About
Ephemeral is a web app for writing down words and their translations, as you encounter them. It works offline and everything is stored locally, on your device.
Who created this? Why?
The app is made by Fotis Papadogeorgopoulos (that's me, hi!). I made this originally when I immigrated to Finland and wanted a way to connect words with events and the world around me. I make this app in my free time.
Can I contact you?
If you're using this app, I'll be happy to hear about it! Has it been useful? What have you done with it? Is there something specific that could help you make better use of it?
You can find me in the following places:
Can I donate to the development?
If you have used this app and found it useful, you can
donate through ko-fi.To be fully transparent: I am partially compensated for my work through the Chillicorn open source program. Thus, I'm not reliant on donations. Still, if you do have the inclination, I will be happy for them!
Other than that, I would happily accept help in learning Finnish!
Can I contribute to the development?
Probably yes! I want to keep a narrow scope for the app, around effectively and efficiently writing down words. If you have ideas that can fit in that context, open an issue on the Github repository and let's chat. It doesn't even have to be code; text suggestions and design are just as welcome.
Where is the data stored again?
Locally, on your device. Web browsers, like Chrome, Firefox and Safari, provide ways to store data, local to a device per website. The storage limit is around 50MB, which is plenty of words and locations.
Apart from the code required to run the application, no other data is stored on the server. No analytics, no synchronisation, nothing.
The entries stored are typically permanent, though a browser may clear data if you are low on storage and haven't accessed the content in a while. This is the reason we provide the Data page.You can export your data if want extra peace of mind. Additionally, using import/export you can transfer entries between devices.
What's "add to home screen"?
Add to Home Screen is a relatively modern way of installing an aplication. Instead of having to access the app store, and download multiple MBs of data, you only need to access the website. From there, the browser will prompt you to add the app to the home screen. If it doesn't happen automatically, it can also be found in the browser menu options or by the navigation bar.
The app functions similar to a standalone app (works offline, has permanent storage). Even if not installed, it is still accessible via the web browser.
The benefit of this approach is that you can access the app on most devices with a web browser, including laptops, tablets, desktops etc.
Why "ephemeral"?
Ephemeral is an anglicised Greek word that I like. It means "lasting a short time, fleeting". I was thinking about immigration, memories and places, and it seemed like a good fit. Also, I found it fun contrast to the otherwise permanent storage of entries in a browser.