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  3. Wow, writing software is hard :p

Wow, writing software is hard :p

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  • M Mycroft Holmes

    I found writing commercial software a daunting task, having been weaned on corporate solutions for a number of years I then took on the project of writing a commercial package, what an eye opener. The level of detail and the quality of the application was much greater than mere corporate systems. I hope you have a plan for deployment and a good support model. We went broke selling a great app with no support model.

    Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH

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    RugbyLeague
    wrote on last edited by
    #13

    I sold my business before that happened :cool:

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    • E Ennis Ray Lynch Jr

      I am finally biting the bullet and authoring a commercial application of my own. Wow, I thought I'd be finished in a week! On a serious note it is giving me a better understanding of how one man operations are serious competitors. I get to spend time on working on features that are useful and ignoring the 1% case that ties business software development up for months with no progress, I'm not supporting multiple databases, I don't care about Linux, and web-enabled? maybe V2!

      Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation." --Stephen Crane

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      Arun Jacob
      wrote on last edited by
      #14

      Ennis Ray Lynch, Jr. wrote:

      maybe V2!

      I remember a quote that I've seen somewhere, If at first you don't succeed, call it Version 1.0 :laugh:

      Arun Jacob http://codepronet.blogspot.com/

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      • P Pete OHanlon

        John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:

        I only use my tool in-house. It's probably better that way

        Oh I don't know - it's so much fun to use your tool outdoors.

        "WPF has many lovers. It's a veritable porn star!" - Josh Smith

        As Braveheart once said, "You can take our freedom but you'll never take our Hobnobs!" - Martin Hughes.

        My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Onyx

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        Jim Crafton
        wrote on last edited by
        #15

        Yes, but then it ends up on Google's StreetView! And trust me, no one wants that!

        ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

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        • J Jim Crafton

          Yes, but then it ends up on Google's StreetView! And trust me, no one wants that!

          ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

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          Pete OHanlon
          wrote on last edited by
          #16

          That's when you're supposed to put your big tool in the box. Now to see who gets the reference.

          "WPF has many lovers. It's a veritable porn star!" - Josh Smith

          As Braveheart once said, "You can take our freedom but you'll never take our Hobnobs!" - Martin Hughes.

          My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Onyx

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          • E Ennis Ray Lynch Jr

            I am finally biting the bullet and authoring a commercial application of my own. Wow, I thought I'd be finished in a week! On a serious note it is giving me a better understanding of how one man operations are serious competitors. I get to spend time on working on features that are useful and ignoring the 1% case that ties business software development up for months with no progress, I'm not supporting multiple databases, I don't care about Linux, and web-enabled? maybe V2!

            Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation." --Stephen Crane

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            Lost User
            wrote on last edited by
            #17

            Interesting. Are you doing this in your spare time whilst still working a day job or are you're own boss 24/7? I'd love to be my own boss - it's a risk but the potential benefits are nothing short of life changing. I wish you the best of luck Ennis.

            Blogging about Qt Creator

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            • L Lost User

              Interesting. Are you doing this in your spare time whilst still working a day job or are you're own boss 24/7? I'd love to be my own boss - it's a risk but the potential benefits are nothing short of life changing. I wish you the best of luck Ennis.

              Blogging about Qt Creator

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              Ennis Ray Lynch Jr
              wrote on last edited by
              #18

              I'm a consultant by trade so I get a lot of down-time between contracts. Instead of just doing nothing but blowing money and living it up I figured maybe I should try something productive in my down time.

              Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation." --Stephen Crane

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              • P Pete OHanlon

                That's when you're supposed to put your big tool in the box. Now to see who gets the reference.

                "WPF has many lovers. It's a veritable porn star!" - Josh Smith

                As Braveheart once said, "You can take our freedom but you'll never take our Hobnobs!" - Martin Hughes.

                My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Onyx

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                Jim Crafton
                wrote on last edited by
                #19

                Well it's a damn big tool. And sometimes it takes a while to get back in the box. And now these damn little Googley cars zip by and take snapshots while I'm in the middle trying to do all this, it makes me nervous and clumsy! What to do, what to do...

                ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

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                • J Jim Crafton

                  Well it's a damn big tool. And sometimes it takes a while to get back in the box. And now these damn little Googley cars zip by and take snapshots while I'm in the middle trying to do all this, it makes me nervous and clumsy! What to do, what to do...

                  ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

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                  Ennis Ray Lynch Jr
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #20

                  You think that's bad the airport has a sign that says no tools over 7" allowed through security.

