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Today we have a wide ranging discussion about collecting customer data. We talk about privacy policies, whether anyone actually reads them, and Apple’s sensitivity to privacy issues. Then the conversation turns to a discussion of what kind of information is acceptable for a developer to collect, what information should be out of bounds, and some of the difficulties of properly securing that information. We talk briefly about analytics services and how they use the data they collect, and then consider the question of what exactly customers consider an invasion of their privacy when so many are already accustomed to being tracked on the Internet.
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We’re joined again by special guest Justin Williams of Second Gear Software for the conclusion of our conversation about his acquisition of Glassboard and his experience as an indie software developer. We talk about making data-driven decisions and his choice to drop support for some underperforming platforms. We discuss his aversion to venture capital, the role of taking calculated risks in achieving success, and his exit plan in case everything goes pear-shaped. Justin also shares some of the lessons he’s learned in his seven years as an independent developer, including the importance of delegation, hiring experts, and balancing “profitable” against “new and fun.” We close by talking to Justin about his experience with Windows Azure, which he uses for Glassboard’s backend.
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This week we’re joined by special guest Justin Williams of Second Gear Software, purveyor of fine software products like Glassboard and Elements. We cover a lot of topics this week, starting with Justin’s experience with selling entire software products to other developers when he no longer has the time or interest to properly maintain them. We discuss why you should consider it, typical transaction prices, and the exchange of a SKU from one developer to another from the App Store’s perspective. Next we discuss Justin’s private messaging service, Glassboard, and how Justin came to acquire it. We talk about the current state of Glassboard, the challenges it faces, and Justin’s future plans for the product. Justin shares some of the difficulties he faces in keeping Glassboard profitable, and how he’s cutting expenses to turn it around. Finally, we talk about how selling software as a service differs from selling a standalone app, the challenges of converting Glassboard users into paying customers, and some of the ideas that Justin has for accomplishing that feat.
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Today we explore in a little more depth the dangers of relying on third party dependencies. Specifically, we discuss the problems that Charles has been dealing with as he prepares for the shutdown of his backend provider, StackMob. We discuss the reason for the shutdown, the problems that this has caused for Charles, and his search for a new backend provider. Charles shares the qualities that he’s looking for in a new backend service, and why he’s looking for a higher-level backend-as-a-service (“BaaS”) provider instead of something closer to the metal like Windows Azure or a “roll your own” solution. Finally, we discuss why Charles avoided iCloud for his backend, and the importance of keeping any third-party service at arm’s length.
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Today we talk about gaming the App Store, and where exactly the fine line is that separates ethical from unethical behavior. Should developers feel uncomfortable in steering only their happy customers towards leaving a review? Is it unethical to incentivize customers to download a free app in the hopes of it climbing the charts? Listen as Charles and Joe struggle with tough questions and make it clear that they should have taken a philosophy class or two while in college.
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