A magic goal for software businesses
secretGeek .:dot Nuts about dot Net:.
home .: about .: sign up .: sitemap .: secretGeek RSS

A magic goal for software businesses

Joel Spolsky wrote the foreword to Eric Sink's book "The Business Of Software"

In that foreword, Joel talks about growing a software business from humble beginnings, much as occurs in a MicroISV.

Near the end, he says the following -- and he says it in a paragraph all of its own, because it is a magical paragraph:

"One day, you'll turn off the feature that emails you every time someone buys your software. That's a huge milestone."

Wow. Can you imagine that? It totally blows my tiny little mind away. That's like having so much money that you light your cigars with 100 bills -- and then you don't even finish the cigar.

TimeSnapper has been selling like hotcakes lately, while it's still on special at $19.95, but even so I wouldn't say my inbox is actually close to collapsing from the added burden.

I've been putting some thought into what can take us to that magic next level -- and one particular thing keeps occuring to me -- just keep doing what we're doing. We seem to be growing steadily, and the software keeps improving. We keep listening to people and we keep ruthlessly removing bugs. It's working. We're learning to do more marketing, we're talking to people all the time; we're headed in the right direction.

It's a blast -- a lot of fun, running a software company. Very stimulating on the brain.

If I haven't encouraged you lately, let me encourage you now. It's worth doing. Go for it.





'KC' on Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:51:14 GMT, sez:

TimeSnapper is a great product. A version for Macs would be great. How's that coming?



'lb' on Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:17:37 GMT, sez:

Hi KC.
We're very keen to offer a mac version, but we just don't have the technical chops to achieve it.

We've successfully ported most of the free version over to linux, with a goal of porting to mac later -- but realistically there are too many barriers for it to be successful.

I think you ought to write to us and tell us about your amazing mac-abilities, so we can work together on the mac edition.

what do you say?

lb



'Monkeyget' on Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:08:07 GMT, sez:

This guy agrees:
http://www.followsteph.com/2008/06/26/the-secret-to-success-can-be-summed-up-in-one-word-perseverance/



'John Walker' on Sun, 03 Aug 2008 02:48:53 GMT, sez:

Exactly. Just keep doing what you're doing. It's amazing how many ISV's don't do that. Focus is the thing. Excellent post and thanks for the heads-up to Joel's forward.



'Paul Kohler' on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:29:10 GMT, sez:

LOL! I can really identify with the whole "email feature" thing… Thanks for the encouragement again – PK :-)




name


website (optional)


enter the word:
 

comment (HTML not allowed)


All viewpoints welcome. But the right to delete any post for any reason is reserved. Don't make me do it. Comments may be republished, emailed to your loved ones or printed and used as toilet paper. Who reads this legal bit anyhow?

TimeSnapper is a life analysis system that stores and plays-back your computer use. It makes timesheet recording a breeze, helps you recover lost work and shows you how to sharpen your act.

TimeSnapper won last year's Developer Competition at Larkware.com, and is used by over 10,000 people.

