What To Program???

Discussion in 'PHP' started by ajscottsr, May 17, 2006.

  1. #1
    I have spent years programming in Perl and PHP and working with MySQL databases for my own sites and for clients. I've been saying for a long time that I would develop and sell some scripts commercially but never found the time to really do it.

    Well, I'm ready to tackle. The only problem is, what do I program?

    I'm looking for ideas on relatively basic scripts that you would need or like for your own website. I'm not interested in putting the time needed to develop something complex like a blogging system or content management system.

    I will evaluate the suggestions for complexity, time required to complete, amount of support required for the script, whether alternates are already available, etc. before deciding which one(s) to code.

    I may choose to make it freely available or collect a small amount for my time. It can be anticipated that any scripts I give away free will probably contain some sort of link back to whatever script page I setup.

    I'm happy to take suggestions. You never know, I might just be building the script you've been looking for next...
     
    ajscottsr, May 17, 2006 IP
  2. sketch

    sketch Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    898
    Likes Received:
    26
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    148
    #2
    I think you've got the wrong attitude towards this. There's already thousands of "basic" PHP and Perl scripts out there, and what's more, there are some people like me who would rather just code our own "basic" stuff rather than find someone else's code which may clash with our sites or not work at all.

    It's the complex stuff that people want someone else (in this case you) to do for them. I'll take my time to write some code to display the latest comments or which songs I've recently heard on my blog, but I'll be damned if I'll write an entire blog system myself.

    Nowadays if you want to code something basic but that a lot of people are going to want, it's going to have to be one of those "it's so simple, why didn't I think of it" kind of things.
     
    sketch, May 20, 2006 IP
  3. ajscottsr

    ajscottsr Peon

    Messages:
    388
    Likes Received:
    28
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #3
    Understood and agreed and I have a list of desired projects to work on, but time is of concern. But there are still relatively basic concepts out there that are not met on a script basis and/or that are over priced where they are met. In either case, if no one is interested, I'll continue on doing the minor scripting things for myself and clients. My real concern is that I can't spend months doing something really complex, then support it and not expect to be well paid for it.
     
    ajscottsr, May 20, 2006 IP
  4. sketch

    sketch Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    898
    Likes Received:
    26
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    148
    #4
    Well, one way to go is to code something and have 2 versions, a free one and a paid one that has more features.

    Realistically, a solid program actually should take a while to write, months even. The old saying of "Faster, better, cheaper, pick only two" holds true, if you fly through your code, it's going to cost you later on when people find bugs and whatnot.

    I wrote a plugin for WordPress, just a plugin not even a whole program, and I developed that thing for about a month, and STILL people found problems with it (not that I wasn't expecting them :p )

    No matter what you write or how long it'll take, code is always evolving, which is why popular programs like phpBB or WordPress or Moveable Type, etc., are still in development after years.
     
    sketch, May 20, 2006 IP
  5. ajscottsr

    ajscottsr Peon

    Messages:
    388
    Likes Received:
    28
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #5
    I'm aware of that, I've worked for a software company in the past that provided perl/php/mysql based products.

    My point simply is that the time to plan, code, test, debug, docounment, distribute and support a simpler application is substantially less than say the time of doing a very complex system.

    I just thought this was an opportunity to meet a need and get a distribution channel going. The idea was that more complex versions and/or products would be in the pipeline.

    Its apparant that my idea is flawed and I'll redouble my efforst elsewhere. I have plenty of other projects to work on.

    Thanks for your thoughts.
     
    ajscottsr, May 22, 2006 IP
  6. pricethat

    pricethat Active Member

    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    86
    #6
    I have a project that we have been working on for a number of years, we have a working product already though the code needs streamlining and organising/cleaning and improving in some places.

    With what we make we are the only company that are even close and do quite well on the high end customers but we havent the time or manpower to release something for the average smaller joe.

    The scripts/software is really quite complex but as the work has already been done its just a case of reading the map and cleaning it out i would of thought, should be a decent amount of money in it for the right person.

    If you want to have a chat then feel free to pm me some time..
     
    pricethat, May 27, 2006 IP