Comments for Six Software Products in One Year http://www.sixproducts.com Can you build a self-sufficient Micro-ISV in one year? Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:17:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 Comment on Data storage and performance by Jared Kuolt http://www.sixproducts.com/67/data-storage-and-performance/#comment-405 Jared Kuolt Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:56:19 +0000 http://www.sixproducts.com/67/data-storage-and-performance/#comment-405 It seems rather uncommon to support multiple concurrent databases, though I do see the need. Thanks for at least considering Autumn and the "...beautifully simple" comment. That's almost exactly the point! I'd like to know your thoughts on how best to support this, however. Autumn's development is ramping up and if I were to support this I prefer to do so early on. Thanks! It seems rather uncommon to support multiple concurrent databases, though I do see the need. Thanks for at least considering Autumn and the “…beautifully simple” comment. That’s almost exactly the point!

I’d like to know your thoughts on how best to support this, however. Autumn’s development is ramping up and if I were to support this I prefer to do so early on.

Thanks!

]]> Comment on Kinesis Advantage keyboard and learning Dvorak by Ian http://www.sixproducts.com/45/kinesis-advantage-keyboard-and-learning-dvorak/#comment-331 Ian Wed, 28 May 2008 00:30:53 +0000 http://www.sixproducts.com/45/kinesis-advantage-keyboard-and-learning-dvorak/#comment-331 Nope, never seen that bug. I do get lockups every so often, mostly if I'm running macros or typing remapped keys quickly. Nope, never seen that bug. I do get lockups every so often, mostly if I’m running macros or typing remapped keys quickly.

]]> Comment on Kinesis Advantage keyboard and learning Dvorak by Drew Wagner http://www.sixproducts.com/45/kinesis-advantage-keyboard-and-learning-dvorak/#comment-329 Drew Wagner Tue, 27 May 2008 14:25:36 +0000 http://www.sixproducts.com/45/kinesis-advantage-keyboard-and-learning-dvorak/#comment-329 Yeah, I can't really afford the time at the moment either, but it's a project to throw in the queue. My favorite aspect of the programmable keyboard is actually that I don't have to mess around with any software on the host machine(s). The interface kinesis has worked out for re-mapping keys is pretty darn efficient as it is. Do you ever encounter the bug where the keyboard starts spitting out a character repeatedly on its own and you have to hit both shift keys simultaneously to get it un-stuck? Yeah, I can’t really afford the time at the moment either, but it’s a project to throw in the queue. My favorite aspect of the programmable keyboard is actually that I don’t have to mess around with any software on the host machine(s). The interface kinesis has worked out for re-mapping keys is pretty darn efficient as it is. Do you ever encounter the bug where the keyboard starts spitting out a character repeatedly on its own and you have to hit both shift keys simultaneously to get it un-stuck?

]]> Comment on Kinesis Advantage keyboard and learning Dvorak by Ian http://www.sixproducts.com/45/kinesis-advantage-keyboard-and-learning-dvorak/#comment-323 Ian Sat, 24 May 2008 04:03:46 +0000 http://www.sixproducts.com/45/kinesis-advantage-keyboard-and-learning-dvorak/#comment-323 Drew: yeah, I was thinking similar things WRT the firmware and hardware design. If I was going to build custom firmware, I think being able to save, load and configure keybindings via the USB port would be a big part of it. It's definitely something I want to look into in the future, but I can't afford the time right now. Drew: yeah, I was thinking similar things WRT the firmware and hardware design. If I was going to build custom firmware, I think being able to save, load and configure keybindings via the USB port would be a big part of it. It’s definitely something I want to look into in the future, but I can’t afford the time right now.

]]> Comment on Kinesis Advantage keyboard and learning Dvorak by Drew Wagner http://www.sixproducts.com/45/kinesis-advantage-keyboard-and-learning-dvorak/#comment-322 Drew Wagner Sat, 24 May 2008 01:09:16 +0000 http://www.sixproducts.com/45/kinesis-advantage-keyboard-and-learning-dvorak/#comment-322 I opened up my kinesis to learn a bit more. The chip is an AT89S53. I'm daydreaming about replacing it with an Atmega162, which seems to be pin compatible, but would be programmable with the avr-gcc toolchain. Looks like they contracted out to another company to add a separate PS2 to USB converter board. I want to switch between at least three different keyboard mappings, i.e. qwerty, colemak, dvorak, and have them all be editable separately. This feature seems like a no-brainer; not sure why they chose macros over it. I opened up my kinesis to learn a bit more. The chip is an AT89S53. I’m daydreaming about replacing it with an Atmega162, which seems to be pin compatible, but would be programmable with the avr-gcc toolchain. Looks like they contracted out to another company to add a separate PS2 to USB converter board. I want to switch between at least three different keyboard mappings, i.e. qwerty, colemak, dvorak, and have them all be editable separately. This feature seems like a no-brainer; not sure why they chose macros over it.

]]> Comment on Kinesis Advantage keyboard and learning Dvorak by Drew http://www.sixproducts.com/45/kinesis-advantage-keyboard-and-learning-dvorak/#comment-321 Drew Fri, 23 May 2008 23:18:17 +0000 http://www.sixproducts.com/45/kinesis-advantage-keyboard-and-learning-dvorak/#comment-321 Did you ever make progress on the firmware? I have been using my advandage usb for several years in qwerty mode, and am trying to switch to colemak. I've just started learning to program for avr ucs and would be interested in taking a crack at my kinesis if I have someone to share notes with. Did you ever make progress on the firmware? I have been using my advandage usb for several years in qwerty mode, and am trying to switch to colemak. I’ve just started learning to program for avr ucs and would be interested in taking a crack at my kinesis if I have someone to share notes with.

