Micro ISV Digest

A weekly roundup of Micro ISV news, announcements and relevant blog posts.

News and Announcements

• Mark Gladding released a beta version of Text2Go, a utility to convert text to speech and transfer it to an iPod. Via BoS.
• Conkerjoe announced a beta version of PractiLicencing, a licensing system for .net. Via BoS.
• Ralph released Jingle, a desktop/email/sms reminder program. Via BoS.
• KC announced dotProject 2.1.0 - release candidate 1.
• Gurock Software released SmartInspect 2.0.
• A new version of TGWebServices was released.
• I released a new version of Oriador Rota.
• It's EntrepreneurshipWeek USA.
• An interview with Stephane Grenier on StartupSpark.

Relevant Blog Posts and Articles

• Seven Steps to remarkable customer service, from Joel Spolsky.
• Understanding Google Adwords, from Dave Collins on MyMicroISV. Dave was also the guest on this week's Micro ISV Show.
• Can Entrepreneurship be taught, from Wil Schroter.
• Best and worst decisions, from Startupping.
• Is your business idea the next YouTube or a Jump to Conclusions Mat, from EfCN. Also, 5 tips to make things easier.
• 15 tips to cope with a demanding life, from Dave Cheong.
• Is your startup worth more, from OnStartups. Also, the Involved vs. the Committed.
• Patrick's planning his next project.
• What you sell isn't important, from StartupSpark.
• Stake your claim with Copyright, from Scott Meade.

Further (mostly relevant) Reading

• The Carnival of Entrepreneurs.
• Are our tools making us dumber, from Creating Passionate Users.
• A competitive world, from Studio ArtFx.
• Ten Questions with Michael Raynor, from Guy Kawasaki.

Tags: microisv digest entrepreneurship startups shareware

Micro ISV Digest

A weekly roundup of Micro ISV news, announcements and relevant blog posts.

News and Announcements

• Dan was looking for feedback on his new brain training software, Train your Brain, via BoS.
• Shane Henderson is looking for feedback on JobBurner.com, via BoS.
• A new version of Pretty Good MahJongg was released.
• Read Patrick's blog chronologically at the MicroISV on a Shoestring Reader.
• A new feature from Bob on MyMicroISV, the Monday Site Review.
• An interview with Andrey Butov on Startup Spark.

Relevant Blog Posts and Articles

• Protecting yourself, a new round of Business for Geeks articles from KC.
• Why do people avoid checking their assumptions, and 10 ways to verify assumptions, from Andrew Chen. Also, 3 lessons from a web idea that didn't go anywhere.
• How to deal with abusive customers, from Patrick McKenzie.
• Half an Effort = Zero Results, from Wil Schroter.
• Why what you build is less important than who you build it with, from OnStartups.
• 10 ways to convert customer service into sales, from Ian Landsman.
• Building a brand, from EfCN.
• How much control should users have, from Creating Passionate Users.
• 10 ways you know you're an entrepreneur, from Startup Spark.

Further (mostly relevant) Reading

• The Carnival of Entrepreneurs.
• The carnival of Game Production #2, from GameProducer.
• Get Passionate about business, from StartupSpark.
• Is it worth being wise, from Paul Graham.
• Free Vista style graphic elements, via Andrea Nagar.

Tags: microisv digest entrepreneurship startups shareware

Micro ISV Digest

A weekly roundup of Micro ISV news, announcements and relevant blog posts.

News and Announcements

• Jon released ViEmu for Word and Outlook.
• Andrea Nagar released a new beta version of Direct Access. via BoS.
• Bob Walsh released his new book, Clear Blogging. There's a free chapter online at Apress.
• Corentin Plouët announced his new Micro ISV blog on BoS.
• A new version of Most Popular Solitaire was released.
• Startup Spark interviews Patrick.
• Techquila Shots, a tech ideas blog.

Relevant Blog Posts and Articles

• Learning from Founders, from Paul Graham.
• The importance of "beginner mind", from EfCN.
• 6 Startup lessons for 2007, from Read/Write Web
• It's not you, it's "You", from Scott Meade.
• Why "Me Too" startups aren't always a mistake, from OnStartups.
• What baseball can teach you about your business, from Small business hub.
• Simon reports back on some sales improvements.
• Customer refund request rates, from Patrick.
• Finding customers with discussion forums, from GameProducer.

Further (mostly relevant) Reading

• Ship or shut-up, from Destraynor.
• The machine is Us/ing Us, on Youtube.
• Using Vista? Free Zune and promotion on offer from Microsoft.
• Hacking Skype.
• Donationware coffee? via BoS.

Tags: microisv digest entrepreneurship startups shareware

Micro ISV Digest

For completeness only, a weekly roundup of Micro ISV news, announcements and relevant blog posts. Andrey was kind enough to post this for me yesterday when I had technical problems updating my blog.

News and Announcements

• Tate Needham released a public beta for Automise 2.
• Carmen Ferrara released a second beta for iPresent Presio.
• Daniel Howard announced SQLAware Professional, a database development environment. Via BoS.
• A new version of DBDesc was released.
• A new version of Action Solitaire was released.
• Alex Choo launched 1000 inspirations: Micro ISV interviews.
• An interview with Ian Landsman, on Startup Spark.
• The Micro ISV Show returns, with Bob Walsh as co-host, and Joel Spolsky as guest.

Relevant Blog Posts and Articles

• The big 4 every entrepreneur needs, from EfCN.
• Give some thought to your morning routine, from Bob Walsh.
• Finding grace in failure, from Get a Life.
• How to find out what people want, from Game Producer.
• The perfect programming job, from Jason Sankey.
• Andrey and Patrick shared some stats.
• The power of caring for customers, from OnStartups.
• What investors really want, from Wil Schroter.
• Google Checkout vs Paypal, from Patrick McKenzie.
• 25 steps for building a Micro ISV, from secretGeek.

Further (mostly relevant) Reading

• Avoid common mistakes to improve your lead conversion, from Scott Meade.
• The Carnival of Entrepreneurs.
• Stupid ways to hinder market adoption, from Guy Kawasaki.
• Snake Oil Indie, from Joe Indie.

Tags: microisv digest entrepreneurship startups shareware