Micro ISV Digest

Posted by Gavin Bowman on Monday, May 28, 2007 at 8:00 AM

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

News and Announcements

Mike M. launched Quoozle, a kind of social knowledge base. Via BoS.
Cliffski released Kudos: Rock Legend, a virtual rock band game. Via blog.
John Reid released PopBox, a neat free image popup script, via BoS.
Saurabh released Minalyzer Lite site search, via BoS.
The Gurocks released an SDK for SmartInspect. Via blog.
A new version of dotProject was released.
A new version of Action Solitaire was released.
Pam Slim on the Micro ISV Show.
Tony Edgecombe on Shareware Radio.

Relevant Blog Posts and Articles

Business for Geeks: All your base are belong to us, from KC.
Community based marketing, from Patrick McKenzie.
Promoting your software, part 6, from Andy Brice.
A great alternative to 30 day trials, from MyMicroISV.
3 lessons you mistakenly learn from your parents, from Wil Schroter. And, what silicon valley could learn from Columbus, Ohio.
Pricing your work, from Spoiltchild.
Lower Literacy Website Visitors, from Dave Collins (MyMicroISV).
Lessons from "The Dip", from EfCN.
The top 10 reasons PR doesn't work, from Guy Kawasaki.
Plenty of fish in the WSJ.
Startups can be very stressful, but..., from Instigator. And, the top 10 reasons to join a startup.

Further (mostly relevant) Reading

Feature presentation, from the New Yorker.
The Carnival of Entrepreneurs.
50 logo design tutorials.
This is urgent, from Eric Sink.
Best order update ever, from Know HR.
The Flexible Entrepreneurial Mind, from OkDork.
Embrace Change, from Dave Cheong.

Micro ISV Digest

Posted by Gavin Bowman on Monday, May 21, 2007 at 8:00 AM

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

News and Announcements

Siddharta Govindaraj released Silver Catalyst, a project management tool. Via BoS.
Andrey Butov and I released our first game, Asteroid Jane for the Blackberry. Via BoS.
Nilesh Jethwa launched MySQL Documentor, via BoS.
Leonardo M. Rame released File Sharer, a tool for publishing a directory via http. Via BoS.
Bugninja launched RecordRocket.com, a free online expenses tracker.
Bot Berlin released an alpha version of Botlist. Via BoS.
A new version of LandlordMax was released.
A new version of SmartInspect was released.
BuildV1 a network for connecting entrepreneurs launched (via Okdork).

Relevant Blog Posts and Articles

Promoting your software part 4 & part 5, from Andy Brice.
Increase your sales, from Patrick McKenzie.
Measuring for Success, from Dave Collins (MyMicroISV).
Someone Already Thought of My Idea, Now What?, from Wil Schroter.
Business Planning: Market Analysis, from Startup Spark.
The challenges of the freemium pricing model, from OnStartups.
Is virtual goods the killer revenue model for Web 2.0, from Andrew Chen.
The Saturday Newbie technique, from Dennis Crane.
Micro-ISV joint ventures, from Andrey Butov.

Further (mostly relevant) Reading

Requirements, from Eric Sink.
Sharp, not a spoon, from The Dip blog.
Why, oh Why, do those nutheads use vi? from Jon.
1o ways to make your workspace more productive, from Startup Spark.
101 steps to becoming a better blogger.
Podcasting 101.

Tags: microisv digest entrepreneurship startups shareware

Nutheads?

Posted by Gavin Bowman on Friday, May 18, 2007 at 2:13 PM

Jon over at NGEDIT has written a great piece outlining why vi/vim are so powerful for text editing. If you've ever wondered what all the fuss is about, I strongly recommend reading it.

Why, oh, WHY do those #?@! nutheads use vi?

I've held all the common misconceptions he lists for years ever since the brief, unfortunate time I had to use it on Unix, I guess I never got through the early pain to the good stuff.

As painful as it sounds, I'm sitting here convinced that I should spend the time learning to use it. Writing this post in the clumsy browser based text editor just sealed the deal.

Micro ISV Digest

Posted by Gavin Bowman on Monday, May 14, 2007 at 8:00 AM

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

News and Announcements

Chris Exline launched Flip.tv, a TV show search and reminder service. Via BoS.
KC released a new version of the dotProject MS Project Importer.
37signals released an API for Highrise.
Bugninja updated TaskUnit with a new Ajax calendar.
A new version of Solitaire Wizard was released.
A new version of CaseDetective was released.
Office Live review on the Micro ISV Show.
I was on Shareware Radio.
Bob breaks down Silverlight for Micro ISVs.

Relevant Blog Posts and Articles

Promoting your software (Part 2 & Part 3), from Andy Brice.
50 Web usability tips, from DoshDosh.
Minor usability errors during checkout will cost you, from Patrick McKenzie.
Google Alerts for Software Vendors, from Dennis Crane.
Selling abroad, from Dave Collins (MyMicroISV).
Business Planning 1: Framing your plan, from Startup Spark.
Top five cash flow mistakes, from Jim Logan.
Bail on One idea today, from Wil Schroter. Also, Wil's version of the Secret.
5 Lessons learned from pitching VCs, from Instigator.
Venture Hacks: inside the VC blackbox, from OnStartups.

Further (mostly relevant) Reading

How to misuse Google Analytics, from Seth Godin.
Fooling VCs into thinking you have traction (Part 2 & 3), from Andrew Chen.
How would you reach YOU? from Eric Sink.
James Dyson and a life of failure, from 37signals.
The Dip: the ChangeThis manifesto.

Tags: microisv digest entrepreneurship startups shareware

Interview

Posted by Gavin Bowman on Thursday, May 10, 2007 at 2:50 PM

Way back at the ESWC in November, I ducked out of one of the sessions for a chat with Mike Dulin for Shareware Radio. The interview has now been posted on Mike's website:-

http://www.sharewareradio.com/

Tags: micro isv shareware eswc06