21 tools used in our MicroISV

Many, well, years, ago I started a series of articles on '25 steps for building a Micro ISV'. It's still something that I care about very much, and that I hope to get back to sharing.

In the meanwhile, here's a quick wrap up of the some of the tools we use to help run TimeSnapper, our MicroIsv.

These are by no means the 'ultimate' choice or 'best of breed' in each category -- these are just the choices that we happen to use in TimeSnapper.

I think it's interesting to see just how much software we rely upon, even though we are 'Independent'.

This also leaves out the dozens of articles and blog entries that teach, inspire or unblock along the way, and the many tools we've considered using, or the many tools we're planning to switch to.

1. Register Domain
   • Go Daddy
2. Reliable hosting
   • Web Host 4 Life
3. Website design -- free templates
   • Andreas Viklund
4. Basic Website content
   • (write it yourself)
5. Install traffic monitoring on your site
   • Google Analytics
6. Create forums, encourage feedback
   • Community Server
7. Maintain a FAQ
   • (write it yourself)
8. Get the best screenshots you can
   • Snag It
9. Configure email for domain
   • (all by yourself)
10. Get payment account
    • Paypal
11. Allow payment from your website
    • (all by yourself)
12. Create a PAD file -- portable application description
    • PAD Gen
13. Register at download sites
    • RoboSoft
14. Strategy: separate "free" from "professional" products
    • (all by yourself)
15. Get a suitable end user license agreement (EULA) -- infact get two!
    • (write it yourself, with help from weasel lawyer friends)
16. Auto update strategy
    • Advantech Download Unzip and Run tool, which in turn uses:
    • SharpZipLib
17. License activation webservice/website
    • (we wrote our own using asp.net and firebird)
18. Get a license management database
    • (we wrote our own)
19. Build a proper installer
    • inno setup
20. Obfuscate your assemblies
    • dotfuscator
21. Automate your build+release strategy
    • We've switched from final builder pro to batch files, to ms build
22. Free up enough time/resources for dealing with support/feedback
    • fogbugz ondemand
23. Shiny, Usable, Helpful
24. Plan and enact your promotional strategy
    • bits du jour
    • shareware promotions
    • campaign monitor
25. Do it all again
    • No tools required ;-)

Strangely absent from the list is our current choice of source control tool -- SourceGear Vault.

My book "Choose Your First Product" is available now.

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Learn more.