4 ms·

Is it just me or does a week seem like a long time to do this? I mean obviously it's not really a business just a little web service, but really, any competent

Is it just me or does a week seem like a long time to do this? I mean obviously it's not really a business just a little web service, but really, any competent programmer could probably have the functionality up and running over a weekend - figure another day to do design, half a day to put together the "business plan" power-point, and another half to register a domain, incorporate and set up bank accounts (really how long does that take? - maybe it's harder in Australia). So what 4 days? Cool, that's 3 left - you could do another launch in that time.

blackguardx 17y ago
The first rule of engineering is to set realistic goals. Because this is very public, it encourages him to be conservative in his time estimates.
idlewords 17y ago
It sounds like he's doing all kinds of later-stage things like opening business bank accounts, marketing, and so on, in the first week. Personally, I'm surprised at the $500 budget. Maybe coffee costs more in Australia.
- bootload 17y ago
  "... Personally, I'm surprised at the $500 budget. Maybe coffee costs more in Australia. ..." * Web hosting: $4.40 * Static IP: $3.30 * Domain name: $13 * SSL certificate: $66 * SMS modem: $172.50 * Bank account: $6.50 * SIM card: $5 * Custom number: $22 The costs [0] look reasonable to me and the coffee is better in Aus :) ~ http://searchyc.com/bootload+coffee http://searchyc.com/bootload+coffee [0] http://www.semi-blog.com/2010/01/startup-in-7-days-day-two-registrations/ http://www.semi-blog.com/2010/01/startup-in-7-days-day-two-r...
  - idlewords 17y ago
    Not listed there is $220 spent on setting up a billing provider (PayWay), which is the part that seems wasteful to me.
    - bootload 17y ago
      "... Not listed there is $220 spent on setting up a billing provider (PayWay) ..." Didn't see that one.
dan_the_welder 17y ago
If it logs your miles from a text message, that's a bit more complicated than a website. SMS to web gateway, process the data, update the database, connect database to website, make functional website. These are not super complicated on their own, but having them work together well and meet user expectations/needs is another matter. He can then sell the service or advertising on the page. Sounds like a startup business to me. Not huge or sexy but money in the bank if done well.
- petesalty 17y ago
  Actually it's not that hard, I've done it before - once the account was set up (15 minutes) the SMS was integrated and tested in about an hour. He's certainly not opening his own SMS gateway with $500 so he's probably using a service where you get a 5 digit number that customers include in their texts (everyone has seen this I'm sure). The companies that supply this tech usually have a very easily integrated API so hooking it up is no more complex that hooking up to something like Twitter, in fact usually much simpler. Speaking of which I'd just hook it up to Twitter and let them be the gateway, saves a bunch on SMS fees (which cost you incoming - although this might be different in Australia). Advertising is a pretty easy hook up as well, depending on the service. Take a look at glunote.com, it's something that I threw together over a rainy weekend (and it certainly looks like it). It's for taking notes using Twitter and is probably at least as complicated as what he's doing. I'm sure there are a lot more examples around.
  - andrewtj 17y ago
    Twitter withdrew their SMS service in Australia quite some time ago. Both incoming SMS and calls are free in Australia.
- dustingetz 17y ago
  "SMS to web gateway, process the data, update the database, connect database to website, make functional website." ..all but that last step are basically free with google app engine
  - 17y ago

blackguardx 17y ago

The first rule of engineering is to set realistic goals. Because this is very public, it encourages him to be conservative in his time estimates.

idlewords 17y ago

It sounds like he's doing all kinds of later-stage things like opening business bank accounts, marketing, and so on, in the first week. Personally, I'm surprised at the $500 budget. Maybe coffee costs more in Australia.

bootload 17y ago
"... Personally, I'm surprised at the $500 budget. Maybe coffee costs more in Australia. ..." * Web hosting: $4.40 * Static IP: $3.30 * Domain name: $13 * SSL certificate: $66 * SMS modem: $172.50 * Bank account: $6.50 * SIM card: $5 * Custom number: $22 The costs [0] look reasonable to me and the coffee is better in Aus :) ~ http://searchyc.com/bootload+coffee http://searchyc.com/bootload+coffee [0] http://www.semi-blog.com/2010/01/startup-in-7-days-day-two-registrations/ http://www.semi-blog.com/2010/01/startup-in-7-days-day-two-r...
- idlewords 17y ago
  Not listed there is $220 spent on setting up a billing provider (PayWay), which is the part that seems wasteful to me.
  - bootload 17y ago
    "... Not listed there is $220 spent on setting up a billing provider (PayWay) ..." Didn't see that one.

dan_the_welder 17y ago

If it logs your miles from a text message, that's a bit more complicated than a website. SMS to web gateway, process the data, update the database, connect database to website, make functional website. These are not super complicated on their own, but having them work together well and meet user expectations/needs is another matter. He can then sell the service or advertising on the page. Sounds like a startup business to me. Not huge or sexy but money in the bank if done well.

petesalty 17y ago
Actually it's not that hard, I've done it before - once the account was set up (15 minutes) the SMS was integrated and tested in about an hour. He's certainly not opening his own SMS gateway with $500 so he's probably using a service where you get a 5 digit number that customers include in their texts (everyone has seen this I'm sure). The companies that supply this tech usually have a very easily integrated API so hooking it up is no more complex that hooking up to something like Twitter, in fact usually much simpler. Speaking of which I'd just hook it up to Twitter and let them be the gateway, saves a bunch on SMS fees (which cost you incoming - although this might be different in Australia). Advertising is a pretty easy hook up as well, depending on the service. Take a look at glunote.com, it's something that I threw together over a rainy weekend (and it certainly looks like it). It's for taking notes using Twitter and is probably at least as complicated as what he's doing. I'm sure there are a lot more examples around.
- andrewtj 17y ago
  Twitter withdrew their SMS service in Australia quite some time ago. Both incoming SMS and calls are free in Australia.
dustingetz 17y ago
"SMS to web gateway, process the data, update the database, connect database to website, make functional website." ..all but that last step are basically free with google app engine
- 17y ago