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Grove.io shutting down

grove.io

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Re: Grove.io shutting down

#121

Post by heretohelp »

mibbitier wrote: post #114
njr123 wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These things are not really on the same level. Google usually gives more than a years notice, and always has a way to export your data. These guys are shutting down in the month and it looks like the only help you get with your data is a link to a gist on github.

> Google usually gives more than a years notice, and always has a way to export your data. Hahahahaha no. They don't. If only they did anything remotely as nice as that.

The Google API I was using had a 6 month lead time, no recommendations for graceful transition, no offer of data dumps, and the final shutdown date was never communicated.

Re: Grove.io shutting down

#122

Post by justincormack »

rcsorensen wrote: post #30
heretohelp wrote: post #5

This is why I refuse to use external services hosted by small/tiny companies that haven't open-sourced their tech. Even in this moment, they still don't seem to be bothering to open source any of it. There's a lesson to be learnt here in terms of gaining buyer trust when you're small. I continue to use our own setup for IRC.

Maybe you touched on the solution. If you're a small startup, putting forward a statement that all the code will be open sourced if you shut down should increase the level of comfort your customers have in the product. What are the downsides I'm not thinking of? Companies that reuse code across multiple products, perhaps. Product A dies, but uses component Foo in Product B that still exists, and represents some kind…

Escrow clauses are perfectly normal for commercial software and services, for enterprise contracts.

It probably needs to be a contract, as the liquidators might ignore it if it is just a statement, depending what happens to the company.

Re: Grove.io shutting down

#123

Post by mh- »

thedjpetersen wrote: post #31

Grove inspired me to make an open source alternative: Subway https://github.com/thedjpetersen/subway . And while it is far from perfect it is a start towards opening up IRC to teams.

that's a hell of a "start."

great work.

Re: Grove.io shutting down

#124

Post by heretohelp »

mibbitier wrote: post #64
heretohelp wrote: post #5

This is why I refuse to use external services hosted by small/tiny companies that haven't open-sourced their tech. Even in this moment, they still don't seem to be bothering to open source any of it. There's a lesson to be learnt here in terms of gaining buyer trust when you're small. I continue to use our own setup for IRC.

If they open sourced it, they'd likely feel obligated to support it. So it would kinda defeat the point of shutting grove down maybe...

>If they open sourced it, they'd likely feel obligated to support it.

That's their psychological bugaboo, not mine.

Re: Grove.io shutting down

#125

Post by mibbitier »

heretohelp wrote: post #121
mibbitier wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Google usually gives more than a years notice, and always has a way to export your data. Hahahahaha no. They don't. If only they did anything remotely as nice as that.

The Google API I was using had a 6 month lead time, no recommendations for graceful transition, no offer of data dumps, and the final shutdown date was never communicated.

You got lucky.

The API I was using, was shutdown without any communication. (Adsense for ajax - announced at Google I/O 2010). They simply closed my account without paying the money I was owed (substancial sum). I later found out from a Gooler "yeah they decided to shutdown the product".

Beware of relying on anyone, even a big company who says they won't be evil.

Re: Grove.io shutting down

#126

Post by heretohelp »

ricardobeat wrote: post #44
Rayne wrote: post #7

It's getting a little difficult to trust stuff by Leah Culver. Everything (that I know of) that she has done so far has either shut down or been acquired and shut down. That said, no hard feelings. It's hard out there. I've never tried to run a company, so I can't judge.

The funny part is that http://convore.com/ redirects to grove.io with the shutdown notice :)

We should take bets on how far the, "we're gone, but here's our new thing!" chain will go.

Re: Grove.io shutting down

#127

Post by mh- »

kenneth_reitz wrote: post #12
whalesalad wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel/sense sarcasm. I did not see this being useful from day one.

It's sarcasm mixed with caremad. I was a huge fan of Pownce, Motion, LeafyChat, Baconfile, Convore, and Grove. All failed. I was really hoping this one would work, but after seeing no improvements in a year, it became obvious it wouldn't. :(

Would like your opinion: do you think this is still a viable opportunity- serving this niche? (paid team chat)

..or is Campfire/HipChat/whatever-else-is-left "good enough" to make it not worthwhile?

Re: Grove.io shutting down

#128

Post by heretohelp »

btipling wrote: post #49
Rayne wrote: post #7

It's getting a little difficult to trust stuff by Leah Culver. Everything (that I know of) that she has done so far has either shut down or been acquired and shut down. That said, no hard feelings. It's hard out there. I've never tried to run a company, so I can't judge.

Leah is out there creating things, writing code and spending valuable time on new ventures, despite the risk and opportunity cost. I admire her courage and creativity and I can't imagine why you would say something like this. I'm sure she would have loved to have all of her projects succeed. Grove.io is a high quality service. We love using it at Leftronic and are very sad to read this news. I wish Leah and her team…

What's with the hagiography? Culver made things people came to depend on, then those things disappeared.

I don't see how this is any different than picking up women and telling them you think they're serious girlfriend material in a context (business services) where that's the expected standard, then dropping them for the new hot thing.

Why is it suddenly acceptable to do this just because they called themselves a startup?

Re: Grove.io shutting down

#129

Post by heretohelp »

mibbitier wrote: post #125
heretohelp wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Google API I was using had a 6 month lead time, no recommendations for graceful transition, no offer of data dumps, and the final shutdown date was never communicated.

You got lucky. The API I was using, was shutdown without any communication. (Adsense for ajax - announced at Google I/O 2010). They simply closed my account without paying the money I was owed (substancial sum). I later found out from a Gooler "yeah they decided to shutdown the product". Beware of relying on anyone, even a big company who says they won't be evil.

Google is notoriously bad about this by now, though. There isn't much excuse anymore after the last 3-4 years.

Re: Grove.io shutting down

#130

Post by heretohelp »

plusbryan wrote: post #115
heretohelp wrote: post #5

This is why I refuse to use external services hosted by small/tiny companies that haven't open-sourced their tech. Even in this moment, they still don't seem to be bothering to open source any of it. There's a lesson to be learnt here in terms of gaining buyer trust when you're small. I continue to use our own setup for IRC.

When your favorite restaurant closes down, do you demand they post all their recipes?

Only if they demand I make them my sole source of food and stop cooking for myself while I'm their customer.
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