Today, Pintrest released a web-wrapper for their website on Windows Phone. I won’t call it an app. No self-respecting developer would. Rather, this is a lazy way to have an “official app” without putting in much time or energy, just so you can check a box on the master “APP GAP” list, or shut up those annoying Windows Phone users that keep asking you to bring your app to the platform. Frankly, Microsoft heralding its arrival, using top execs to announce it, is somewhat embarrassing.

According to Engadget:

…it’s not an ideal Pinterest experience… at least, not yet. The company tells us that the beta is a shortcut to its mobile web client with a few Windows Phone-native features thrown in. This won’t be as tightly integrated with the platform as the Android or iOS versions, then. But hey, it’s a start — and Pinterest is looking for feedback, so you can let it know if you need more powerful tools for pinning your favorite things.

Ok, here’s some feedback, Pintrest: by making this half-hearted effort (less than half, really) and tagging this as a beta, you have done little more than summoned an eye-roll from a large portion of the Windows Phone community. In fact, if you want to see how badly a first effort can go for you, just ask Path. At least they actually had a real app written. Unfortunately it was riddled with bugs, crappy performance, and missing features present in the iOS and Android versions. That first impression has yet to be overcome, and they have actually made some significant improvements that address most of the things that hobbled the app when it was first launched.

No, Pinterest, what you have done is ensured absolutely no forward momentum for your official whatever-you-call-it on the Windows Phone platform. Judging from my Twitter stream, you didn’t even manage to put something out that’s better than the worst 3rd party Pintrest app in the Store, and there are several. You are now behind the perception eight-ball. Good luck getting out from behind it.

Dear App Publishers, Please stop using the BETA tag as a flak jacket for crappy first attempts. Thank you, The Internet

— Robert (@TheCheekyTaurus) June 11, 2014

They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Well, you blew it.

My advice to big name social networks with half-assed “apps” on Windows Phone: Hire one or more of the indie developers that did a much better job at a 3rd party app for your network. They work cheaper, they care about this platform and their users more than you do, and they are clearly doing a better job than you are.