Reply to: Software ideas

[Lucifer Box]

All Italians are bastards.

At least Mussolini got the trains to run on time.

[OrangeHopper]

Do you think the raisens are Italian?

[thunderlizard]

How have they screwed it up? I hope not by doing the same thing as you, because that makes very little difference. Google didn't think "we can't do the Search Engine because Yahoo's already done it" etc. etc.

[xoggoth]

That Garibaldi made some darn nice biscuits.

[VectraMan]

It turns out my plan B has been screwed by a new start up backed by some cash rich individials. Bugger.

So... Can anyone think of any missing pieces of software that need writing?

I could really do with some rich individuals right now, because I can't really afford to do my plan. I don't think doing something unique is all that essential. You're probably better off getting a small slice of a big market than dominating a small niche market, which is what your unique idea is probably going to appeal to. The Holy Grail is finding a unique product that will appeal to the mass market, but if it's that big you won't have long before somebody will come in and undercut you anyway.

[Francko]

All Italians are bastards.

Apart from Columbus and Da Vinchi.

I instead like all russians, especially Lenin and Stalin.

[AtW]

All Italians are bastards.

Apart from Columbus and Da Vinchi.

[Francko]

Oi Franco! What is Italian for "The ballista kitten angels of Venice" ?

I tried babelfish but I am sure Italian for kitten can't be kitten

Mamma mia!

[xoggoth]

Oi Franco! What is Italian for "The ballista kitten angels of Venice" ?

I tried babelfish but I am sure Italian for kitten can't be kitten

[AtW]

MS office versus Abiword type user-base problem.

This problem is that of file format plus habit of seeing MS icons where they are, this is hard to beat. It is also cheap - few hundred quid is nothing to a company, even though it is per seat.

But if you have backend software then actual software characterstics begin to play, as well as price.

[Francko]

Ah's god feerin man fro de Mississipi delta me praise de lord

Mamma mia!

[Joshua Hallelujah Booker]

Ah's god feerin man fro de Mississipi delta me praise de lord

[Francko]

One should never count on uniqueness of the software because as soon as it's out competitors will do the same

It's not true. Although my SKA search engine is coming up rather well. Anytime it fails a search, a pop-up message appears displaying "mamma mia!".

[TheMonkey]

One should never count on uniqueness of the software because as soon as it's out competitors will do the same and you are likely not to be ready for it. If on the other hand you enter market that is already crowded then you would HAVE TO have some serious competitive advantages and thus will put more work rather than less, and as the result it will be hard for competition to catch up easily: remember, it is the competitors who make you better, not lack of competition.

I agree entirely. The market I was entering is not at all crowded but is full of rich, over-priced cowboy outfits with bad reputations. The problem is that a BIG industry heavyweight has just appeared on the scene with a beta of their own software which offers the typical MS office versus Abiword type user-base problem. They are also a big marketing machine (something I cannot afford to do really). Basically, the risk is too high for the potential return now.

I have plan C and D though which should ease the pain.

[xoggoth]

I suspect that roamer is as foreign as Muhammed Benares10 and Joshua Hallelujah Booker (whoever they might be)