Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by darushimo 4791 days ago
Seems like there's a difference here, though?

You made your choice from a set of predetermined options. Handwriting (and not handwriting-like fonts) communicates more than just words, but attitude, character, and mood as well. That level of personalization might just translate through this digital -> analog experience.
2 comments
jessriedel 4791 days ago
> Handwriting communicates more than just words, but attitude, character, and mood as well.

Actually, I think signaling theory strongly suggests that the preference for handwritten notes is rooted in its difficult and time-consuming nature (i.e. a costly signal) rather than the emotional fidelity of the communication.

link
statictype 4791 days ago
Yes, that's what I also felt. I think in that case, it actually works? Because you are putting the effort of hand-writing the card - just not on the actual paper that is sent out.
link
jessriedel 4790 days ago
I think it's probably somewhere in between. It's more work then sending an e-card, but not as much as finding paper, funding an envelope, filling everything out by hand, and mailing it.
link
kmfrk 4791 days ago
I think the best way to go about it is on a per-occasion and -person basis. A Mother's Day bouquet and card is different from a wedding RSVP.

The best way to frame this product could perhaps be in terms of convenience and design rather than personalization. This scales really well for "batch" jobs, if you're sending thank-you letters or answering fan mail, for instance. In that case, there isn't really a problem with the quasi-analogue aspect of it, especially since people know that it's taken the person time and labour to craft the letter.

The tricky aspect of it is that you are basically selling a product to two different demographics: the sender and the recipient. And getting the first one on board is, as you say, not that hard with such an interesting product.

A good rule of thumb could be to use this in general, but be cautious of using it for annual events where it already feels like we are forced to extend cultural tokens of gestures towards each other?

link