5 ms·

As always we mention TarSnap, I can't but be amazed Mr Percival, having all the infrastructure in place just sort of a GUI, passes on the gold mine of the milli

by tropin 16y ago

As always we mention TarSnap, I can't but be amazed Mr Percival, having all the infrastructure in place just sort of a GUI, passes on the gold mine of the millions of Windows users that couldn't care less about the mere existence of a command line, but still would pay for a backup tool as good as TarSnap.

alexg0 16y ago
I wonder how much more business tarsnap can get, just by packaging a couple of debs, not even talking about a having a repository.
getsat 16y ago
Maybe he decided that the time required to support Windows users isn't worth the money? He is quite a busy guy from what I've seen.
- icey 16y ago
  If he had a Windows version it should be able to make enough money to pay for a support person AND still be incredibly profitable. He just needs to have someone else do the selling in order to let him focus on the hard technical problems. That being said, the market for a Windows version should NOT be individuals, it should be marketed to the enterprise. Tarsnap solves a problem that many companies have and pay buckets of money to cure.
thaumaturgy 16y ago
Colin Percival is another classic example of someone being brilliant in their field, but a mediocre businessperson. This happens a lot; probably the most common examples are great chefs that open restaurants and bakeries only to find that actually running such things requires a set of skills that they don't really have, or are interested in acquiring. (edit: I say that even though I don't even possess the aptitude necessary to fully respect his skills; he's a genius, and that's not a word I ever use lightly. I just hate to see a great work of engineering, like Tarsnap, languish in relative anonymity because it's poorly handled as a business.)
- JacobAldridge 16y ago
  I get to work everyday helping some of the many brilliant individuals you discuss, who are mediocre business people. It's surprising how many don't recognise that business skills are just as important as their technical skills (though, for the most part, easier to learn). It is super exciting sometimes running my business, helping give transfer some of those business skills that change their lives and those of their customers. And I can't / don't speak about Colin in this comment.

by tropin 16y ago

alexg0 16y ago

I wonder how much more business tarsnap can get, just by packaging a couple of debs, not even talking about a having a repository.

getsat 16y ago

Maybe he decided that the time required to support Windows users isn't worth the money? He is quite a busy guy from what I've seen.

icey 16y ago
If he had a Windows version it should be able to make enough money to pay for a support person AND still be incredibly profitable. He just needs to have someone else do the selling in order to let him focus on the hard technical problems. That being said, the market for a Windows version should NOT be individuals, it should be marketed to the enterprise. Tarsnap solves a problem that many companies have and pay buckets of money to cure.

thaumaturgy 16y ago

Colin Percival is another classic example of someone being brilliant in their field, but a mediocre businessperson. This happens a lot; probably the most common examples are great chefs that open restaurants and bakeries only to find that actually running such things requires a set of skills that they don't really have, or are interested in acquiring. (edit: I say that even though I don't even possess the aptitude necessary to fully respect his skills; he's a genius, and that's not a word I ever use lightly. I just hate to see a great work of engineering, like Tarsnap, languish in relative anonymity because it's poorly handled as a business.)

JacobAldridge 16y ago
I get to work everyday helping some of the many brilliant individuals you discuss, who are mediocre business people. It's surprising how many don't recognise that business skills are just as important as their technical skills (though, for the most part, easier to learn). It is super exciting sometimes running my business, helping give transfer some of those business skills that change their lives and those of their customers. And I can't / don't speak about Colin in this comment.