So, after a lot of deliberation I launched the beta version of our app in the Android Play Store. I was quite scared that something feature might not work and piss off the initial users who might never return to the app again. So did my level best to fix all minor and obvious issues and finally put the app in the android play store. True to my fear, I had to do an immediate upgrade as I had missed some basic elements such as launcher icon and google analytics.
This was not an easy process. First, I found out that there was already another app with the name SocialEyez on the play store. So had to look for another name. I'm really bad at coming up with names but with some luck came up with a decent name 'TripLaud'. The name has nothing to do with the beta version but it is about a bigger play I'm thinking about. If we get sufficient user traction within the next couple of months, and if people find this app useful, we'll not only improve the app but build some exciting new features as well.
Then there was the debate of a free app v/s a charge app. I read several theories and articles about pricing but was not too enamored by the idea of charging for an app. Moreover, this app is a social utility app, an area that is flooded with free stuff. So this was an easy decision.
The tougher decision was about the openness, should I keep the source proprietary or make it public. I saw a couple of upsides in keeping the source open.
1. User participation - One of the major issues in mobile app user traction is early adoption. Perhaps an open source app might attract a particular breed of early adopters who love to be a part of the app creation.
2. User feedback - Related to the above point. Perhaps users will provide constructive feedback not only about the app but also about the code quality. This best suits a bootstrapped setup.
3. Personal glory - I can tell the whole world - hey this is how I wrote this app. ( That could also backfire very badly as my code quality is nothing stellar ).
The possible downsides:
1. Someone might copy - I couldn't convince myself that someone will really copy this app and make a boatload of money.
2. Patentable technology/licensing revenue - In all honesty, I believe that a patent driven ecosystem is terrible for software as such. I can understand patent protection for pharmaceuticals or even perhaps chip making, industries that have to spend a lot of money to build a product. That's not the case in software and certainly not the case with TripLaud app. So after some considerable thought, I made my source public on github
The beta is out. This wouldn't have been quite possible without the help of Riju, Gaurav and many others who gave me the required moral support, and of course the guys at StackOverflow for answering all my stupid questions. So a big thank you to all of you. I've updated our website as well. Hope you guys will find this app useful.
This was not an easy process. First, I found out that there was already another app with the name SocialEyez on the play store. So had to look for another name. I'm really bad at coming up with names but with some luck came up with a decent name 'TripLaud'. The name has nothing to do with the beta version but it is about a bigger play I'm thinking about. If we get sufficient user traction within the next couple of months, and if people find this app useful, we'll not only improve the app but build some exciting new features as well.
Then there was the debate of a free app v/s a charge app. I read several theories and articles about pricing but was not too enamored by the idea of charging for an app. Moreover, this app is a social utility app, an area that is flooded with free stuff. So this was an easy decision.
The tougher decision was about the openness, should I keep the source proprietary or make it public. I saw a couple of upsides in keeping the source open.
1. User participation - One of the major issues in mobile app user traction is early adoption. Perhaps an open source app might attract a particular breed of early adopters who love to be a part of the app creation.
2. User feedback - Related to the above point. Perhaps users will provide constructive feedback not only about the app but also about the code quality. This best suits a bootstrapped setup.
3. Personal glory - I can tell the whole world - hey this is how I wrote this app. ( That could also backfire very badly as my code quality is nothing stellar ).
The possible downsides:
1. Someone might copy - I couldn't convince myself that someone will really copy this app and make a boatload of money.
2. Patentable technology/licensing revenue - In all honesty, I believe that a patent driven ecosystem is terrible for software as such. I can understand patent protection for pharmaceuticals or even perhaps chip making, industries that have to spend a lot of money to build a product. That's not the case in software and certainly not the case with TripLaud app. So after some considerable thought, I made my source public on github
The beta is out. This wouldn't have been quite possible without the help of Riju, Gaurav and many others who gave me the required moral support, and of course the guys at StackOverflow for answering all my stupid questions. So a big thank you to all of you. I've updated our website as well. Hope you guys will find this app useful.
No comments:
Post a Comment