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Hi guys, I am several months into my new personal project that I planned to finish in 2 years time. Now I am torn between continue working on this(which I am sure to have lotsa fun doing) or start a new closed source project for purpose of selling to end-user.
In Singapore, it is quite common that senior engineers in their 40s get laid off and replaced by young cheaper workers from neighbor 3rd world countries. I am close to reach my mid-life crisis soon. I am thinking to put my skills to make some passive income.
Making closed source libraries and frameworks is no-no for me as the dev trend now is to use open source. If I am really to make up my mind on this, my choice is web-app or Office plugin. I am undecided what to do yet(personal project versus commercial product). What are your thoughts on this? Have anyone here sell successfully something they have written?
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Shao Voon Wong wrote: personal project versus commercial product
0. The problem that your personal project solves could also be my problem & i could end up paying for your personal project.
1. Or your commercial project may not be solving any ones problem & thus no one may be willing to buy it.
2. Do you go with 0 or 1?
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Rather true, my product could be solving a non-existent problem.
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I always find the hardest part is coming up with the idea.
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Shao Voon Wong wrote: I am several months into my new personal project that I planned to finish in 2 years time
Things move very quickly in IT and a two and a half year release(I am making an estimation of 6 months for your 'several months') is way too long - unless you are releasing an enterprise edition application as by the time you release this software others, in all likelihood, will have beaten you to it or the market will have moved on.
With a small amount of experience in releasing software I would say that you probably want a six month period from concept to release.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
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True. There is a limit how much I can do in 6 mths on my own free time.
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If you are serious about developing and marketing software in your free time you will find that all your time outside of work will need to be taken up with eating, sleeping and working on your personal application(s).
You may get some time to see friends, however if you are serious about software development you will basically need to learn to bend time and space or spend all your 'free time' working on your applications.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
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Lets face it. It's the same for everything. There is a cost to anything you want to do in life.
Want to be a writer, developer software outside of work? It'll cost your social life and relaxation time (games, drinking, sunbathing (when you leave the cave)).
The cliche phrase "It's all about your priorities".
Simon Lee Shugar (Software Developer)
www.simonshugar.co.uk
"If something goes by a false name, would it mean that thing is fake? False by nature?" By Gilbert Durandil
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Don't let my words put you off - all I am saying is that you need to understand what is involved in getting software form concept to market if you already have a full time job.
My advice is go for it - whatever the outcome is you will learn a lot.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
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Shao Voon Wong wrote: In Singapore, it is quite common that senior engineers in their 40s get laid off and replaced by young cheaper workers from neighbor 3rd world countries
Not where I am thankfully, I'm going to have to retire to get away!
Having been down the path of commercial software in the 90s I'd be very sure you have a viable product, it solves an easily recognisable problem, it is supportable, it is distributable, it has an ongoing income stream. In other words you have a market and you can support that market!
I spent 6 years getting OUT of a commercial product commitment!
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
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Care to share what are legal requirements(I assume) preventing you from getting out?
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Shao Voon Wong wrote: legal requirements
 none, I'm a tart and they keep throwing money at me so I keep grinding away at their requirements.
I think my point is that outsourcing to cheaper/juniors is not universal, some organisations have already tried that and are taking development back in house. Support on the other hand is regularly outsourced.
The company I work for got thoroughly screwed in the 90s by outsourcing.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
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Shao Voon Wong wrote: In Singapore, it is quite common that senior engineers in their 40s get laid off and replaced by young cheaper workers
I am sorry to hear this. I am 43 and kicking ass here in the States.
This is my opinion, but I would say leave Singapore and move to a country that doesn't lay off 40 year old. Seeing that this is most likely impossible for you, I would then recommend finding a virtual company to work for. A company that has no borders so to speak.
I work for a virtual company where 99.9% of all the Engineers, management, etc. work from home, online.
Shao Voon Wong wrote: I am thinking to put my skills to make some passive income.
I might not be understanding you correctly here, but you don't make a good financial living by being passive.
Unless you are Notch and you are lucky enough to come up with the next Minecraft, ditch the personal projects if you are looking to make money with them.
-- These are my opinions. Good luck. 
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If you are working alone and get stuck it's important to take a step back sometimes to review what you are doing and make sure you are on the correct course.
If you are trying to solve a specific problem take a break from your research and go for a walk, take some fresh air or spend some time on the toilet. Especially the toilet, or shower. That's where the real epiphanies tend to materialize.
Who's with me!? Toilet style problem solving.![Java | [Coffee]](https://www.codeproject.com/script/Forums/Images/coffee.gif)
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Member 11683251 wrote: Who's with me!?
I am sure nobody here would want to be with you on the toilet or in the shower. 
You have just been Sharapova'd.
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What if it's just the shower? Any takers then? ![Rose | [Rose]](https://www.codeproject.com/script/Forums/Images/rose.gif)
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Member 11683251 wrote: fresh air or ... the toilet
They don't seem to connect
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You can always go in to the woods and consider the entire world your bathroom. 
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Just watch out for bears!
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Member 11683251 wrote: You can always go in to the woods
Heh, maybe you'll even see the Pope. 
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill
America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde
Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
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Fresh air is overrated. Every time I switch on the ventilator, it lifts off into the air and flys around.
The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a f***ing golf cart.
"I don't know, extraterrestrial?"
"You mean like from space?"
"No, from Canada."
If software development were a circus, we would all be the clowns.
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Thanks , I'm middle of problem.
let me go for break(not to the toilet), but usually i switch to CP for relaxation.
நெஞ்சு பொறுக்கு திலையே-இந்த
நிலைகெட்ட மனிதரை நினைந்துவிட்டால்
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I know what you mean, just getting away from the screen can be enough. A toilet break or getting a brew, anything like that. Sometimes, my walk to the tube on my commute home can be the most productive time of the day if I have a big problem to overcome.
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