]]> Comment on Status report, 23 May 2008 by Ryan http://www.sixproducts.com/54/status-report-23-may-2008/#comment-319 Ryan Fri, 23 May 2008 04:12:37 +0000 http://www.sixproducts.com/54/status-report-23-may-2008/#comment-319 Try oDesk.com. I've used it as a buyer and I think the hourly model is much fairer to all concerned. Fixed Price just doesn't work. You will still get the 1 sentance 'specs' though! Try oDesk.com. I’ve used it as a buyer and I think the hourly model is much fairer to all concerned. Fixed Price just doesn’t work.

You will still get the 1 sentance ’specs’ though!

]]> Comment on Do I stay or do I go? Again! by Paul http://www.sixproducts.com/49/do-i-stay-or-do-i-go-again/#comment-271 Paul Mon, 05 May 2008 12:48:04 +0000 http://www.sixproducts.com/49/do-i-stay-or-do-i-go-again/#comment-271 Oh man, does this sound familiar! I've working with my "Client A" for just over a year and I have very little work to show for it. The money has been good- I negotiated a monthly flat fee retainer that reserves almost my full time commitment. It's gotten me out of most of my debt and allowed me to stockpile some reserves to run the company for a while. But they're so screwed up internally, a lot of my time is spent on conference calls, switching projects, and doing what essentially turns into throw away code. As of the end of this month, the retainer agreement is done and they want to go to hourly. It seems like an excellent time to take a break from them. Oh man, does this sound familiar! I’ve working with my “Client A” for just over a year and I have very little work to show for it. The money has been good- I negotiated a monthly flat fee retainer that reserves almost my full time commitment. It’s gotten me out of most of my debt and allowed me to stockpile some reserves to run the company for a while. But they’re so screwed up internally, a lot of my time is spent on conference calls, switching projects, and doing what essentially turns into throw away code. As of the end of this month, the retainer agreement is done and they want to go to hourly. It seems like an excellent time to take a break from them.

]]> Comment on Ramblings, 22 April 2008 by Steve Cholerton http://www.sixproducts.com/51/ramblings-22-april-2008/#comment-193 Steve Cholerton Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:13:57 +0000 http://www.sixproducts.com/51/ramblings-22-april-2008/#comment-193 I could almost have written this post myself. Not the technical details but the overall feeling for your situation that I got from reading. I too have so much I want to do, so much I want to learn, so much I need to write and so many software projects planned that the frustration of needing to sleep at least four hours a night is really bothering me ! I'm building a consultancy and contracting business which will hopefully support my efforts to build a MicroISV with several commercial products by the end of the year. It's exciting, I love it - but it frustrates the life out of me :-) Good post ;-) I could almost have written this post myself. Not the technical details but the overall feeling for your situation that I got from reading. I too have so much I want to do, so much I want to learn, so much I need to write and so many software projects planned that the frustration of needing to sleep at least four hours a night is really bothering me !

I’m building a consultancy and contracting business which will hopefully support my efforts to build a MicroISV with several commercial products by the end of the year.

It’s exciting, I love it - but it frustrates the life out of me :-)

Good post ;-)

]]> Comment on File synchronizers suck! Guess what, I’m procrastinating! by Endolith http://www.sixproducts.com/25/file-synchronizers-suck-guess-what-im-procrastinating/#comment-191 Endolith Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:22:53 +0000 http://www.sixproducts.com/25/file-synchronizers-suck-guess-what-im-procrastinating/#comment-191 You might be interested in this article I wrote. Only tangentially related, but your "process hibernation" reminded me of it. Instead of saving the memory state of the entire program, it is more document-centric and continuously saves the state of the document itself, so that closing a program and minimizing a program are really the same thing. http://endolith.com/wordpress/2007/12/24/abolish-the-saving-of-documents/ Your post brings up an important point about the state of the program changing when you restart it though. (In a graphics program, for instance, you might have the eraser tool selected. When you minimize it and reopen it, the eraser tool is still selected, but when you close it and re-open it, it goes back to the default brush tool. In other types of programs, this volatility might cause more serious problems that I hadn't thought of. Even with the graphics program constantly resetting, it would cause a little lost time as you re-select the tool you were using last time you had the document open. And if the graphics program remembered its state from one instance to another, but you open a different document each time, that would cause wasted time, as well. Should the state of the program be saved along with the document?) You might be interested in this article I wrote. Only tangentially related, but your “process hibernation” reminded me of it. Instead of saving the memory state of the entire program, it is more document-centric and continuously saves the state of the document itself, so that closing a program and minimizing a program are really the same thing.

http://endolith.com/wordpress/2007/12/24/abolish-the-saving-of-documents/

Your post brings up an important point about the state of the program changing when you restart it though. (In a graphics program, for instance, you might have the eraser tool selected. When you minimize it and reopen it, the eraser tool is still selected, but when you close it and re-open it, it goes back to the default brush tool. In other types of programs, this volatility might cause more serious problems that I hadn’t thought of. Even with the graphics program constantly resetting, it would cause a little lost time as you re-select the tool you were using last time you had the document open. And if the graphics program remembered its state from one instance to another, but you open a different document each time, that would cause wasted time, as well. Should the state of the program be saved along with the document?)

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