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Ask HN: Review my startup: Storage Room - A CMS for Mobile Apps

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Re: Ask HN: Review my startup: Storage Room - A CMS for Mobile Apps

#21

Post by gordonguthrie »

sashthebash wrote: post #17
gordonguthrie wrote: post #15

I think I have worked out what your app does: * developer builds an iPhone app * end-user provides some content for that app * developer doesn't want the hassle of updating the app * end user has an online editor to edit the content - app updates itself * developer sits on beach sipping daquiris If that is the case then the front-page should show it in the picture: * a user with their phone * a developer with the app…

Replace "end user" with "a member of your team that edits the content" and your description is correct. I don't know if the developer will then be sipping daquiris at the beach if he doesn't have to take care about managing the content himself, but he will have more time for more important work :).

Why not end-user? They hate dealing with your for changes more than you hate dealing with them...

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup: Storage Room - A CMS for Mobile Apps

#23

Post by templaedhel »

jonschwartz wrote: post #11

I like the concept and it seems like it would make it easier to get an app going. One criticism I have is not so much about the concept but the signup page. On your signup page you have that mini f.a.q. I think around a couple of those questions sound like they're coming from a skeptic. Your signup page shouldn't focus at all on the negative and I would probably even move the faq to a different screen all together. T…

I think if the FAQ were to be replaced with your copy, I would want to sign up even more. Haha.

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup: Storage Room - A CMS for Mobile Apps

#24

Post by jlambert1 »

My company — workhabit — has been building the same services for Drupal (which is one of the major platforms we do). We have a full iOS SDK we call DiOS (Drupal iOS), which basically allows you to plug Drupal as data services into any iOS application.

Of course it's Open Source: http://github.com/workhabitinc/drupal-ios-sdk

We're going to be adding some white label applications and "officially" releasing it later in November with a new site launch (as well as an Android followup), but it's definitely another approach to this. We wanted to do something to connect the HUGE open source system Drupal to the colossal iOS and Android markets, and after a few months work, here it is.

Hopefully it could be a useful alternative for those of you interested. We also have a testkit here which makes it easy to debug your sites: http://github.com/workhabitinc/drupal-ios-sdk-example

Love some feedback from HN about it.

To the original poster, I think it's a good idea. There are a lot of competitors out there, and there is a lot of momentum in the space to connect up mobile apps and web to things. I would definitely test-market and see if there is interest. Personally, I think your idea may have merit — there is a giant demand for data services on phones, and anything that makes it easier would be great. I would encourage you to look at models where you could drop the "whole kit and kaboodle" because I think data services are going to commoditize extremely quickly.

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup: Storage Room - A CMS for Mobile Apps

#25

Post by rb2k_ »

sashthebash wrote: post #4
rb2k_ wrote: post #3

Honestly, this looks a little bit like CouchDB + x to me

It's MongoDB, not CouchDB. And imho the benefit is that you don't have to host it yourself and you don't have to write the "x", the nice interface to manage all that data. Because it is great to have the data in your database, but how do you or better an editor change it (I think hackers don't like editing content all day long and editors don't like to enter content in something like phpmyadmin).

I said couchDB because it also uses REST and already has an web-based administration interface with "futon"

Re: Ask HN: Review my startup: Storage Room - A CMS for Mobile Apps

#26

Post by sashthebash »

rb2k_ wrote: post #25
sashthebash wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's MongoDB, not CouchDB. And imho the benefit is that you don't have to host it yourself and you don't have to write the "x", the nice interface to manage all that data. Because it is great to have the data in your database, but how do you or better an editor change it (I think hackers don't like editing content all day long and editors don't like to enter content in something like phpmyadmin).

I said couchDB because it also uses REST and already has an web-based administration interface with "futon"

Thanks for the reply. I didn't know futon. It seems to be something like a phpmyadmin for CouchDB, isn't it?

Futon/phpmyadmin are great for entering or checking data as a developer or system administrator, but I think they are too complicated and technical for the average non-techie to manage content. That's why I built my solution.

Or can you configure Futon to have a really simple interface and also force it to only allow entry for specific keys in a document?

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