Articles

SQL Style Extensions for C# SQL Style Extensions for C#
The Movie Hollywood (And My Wife) Doesn't Want You To See: Weekend at Jacko's The Movie Hollywood (And My Wife) Doesn't Want You To See: Weekend at Jacko's
Sysi: the ultimate administrators toolkit Sysi: the ultimate administrators toolkit
Movie: Priest Academy Movie: Priest Academy
Inspirational Rat Story Inspirational Rat Story
A face-melting DSL that allows programming ON the iPhone (and iPad) A face-melting DSL that allows programming ON the iPhone (and iPad)
The secretGeek Disaster Recovery plan The secretGeek Disaster Recovery plan
Save KNVTn! Before it's too late Save KNVTn! Before it's too late
The Ultimate Agent of WERF Destruction The Ultimate Agent of WERF Destruction
The new prisoner's dilemma The new prisoner's dilemma
Original Premise for a road movie Original Premise for a road movie
What's a better game than Devshop? What's a better game than Devshop?
DevShop: The Cool Game that Makes Development Look Fun DevShop: The Cool Game that Makes Development Look Fun
Should be purple Should be purple
Kitchen Agile Kitchen Agile
Perhaps Perhaps "Go" is the new Visual Basic
zen-coding: turn those CSS selectors upside down zen-coding: turn those CSS selectors upside down
Debugging: It's all about finding Albuquerque. Debugging: It's all about finding Albuquerque.
The Real-Time online JQuery Editor The Real-Time online JQuery Editor
HTML5, a 3 minute guide HTML5, a 3 minute guide
Developer Codpieces Developer Codpieces
Agile for one: The Personal Story 'Wall' In Action Agile for one: The Personal Story 'Wall' In Action
Never work with thick people. Never work with thick people.
Cosmo: project status panel Cosmo: project status panel
Windows Search in Japan Windows Search in Japan
Project Management Zen Project Management Zen
Continuous Integration, Plugins and Going Too Far Continuous Integration, Plugins and Going Too Far
The Rules of Stand Up The Rules of Stand Up
Sydney International Airport: Stupid, Criminal, or Criminally Stupid? Sydney International Airport: Stupid, Criminal, or Criminally Stupid?
God No! ...The ReBuilder God No! ...The ReBuilder
Matt, The Office Mortar Matt, The Office Mortar
'Outlook style' rules for Subversion 'Outlook style' rules for Subversion
Really deep linking: Url + regex Really deep linking: Url + regex
hExcel -- A Hexagonal Spreadsheet hExcel -- A Hexagonal Spreadsheet
Is the remote control a thing of the past? Is the remote control a thing of the past?
The Utterly Thorough Guide To Awesome Application Compatibility on Windows 7. The Utterly Thorough Guide To Awesome Application Compatibility on Windows 7.
Astounding Hyperlinked Noticeboard Astounding Hyperlinked Noticeboard
Three Questions About Each Bug You Find Three Questions About Each Bug You Find
Recursing over the Pareto Principle... Recursing over the Pareto Principle...
Sometimes, The Better You Program, The Worse You Communicate. Sometimes, The Better You Program, The Worse You Communicate.

Archives .: secretGeek :: Complete Archives
TimeSnapper -- Automated Screenshot Journal TimeSnapper.com    
Version 3.3: true productivity boost

Next Action NextAction
Managing the top of your mind

World's Simplest Code Generator (html edition) World's Simplest Code Generator

25 steps for building a Micro-ISV 25 steps for building a Micro-ISV
3 minute guides -- babysteps in new technologies: powershell, JSON, watir, F# 3 Minute Guide Series
Universal Troubleshooting checklist Universal Troubleshooting Checklist
Top 10 SecretGeek articles Top 10 SecretGeek articles
ShinyPower (help with Powershell) ShinyPower
Now at CodePlex

Realtime CSS Editor, in a browser RealTime Online CSS Editor
Gradient Maker -- a tool for making background images that blend from one colour to another. Forget photoshop, this is the bomb. Gradient Maker


[powered by Google] 


How to be depressed How to be depressed
You are not inadequate.



Recommended Reading

The Best Software Writing I
The Business Of Software (Eric Sink)

Recommended blogs

Jeff Atwood
Reginald Braithwaite
Joseph Cooney
Phil Haack
Scott Hanselman
Julia Lerman
Rhys Parry
Joel Pobar
OJ Reeves
Eric Sink
Joel Spolsky
Des Traynor

Aggregated Links

programming.reddit.com
dzone
dot net kicks

Human Link Machines

interesting finds
a continuous learner's weblog
arjan's world
n links today
new and notable
morning coffee
learning .net
weekly link post
(my del.icio.us account)

LinkedIn profile
 
home .: about .: sign up .: sitemap .: secretGeek RSS .: © Leon Bambrick 2006 .: privacy

home .: about .: sign up .: sitemap .: RSS .: © Leon Bambrick 2006 .: privacy