Planning! In Venture school (http://www.bcitventure.com/) you write a business plan. No business activity, just make your plan. It takes months. In project management circles they use the 70-20-10 rule: 70% of the time alloted to a project is for...planning. 20% for doing and 10% for reviewing.

I think that your MacUpdate / VersionTracker market temperature check is an excellent and simply accomplished step.

And also thinking about the future of the software you're about to write can help make better decisions about the UI design and the code structure too.

Thanks for the great suggestions!

Jon

Excellent advice so far! Bring on the other parts :-)
Almost a year ago today I started work on my current shareware application FootTrack for cataloging digital video. At the time I read all the articles I could find on shareware, assessed the competition, planned everything I could think of and then set out to write something great!
It's great when the successful shareware developers out there share some of what they've learned along the way. Thanks!

Planning doesn't have to be a complicated, high-overhead, long activity, either. Check out Extreme Programming, and in particular the Planning Game (http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?PlanningGame) it uses for a good low-overhead way to plan software development projects.

I use the Planning Game both with clients and on my own projects, along with OmniOutliner (rather than note cards) and it works well for keeping everyone focused on delivering that next incremental bit of value completely.

Another thing to do is search for the products on the windows side of Version Tracker...

For example Karaoke software. For the Mac there is NONE.

If you're wondering what kind of software to write. There is a BIG hole in the Macintosh market for a CD+G karaoke player.

A program that can play Karaoke CD's...Even a basic one would be cool... but one could 'Mac-ize' it with cool transitions... applescriptability... album covers...

Who wants to build it?

RC

Right on about needing to love your product if you want it to sell well. I love Psion handhelds, and there are lots of half-finished apps, started by people hoping to make money, and who quit after Psion stopped making handhelds.

These apps would still be worthwile, had their authors been genuinely interested in them and not just in it for the money.

Money is not a bad motivator, I'm just saying, 95% of the time, it isn't enough.

You need to love the product.

I know this isn't the post about it, but it's the most recent topic. Can you let me know who you used to make the t-shirts you gave out at MWSF? I like the quality and was interested in getting some of my own style made. Feel free to contact me off site.

thanks!

Re: Make Money Fast

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Posted by IN on March 16, 2004 at 09:21:25:
In Reply to: Re: Make Money Fast posted by Nazri on January 29, 2004 at 08:08:30:
EASILY THE BEST MONEY MAKING OPPORTUNITY EVER.

I FOUND THIS WHILST SURFING FOR MONEY MAKING OPPORTUNITIES ON THE BULLETIN AND MONEY MAKING MESSAGE BOARDS.
YOU CAN BE REST ASSURED THAT THIS IS LEGAL BECAUSE YOU ARE ACTUALLY PAYING FOR A SERVICE.
THE ONLY WORK THAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO EARN THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OR RINGGITS IS TO MAKE SURE YOU POST THE COPY OF THE EXACT REPLICA OF THIS LETTER INTO THE MANY LOCAL AND REGIONAL BULLETIN BOARDS AND MESSAGE BOARDS AND THE MINIMUM AMOUNT FOR THIS TO WORK IS 200 POSTINGS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TYPE THIS LETTER 200 TIMES AS YOU JUST HAVE CLICK EDIT, SELECT ALL AND COPY THIS LETTER TO WORDS OR WORDPAD AND SAVE IT FOR EDIT LATER.
THE NEXT STEP IS THE IMPORTANT STEP WHERE YOU WILL START TO RECEIVE SOLID CASH BY POSTAL MAIL. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS TO SEND RM5/- (SINGLE NOTE) EACH WRAPPED BY A NORMAL A4 PAPER(TO PREVENT THE MONEY FROM BEING SEEN) TO ALL THE SIX ADDRESSEES LISTED BELOW WITH A NOTE WRITTEN ON THE A4 PAPER STATING : PLEASE INCLUDE ME ON YOUR MAILING LIST BY MAIL AND OF COURSE WITH THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF STAMP. TRY TO USE A THICK ENVELOPE TO PREVENT THE MONEY FROM BEING SEEN. THE ADDRESSEES ARE:-
1. WAN MUHSIN
503, BLOCK C
GLOMAC BUSINESS CENTER
47301 KELANA JAYA, SELANGOR
2. NUR RIFHAN
31, JALAN SS18/2B
SUBANG JAYA
47500 SELANGOR
3. N FAEZAH
32, JALAN SS19/6H
SUBANG JAYA
47500 SELANGOR

