my christmas project

Productivity

focus and productivity blocker

SHOW HN2011

Focus.app, cut off your Internet so you can focus

How HN reacted

my christmas project

Roasted

Half or more of the comments are critical

4 positive, 6 neutral or mixed, 17 critical. Score -0.43

LikedUseful for blocking distractions and works well

ObjectedWillpower or blocking won't stop determined users

Summaries made by AI from the thread.

Shown by benofsky on Jan 4, 2011. Click the card to turn it over.

61points

39comments

#208of 1,097 in 2011

Top 19%of 2011 by points

How HN took it

RoastedHalf or more of the comments are critical

4 positive, 6 neutral or asking, 0 mixed, 17 critical, out of 27 comments about the project. Thread score -0.43.

Idea: 2 for, 13 againstExecution: 2 for, 2 againstDesign: 0 for, 2 against

Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.

positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker

Useful for blocking distractions and works well
From 3 comments
- I can confirm that this method is a pretty effective method for getting me off Twitter and on TextMate.
  markbao on HN
- First, great app. I use SelfControl.app, because when I need to focus, I need internet access JUST to the sites/domains/IPs I work with. Benofsky, is there a posibility to add a…
  barredo on HN
- It looks excellent. I like the fact that you can specify an arbitrary time, whereas SelfControl restricts you to 15 minute intervals. It would be nice if it were scriptable…
  pygy_ on HN
Arbitrary time durations are a plus over SelfControl
From 1 comment
- It looks excellent. I like the fact that you can specify an arbitrary time, whereas SelfControl restricts you to 15 minute intervals. It would be nice if it were scriptable…
  pygy_ on HN

Willpower or blocking won't stop determined users
From 3 comments
- I don't think disabling internet connection will help you focus. If you want to focus for some time, then you will. Also, I made something similar just a week or two ago. It…
  Void_ on HN
- Isn't there an OSX app that does this? I remember people on an extremely distracting forum using it, ultimately it doesn't work. Those same people are still spending a lot of…
  Detrus on HN
- Don't quote me on the exact syntax (I do know the syntax for iptables): ipfw add allow tcp from site-a.com to any http; ipfw add allow tcp from site-b.com to any http; ipfw add…
  jeza on HN
Hard to add exceptions and default time bug
From 2 comments
- I can’t seem to add an exception. Edit: Literally clicking [+] does nothing, so there’s nothing to save. I’m also not convinced 5 is enough: I want dropbox to be connected,…
  alanh on HN
- Found a small bug: I set the default minutes to 15, yet when I go to start focusing the default appears to be 60. I thought maybe they'd go into effect after restarting the app,…
  bricestacey on HN
Editing hosts file is more effective than a click-off app
From 1 comment
- I actually use my hosts file, and block all the common time wasting sites I like to waste time on. There is no time period - the sites are off limits for the computer, period. I…
  brc on HN

Whitelist of sites or IPs
From 2 comments
- First, great app. I use SelfControl.app, because when I need to focus, I need internet access JUST to the sites/domains/IPs I work with. Benofsky, is there a posibility to add a…
  barredo on HN
- I can’t seem to add an exception. Edit: Literally clicking [+] does nothing, so there’s nothing to save. I’m also not convinced 5 is enough: I want dropbox to be connected,…
  alanh on HN
Scripting support
From 1 comment
- It looks excellent. I like the fact that you can specify an arbitrary time, whereas SelfControl restricts you to 15 minute intervals. It would be nice if it were scriptable…
  pygy_ on HN
Windows version
From 1 comment
- Does anything like this exist for Windows?
  farhadabas on HN
Run-once onboarding to explain the toolbar icon
From 2 comments
- When I opened it, I didn't realize it went to my toolbar. If you want this to be used by a broader audience you should have a "run once" to let people know how to use it.
  bricestacey on HN
- Yeah completely agree. I was looking everywhere, opened it twice, then, scratching my head glanced randomly @ the tool bar. The prod version will certainly need some sort of…
  te_chris on HN

Does it exist for Windows?
From 1 comment
- Does anything like this exist for Windows?
  farhadabas on HN

SelfControl
From 3 comments
- this is already available, SelfControl, its open source and I use it all the time: http://visitsteve.com/made/selfcontrol/
  toisanji on HN
- SelfControl
  grep on HN
- Self Control does the same thing and it's been open source on Github since March 2009. http://visitsteve.com/made/selfcontrol/
  wtn on HN
Freedom
From 2 comments
- and freedom: http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/27958/freedom
  zenspider on HN
- Seems similar to Freedom: http://macfreedom.com/
  squasher on HN
Concentrate
From 2 comments
- You may be thinking of Concentrate (http://getconcentrating.com) Also worth noting, RescueTime has a "Get Focused" feature that blocks any sites that you have marked as…
  trampsymphony on HN
- A really nice paid alternative (I use it every day) is http://getconcentrating.com/
  nestlequ1k on HN
RescueTime Get Focused
From 1 comment
- You may be thinking of Concentrate (http://getconcentrating.com) Also worth noting, RescueTime has a "Get Focused" feature that blocks any sites that you have marked as…
  trampsymphony on HN