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I am trying to make a living with a software product, a database in particular. RediSQL, SQL steroids for Redis: http://redbeardlab.tech/rediSQL/ http://redbear

by siscia 8y ago

I am trying to make a living with a software product, a database in particular. RediSQL, SQL steroids for Redis: http://redbeardlab.tech/rediSQL/ http://redbeardlab.tech/rediSQL/ So let me share a different point of view. I find it extremely, extremely difficult. As far as I know, if you need a solution for in memory SQL as cache layer or also as main persistent layer it is the only available solution, on top of that it works on top of existing, widely deployed solution. But still I haven't received a single request for support or I have been able to make a single sale. Of course, I believe is mostly my fault, because similar businesses models (sidekiq) seems to work but, if you ask me, it is definitely not worthed to enter this market. I will try to focus more on marketing for the following months but if it doesn't work neither I am just going to remove the open source part and use it as an internal advantage for my consulting business. I found it just too convenient respect to Pg or MySQL or Mongo. I really believe it is a pity, but I believe that if this product, by the end of the year, doesn't work I will just stop developing product for software developers. It is just not worthed.

jsty 8y ago
A small amount of hopefully useful feedback from someone who purchases business software: 1/ Your website gives a 'open source hobby app' vibe over 'professional, dependable software business'. Selling support contracts in particular requires some expectation that there's a solid business standing behind it that won't just be gone tomorrow. 2/ The 'redirect to an external store to download / purchase' will probably be making any sales funnel leak like a sieve. There's a complete discontinuity between the design of the two sites, and along with trusting you with their information / card details, they now have to trust a random third party. 3/ For a ~€1000 piece of software, I'd expect at least some period of eg. email support, rather than just supporting through Github issues. 4/ I'd remove the option of having the open source edition available through sign-up and just link clearly to the latest release. If you're struggling to even get any interest on the commercial side, getting it out in front of as many people as possible would be my priority. A clear and unambiguous 'Get started' section that doesn't worry about open vs. Pro is probably a good idea too. Worry about converting those to paid users later.
- siscia 8y ago
  Definitely good feedback, thanks. A major restructuring of the main pages is necessary, I agree. I definitely need to re-word most part of the website, because selling support should just be a small part of the closed source version that adds the replication feature. I would re-think again about selling it in a different platform, but setting up a shop is not as easy as it is to just use plasso, maybe I can work better on the platform to make the two more similar. I am definitely more than keen to provide email support, but also skype or any other meaning of support, I should definitely make it more apparent. The idea to require a signup is to start building some sort of mail list, as I said I didn't focus on the marketing side so much... Thank you a lot! Your feedback was really really helpful!
pritambarhate 8y ago
Just checked out the software. Since you mentioned Sidekiq, I think the main reason it worked commercially is that almost every medium-sized web application needs a background job queue. However, very few people expect their cache system to support SQL. So the main problem is that there is little or no demand for this type of software. Anyways best of Luck! Hope you succeed.
- siscia 8y ago
  Thanks! the reality is that medium-sized web applications do not need full-fledged databases like Postgres or MySQL and could get along for basically all their needs with something as lightweight as like RediSQL itself without the need of being able to manage a real database. What is really difficult is to let people know about this opportunity and let them see the advantages.

by siscia 8y ago

jsty 8y ago

A small amount of hopefully useful feedback from someone who purchases business software: 1/ Your website gives a 'open source hobby app' vibe over 'professional, dependable software business'. Selling support contracts in particular requires some expectation that there's a solid business standing behind it that won't just be gone tomorrow. 2/ The 'redirect to an external store to download / purchase' will probably be making any sales funnel leak like a sieve. There's a complete discontinuity between the design of the two sites, and along with trusting you with their information / card details, they now have to trust a random third party. 3/ For a ~€1000 piece of software, I'd expect at least some period of eg. email support, rather than just supporting through Github issues. 4/ I'd remove the option of having the open source edition available through sign-up and just link clearly to the latest release. If you're struggling to even get any interest on the commercial side, getting it out in front of as many people as possible would be my priority. A clear and unambiguous 'Get started' section that doesn't worry about open vs. Pro is probably a good idea too. Worry about converting those to paid users later.

siscia 8y ago
Definitely good feedback, thanks. A major restructuring of the main pages is necessary, I agree. I definitely need to re-word most part of the website, because selling support should just be a small part of the closed source version that adds the replication feature. I would re-think again about selling it in a different platform, but setting up a shop is not as easy as it is to just use plasso, maybe I can work better on the platform to make the two more similar. I am definitely more than keen to provide email support, but also skype or any other meaning of support, I should definitely make it more apparent. The idea to require a signup is to start building some sort of mail list, as I said I didn't focus on the marketing side so much... Thank you a lot! Your feedback was really really helpful!

pritambarhate 8y ago

Just checked out the software. Since you mentioned Sidekiq, I think the main reason it worked commercially is that almost every medium-sized web application needs a background job queue. However, very few people expect their cache system to support SQL. So the main problem is that there is little or no demand for this type of software. Anyways best of Luck! Hope you succeed.

siscia 8y ago
Thanks! the reality is that medium-sized web applications do not need full-fledged databases like Postgres or MySQL and could get along for basically all their needs with something as lightweight as like RediSQL itself without the need of being able to manage a real database. What is really difficult is to let people know about this opportunity and let them see the advantages.