Comments on: Tools for Startups. http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/ Helping microISVs and startups succeed. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:37:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Bob Walsh http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30717 Bob Walsh Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:13:25 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30717 It was the dire potential threat I'd descend up Britain again to deliver the book in person that did it! :) - enjoy and please, if you like it, even a short review at Amazon UK would be very much appreciated. It was the dire potential threat I’d descend up Britain again to deliver the book in person that did it! :) – enjoy and please, if you like it, even a short review at Amazon UK would be very much appreciated.

]]> By: RichardS http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30715 RichardS Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:55:04 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30715 Despite Amazon UK's gloomy prediction, it arrived this morning. Really looking forward to reading it. Despite Amazon UK’s gloomy prediction, it arrived this morning. Really looking forward to reading it.

]]> By: John Sharpe http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30714 John Sharpe Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:44:52 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30714 Can't wait to join http://startuptodo.com. Just ordered the book too! Can’t wait to join http://startuptodo.com. Just ordered the book too!

]]> By: Carl Helmertz http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30694 Carl Helmertz Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:16:37 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30694 Google Analytics do offer an overlay function, located under the Content section. The stale, gray, bar graphs doesn't really compare to the screenshot above of CrazyEgg, but it's still there! Google Analytics do offer an overlay function, located under the Content section. The stale, gray, bar graphs doesn’t really compare to the screenshot above of CrazyEgg, but it’s still there!

]]> By: Bob Walsh http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30683 Bob Walsh Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:22:26 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30683 Haroon - I recommend/review both UserVoice and GetSatisfaction in my book; Those are - at present - the best tools I know of. However, I agree with you: there's a lot of unmet need in this area and I'm sure more tools will come out soon. Haroon – I recommend/review both UserVoice and GetSatisfaction in my book; Those are – at present – the best tools I know of. However, I agree with you: there’s a lot of unmet need in this area and I’m sure more tools will come out soon.

]]> By: Haroon http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30682 Haroon Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:48:49 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30682 Do you have any recommendations for community driven support tools? I like uservoice but its mainly good for product suggestions. Getsatisfaction tries but does a pretty horrible job of being user-friendly. Zendesk is better for ticketing and defers to getsatisfaction for real community. I'm looking for something that could house a knowledgebase AND community forum, where the community is self-enforcing, and is given kudos for helping each other. Seems like sites are still using PHPBB for this type of thing but I would imagine someone has to have thought of solving this general problem in a more support specific tool. Do you have any recommendations for community driven support tools? I like uservoice but its mainly good for product suggestions. Getsatisfaction tries but does a pretty horrible job of being user-friendly. Zendesk is better for ticketing and defers to getsatisfaction for real community. I’m looking for something that could house a knowledgebase AND community forum, where the community is self-enforcing, and is given kudos for helping each other. Seems like sites are still using PHPBB for this type of thing but I would imagine someone has to have thought of solving this general problem in a more support specific tool.

]]> By: Bob Walsh http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30681 Bob Walsh Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:25:15 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30681 RichardS - Sorry about that - I'd be happy to deliver it in person though! :) (If you don't mind paying the airfare - I haven't been to the UK since 2006; eager to come over.) Cheers, Bob RichardS – Sorry about that – I’d be happy to deliver it in person though! :) (If you don’t mind paying the airfare – I haven’t been to the UK since 2006; eager to come over.) Cheers, Bob

]]> By: RichardS http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30678 RichardS Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:56:15 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30678 Boo! Greetings from Amazon.co.uk. We regret to inform you that the following items have been delayed as we are still awaiting stock from our suppliers : Bob Walsh "The Web Startup Success Guide" Estimated arrival date: August 04 2009 - August 07 2009 Boo!

Greetings from Amazon.co.uk.

