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diff --git a/memos/WM-007.txt b/memos/WM-007.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..249d987 --- /dev/null +++ b/memos/WM-007.txt @@ -0,0 +1,89 @@ + + + + + + + +Document: WM-007 P. Webb +Category: Project 2017.02.08 + + Roadmap for BeachfrontDigital + +Abstract + + Far-reaching goals for BeachfrontDigital. + +Body + + BeachfrontDigital[1] is a domain portfolio management tool I built + and launched late last year. To quote the "About" page: + + > BeachfrontDigital is me scratching my own itch and taking cues from + > The 7 Day Startup. I buy domains on a regular basis and often from + > more than one registrar. As a result, I tend to forget I have some + > domains! *True story*, I ran a WHOIS search *on a domain I own*, a + > couple months ago. Terrible. 😩 + + The name is a result of a conversation I had with co-workers about + how domain names are like the premium waterfront properties of the + 80s. Of course, the domain `beachfront.digital` was available so I + snagged it ASAP. + + Since launching BD in October, I've made updates here and there and + it seemed like I was going to get valuable feedback from early beta + testers who assured me they would sign up at $6/year *instead of* the + regular $11/year price…turns out, *nobody* wanted to beta test and my + messages were ignored. Was it because of the upfront cost? Was it + because I didn't have a bunch of features fleshed out? I'll never + know. However, of the friends I reached out to for feedback Wojtek + Witkowski[2] was the only one who got back to me. Through him and a + prospective customer/commenter on Hacker News, I learned a + few things: + + - I wasn't offering anything that a spreadsheet couldn't handle. + - $6/year was still too much to charge for someone who has + <10 domains. + - To make charging for my service palatable, I'd need to create a + sync system for registrars. + - Not all registrars have public APIs (see: Hover). + - There are *so* many registrars. It's not cost-effective to + maintain syncing for each. + - Creating a sync system based on undocumented APIs like some + people have done with Hover is a *terrible* idea. Undocumented + APIs means they can break at *any* moment. + + For these reasons and more, *I have decided to make BeachfrontDigital + free* when V2 goes live. I'm currently working on a stock photography + site for people of color so upgrades and changes to BD will occur in + March (when I'm not playing my Nintendo Switch, hehe). I also plan to + update the site with a visual style reminiscent of the 80s. Here's + how the site used to look: + + 📸[First version of BeachfrontDigital][IMG1] + + Here's how it looks now: + + 📸[Second version of BeachfrontDigital][IMG2] + + As you can see, the styling went from pretty cool (the logo was + levitating and the background grid moved as well) to extremely + sterile. Nothing's *wrong* with a sterile look, that's what this blog + looks like, haha! But for something with the URL + `beachfront.digital`, it could stand to look a *bit* more impressive. + + A key missing feature is the ability to import your domains. If + you've already got a method to organize your domains and you want to + use BeachfrontDigital, you sure wouldn't want to type everything + again right? *Hell no*, who has time for *that*?! I intend to make + the wishlist feature more robust, as well as the personal analytics. + For example, I'm paying $2027 for 75 domains per year 😅. Anyhoo, + watch this space and @BeachfrontD[3] on Twitter for updates. 🕸 + +References + + [1] <https://beachfront.digital> + [2] <https://twitter.com/dubstrike> + [3] <https://twitter.com/@BeachfrontD> + [IMG1] <https://🔥.pixels.wtf/blog/image/2017/roadmap-for-beachfront-digital-a.png> + [IMG2] <https://🔥.pixels.wtf/blog/image/2017/roadmap-for-beachfront-digital-b.png> |