                  Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation." --Stephen Crane

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                  • E Ennis Ray Lynch Jr

                    I am finally biting the bullet and authoring a commercial application of my own. Wow, I thought I'd be finished in a week! On a serious note it is giving me a better understanding of how one man operations are serious competitors. I get to spend time on working on features that are useful and ignoring the 1% case that ties business software development up for months with no progress, I'm not supporting multiple databases, I don't care about Linux, and web-enabled? maybe V2!

                    Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation." --Stephen Crane

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                    PIEBALDconsult
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #21

                    Ennis Ray Lynch, Jr. wrote:

                    V2

                    V2 can be easier to import into London than V1; with V1 they only hear the buzz... :~

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                    • E Ennis Ray Lynch Jr

                      You think that's bad the airport has a sign that says no tools over 7" allowed through security.

                      Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation." --Stephen Crane

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                      Jim Crafton
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #22

                      You know it's clearly totalitarian, maoist-leftist dictats like that that make me realize ho far we've drifted from our true democratic Jeffersonian ideals! I say we rise up and strike a vote for freedom! Rise up and say "Tools of all sizes, Unite!"

                      ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

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                      • R realJSOP

                        Ennis Ray Lynch, Jr. wrote:

                        my tool will only be used in-house

                        I only use my tool in-house. It's probably better that way.

                        .45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly
                        -----
                        "Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
                        -----
                        "The staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - J. Jystad, 2001

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                        peterchen
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #23

                        That's what She said! Ta!

                        Agh! Reality! My Archnemesis![^]
                        | FoldWithUs! | sighist | µLaunch - program launcher for server core and hyper-v server.

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                        • P PIEBALDconsult

                          Ennis Ray Lynch, Jr. wrote:

                          V2

                          V2 can be easier to import into London than V1; with V1 they only hear the buzz... :~

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                          ziwez0
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #24

                          :sigh: true, without V1 and V2 there would be no space travel (V3)

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                          • E Ennis Ray Lynch Jr

                            I am finally biting the bullet and authoring a commercial application of my own. Wow, I thought I'd be finished in a week! On a serious note it is giving me a better understanding of how one man operations are serious competitors. I get to spend time on working on features that are useful and ignoring the 1% case that ties business software development up for months with no progress, I'm not supporting multiple databases, I don't care about Linux, and web-enabled? maybe V2!

                            Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation." --Stephen Crane

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                            Anna Jayne Metcalfe
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #25

                            Yes, it is. I had to unlearn just about everything I knew about the way to develop software (especially the documentation bit!) when we struck out on our own. We eventually settled on a basic agile process which seems to work very well. Aside from the business stuff, key lessons we've learnt are to use TDD and refactor as much as practical, keep track of complexity metrics in each build (to make sure that refactoring and the addition of new features is making the software less, not more complex) and keep a customer friendly version history with the code (just a version.txt alongside the solution) so there is no faffing around rewriting change data out of SCC at release time. On the business side there's lots more of course - particularly as this is the first ISV venture I've been involved with. Six years later we're still here, and with a 300kLOC codebase shared between two developers life certainly ain't boring. :-\

                            Anna :rose: Tech Blog | Visual Lint "Why would anyone prefer to wield a weapon that takes both hands at once, when they could use a lighter (and obviously superior) weapon that allows you to wield multiple ones at a time, and thus supports multi-paradigm carnage?"

                            modified on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 6:39 AM

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                            • A Anna Jayne Metcalfe

                              Yes, it is. I had to unlearn just about everything I knew about the way to develop software (especially the documentation bit!) when we struck out on our own. We eventually settled on a basic agile process which seems to work very well. Aside from the business stuff, key lessons we've learnt are to use TDD and refactor as much as practical, keep track of complexity metrics in each build (to make sure that refactoring and the addition of new features is making the software less, not more complex) and keep a customer friendly version history with the code (just a version.txt alongside the solution) so there is no faffing around rewriting change data out of SCC at release time. On the business side there's lots more of course - particularly as this is the first ISV venture I've been involved with. Six years later we're still here, and with a 300kLOC codebase shared between two developers life certainly ain't boring. :-\

                              Anna :rose: Tech Blog | Visual Lint "Why would anyone prefer to wield a weapon that takes both hands at once, when they could use a lighter (and obviously superior) weapon that allows you to wield multiple ones at a time, and thus supports multi-paradigm carnage?"

                              modified on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 6:39 AM

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                              Gary Wheeler
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #26

                              I just noticed the new sig, Anna: :cool:. I'm going to see how often I can use the phrase 'multi-paradigm carnage' today :-D.

