy, frequent updates, responsive dev

[โ€“] Scubus@sh.itjust.works 9 points 9 months ago

I just recommended a feature the other day, and it was implemented and pushed the very next day. Connect's dev is phenominal.

[โ€“] sbv@sh.itjust.works 4 points 9 months ago

Still, paying for software then being ghosted must suck. :/

It's exactly what I want. I've tried other clients, but I keep coming back to Sync because it's a perfect fit.

Paying ten dollars for something I use a couple hours a day seems pretty reasonable.

I'd prefer that Sync was FOSS, but devs gotta eat. So long as jdawson keeps Sync working with minimal breakages, I'm happy.

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[โ€“] whygohomie@lemmy.world 35 points 9 months ago (2 children)

This is how sync has run for almost a decade? I'm not sure why one would jump to the conclusion that it's abandoned. Love it or hate it, it is completely in line with how the dev has run his project for years.

[โ€“] yesterdayshero@lemmy.world 12 points 9 months ago

The point is that method doesn't work for the feediverse where things are constantly updating. It's ok to expect that an app is maintained, especially when asking that high a price. I don't get all the blind defence people have for Sync. It's a highly priced app for a platform that's entirely free and there hasn't been an update or peep for months. It's ok to question it. People would be for any other app.

[โ€“] victorz@lemmy.world 11 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Doesn't mean it's a good thing.

[โ€“] Themadbeagle@lemm.ee 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Not having constant updates is not necessarily a bad sign either. Developers have lives too and maybe something else is priority over small bug fixes in this project for them right now.

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[โ€“] andthenthreemore@startrek.website 34 points 9 months ago (1 children)

This has always been the sync development cycle.

[โ€“] TransplantedSconie@lemm.ee 27 points 9 months ago

Yep, lol. I used it for 7 years on reddit. He reads to bug reports for sure, but he definitely isn't very chatty.

[โ€“] chalupapocalypse@lemmy.world 31 points 9 months ago (1 children)

He probably had to get a real job once the initial reddit exodus died off, no shade on Lemmy but I doubt he's making anywhere near what he did selling a reddit client

[โ€“] boywar3@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago

He said he made a ton of money from his other apps, so it wasn't a deathblow to his income losing the reddit app stuff

[โ€“] cbarrick@lemmy.world 24 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

First time?

LJ does this. Back when we were on Reddit, he regularly took large breaks from development, e.g. between v19 and v20. I'm not worried about it.

First time?

[โ€“] boyi@lemmy.sdf.org 24 points 9 months ago (3 children)

What critical bugs are we having right now?

[โ€“] jeze3D@lemmy.ml 14 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

No in app scaled sort feature (which is one of lemmy's best updates yet) and the "Instances" button on the home feed that lets you change instance locations is entirely broken. There are quite a few other bugs listed on this community feed that have yet to be addressed.

[โ€“] BakedCatboy@lemmy.ml 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)

For me it's between scaled sort and being able to view webms without opening in external browser (though if you set scaled sort on the web it'll get selected in app as long as you don't change it)

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[โ€“] mp3@lemmy.ca 4 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Crash to launcher if Sync settings are set to hide username. No a huge deal, but still quite annoying to set everything back up from scratch if you didn't backup first.

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[โ€“] Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 9 months ago

For me, pressing the hamburger menu while in landscape crashes the app. Other stuff is also broken in landscape but I haven't had a chance to experiment. Probably some odd collection of settings causing it.

[โ€“] LifeOfChance@lemmy.world 18 points 9 months ago

Not justifying the gaps but it's important to know that LJ does this as a side project. Back when he developed sync for reddit he made sure to mention that frequently. He is also the only one working on the app with no team. He really is a good person who's likely being effected by the current state of affairs of the real world and has to focus on that right now.

[โ€“] yesterdayshero@lemmy.world 16 points 9 months ago (1 children)

All you're gonna find here is blind defence of Sync. I used it for Reddit and it was amazing, but honestly, the Lemmy app isn't worth it. Voyager is great if you're looking for an alternative. It's free and it's maintained with updates almost every week.

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[โ€“] MoonRaven@feddit.nl 12 points 9 months ago

I was really sceptical about the 115 euro lifetime unlock. Was that with it for me? Maybe, probably not. I use it a couple of times a week, but it'd need to be maintained really well for me. Not sure if I will ever unlock it.

[โ€“] criticon@lemmy.ca 6 points 9 months ago

I tried a bunch of apps when I learned that liftoff was going to stop working after the 0.19 update (I don't know if that ever happened) and I liked Voyager the most.

My reddit client was RiF and always used old.reddit so I was looking for something that looked similar. Sync was the best until I found Voyager

[โ€“] Wahots@pawb.social 3 points 9 months ago

I'm fine with it how it is. Long as it gets patched for the occasional new screen resolution or formfactor, I don't think it needs much else. I hate feature creep too, and he can spend most of his time on other things so long as it gets patched to maintain compatibility.

[โ€“] verysoft@kbin.social 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Supporting projects is good and all, but you should only give money you would be happy just leaving on the side of the road.

This is purchasing a product though, not simply donating, so the developer needs to communicate. You are correct in saying a once per month update is all it needs, assure the people who have purchased your product. I would say my initial statement applies to small one-man run projects though as well, they are much more likely to be adandoned.

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