perezd

you could have your application do some sort of authenticated request for it on a server maybe? Or better yet, proxy all of your api requests through your server?

I don't know, seems like a lot of runaround to me.

interesting, but I don't see this catching on, nor do I see my grandparents getting this at all.

I am very excited about this platform, can't wait to see what the development process is like!

This looks very promising, but its sort of off-putting that they don't explicitly define their pricing. Is that a sign that its pricey?

I was also looking into blinksale and its API integration, thoughts?

I've heard of this library, but does it provide a front-end admin type system? For doing things like reports and dashboards? Or is that something we have to build internally.

If we have to build it internally, that is what we are trying to avoid.

I use the standard Ruby Test::Unit framework, with ThoughtBot's Shoulda extensions. I enjoy the standardization of the xUnit family, but the RSpec-y contexts and definitions are great too! best of both worlds!

This is definitely some sound advice, its important for small companies to stay pragmatic at times like this.

I would be interested in a clarification, how do you find people who want to work as equity partners for your startup?

IE: smart developers who want to be a part of a growing company.

Apple's approach to this whole development platform is really starting to bother me. I won't be investing in it until I can learn more about it from some of the most trusted authors in the biz.

you aren't getting it. we already PLAN to take the money, we want help with HOW to move FORWARD.

I am not conflicted about the process whatsoever, I just wanted help figuring out how to go forward with this investor.

Actually, we've spent the last year as _consultants_, we haven't been able to develop the product yet. We are starting that this month. Also, we are approaching potential schools to sign up for the project up front as well, giving them a deadline release date.

Again, they are aware of the fact this is a high risk investment and are prepared to call it a wash. They believe in what we are doing and that its going to be a good product for education. Isn't that what investment is all about?

we didn't start this business to be consultants, I hate consulting...I did it for 6 years before we started our company, we want to build our product first and foremost. we've spent the last year writing software for other people (again), and I am tired of it.

we did actually ask to meet and present it with him. We are interested in the funding and will need it shortly or we will become under capitalized in the next few months.

We have been doing consulting work primarily to stay in business at this point, but we need to cut it off or else we can't dedicated enough time to our project.

in regard to #3, this relative is an investor by trade. He has invested 150K this year in oil and natural gas, he is completely aware of the risk and is embracing it.

I definitely understand the strain that could still put, but I am not his first family investment, either.

Understandable, this is not a direct blood family transaction. They are actually a close friend of the family, and honestly the same fear should apply, of course.

They are in a position to provide us with a decent sum of angel funding, and they also are fully aware of the risk involved. Actually, they are quite excited about the risk.

Interesting concept. I started my company as a self-funded/bootstrap system. We did consulting for the first 10 months and were very successful and got our company honed to a very solid level not only financially, but conceptually as well. We were able to come up with a lot of development methodologies and standards that were in a sense a "warmup" for what we plan to do in the future.

However, I am glad that I spent the last 10 months mostly working for other people? No. As of today, we no longer do any consulting and are moving forward with our first product development title that we plan to launch in the first quarter of 2009.

Honestly, I felt like the consulting held me back, and if I had to do it over, I'd probably limit my company's involvement with outside consulting to maybe 20%. You'll waste a lot of time not focusing on the goals of your business.

Its pretty idealistic to think you can run two companies at once, its hard enough making sure you do a great job with one, unless you are MAJOR balling and can hire essentially an entirely different staff, you'll end up dropping one of the balls.

If you want to use HTML5 today, check out the Google Gears project, it is a plugin layer for (almost) all browsers that allows you to use some of the neat HTML5 features, today! I learned all about it at Google I/O this year, its a really neat technology I hope to embrace soon.

seriously, I am really tired of seeing posts that are just "SHIP THAT SHIT" or "SHIP IT YESTEDAY!" or "OMG I CAN HAS SHIPZ?!"

seriously, spend some time thinking about what you are trying to accomplish and adjust accordingly.

I am all for it, Lets do it!

I live in Santa Clara, here in SV, I'd love to meet up, please feel free to contact me.