                              Software Zen: delete this;

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                              • G Gary Wheeler

                                I just noticed the new sig, Anna: :cool:. I'm going to see how often I can use the phrase 'multi-paradigm carnage' today :-D.

                                Software Zen: delete this;

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                                A Offline
                                Anna Jayne Metcalfe
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #27

                                Glad you like it. :)

                                Anna :rose: Tech Blog | Visual Lint "Why would anyone prefer to wield a weapon that takes both hands at once, when they could use a lighter (and obviously superior) weapon that allows you to wield multiple ones at a time, and thus supports multi-paradigm carnage?"

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                                • E Ennis Ray Lynch Jr

                                  I am finally biting the bullet and authoring a commercial application of my own. Wow, I thought I'd be finished in a week! On a serious note it is giving me a better understanding of how one man operations are serious competitors. I get to spend time on working on features that are useful and ignoring the 1% case that ties business software development up for months with no progress, I'm not supporting multiple databases, I don't care about Linux, and web-enabled? maybe V2!

                                  Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation." --Stephen Crane

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                                  Jake Barney
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #28

                                  Grats! I found my way into programming in the same manner. Needed a database program to replace Quickbooks. Took about six months of playing around but the time spent has definitely paid off:)

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                                  • E Ennis Ray Lynch Jr

                                    I am finally biting the bullet and authoring a commercial application of my own. Wow, I thought I'd be finished in a week! On a serious note it is giving me a better understanding of how one man operations are serious competitors. I get to spend time on working on features that are useful and ignoring the 1% case that ties business software development up for months with no progress, I'm not supporting multiple databases, I don't care about Linux, and web-enabled? maybe V2!

                                    Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation." --Stephen Crane

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                                    F Offline
                                    Fabio Franco
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #29

                                    I found myself in a similar situation. Me an a group of friends started developing a software that is hard to find in the marked and the ones available are usually too expensive and/or use old technologies and has poor performance or are part of big systems (like ERPs). We thought, hey, it's not that complicated to do it (not overly simple either, some parts we are still researching on how to do it and implement) and we can charge it cheap and sell many. We have a market gap to fill: small to medium enterprieses. A few months later comes a disappointment. Despite being hard to find, we found a similar and cheap solution on MercadoLivre (Brazilian eBay). It's still old, uses Paradox DB, but it was right in the gap we were trying to fill (the price). We are still going to finish the product, however, we will try to be better (better marketing, be easier to find). We will also start on our own backyard, being able to sell and support stuff face to face is a big advantage, later we try to stablish our marked on wider areas. Anyway, it's great you've found that opportunity, when your tool grows, you can support more stuff, you can pay people to do that for you. That's what we intend here too. We support a very small set of hardware, SQL Server only and we are not web-enabled yet. But, who knows of V2? :)

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                                    • R realJSOP

                                      Ennis Ray Lynch, Jr. wrote:

                                      my tool will only be used in-house

                                      I only use my tool in-house. It's probably better that way.

                                      .45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly
                                      -----
                                      "Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
                                      -----
                                      "The staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - J. Jystad, 2001

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                                      A Offline
                                      Alan Burkhart
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #30

                                      "I only use my tool in-house. It's probably better that way." And never, never, NEVER let anyone borrow your tool. No telling when they'll bring it back.

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                                      • M Mycroft Holmes

                                        I found writing commercial software a daunting task, having been weaned on corporate solutions for a number of years I then took on the project of writing a commercial package, what an eye opener. The level of detail and the quality of the application was much greater than mere corporate systems. I hope you have a plan for deployment and a good support model. We went broke selling a great app with no support model.

                                        Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH

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                                        L Offline
                                        LenaBr
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #31

                                        Yes - after writing commercial software for over 20 years doing this inside corporate stuff with captive users is a breeze! Users can be "disciplined" for causing screw ups - yay! You will find that a good 75% of your code will be catching the idiots entering bad data and trying to do things backwards. And don't, please don't, hard code tax percentages! I have spent far too many boring hours hunting through pages and pages of code for GST percentages.

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                                        • E Ennis Ray Lynch Jr

                                          Its a joke, you can't have attributes with out values or attributes in end tags. Thus <curious mode> is an invalid start tag, and </curious mode> is an invalid end tag.

                                          Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation." --Stephen Crane

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                                          Ammar Arwany
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #32

                                          <badCommen langCode="de" enValue="I agree">einverstanden!</badCommen>

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