Bare Naked App

Some of you may know the history of DropSend. Basically, we had to change the name from DropBox to DropSend because we didn’t get the trademark (anyone see a pattern developing here?).

Due to recent events we’ve been thinking about DropBox again and how we felt when the name was refused. And also how we dealt with the name change. Looking back, I think that the name change worked out in our favour. If we hadn’t named the app DropBox then I don’t think we would have thought to use a box in the logo.

If we had started the design process with the name DropSend then it’s likely we may have used some kind of swoosh, or envelope maybe? We certainly wouldn’t have started with a box. Now that we have the box - coupled with the words drop + send - it makes you think that you might drop your large file in a box and send if off.

It works. It adds depth. And it illustrates that losing the trademark doesn’t mean game over for the logo.

Well, we promised Bare Naked App would be a warts-and-all blog, so why stop now?

We just got the letter through about our trademark application and it didn’t get approved. Argh. Argh. Arrrrrgh.

So what does this mean? Well, we’ve set up a meeting to appeal the decision and try to convince them our trademark isn’t like the others. It’s so frustrating as Amigo is nothing like the other trademarks. It’s crazy - there is one category for “computer software”. What?!

Gotta keep reminding myself: “If it was easy, everyone would do it.”

By the way, if there are any good trademark lawyers reading this, please get in touch. We might need your help.

We’re up to the stage with Amigo where we are finishing up the very last things that need doing before the beta can go live. One of those is the ’sign-up’ e-mails that people will receive when they register.

Jason had designed some really nice e-mails using the logo and the ‘Amigo’ colours. But, unless Jason wanted the e-mails to look like a bunch of text sandwiched between some worryingly empty boxes with tiny red X’s in them, then something was definitely amiss.

Of course the e-mails looked crap because the images were turned off. Luckily, we had read David Greiner’s article on Vitamin all about designing e-mail newsletters for real people. In the article he stresses the importance of creating an e-mail that makes sense with or without images turn on.

So that’s what we did. The image on the top is the welcome e-mail with images not downloaded. And the example on the bottom is the same e-mail with images downloaded. Of course the one on the bottom is preferable. But the one on the top is perfectly readable even though the recipient chose not to see the images. They still know where to click, and more importantly they know where the e-mail is coming from.

Ryan gives an update on where we are at with Amigo and what the plan is going forward. We’re not sure why he’s developed a lisp - maybe something to do with a change of camera. Watch it and find out.

RSS readers, view the video here.

Just a quick note to say that my workshop is only three days away. We still have a few seats left, so if you’re planning on attending you should grab a seat quickly.

Here’s a quick description:

A one-day practical workshop that will teach you everything you need to know to build a web application. This in-depth course is perfect for small teams who are constrained by time and budget. We’ll reveal all the secrets that we used to launch DropSend, our massively successful (and profitable) web app.

We’re going on holiday (or vacation as Ryan will have it). I know, I know - we’re right in the middle of finishing up Amigo. But, even web app builders need a pool and some mindless literature to keep them sane. Besides, our developer, Dave, has gone on holiday so none of the tweaks that we need to do to set the beta live will be done until he gets back in a week’s time. Therefore this is a pretty good time for us to grab some relaxation.

I think time out is important. We’re not machines. It’s counterproductive to work, work, work until the work is done, even though sometimes we’d like to. We need time to reflect. A holiday is a time for thinking, for relaxing your mind, for drinking beer and laughing and… for having ideas. The last time we went on holiday we came up with the idea for Carson Workshops, so I have great faith in letting your brain run free.

I think Amigo will benefit from our holiday. Sometimes when I’m very close to a project I find it difficult to view it as other people do. I get so entangled in its little complexities that I can’t step back and do what’s right for the app rather that what’s right for the budget or the timeline. Holiday will solve that. Holiday will give us time to think. Holiday is good!

Jason, Dave and I are doing a ton of testing now. The way we do it is comb the site and app for any bugs or problems and enter them on a to-do in our Basecamp area. As Jason and Dave sort them out, they just check off their to-dos.

Just head over to heyamigo.net. We’re looking for some quality testers to get involved starting next week. It’s a great chance to get a sneak peak at the app and help us make sure it’s bullet proof.

A really important part of building a web app is determing how billing/invoicing will work, and how that integrates with your accounting software. We use QuickBooks so we have to integrate DropSend and Amigo with it.

The above photo is Nick (our accountant), Mo (our bookkeeper) and me talking about how Amigo invoices and payments will be imported into QuickBooks. Here’s how we’re going to do it:

• Amigo uses the Secure Trading API to charge Advertiser’s credit card
• Amigo sends out HTML email invoices to Advertisers
• Amigo spits out invoice data to an Excel sheet which is automatically emailed to our bookkeeper
• Our bookkeeper uses a custom program (written in VB) that imports that Excel sheet and creates invoices in QuickBooks
• Amigo uses the Paypal API to pay the newsletter owners
• Our bookkeeper logs into Paypal and downloads the record of transactions in Excel format
• Our bookkeeper uses a custom program (written in VB) that imports that Excel sheet and creates receipts in QuickBooks

Lots of people have been e-mailing us and asking us the big question:”What is Amigo?”. Some of the more wiley amongst you have sniffed out the information by yourselves. But it’s a fair cop, Guv, so here we are to reveal all.

Amigo is an application that helps site owners find advertisers for their e-mail newsletters. It’s also an application that helps advertisers find new, unexploited advertising opportunities in e-mail newsletters. And that’s about it. Nice and simple.

Really, the app works like a matching service. If you are an advertiser you can register with Amigo and find hundreds of newsletters in which to advertise your product. If you are a newsletter owner, your small (but targeted) newsletter could be the perfect ad vehicle for one advertiser who is willing to pay a relatively high price per click to reach your subscribers. It’s a match made in heaven!

We’ll be inviting beta testers very soon so stay tuned!