Forum Posts Feed
Are Single-Programmer Software Projects Doomed?
< Next Topic | Back to topic list | Previous Topic >
Posted by Garland Coulson
Apr 12, 2014 at 03:05 AM
I am constantly on the lookout for new, better software for my productivity. But lately, I have found my needs changing. Since I teach and train others, I need software that:
-works cross platform
-works on mobile devices
-regularly comes up with new features and keeps up with the competition
-modern, intuitive interfaces
-provides good support
-will be there 5 years down the road
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t expect something for nothing - I happily pay for productivity software that I use everyday.
But more and more I am finding that the product offerings from individual programmers don’t make the cut. They are often unique and sometimes some of their features are even better than the leading software, but they usually have lacks I can’t work around, such as no Android version, complex interfaces and falling behind on features. This makes me think they aren’t a good investment of my time to learn because I am not sure they are going to make it.
I tested over 30 different project management software programs some months ago. I had a very clear favourite, but it wasn’t set up well for collaboration with others, so I went with my second choice which is a larger company with multiple programmers able to work on new features.
Sad, because I really preferred my first choice but my time investment is critical and I need tools I can recommend to and train others on. My second choice will actually cost me more than the first.
I think more business users are getting like I am - willing to pay more for more features and support. So I am worried that this might be sounding the death knell for innovative single programmers to get traction against the larger software companies.
Posted by Dr Andus
Apr 12, 2014 at 09:09 AM
Garland Coulson wrote:
>I think more business users are getting like I am - willing to pay more
>for more features and support. So I am worried that this might be
>sounding the death knell for innovative single programmers to get
>traction against the larger software companies.
I don’t think one can generalise from such a specific case (project management software, collaboration features) to the entire software industry.
It depends on one’s needs. In the category of outlining, writing, note-taking, and PIM, large companies tend to dumb down their products, as the high-end user base is too small. At the same time it may be worthwhile of a small developer’s time to service such niches.
It’s just a fact of life that software projects get eventually abandoned. It even happens with big companies. The key thing is that the software keeps working for the task you need it, long enough for it to be worthwhile to learn to use and get temporarily locked into.
Also, there are other models as well to the one-man band vs. large development team dichotomy. There are open-source software developed collaboratively (e.g. Freeplane), or ones developed by universities (VUE, CMapTools), or large companies providing the platform, and individual developers providing the customisation (e.g. Google Chrome with its apps and extensions, or Google Docs etc. with its add-ons).
My needs currently are for outlining and writing tools, and almost all the software I use on a daily basis have been developed by one or two developers (ConnectedText, Workflowy, Gingko, WriteMonkey) or open source (Freeplane) and universities (VUE).
Posted by Stephen Zeoli
Apr 12, 2014 at 10:56 AM
It definitely feels as if it is a tough row to hoe for the small developer, given the number of platforms that users demand these days. But I am encouraged by the success of Scrivener, started a few years ago by one man who wasn’t even a programmer! He had a vision for a writing tool, made it happen, and its success allowed him to find ways to port it to Windows and (soon hopefully) to iPad.
Then there is an example like Tinderbox. It is so nichey that it has become its own little cottage industry for Mark Bernstein.
I guess the key is that the software from small developers needs to fill a need, or do something no other software does as well.
Steve Z.
Posted by Alexander Deliyannis
Apr 13, 2014 at 06:36 AM
Garland, I’d be most interested in learning what your first choice for project management software was. In another post you mentioned Teamwork which I assume was your second. My own team’s choice was similarly determined by the need to do just that: collaborate. Moving from a personal solution to a collaborative one means usually opting for a new product—the completely different interfaces of Todoist and Wedoist are indicative.
In respect to lone programmers’ projects, I believe that they are anything but doomed. However, that doesn’t mean that they will flourish in the same way they did before the days of ubiquitous mobile connectivity, web-based tools etc. In fact, the new market makes it easy for a developer to focus on their software alone, with everything else being taken care of within specific frameworks, i.e. licensing, trial/activation, payments etc. The wealth of independent software available for Android and iOS devices is indicative. If each of those developers had to build their own eshop and take care of selling their software, there would be far less offerings.
Similarly, developers now have many platforms on which they can rely on to expand their products’ abilities; from Simplenote for syncing to the whole Google Apps infrastructure. Take a look at GQueues for example; it seems to be a single programmer’s work, yet he offers integration with Google Mail, Calendar etc. thanks to the APIs available.
At the same time, this kind of mainstreaming leads to much less differentiation of products, starting with the hardware itself: within the unending variations of Android phones available, it is remarkably hard to find one with a physical keyboard. Similarly, the vast majority of software titles coming out nowadays are often very difficult to tell apart.
In brief, I don’t worry much about the programmers having success with their independent projects. However, I very much doubt the future availability of truly innovative and deeply thought-out tools that would fit the needs of more demanding customers like the esteemed participants of this here forum.
Posted by Hugh
Apr 13, 2014 at 06:35 PM
There’s no doubt that the proliferation of platforms presents what my business school lecturers would have called a ‘significant barrier to entry’. It means that a developer needs to add management to his (or her) skills - to ensure that he can run a team that can develop for several platforms at once. A relatively large dollop of capital may also be needed, to keep the team going over the development period, whereas once the developer could have done all the development himself in the time left over from his day job.
Some sole developers may still get through the barrier, but it will be more difficult that it was five or ten years ago.