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by jmtame 4714 days ago
This is like Snapchat for the web, except it's too easy to take a screenshot of the content which means there's not much of a point to the view limit.

You could make it difficult perhaps by requiring the user follow a path with their mouse, otherwise white noise appears. That way they cannot actually move their cursor to take a screenshot. Maybe do something else to occupy one of their other hands, such as pressing a series of keys. Of course someone else could be standing there ready to push the "print screen" button or use a camera, like you can with Snapchat. Don't forget a time limit.
2 comments
nemo1618 4714 days ago
You could improve it significantly by implementing something similar to this: http://www.donothingfor2minutes.com/

Any mouse movement or keypresses would blank the page and you'd have to reload it to see the contents again. Of course, there are probably ways to subvert this, but it would stop most people.

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nrivadeneira 4714 days ago
I'm sure there are Windows and Mac equivalents, but Ubuntu has a timed screenshot option. It would be fairly easy to just set the timer, go the the website, and wait. But I agree, most people probably won't care enough or think of it.
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sirsar 4714 days ago
Even if there isn't one currently, windows exposes an interface to the screen through gdi+ which can be used in a C++ program, for example.
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mmvvaa 4714 days ago
With quicktime player, one can just create a new screen recording, and wait.
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grey-area 4714 days ago
Most people would just take out their camera phone and take a snapshot, as they do on snapchat. Trying to make something like this secure from screenshots is absurd.
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sloankev 4714 days ago
I can still print screen undetected
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ruswick 4714 days ago
The things that you mentioned, though perhaps relevant to the goal of the service, are outrageous from a usability standpoint. I really abhor the tendency for sites to gamify their services or erect gimmicks that impede my ability to interact with their content. I would immediately leave any site that employs the tactics you mentioned.

My time is too valuable for that kind of absurd bullshit.

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