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Anvil: full stack web apps built only with Python

anvil.works

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Re: Anvil: full stack web apps built only with Python

#91

Post by tluyben2 »

sametmax wrote: post #85
meredydd wrote: post #10

Hi there! Founder here, slightly gobsmacked to see this top of HN. Do feel free to ask me any questions about the platform :) We also have a bunch of tutorial-cum-demo videos at: https://anvil.works/learn#tutorials

Hi, I'm really not a fan of Python client side. Or RAD. Or closed source services. And I'm hugely impressed by the potential of your product. Good luck. I never though I would say that one day. But don't listen to people asking you to open sourcing it now. You can always do it once you are profitable. But right now, you need money to get this going. And if your product does what you say it does, people will be happy…

> I never though I would say that one day. But don't listen to people asking you to open sourcing it now

I want to second that, entirely.

Re: Anvil: full stack web apps built only with Python

#92

Post by metalliqaz »

rahoulb wrote: post #87
metalliqaz wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I fail to see the equivalence. I'm not contracting with Anvil for development or support. I'm basically buying a tool, in this case a tool that is more expensive than my hosting costs.

Well - two areas. One, if you're using it commercially, it's going to pay for itself pretty quickly. I rarely do client projects for less than several thousand pounds; I reckon I could probably churn a lot of them out using this in half the time. Two if you're not using it commercially, it's still a very low cost; maybe more than pure hosting but it does a lot more than just hosting.

Is it supposed to be an either/or? I don't see how I could give up my Amazon services.

Re: Anvil: full stack web apps built only with Python

#93

Post by brogrammernot »

metalliqaz wrote: post #51

It's $50 a dev/month for custom layouts and user logins? What independent could afford $600 a year?

You’re talking 6 hours of billable time to cover a year’s usage. The time savings alone of creating PoCs/MVPs for clients pays itself off.

Re: Anvil: full stack web apps built only with Python

#94

Post by geebee »

sametmax wrote: post #77
startupdiscuss wrote: post #70

I am torn: 1. Great idea, just what "we" need in the language we need. (Python cloud RAD). 2. But I don't want to do all this work and be locked into your system forever. I want to be able to run this on Digital Ocean or AWS etc. if I want. I think am open source version where you give people an option of hosting on your site at first would be the best compromise. Please consider it.

You are basically asking them: "I love your work. Please add an option so I can use it, benefit from it, then leave and never pay you again."

Yes, that's true. But that does describe Rails. A pure Python web framework, integrated, with a python to javascript transpiler is very likely to emerge, but I can say with almost total certainty that it will have to be open source.

I don't know any actual numbers, but I think DHH and basecamp almost certainly profited from the popularity of Rails. That's probably up for grabs, since integrated web environments in non-js languages may become a big deal over the next decade.

Re: Anvil: full stack web apps built only with Python

#95

Post by ensignavenger »

meredydd wrote: post #38
esistgut wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have any plan to open source the platform?

Honestly, we would absolutely love to open-source it! The issue is that we're a bootstrapped start-up, and it's rather difficult to make open source pay the bills, even if it becomes huge (see, eg, Docker's troubles). By charging for the product, we can claim some of the value we create, and be sustainable so the platform stays around.

For a counter-example, see RedHat :) I can certainly understand your position, but it isn't impossible to make money from Open Source. One approach to get some funding might be a KickStarter or Patreon type offering. (Or a combination of both). You also have your hosting service. Just some ideas, there are lots of open source business models- good luck whatever you decide.

Re: Anvil: full stack web apps built only with Python

#96

Post by sametmax »

geebee wrote: post #94
sametmax wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are basically asking them: "I love your work. Please add an option so I can use it, benefit from it, then leave and never pay you again."

Yes, that's true. But that does describe Rails. A pure Python web framework, integrated, with a python to javascript transpiler is very likely to emerge, but I can say with almost total certainty that it will have to be open source. I don't know any actual numbers, but I think DHH and basecamp almost certainly profited from the popularity of Rails. That's probably up for grabs, since integrated web environments in no…

DHH and basecamp made money because they are explicitly not open source and you have to pay for it.

The fact they are built with RoR is an implementation details. 37signals was very good at communication, Ror or not. Their blog and books were fantastic.

ROR as a FOSS may have helped, but I doubt it was instrumental.

Re: Anvil: full stack web apps built only with Python

#98

Post by geebee »

sametmax wrote: post #96
geebee wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, that's true. But that does describe Rails. A pure Python web framework, integrated, with a python to javascript transpiler is very likely to emerge, but I can say with almost total certainty that it will have to be open source. I don't know any actual numbers, but I think DHH and basecamp almost certainly profited from the popularity of Rails. That's probably up for grabs, since integrated web environments in no…

DHH and basecamp made money because they are explicitly not open source and you have to pay for it. The fact they are built with RoR is an implementation details. 37signals was very good at communication, Ror or not. Their blog and books were fantastic. ROR as a FOSS may have helped, but I doubt it was instrumental.

yes, exactly, they found a way to monetize a product other than their framework, and they used the OSS framework to draw attention to the non os project. Whether that was deliberate or unintentional, I don't know, but it certainly worked out.

EDIT: I agree with you that the product is good, and that the communication was excellent, but I disagree that the success of ROR was minor to the success of that company. It brought a tremendous amount of attention.

Re: Anvil: full stack web apps built only with Python

#100

Post by sametmax »

geebee wrote: post #98
sametmax wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

DHH and basecamp made money because they are explicitly not open source and you have to pay for it. The fact they are built with RoR is an implementation details. 37signals was very good at communication, Ror or not. Their blog and books were fantastic. ROR as a FOSS may have helped, but I doubt it was instrumental.

yes, exactly, they found a way to monetize a product other than their framework, and they used the OSS framework to draw attention to the non os project. Whether that was deliberate or unintentional, I don't know, but it certainly worked out. EDIT: I agree with you that the product is good, and that the communication was excellent, but I disagree that the success of ROR was minor to the success of that company. It br…

But here the RAD is the product. Their end game. Basecamp was the product, and ROR just a by product of it. Complety different.
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