4. FARIDAH KARIM
5, JALAN BU 7/7
BANDAR UTAMA
47800 PETALING JAYA, SELANGOR
5. HARLINDA ANUAR
25, JALAN BK5/10A
BANDAR KINRARA
PUCHONG 47100 SELANGOR
6. Raymond Fontenot Jr.
200 Inverness Lane
Broussard LA, 70518
AFTER YOU HAVE DONE THAT OPEN THE WORDS/WORDPAD FILE THAT YOU HAVE SAVED EARLIER PUT YOUR NAME AND COMPLETE ADDRESS INTO THE NUMBER SIX POSITION, REMOVE POSITION NUMBER ONE AND SHIFT THE REST ACCORDINGLY, I.E. MOVE NO 6 TO NO 5, NO 5 TO NO 4, NO 4 TO NO 3, NO3, TO NO 2 AND NO 2 TO NO 1.
WHEN THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED YOU CAN NOW CLICK EDIT, SELECT COPY AND PASTE TO WHATEVER BULLETIN OR MESSAGE BOARDS THAT YOU WANT TO POST TO.
YOU CAN NOW SIT DOWN AND RELAX AND JUST WATCH ALL THE RM5/- NOTE CONTINOUSLY STREAMING THROUGH YOUR MAIL.
THE SIMPLE ARITHMETIC OF WHY 200 BULLETIN/MESSAGE BOARDS IS THAT EVEN IF ONLY FIVE PEOPLE RESPOND TO YOUR POSTING, HE /SHE WILL BE POSTING TO ANOTHER 200 BOARDS AND THAT WILL BE 1000 AND IMAGINE IF JUST 25 OUT OF THAT 1000 RESPOND THAT 25 WILL BE POSTING TO 5000 BOARDS. YOU CAN EASILY MULTIPLY THE AMOUNT OF RM5/- NOTES THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE THROUGH THE MAIL.
FROM STATISTICS OF THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE THIS PHENOMENON YOU CAN EASILY GET ABOUT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS IN JUST THREE MONTHS IF YOU STRICTLY FOLLOW EACH AND EVERY INSTRUCTIONS SPELT OUT.
"MAY ALL OF YOU SUCCEED IN ENRICHING YOURSELVES"

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Re: Make Money Fast

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Posted by IN on March 16, 2004 at 09:21:25:
In Reply to: Re: Make Money Fast posted by Nazri on January 29, 2004 at 08:08:30:
EASILY THE BEST MONEY MAKING OPPORTUNITY EVER.

I FOUND THIS WHILST SURFING FOR MONEY MAKING OPPORTUNITIES ON THE BULLETIN AND MONEY MAKING MESSAGE BOARDS.
YOU CAN BE REST ASSURED THAT THIS IS LEGAL BECAUSE YOU ARE ACTUALLY PAYING FOR A SERVICE.
THE ONLY WORK THAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO EARN THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OR RINGGITS IS TO MAKE SURE YOU POST THE COPY OF THE EXACT REPLICA OF THIS LETTER INTO THE MANY LOCAL AND REGIONAL BULLETIN BOARDS AND MESSAGE BOARDS AND THE MINIMUM AMOUNT FOR THIS TO WORK IS 200 POSTINGS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TYPE THIS LETTER 200 TIMES AS YOU JUST HAVE CLICK EDIT, SELECT ALL AND COPY THIS LETTER TO WORDS OR WORDPAD AND SAVE IT FOR EDIT LATER.
THE NEXT STEP IS THE IMPORTANT STEP WHERE YOU WILL START TO RECEIVE SOLID CASH BY POSTAL MAIL. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS TO SEND RM5/- (SINGLE NOTE) EACH WRAPPED BY A NORMAL A4 PAPER(TO PREVENT THE MONEY FROM BEING SEEN) TO ALL THE SIX ADDRESSEES LISTED BELOW WITH A NOTE WRITTEN ON THE A4 PAPER STATING : PLEASE INCLUDE ME ON YOUR MAILING LIST BY MAIL AND OF COURSE WITH THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF STAMP. TRY TO USE A THICK ENVELOPE TO PREVENT THE MONEY FROM BEING SEEN. THE ADDRESSEES ARE:-
1. WAN MUHSIN
503, BLOCK C
GLOMAC BUSINESS CENTER
47301 KELANA JAYA, SELANGOR
2. NUR RIFHAN
31, JALAN SS18/2B
SUBANG JAYA
47500 SELANGOR
3. N FAEZAH
32, JALAN SS19/6H
SUBANG JAYA
47500 SELANGOR

