Show HN: Bigwords.page – Turn any screen into a sign. The URL is the app

SpeakingOfBrad

I had the idea for BIGWORDS.PAGE when I wanted to display a message on a tablet that I had remote management control over, but no physical access. Configuring it to be a kiosk browser is easy, but how do I get the browser to show my message? So I made the URL be the message. It uses a URL fragment to configure the message. Browsers don't send URL fragments to the server, so I never see your message. There's no backend, and no storage. All parameters are documented, so generating a message link is easy. There's also a built-in editor to make it extra easy. https://bigwords.page/#Hello,%20HN!&bg=ff6600&fg=000000&font... There are a few extra features like slides, animations, and countdowns and timers. QR codes too. Not too fancy, but hopefully enough to be useful. I know the uses for this are pretty niche. But it may be one of those things that you keep as a nugget in your brain, a tool in your back pocket. Not something you use often, but when you do it makes things just a little bit easier. It's open source (MIT), and self-hostable if that's your thing. Let me know what you think.

Retr0id

> The URL is the app We used to call them websites

iJohnDoe

Really clever! Definitely feels like positive hacker creativity. Thanks for making it open source.

adzm

this is actually awesome, i've had something similar on my todo list forever. thanks!!! https://bigwords.page/#%E2%9D%A4%EF%B8%8F

totallygeeky

Really well done, can think of a few times this would have been useful in the recent past. Would be great for conferences in particular!

ceejayoz

Hook it up to voice control so I can put an iPad in the back window of the car and tell other drivers… things.

chrisra

I've used something like this on a phone to tell another car something was wrong with their vehicle.

pimlottc

The URL is the state but clearly there is an actual app here

simlevesque

Suggestion: make it a GoogleTV / AppleTV app so users can set it up in a few clicks and transform any screen laying around into a sign.

paul7986

Site is blocked - getting an SSL warning on Firefox.

jonotime

Love this. Simple idea. Nice execution.

paulsmith

Who remembers https://bigassmessage.com/

whycome

I love solutions like this. Make the URL the entirety of the data needed. Awesome

PBnFlash

I use to try and coordinate game nights across the world, and a url with the Unix timestamp of the event and a countdown showing how many days and hours worked quite well.

darkstar999

"Nothing else: no lists, tables, links, quotes, images or rules." Claudish needs to be cleaned up.

moecables

Love this and I already have a use for this

sandymcmurray

Nice work! This is great.

T0mSIlver

I like that the fragment is basically argv for a static web app.

frankthecobbler

how to hide the Preview when sharing on messages? id prefer something more neutral.