Ello Ello App

Okay, after taking the new Ello app for a spin, I can say that it's missing some important features. However, this fringe arty, creative community has something important going for it – respect for users.

Respect

[Update]: The Ello app has come a long ways. I still enjoy sipping tea on Ello.

What I love particularly about Ello is its commitment to No Ads. There's apparently a monetization plan centered on some type of marketplace selling endeavor down the road, but the Ello team is focused on being something not ad driven.

We posted the Ello Manifesto, promising to never, ever sell advertising or user data.
Ello FAQ

In today's market, that stands for something big. Respect for users will ultimately win.

App flaws

1. Can't search through public posts

2. Can't edit published posts (you can from the desktop and mobile browser)

3. There's no @ auto completion when mentioning another user

4. Loading speed can be slow

5. There are crash complaints from some

6. Unintuitive icons (unless you're familiar with the web version)

7. UI sometimes difficult to navigate through

8. Hashtags not supported

In response to the first three items, look for an update to address them soon.

Ello Product Tweet

App shoutouts

1. No Ads

2. Markdown support

3. Friendly community

4. Good place for long form writing

5. Excellent display of photos

6. Feel-good place to be

7. Responsive team

Rooting for Ello

Although I wish the Ello app was baked a little longer (flaw #1 is too important for discovering new people and interests to be ignored), Ello is like Don Quixote fighting the ad driven models of most other social platforms.

I support Don Quixote.

When I post to Ello, I feel good considering how many platforms are just selling out their users' data. Because, Ello is trying to take a different approach, a really user-centric one, I hope they succeed.

I will just tap out my posts from my trusty Editorial app, preview and edit the Markdown there, and copy/paste the end result into Ello. I actually prefer this workflow better because I can pick up editing in BBEdit from the desktop as needed.

I support Ello.

[UPDATE]: I just wanted to add that the desktop version of Ello has certainly come a long ways. It’s beautiful actually.