this post was submitted on 21 Dec 2023
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Updates on Interstellar kbin app: account login, voting, subscriptions, and more (media.kbin.social)
submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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If you haven't been following the Interstellar magazine, I've added a lot of functionality since the last thread here, including views for magazines/users/domains, better navigation for wider screens, QoL additions (like the @ button to reveal originating domain, inspired by Artemis), and a lot of different bug/functionality fixes.

This latest update finally includes the ability to log in to a kbin account, and it's not even restricted to just one; you can log in to as many accounts (or view them anonymously) as you want.

Now that you can log in, you can also vote/boost threads and comments. In addition, you can subscribe/follow any magazine/user/domain. Finally, the feed view has tabs for Sub/Mod/Fav/All when logged in.

For would-be testers, here's the link to the latest working build: github.com/jwr1/interstellar/releases (AppImage and APK).

The new kbin.earth server (open registration and API enabled) can be used for people wanting to test the app logged in, or maybe you just want to try a different instance.

Feel free to post any bugs or suggestions in the comments, on GitHub, or on the Interstellar magazine.

Edit: Here's a link to the matrix chat room: kbin-interstellar:matrix.org

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

This is awesome! Keep up the great work and I hope the project doesn't get abandoned like Artemis, seems great so far, maybe you should look into creating a discord too for short-form discussions revolving around the project :)

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Hopefully I won't abandon it, but if I did, it is open source, so at least someone else could pick it up (at some point, I'd like to get more maintainers, so I'm not the only one). Here you go for a chat room: kbin-interstellar:matrix.org, I did matrix to keep it close to the other kbin rooms.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago

That is good indeed, artemis wasn't open source and the whole project's progress and work as a result was lost, glad to know a more open approach is being taken here!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

BTW I highly suggest you make a launch announcement on places like m/KbinMeta here with github downloads linked to get more users' attention

EDIT: I think you made a concept post here a while ago?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

Honestly, that's pretty much what this post and the previous post were for. I'll probably make future posts for other major milestones here as well, and smaller milestone posts are on the Interstellar magazine.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago

@jwr1, you are amazing!

I'm so excited for this new app and I also like that you've kept this app open-source.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)
  • Are you planning on throwing a copy of your app in Google Play?
  • So if my kbin account is in kbin.social, I am not able to login in the app at all?
[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

So if my kbin account is in kbin.social, I am not able to login in the app at all?

That's correct, for now at least. It's not a limitation of the app, but that the API has not been enabled (by the kbin.social admin) on this server yet. At the moment, kbin.earth might be the only server that has working login functionality, but you could try some of the other API enabled kbin servers, it'll pop up an error if they don't work. See my related comment here.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Alright.
Well, I don't feel like creating an account for another instance so I'll sit tight and wait if I can login in the future!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (3 children)

Are you planning on throwing a copy of your app in Google Play?

Yes, probably once it's more mature. I looked into the process already but was thrown off by the fact that Google wants my government ID (I'm a privacy advocate), but I'll probably end up doing it eventually. Also, if the project gets enough financing, I might put it on the Apple store as well.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

I understand what you mean as for privacy, but at the same time, I do think at some point to reach the average user, it will be a must to be on Play store and Apple store. That being said, in early phase APKs are perfectly fine for tech-savvy users.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

@jwr1

@Damaskox Apple Store- does this mean you'd rewrite for iOS, or is it already compatible? If so, would you be able to throw up a .IPA on the github? With a stock iPhone, users can sideload apps for testing purposes for up to a week at a time- you wouldn't need to make testflight or put it on the store until you are ready. Altserver is something people use to refresh the permission indefinitely.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Yes, it is already compatible. The UI won't look iOSy yet until I adjust it, but at least you'll get the geist. I'll see what I can do about the IPA.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

What about F-Droid?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

I might put it on there too, we'll have to see.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

I already found a bug where voting/boosting the main thread on a details/comments page doesn't update the status. So if you try to vote, it most likely has worked; it just didn't update the screen.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

This is a bug on the whole instance right now, Ernest fixed the error screen related to upvotes, but has yet to reimplement the check for it

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

@jwr1

Can I use this app with the kbin.social instance?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Unfortunately, not yet. Only once the api is enabled for kbin.social (you can check by seeing if the API docs page loads) will it work. At the moment, the only api enabled instances I know of include karab.in, kbin.run, kbin.melroy.org, and kbin.earth. While working on the app, I found a kbin bug that causes logins to fail, so unless they've updated already, it's possible kbin.earth is the only instance you can actually log in on.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

i fixed a problem with the the oauth cert permissions on kbin.run that was preventing user logins, fwiw. i tested out the latest AppImage of Interstellar and it seems to auth just fine now!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

This is awesome - thanks for all the work you've done already!

I might be able to help out with development etc, been working with Flutter for a number of years with mobile apps if you're looking for additional hands :)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

That would be amazing! Right now, the code is very unorganized, and the general workflow is unstructured, just so you know what to expect :) since it's only really two weeks old. Feel free to make pull requests for bug fixes, feature implementations, code organization improvements, etc. (later, I might have a more concrete list of what I'm trying to do). Also, considering this is only my first real Flutter app, it would be great to have suggestions for the overall code structure (right now it's a mess). If you want, you can join the matrix room as well, that'll make discussion easier.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

I just made this GitHub issue detailing a list of some of the things that need to happen; if you're interested in anything, feel free to let me know (so I can avoid it) and have at it. Also, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.