I thought it might be that one instead, but I wasn't sure.
So why did Fluidity get more upvotes? Here's my opinion:
1. Fluidity had a better subject line - I knew immediately what it was about and I was very curious. Linkbait? Sure, but it worked.
2. Fluidity demonstrated the concept immediately on click through - I didn't need to muddle through a clever metaphor to figure out the concept. I saw it immediately.
3. Fluidity used a kitten. People like kittens unless they are bad people. - it may sound like I'm making a joke but I'm not. "Kittens" are any facial image that triggers what Konrad Lorenz referred to as Kindchenschema. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuteness It is a common trick in advertising and marketing. Fluidity uses it perfectly.
By contrast, MoshPit's README is complicated.
The density of the text alone is likely to be off putting to 90% of the intended audience. I gave it a serious read myself because I was curious about your question. I am still wondering what it is for.
To provide a bit more context, I have been a developer for more than 30 years. More of a hobbyist the last 10, but I regularly pick up new frameworks for fun. Last summer I ran through all the latest js frameworks (ember, angular, backbone, etc), so I'd say MoshPit is something I should be interested in but I'm not entirely sure why it matters to me.
Please know that this is not a reflection on you personally or on the project itself. I am just providing an opinion based on my impressions upon entering the page and trying to decipher what you were trying to accomplish.
I understand and I agree, I tried to spell it out as simply as possible and put the demos at the forefront for the project, but it's hard explaining a new approach to solve and old problem in a simple way without getting verbose.
I think I need a prettier demo with "tips" and "hints" about what exactly is different... 90% of people will click through the demo, see nothing they haven't seen before and move on, which is a shame.
Yep, taking the complex and making it simple is never easy.
Sometimes it's about dialing back on features. Sometimes it's about kittens.
Don't get frustrated though. Take each opportunity as a chance to learn and experiment.
I've often wondered what would happen if someone launched three identical projects on github with totally different approaches to marketing. I suppose one could compliance this with multiple versions of the README, but I'd go as far as testing different names too.
I suspect some may see this as a heretical approach to open source development, but it's naive to think that any group of people are somehow resistant to marketing techniques.
Anyway, the key is having a great product. Keep at it and eventually you'll be able to explain it in a single sentence that makes the concept instantly clear.