4. FARIDAH KARIM
5, JALAN BU 7/7
BANDAR UTAMA
47800 PETALING JAYA, SELANGOR
5. HARLINDA ANUAR
25, JALAN BK5/10A
BANDAR KINRARA
PUCHONG 47100 SELANGOR
6. Raymond Fontenot Jr.
200 Inverness Lane
Broussard LA, 70518
AFTER YOU HAVE DONE THAT OPEN THE WORDS/WORDPAD FILE THAT YOU HAVE SAVED EARLIER PUT YOUR NAME AND COMPLETE ADDRESS INTO THE NUMBER SIX POSITION, REMOVE POSITION NUMBER ONE AND SHIFT THE REST ACCORDINGLY, I.E. MOVE NO 6 TO NO 5, NO 5 TO NO 4, NO 4 TO NO 3, NO3, TO NO 2 AND NO 2 TO NO 1.
WHEN THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED YOU CAN NOW CLICK EDIT, SELECT COPY AND PASTE TO WHATEVER BULLETIN OR MESSAGE BOARDS THAT YOU WANT TO POST TO.
YOU CAN NOW SIT DOWN AND RELAX AND JUST WATCH ALL THE RM5/- NOTE CONTINOUSLY STREAMING THROUGH YOUR MAIL.
THE SIMPLE ARITHMETIC OF WHY 200 BULLETIN/MESSAGE BOARDS IS THAT EVEN IF ONLY FIVE PEOPLE RESPOND TO YOUR POSTING, HE /SHE WILL BE POSTING TO ANOTHER 200 BOARDS AND THAT WILL BE 1000 AND IMAGINE IF JUST 25 OUT OF THAT 1000 RESPOND THAT 25 WILL BE POSTING TO 5000 BOARDS. YOU CAN EASILY MULTIPLY THE AMOUNT OF RM5/- NOTES THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE THROUGH THE MAIL.
FROM STATISTICS OF THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE THIS PHENOMENON YOU CAN EASILY GET ABOUT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS IN JUST THREE MONTHS IF YOU STRICTLY FOLLOW EACH AND EVERY INSTRUCTIONS SPELT OUT.
"MAY ALL OF YOU SUCCEED IN ENRICHING YOURSELVES"

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Invest $1 to Make $5000
Sounds over the top, right, read on, you won't be disappointed.
Hello,
Hey you don't have to spend big to make a fortune. A number of yrs ago my college friends and I would each yr participate in a Christmas Club in order to get party money for the Holidays.
Back then we did it all with a typewriter and snail mail. This never failed to bring each of us over $1000 each Holiday Season. The reason we would only bring in that much was that we could only afford a limited number of stamps. But now with the internet, the power of the web and safe-lists, the returns are much greater.
Have you heard this before: "$20,000 in 2 weeks for just $10"? Or how about "As seen on 20/20?" Would you just give out $10 or $20? NO WAY!! But, how about just one dollar? That's right the cost of a small cup of coffee, the price of a pack of gum, the cost of a regular old hotdog at the C-store.
Think about it.

Yes!! Spend $1.00 and you will get about $5,000 for your efforts.
Follow the link below and in two weeks you'll have at least $5,000 because most people respond due to low investment and high potential.

Http://www.dollars-for-you.com/plan1/index.php?ref=9983

Just $1 between you and $5000 others ¡K.

OR IF YOU HAVE A BIT MORE TIME TO WAIT YOU CAN TRY THIS ONE OUT, IT TOOK BETWEEN 4-5 WEEKS TO START SEEING REALY MONEY COMING IN.

