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Forget bad things - it's quaint to think of the days where asking someone nicely to pay you if they like your product actually worked, to the tune of 5-figures.
by potatolicious 14y ago
Forget bad things - it's quaint to think of the days where asking someone nicely to pay you if they like your product actually worked, to the tune of 5-figures.
Nowadays you'd just get some kids on the internet explaining how them using your product for free is doing you a favor, "exposure" and the such.
> "Had he tried to do it a few years after that, I doubt the results would have been the same."
Isn't that besides the point? The point seems to be that there is always an ache that needs to be filled - often not needing a great deal of technical ability, just product insight.
If he came around a few years later, there'd be just as many things computer users wanted solved.
- Swizec 14y agoLet me introduce you to Amanda Palmer - The Art of Asking: http://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_palmer_the_art_of_asking.html http://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_palmer_the_art_of_asking.htm... She got money to the tune of 6-figures by asking people to buy her music if they liked it.
- HeyLaughingBoy 14y agoHonestly, I doubt that much has changed except that there are more kids online. It's always been the adults who primarily paid for stuff. Even back then, there were probably lots of kids who used his software for free. Take home message: if you want to build consumer products and make money, target adults, not teenagers.
- wtvanhest 14y agoI'd argue there are WAY more adults online now as a percentage of overall internet users now, than 15 years ago. Back in 1999 when I first started using AOL, adults would always ask young people for help. Most adults didn't see the value in it, and kids didn't need to see the value in it. The result was a very young population of people using the internet. Most people over the age of 50, even after 15 years are still so far behind people 30 an younger.