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NUNO SOUSA

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Programmer, Gamer, Apple fan and all-around tech geek.
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Member Since: 1/2006  Last Seen: 8/15/2007

Developers: When should you release your software?

Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:02 AM EST
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By Nuno Sousa
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Every now and then I download some software, run it, and in about 30 seconds I decide whether I like it or not... but when I don't like it for some reason, even if it's the smallest reason in the world, I will go to the competition.

I'll give you an example: RapidWeaver. It allows you to create quick webpages very easily. It's very powerful. Unlike iWeb, you can put HTML/PHP/whatever code in it, and it is extensible by plugins.
But I just can't use it. I tried the very first version when it came out, and the latest one has the same issue. Once you create a page, you can't edit the (global) sidebar. I want to use the sidebar for site-wide announcements but it doesn't work that way in RapidWeaver. Recent versions have had AWESOME improvements but in my mind I will always find some little issue with it.
I've tried iWeb and as overly simplistic as it is... I'm using it over RapidWeaver.

That's why I think Apple is so successful with its software. They get it right at the first try.
Take Aperture for example. You know you've tried it and you've decided it is slow/memory hog/can't crop pictures easily/[insert gripe here]. Even if they fix all those issues, the industry will never admit that it is the best post-production tool for photographers.

The other end of the spectrum is Delicious Library. When I first tried it, it wow-ed me. It is absolutely gorgeous and that cool iSight scanning has made the software sit in my dock for over a year now. I've used it maybe twice but I just can't let it go!

As a Mac developer, I am close to releasing my product. It could have been released months ago but I'm shooting for "perfect". Now, that doesn't mean I won't add features or fix bugs in later versions, but I want the program in the full state that I see it in my head.

I'm probably not a good person to give advice on releasing software, but I think what I'm trying to say is: make sure that your product does what it's supposed to do and does it well. Don't concede on features just because you think they're too hard or convince yourself that you'll release them later.

Perhaps that's how Steve Jobs' Reality Distortian Field works. He will accept nothing less than perfect because he knows people won't like it. They'll forgive Apple for releasing a bad product... but they'll never forget.

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MDWeezer

I completely agree and as a budding Cocoa developer with a few ideas on my mind I have although thought about this hard and deep. At what point is my application 1.0 worthy? What specifications should even make myself consider it 1.0? How often should I release updates? More importantly I've been thinking about if it should be open source or not.

Speaking of Delicious Library, Wil Shipley who I'm sure you're familiar with if you're into Cocoa dev just posted on his blog that they're looking for beta testers for Delicious Library 2.0! I just submitted my application and now I've got my fingers crossed.

    Reply#1 - Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:20 AM EST
    Nuno Sousa

    Wil Shipley is hilarious... he's my Cocoa hero! :)

    Yeah, I actually submitted my application but like I stated here (and in the application), I find that I just don't use it! I really love playing around with it, but when it comes to it, I just look at my shelf of books instead of opening up Delicious Library :/

      Reply#2 - Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:57 PM EST
      MDWeezer

      I like the ideas on the Delicious Blog, they suggest adding other shelves such as "Movies to watch on a Friday night" and then on that night you can go and see what movies you've been meaning to watch.

      I've got a shelf with movies I've gotten from blockbuster to keep track (in the slickest fashion ever).

      As for your wondering about product releases... I have yet to release anything but depending on the size of the app (mine are little niche apps) I intend on just whipping up a a page for the app and releasing and then spreading the word like mad (TUAW, Macnn, versiontracker and applicable sites that deal with the niche, secret right now haha).

      If your app deals with any ecommerce and has registration and costs and what not I might approach it differently but all of my apps will be released the day they're announced.

        Reply#3 - Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:10 PM EST
        atmos

        For the most part, I totally disagree with you dude.

        I am close to releasing my product. It could have been released months ago but I'm shooting for "perfect". Now, that doesn't mean I won't add features or fix bugs in later versions, but I want the program in the full state that I see it in my head.

        I think by shooting for 'perfect' you're delaying possibly useful feedback your user community could give you. IMO the sooner you can get feedback from your userbase the better. If somebody doesn't like the first iteration of your product, it doesn't mean they're gone as a customer permanently. If you can, get their feedback on what they didn't like. They'll try your app again if it's of value to them, look at your rapidweaver example above.

        I do sorta agree with you when you said:

        make sure that your product does what it's supposed to do and does it well

        However I think you should keep in mind something along the lines of "what in my app will make users (love|hate|buy) it?" A combination of those two should be your mantra. Keep in mind that your product doing what it's supposed to, and doing it well, does not mean your release needs to be feature complete. If you have one or two ultra cool features that you wanna finish up before you make a public release, but those features are just icing on the cake, leave em out. Push those extra features out in a point release, and make updating to the new version simple. Make sure those brave souls that purchase(if you're charging) your software get hooked up for being involved early. I'm not saying give them life-time upgrades, but say, free upgrades until that milestone build in your mind is achieved.

        I'm an advocate of Less as a Competitive Advantage, this is a pretty different approach than yours.

        Don't concede on features just because you think they're too hard or convince yourself that you'll release them later.

        If you hold out implementing 100% of your features, what happens when a competitor's product is available 6 months earlier and does 95% of what your app does? You're gonna have a hell of a time getting your possible customer base to switch over... How important are those extra features? Don't dismiss this as only applying to the web.

        I don't really identify with this

        ... accept nothing less than perfect because he knows people won't like it. They'll forgive Apple for releasing a bad product... but they'll never forget.

        If you release a product that saves people time and energy, they won't forget that your app saved them those things. Jobs' lust for perfection has done great things for apple, but for smaller teams(I'm guessing your app is you and maybe one more dev) I don't think waiting for perfection is your best bet. One of your most valuable assets is growing a community of passionate users, something apple has plenty of.

        Good luck with your product.

          Reply#4 - Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:18 PM EST
          Nuno Sousa

          Wow, thanks for the great comment. Well, what I meant with perfect was the state that I envisioned the program when I first had the idea. I've since had many other great ideas that would take twice as long to implement as the initial release, but of course I'm leaving them out.

          What I was trying to say is that I am very tempted to release my product as it is now. It is functional and most people would accept it as a beta but I'm afraid I would alienate a lot of my user-base by releasing something that could be so much better on the first version. And you know people would talk. There would be blog posts everywhere reviewing my product and ultimately concluding that, even though it has a future, it's no good in the state that its in. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I want that WOW effect!

          Also, in response to your guess, you're right on the money... it's only me developing it. Mostly because I don't know anyone around here that codes for Mac OS X, nor do I have any coder friends online.
          I really wish I had someone else to work with though, I find myself slacking off for days sometimes because there's no one to push me further.
          Plus, Cocoa isn't exactly the easiest language to get into if you're a newbie.

            Reply#5 - Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:54 PM EST
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