We regret to inform you that the following items have been delayed as we are still awaiting stock from our suppliers :

Bob Walsh “The Web Startup Success Guide”
Estimated arrival date: August 04 2009 – August 07 2009

]]> By: 47 Hats – The MicroISV Digest http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30668 47 Hats – The MicroISV Digest Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:06:00 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30668 [...] The Web Startup Success Guide will start shipping this week from Amazon; you can get Chapter 6, Social Media and your Startup from Apress for free now. You’ll find a new excerpt on Startup Incubators over at Sramada Mitra’s blog, and two of 16 Startup Tools reviewed here. [...] [...] The Web Startup Success Guide will start shipping this week from Amazon; you can get Chapter 6, Social Media and your Startup from Apress for free now. You’ll find a new excerpt on Startup Incubators over at Sramada Mitra’s blog, and two of 16 Startup Tools reviewed here. [...]

]]> By: RichardS http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30663 RichardS Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:16:37 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30663 Pre-ordered today from Amazon UK. Good luck. If it's half as good as your Micro ISV book it will be well worth having. Pre-ordered today from Amazon UK. Good luck. If it’s half as good as your Micro ISV book it will be well worth having.

]]> By: Bob Walsh http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30648 Bob Walsh Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:34:28 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30648 Zviki - Sometimes the professionalism of a given tool gets in the way of it's use. I wouldn't suggest using Jing at all for your startup's main tour video. But, as a way of showing in 30 seconds a specific feature or issue, Jing fits the bill. Because Jing is fast and easy to use and post, you are more inclined to use it, more inclined to build it into the process of supporting your customers and no so incidentally creating content for your product blog. These are good things. As for the hosting of these, latency has not been an issue, and hosting these mini screencasts elsewhere is a generally good idea unless you site is on your own VPS or coho. Also, Jing will let you capture the entire screen or part thereof. Bob - I covered a range of tools - version control software, graphics, customer engagement, training sites for startups and microISVs. I expect to add regularly here new tools. Zviki – Sometimes the professionalism of a given tool gets in the way of it’s use. I wouldn’t suggest using Jing at all for your startup’s main tour video. But, as a way of showing in 30 seconds a specific feature or issue, Jing fits the bill. Because Jing is fast and easy to use and post, you are more inclined to use it, more inclined to build it into the process of supporting your customers and no so incidentally creating content for your product blog. These are good things. As for the hosting of these, latency has not been an issue, and hosting these mini screencasts elsewhere is a generally good idea unless you site is on your own VPS or coho.

Also, Jing will let you capture the entire screen or part thereof.

Bob – I covered a range of tools – version control software, graphics, customer engagement, training sites for startups and microISVs. I expect to add regularly here new tools.

]]> By: Zviki http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30643 Zviki Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:51:43 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30643 I'm not comfortable with the Jing recommendation. As a video capture tool, it is OK, but it is very limited. The problem with most videos is the resolution. You cannot upload a full screen video. That's why you need to shift focus and zoom in/out when needed. Professional tools do that. Jing doesn't. Which means that it is very limited for good instructional videos (unless your screen is inherently small). As a hosting service - If you have a site, you are already paying for a hosting solution. Why pay more? Are you getting more? How is screencast.com as a CDN? I tried it for a short while and wasn't very happy with the speed and availability (it was several months back, so perhaps they improved). So, what is it for? It is not for the professional videos to be used on your site. So why use it? I’m not comfortable with the Jing recommendation.

As a video capture tool, it is OK, but it is very limited. The problem with most videos is the resolution. You cannot upload a full screen video. That’s why you need to shift focus and zoom in/out when needed. Professional tools do that. Jing doesn’t. Which means that it is very limited for good instructional videos (unless your screen is inherently small).

As a hosting service – If you have a site, you are already paying for a hosting solution. Why pay more? Are you getting more? How is screencast.com as a CDN? I tried it for a short while and wasn’t very happy with the speed and availability (it was several months back, so perhaps they improved).

So, what is it for? It is not for the professional videos to be used on your site. So why use it?

]]> By: Bob http://www.47hats.com/2009/07/tools-for-startups/comment-page-1/#comment-30628 Bob Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:54:59 +0000 http://www.47hats.com/?p=1387#comment-30628 Which other tools you are planning to cover? Which other tools you are planning to cover?

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