This worked for me!! Still is!!
From: bri
Category: College
Date: 1/19/03
Time: 4:48:08 PM
Remote Name: 144.120.10.243
Comments
Hello! I've got some awesome news that I think you need to take two minutes to read if you have ever thought "How could I make some serious cash in a hurry???" , or been in serious debt, ready to do almost anything to get the money needed to pay off those bill collectors. So grab a snack, a warm cup of coffee, or a glass of your favorite beverage, get comfortable and listen to this interesting, exciting find! Let me start by saying that I FINALLY FOUND IT! That's right! I found it! And I HATE GET RICH QUICK SCHEMES!! I hate those schemes like multi-level marketing, mail-order schemes, envelope stuffing scams, 900 number scams... the list goes on forever. I have tried every darn get rich quick scheme out there over the past couple years. I somehow got on mailing lists for people looking to make money (more like 'desperate stupid people who will try anything for money!'). Well, when I was a teenager, these claims to 'get me rich quick' sounded irresistible! I would shell out $14.95 here, $29.95 there, $24.95 here, and another $49.95 there. I had maxed out my new Circuit City Card AND my Visa...I was desperate for money!! So, I gave them all a chance but failed at every one of them! Maybe they worked for some people, but not for me. Eventually, I just tossed that JUNK MAIL in the trash when I got the mail. I recognized it right away. I can smell a money scam from a mile away these days, SO I THOUGHT.... I thought I could sniff out a scam easily. WAS I WRONG!! ....I LOVE THE INTERNET!!! I was scanning thru a NEWSGROUP and saw an article stating to GET CASH FAST!! I thought..."Here on the Internet?? Well, I'll just have to see what schemes could possibly be on the internet." The article described a way to MAIL A ONE DOLLAR BILL TO ONLY FIVE PEOPLE AND MAKE $50, 0000 IN CASH WITHIN 4 WEEKS! Well, the more I thought about it, the more I became very curious. Why? Because of the way it worked AND BECAUSE IT WOULD ONLY COST ME FIVE DOLLARS (AND FIVE STAMPS), THAT'S ALL I EVER PAY....EVER!! Ok, so the $50,000 in cash was maybe an tough amount to reach, but it was possible. I knew that I could at least get a return of $1,000 or so. So I did it!! As per the instructions in the article, I mailed out ('snail mail' for you e-mail fanatics) a single dollar bill to each of the five people on the list that was contained in the article. I included a small note, with the dollar, that stated "Please Add Me To Your List." I then removed the first position name of the five names listed and moved everyone up one position, and I put my name in position five of the list. This is how the money starts rolling in! I then took this revised article now with my name on the list and REPOSTED IT ON AS MANY NEWSGROUPS AND LOCAL BULLETIN BOARD MESSAGE AREAS THAT I KNEW. I then waited to watch the money come in...prepared to maybe receive about $1000 to $1500 in cash or so.... But what a welcome surprise when those envelopes kept coming in!!! I knew what they were as soon as I saw the return addresses from people all over the world -Most from the U.S., but some from Canada, even some from Australia! I tell you, THAT WAS EXCITING!! So how much did I get in total return? $1000? $5000? Not even!!! I received a total of $23,343!!! I couldn't believe it!! I now have a brand new black Acura Integra to speak for, due to this!! Now after almost 8 months, I am ready to do it again!!! So maybe it was possible to get $50,000 in cash, I don't know, but IT COMPLETELY DEPENDS ON YOU, THE INDIVIDUAL! You must follow through and repost this article everywhere you can think of! The more postings you achieve will determine how much cash will arrive in your very own mailbox!! It's just too easy to pass up!!! Let's review the reasons why you should do this The only cost factors are for the five stamps, the 5 envelopes and the 5 one dollar bills that you send out to the listed names by snail mail (US Postal Service Mail). Then just simply repost the article (WITH YOUR NAME ADDED) to all the newsgroups and local BBS's you can. Then sit back and, (ironically), enjoy walking (you can run if you like! :o ) down your driveway to your mailbox and scoop up your rewards!! We all have five dollars to put into such an easy effortless investment with SPECTACULAR REALISTIC RETURNS OF $15,000 to $25,000 in about 3-5 weeks! So HOLD OFF ON THOSE LOTTERY NUMBERS FOR TODAY, EAT AT HOME TONIGHT INSTEAD OF TAKEOUT FROM McDONALDS AND INVEST FIVE DOLLARS IN THIS AMAZING MONEY MAKING SYSTEM NOW!!! YOU CAN'T LOSE!! So how do you do it exactly, you ask? I have carefully provided the most detailed, yet straightforward instructions on how to easily get this underway and get your cash on its way. SO, ARE YOU READY TO MAKE SOME CASH!!!?? HERE WE GO!!! *** THE LIST OF NAMES IS AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE. *** OK, Read this carefully. Get a printout of this information, if you like, so you can easily refer to it as often as needed.
