|
Mentata Systems is a venture aiming to deliver
valuable web software and services to individuals and small businesses. As a
customer, I measure the value of a product by multiplying some assessment of its
quality by it's usefulness, and then weighing the result against the total cost
of ownership. Therefore, to create high value software products myself I need to
focus on providing quality and capabilities that will attract a loyal
user community, but in the same stroke keep costs low for everyone
involved. I have a plan.
Software quality is measured subjectively. I tend to focus on dimensions
like stability, security, portability, scalability, and extensibility... all explicit goals for my development efforts. I have a strong
background in software engineering, with plenty of success in planning and
execution, so I have the skills that a quality endeavor requires. I also know
peer review is essential to any quality assurance effort, so I am giving my
naked code to the world to scrutinize and freely discuss. The field is nascent, so without time to market pressure I am
free to deliver products when they are ready.
If the total domain of my work were too large, the quality of my work would
suffer. However, I've chosen a tight niche which, in a powerful but inexpensive
framework, represents the culmination of almost all my training and experience.
The standards upon which the framework relies are popular, mature, and stable. My own
software is concise and encapsulated, so that the scope of the project is well
within the range of what I have successfully managed in previous engagements.
I actively reduce the total cost of ownership for my products by minimizing
my own overhead while making it as cheap and easy as possible to use the
software. I have always operated in the black, and intend to continue doing so
with simple capital investments in commodity hardware and internet connectivity.
I have no equity or venture stakes, no employees, no facility costs, and no
critical dependencies on proprietary software. I demand no royalties or fees for
my own software, which is readily extensible to meet a wide array of needs.
I have free time and resources committed to supporting the implementation,
maintenance, and continued development of my products over the next few years. For
personal attention including consultation, training, and custom development, I
bill at a reasonable hourly rate.
Ultimately, I will put the results of all this effort to the final test in
web applications and services of my own design. I hope it will be a good
demonstration of an enlightened business model that I can be proud of. I am
firmly committed to this strategy, and I believe that through it I can guarantee my own
long term financial security. Perhaps along the way, I can help you too.
|
