3 ms·

In 1998, before people had much of clue about what represents success and how big things can get given time, I built a software product and posted it to the net

In 1998, before people had much of clue about what represents success and how big things can get given time, I built a software product and posted it to the net. Within a week or so there had been a handful of sales at $100 each. That looked like failure to me at the time - "that's a trickle of money - extrapolating maybe $25,000 per year? Not enough to pay my bills. I need to get a job". Today that sort of start looks like a whopping success. I've been trying to replicate that start ever since. The upside is that I did go and get a job, and through that job met the woman who I had kids with..... if that's that path to getting my fabulous kids then I don't regret it.

TwelveNights 9y ago
The internet is becoming a bigger and bigger playground. Even getting that first bit of attention is extremely meaningful now. There are so many different services and other attention-suckers out there at this point that everything really does matter. What type of software product did you make back then that warranted $100 sales?
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- roel_v 9y ago
  Back then, every software product cost that much. Well OK maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but certainly anything that was B2B focused. 'Personal' sales would be $25 for something really simple, $50 for something established that people would use a lot. Car expense tracker for Palm - $19.95. Today if you even want to charge $1.99, you'll be competing with several free (ad-supported) ones.
lifeisstillgood 9y ago
Man that last paragraph is the kind of success to keep in mind. I have loads of regrets on businesses and opportunities missed since 98 as well, but a huge number of them would not have lead to my family today. A more spiritual approach to the decades is how I am hoping to live in the future - that and still plenty of coding.
- fapjacks 9y ago
  Very apt comment combined with your username.

TwelveNights 9y ago

The internet is becoming a bigger and bigger playground. Even getting that first bit of attention is extremely meaningful now. There are so many different services and other attention-suckers out there at this point that everything really does matter. What type of software product did you make back then that warranted $100 sales?

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
roel_v 9y ago
Back then, every software product cost that much. Well OK maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but certainly anything that was B2B focused. 'Personal' sales would be $25 for something really simple, $50 for something established that people would use a lot. Car expense tracker for Palm - $19.95. Today if you even want to charge $1.99, you'll be competing with several free (ad-supported) ones.

lifeisstillgood 9y ago

Man that last paragraph is the kind of success to keep in mind. I have loads of regrets on businesses and opportunities missed since 98 as well, but a huge number of them would not have lead to my family today. A more spiritual approach to the decades is how I am hoping to live in the future - that and still plenty of coding.

fapjacks 9y ago
Very apt comment combined with your username.