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Take a sheet of paper and write on it the following"Please add my name to your list". This creates a service out of this money making system and thus making it completely legal. You are not just randomly sending a dollar to someone, you are paying one dollar for a legitimate service. Make sure you include your name and address. I assure you that, again, this is completely legal! For a neat little twist, also write what slot their name was in"You were in slot 3", Just to add a little fun! This is all about having fun and making money at the same time! 2. Now fold this sheet of paper around a dollar bill ,(no checks or money orders), and put them into an envelope and send it on its way to the five people listed. The folding of the paper around the bill will insure its arrival to its recipient. THIS STEP IS IMPORTANT!! 3. Now listen carefully, here's where you get YOUR MONEY COMING TO YOUR MAILBOX. Look at the list of five people; remove the first name from position one and move everyone on the list up slot one on the list. Position 2 name will now move to the position 1 slot , position 3 will now become position 2, 4 will be 3, 5 will be 4. Now put your name, address, zipcode AND COUNTRY in position 5, the bottom position on the list. 4. Now upload this updated file to as many newsgroups and local bulletin boards' message areas & file section as possible. Give a catchy description of the file so it gets noticed!! Such as"NEED FAST CASH?, HERE IT IS!" or "NEED CASH TO PAY OFF YOUR DEBTS??", etc. And the more uploads, the more money you will make, and of course, the more money the others on the list will make too. LET'S ALL TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER BY BEING HONEST AND BY PUTTING FORTH 120 PERCENT INTO THIS PROFITABLE & AMAZING SYSTEM!!! You'll reap the benefits, believe me!!! Set a goal for the number of total uploads you'll post, such as 15-20 postings or more! Always have a goal in mind!!! If you can UUE encode the file when uploading, that will make it easier for the people to receive it and have it downloaded to their hard drive. That way they get a copy of the article right on their computer without hassles of viewing and then saving the article from the File menu. Don't alter the file type, leave it as an MS-DOS Text file. The best test is to be able to view this file using Microsoft's Notepad for Windows 3.x or WordPad for Windows '95. If the margins look right without making the screen slide left or right when at the ends of the sentences, you're in business! 5. If you need help uploading, simply ask the sysop of the BBS, or "POST" a message on a newsgroup asking how to post a file, tell them who your Internet provider is and PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS BE GLAD TO HELP. I would try to describe how to do it but there are simply too many internet software packages with slightly different yet relatively simple ways to post or upload a file. Just ask for help or look in the help section for 'posting'. I do know that for GNN, you simply select 'POST' then enter a catchy description under the subject box, choose 'ATTACH', selecting 'UUE' and NOT 'TXT', then choose 'Browse' to go look for the file. Find your text file CASH.TXT and click on it and choose 'OK'. Place a one line statement in the main body section of the message post screen. Something like "Download this to read how to get cash arriving in your mailbox with no paybacks!" or whatever. Just make sure it represents its true feasibility, NOT something like..."Get one million dollars flooding in your mailbox in two days!" You'll never get ANY responses! 6. And this is the step I like. JUST SIT BACK AND ENJOY LIFE BECAUSE CASH IS ON ITS THE WAY!! Expect to see a little money start to trickle in around 2 weeks, but AT ABOUT WEEKS 3 & 4, THE MONEY STORM WILL HIT YOUR MAILBOX!! All you have to do is take it out of the mailbox and try not to scream too loud (outside anyway) when you realize YOU HIT THE BIG TIME AT LAST!! 7. So go PAY OFF YOUR BILLS AND DEBTS and then get that something special you always wanted or buy that special person in your life (or the one you want in your life) a gift they'll never forget. ENJOY LIFE! 8. Now when you get low on this money supply, simply re-activate this file again; Reposting it in the old places where you originally posted and possibly some new places you now know of. Don't ever lose this file, always keep a copy at your reach for when you ever need cash. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE TOOL THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS RE-USE TIME AND TIME AGAIN WHEN CASH IS NEEDED! 9. (This step added by Charles Reiley). Hello, This is exciting isn't it?! While I'm on the list, just add a note saying "Please include extra money tips" with your name & E-MAIL address, and I will (FOR FREE) send you some neat methods to increase the money you will receive with this plan. Why?... Why not? I'm not a selfish jerk...I like helping out others. E-mail just makes it a touch easier and cheaper, too! After I drop off the list, I can no longer offer you this advice, obviously, but maybe someone else who gets my tips will offer and simply replace my name on this step number 9. Good luck and give this plan your all, it will definitely pay off! Like Mike said, HAVE FUN WITH IT!!! ************************************************************************** ************************************************************************** THE NAMES LIST THE NAMES LIST THE NAMES LIST ************************************************************************** HONESTY IS WHAT MAKES THIS PROGRAM SUCCESSFUL!!
1. Michael Pesqueira 370 Chapalita Dr Encinitas,CA 92024 USA 2. Donna L. Ross 1026 St. James Rd. Cheyenne, WY 82009 USA 3. Ryan Rytlewski 1919 E. Kenwood Blvd Milwaukee, WI 53211 USA 4. Robert Stiles 416 Elm Ave E Waseca, Mn 56093 USA 5.Dwayne Desveaux 3666 Dundonald Dr Petawawa, Ontario K8H 2V6 Canada ************************************************************************ NOTE Try to keep a list of everyone that sends you a dollar and always keep an eye on the local postings of this file...Just to make sure that everyone is playing the game fairly. You know where your name should be.....

I saw someone talking about a TreeFrog program offering does anyone have a link to that? I can not seem to find it now.