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Some ideas for programs, websites, mashups and software projects

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2stepsback:
I discussed it with a few others in 2 chatrooms. They found the idea funny, but did almost take me seriously. If you want all the details of what I am talking about, refer to the logs of those 2 conversations here:
http://omgplzstfukthx.blogspot.com/2006/12/drama2.html
-app103 (March 27, 2007, 03:31 PM)
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Cool. Actually pretty cool. But for the one big possibility of it spilling out to serious topics and mainstream media getting involved, it's an excellent idea! So, if you can somehow keep the content under control, you're through.
BTW, ppl see http://urbandictionary.com .... humor + smart observations, crowdsourced (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing#Overview).

Other such things that come to mind are
a spoofing site: SpoofIt,
a humorous futuristic site: iron.ical.ly,
a sarcastic take on political or social happenings which could be satir.ical.ly and
plain good humor at com.ical.ly ......

On closer thought, these could be search engines specific to those fields - and that's certainly doable by one person with good knowledge of GData API or similar API from Y/M/Ask/A9.
This last thing is really practical, or probably it's already out there. (I didn't look)

Just don't forget to thank me if you make a million...and give me a link to the site so I can see what became of my insane thought.  :D
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Since I added a few lines, remember me as well ;) , especially so if G/Y/M acquire you! :D

app103:
Cool. Actually pretty cool. But for the one big possibility of it spilling out to serious topics and mainstream media getting involved, it's an excellent idea! So, if you can somehow keep the content under control, you're through.
BTW, ppl see http://urbandictionary.com .... humor + smart observations, crowdsourced (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing#Overview).
-2stepsback (March 28, 2007, 12:54 AM)
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serious topics...mainstream media...sounds great!  :D

Keep it under control? Now why would you want to do that?

I believe in the stupidity of crowds. The whole point is for them to be stupid...on your site instead of some place else, like they are already doing...and for them to enjoy it...and you to make money off it.  :P

2stepsback:
serious topics...mainstream media...sounds great!  :D

Keep it under control? Now why would you want to do that?

I believe in the stupidity of crowds. The whole point is for them to be stupid...on your site instead of some place else, like they are already doing...and for them to enjoy it...and you to make money off it.  :P
-app103 (March 28, 2007, 01:21 AM)
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ROFL. hahahahahahahaha!

2stepsback:
Hi all,
See HTML-Kit at http://www.htmlkit.com/ or at http://www.chami.com/html-kit/
It is a goooooood editor. Not only that, you can make plugins.

Importantly, you do not need to write a single line of code to make a plugin. Yup!   8) 8) 8)

It's all visual. And tell you what, it's awesome!
There's this plugin generator program which has a well thought-out UI and extremely simple commands.

See this:
http://www.chami.com/html-kit/devtools/start/

Now, once you have been through the process of creating a simple plugin, and you have used the editor to make about 5-6 pages using the toolbar and the tags, you should realize the IMMENSE potential that this thing has.

Now go to http://www.hotscripts.com/  (PHP: http://www.phpclasses.org/ or http://www.phpfreaks.com/ ) and see the number of scripts over there. Each of them has functions, variables, keywords, what not. Pick up any framework you like, any language you like, and make a plugin dedicated to it. More, go to http://programmableweb.com , ajaxian, AJAXpatterns, "100 web2.0 search engines", yubnub, etc. etc. and make plugins for instant search from inside HTML-Kit

There's truckloads of work, just waiting to be done. All without writing a line of code!!

HTH

2stepsback:
this is sort of bigger.

Now, FOSS is going to spread all over the place with Redhat and Sourceforge.net opening their FOSS exchanges.

A sharware author who is just starting out or is small (just one or two small programs) has two options:
1. Opensource the program, get people involved, get publicity and therefore make money.
2. Remain closed source, shareware, fight, invent and market the new features to keep up with the fiery pace of code perfection that FOSS is all about (many minds solving the problem, instead of one person)
3. Develop a loyal user base and keep them always interested.

The first two are already well-studied methods.

The third is what I'm talking of: Plugins

Write (or rewrite) your applications so that people can contribute with *minimum* effort.
Markup of any kind, preferably XML, seems to be the best bet.

If your users are typically non-technical, as in, "Do you have to actually learn a programming language to add a feature ?!?!" or "XML, yeah! I've heard it's hot, but I don't know when I'll get around to actually learning it", then maybe you should be using .ini files.

You then have to do some marketing
1. free licenses or discounts for the best plugins
2. let your user community earn from the plugins they make
3. Ask your users openly, to submit plugin ideas and feature requests
..........[your novel ideas here]
and so on.

I personally prefer FOSS, but it's quite obvious that the *dominant* Windows world has a ton of shareware programs, authors, professional organisations and so on. Naturally, they aren't going to make money if there is free software available to do just what their product is doing, but better.

As an afterthought, Donationcoder is probably an experiment in just this.

Ideally, FOSS should have run on donations and all would be well. But people will happily use your programs to make a huge difference in their computer productivity, but won't donate. That's the unfair part. But that's how it is.

Although my strong bias is towards a free, open culture and open source software, the hard fact is that people with money do not donate fairly. In fact I would go as far as to say that the richer you are, the lesser you donate, because in today's economic scenario, only those who are unfair become rich quickly.

Fair, straight good guys almost always just manage.

So, your best friend is the small user with a bigger heart. Notice him, pamper him. He will probably support you far more effectively than the rich user.

Just my opinions. YMMV.

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