4 ms·

Lessons Learnt Failing to Monetize My Ruby Gem

55 points by rogem002 7y ago

rogem002 7y ago
If anyone is curious, the source code of the now shutdown app is available on GitHub ( https://github.com/PigCI/App https://github.com/PigCI/App ).
wastedhours 7y ago
I also recommend the "app standup" as well - my side projects usually have a Telegram bot that sends me a daily message of performance, users, any cash generated etc... really does help keep the momentum going.
- ge96 7y ago
  Is that a thing? Like a site/portal/dashboard you log into, shows a bunch of your apps/random servers and their statuses... I was thinking about this myself. Ideally would be real time or at least some kind of pub-sub/poll.
  - wastedhours 7y ago
    Every time I see a new server management dashboard I think it'd be a cool concept to apply for a side/home project monitoring tool. A bit like Backstage, but for personal projects.
    - ge96 7y ago
      > backstage I'm guessing that's the CMS? Was trying to find it Anyway yeah something about real-time stats/data in general kind of "addicting". Long as it's not as ridiculous as using an old phone just for a dashboard ha, I saw that "trend" recently
  - rogem002 7y ago
    I've seen a few portals (Like Heroku Dataclips / Metabase) which offer this. That said, I shoehorned it into my daily routine otherwise I'd just end up not checking it for a few weeks at a time.
    - ge96 7y ago
      These are just database query "aggregates"? I'm looking for random stuff like I have an anemometer I made that collects data... I still have to get into websockets(I've made some) but concerned about home network security.
shinryuu 7y ago
Basecamp is pretty good for the stand-up perspective as well. There is a free version for personal accounts.
rurban 7y ago
"however GitHub paused verifying applications in January. This really screwed me as the marketplace guidelines said I was not allowed to be listed on the GitHub marketplace if I offer a paid service outside of GitHub Marketplace." Anybody knows the background on this screw-up?
- rogem002 7y ago
  I think GitHub isn't trying to push the marketplace as hard as they were a year ago. I suspect the success of GitHub Actions makes the whole marketplace a bit of a risk they'd rather not waste time on.
floatingatoll 7y ago
Roger, one consideration that could otherwise seem trivial or irrelevant is that the word “pig” is not free of connotations, and is not often used positively in many respects outside of pig-relevant contexts. It probably would have been OK in a farming or ore processing context, but without grounding for the joke it’s a rough sell.
- rogem002 7y ago
  I regretted the name after launch. It seemed fun & playful at first, but soon its limitations became pretty apperent. Next time I'm just going to use a "Does what it says on the tin" kind of approach to naming.

55 points by rogem002 7y ago

If anyone is curious, the source code of the now shutdown app is available on GitHub ( https://github.com/PigCI/App https://github.com/PigCI/App ).

wastedhours 7y ago

I also recommend the "app standup" as well - my side projects usually have a Telegram bot that sends me a daily message of performance, users, any cash generated etc... really does help keep the momentum going.

ge96 7y ago
Is that a thing? Like a site/portal/dashboard you log into, shows a bunch of your apps/random servers and their statuses... I was thinking about this myself. Ideally would be real time or at least some kind of pub-sub/poll.
- wastedhours 7y ago
  Every time I see a new server management dashboard I think it'd be a cool concept to apply for a side/home project monitoring tool. A bit like Backstage, but for personal projects.
  - ge96 7y ago
    > backstage I'm guessing that's the CMS? Was trying to find it Anyway yeah something about real-time stats/data in general kind of "addicting". Long as it's not as ridiculous as using an old phone just for a dashboard ha, I saw that "trend" recently
- rogem002 7y ago
  I've seen a few portals (Like Heroku Dataclips / Metabase) which offer this. That said, I shoehorned it into my daily routine otherwise I'd just end up not checking it for a few weeks at a time.
  - ge96 7y ago
    These are just database query "aggregates"? I'm looking for random stuff like I have an anemometer I made that collects data... I still have to get into websockets(I've made some) but concerned about home network security.

shinryuu 7y ago

Basecamp is pretty good for the stand-up perspective as well. There is a free version for personal accounts.

rurban 7y ago

"however GitHub paused verifying applications in January. This really screwed me as the marketplace guidelines said I was not allowed to be listed on the GitHub marketplace if I offer a paid service outside of GitHub Marketplace." Anybody knows the background on this screw-up?

rogem002 7y ago
I think GitHub isn't trying to push the marketplace as hard as they were a year ago. I suspect the success of GitHub Actions makes the whole marketplace a bit of a risk they'd rather not waste time on.

floatingatoll 7y ago

Roger, one consideration that could otherwise seem trivial or irrelevant is that the word “pig” is not free of connotations, and is not often used positively in many respects outside of pig-relevant contexts. It probably would have been OK in a farming or ore processing context, but without grounding for the joke it’s a rough sell.

rogem002 7y ago
I regretted the name after launch. It seemed fun & playful at first, but soon its limitations became pretty apperent. Next time I'm just going to use a "Does what it says on the tin" kind of approach to naming.