Why Devs Can't Sell

Open source exisystem is an interesting counter answer, where we dont tey to build sandcastles, big complete things, but often just try to build libraries, protocols, standards that others can expand upon & grow.

This post talks about failing to find the right target. But ratger than sales first, building things & getting to assess their value, getting direct peer feedback, allows an unconjoined exploration of utility/value.

Re: Why Devs Can't Sell

#5

Post by ozim » Thu, Jun 30, 2022, 8:23 PM UTC

I think a lot of devs don't want to sell.

Even if they say so - building something is fun - I get my ideas into code I decide.

When customers start paying it stops being fun and people start having demands/deadlines/requests/issues.

Once you start rolling with project that is used by others it opens can of worms that is support.

I have wet dreams about building "Super Trubo Combo Tool - that solves everything ^TM", next moment I recall all the support calls and emails my boss is getting I don't want any of that.

It is the same with people who want to "learn programming", they could get a nice job and nice salary for that so they always say to me they would like to learn, but when they just think about sitting in front of computer for 12 hours reading documentation - well they just bail out instantly or after first 10 mins when something is not working as they wanted.

Re: Why Devs Can't Sell

#6

Post by powerslacker » Thu, Jun 30, 2022, 11:12 PM UTC

This is clickbait

Re: Why Devs Can't Sell

#7

Post by WastingMyTime89 » Thu, Jun 30, 2022, 11:12 PM UTC

The article is more about finding a market fit for entrepreneurs than really about selling. To me, it reads more like why developers can’t do marketing well than why developers can’t sell but that wouldn’t be as good of a title that’s true.

I kind of feel personally offended by the title because I stated my career as a software engineer, moved to management consulting and now mostly do business development but then again I hated being a developer so maybe he has a point.

Re: Why Devs Can't Sell

#8

Post by mdavis6890 » Fri, Jul 01, 2022, 12:12 AM UTC

rektide wrote: post #4

Open source exisystem is an interesting counter answer, where we dont tey to build sandcastles, big complete things, but often just try to build libraries, protocols, standards that others can expand upon & grow. This post talks about failing to find the right target. But ratger than sales first, building things & getting to assess their value, getting direct peer feedback, allows an unconjoined exploration of utilit…

Actually I think open source supports the author's point. Lots of open source projects are cool. Not very many make money. In fact sitting here I can't even think of one. Okay, Red Hat made money for a while.

Re: Why Devs Can't Sell

#9

Post by rektide » Fri, Jul 01, 2022, 2:40 AM UTC

mdavis6890 wrote: post #8

rektide wrote: post #4

Open source exisystem is an interesting counter answer, where we dont tey to build sandcastles, big complete things, but often just try to build libraries, protocols, standards that others can expand upon & grow. This post talks about failing to find the right target. But ratger than sales first, building things & getting to assess their value, getting direct peer feedback, allows an unconjoined exploration of utilit…

Actually I think open source supports the author's point. Lots of open source projects are cool. Not very many make money. In fact sitting here I can't even think of one. Okay, Red Hat made money for a while.

This superficial judgementality ignores the whole point that most of the computing on the planet is powered by open source. Look at github stars or npm popularity: devs sell all the time. To other devs. In an arena of ideas, competing against each other, vying for usefulness. That money is somewhat orthogonal is part of why so many of these ideas spread so widely, are able to power so so so many commercial enterprises.

The exchange is also somewhat more intellectually honest- maybe not totally egalitarian peership, but more on the level of even & honest exchange, rather than dumbing down a complex situation idea & gussying it up as product, as salvation. Which this article pitches as the nee-plus-ultra.

The truth is inbetween. But the article totally stomps over truthfulness & intellect & engagement in favor of it's own preferred idea of selling.

Re: Why Devs Can't Sell

#10

Post by mathgladiator » Fri, Jul 01, 2022, 4:38 AM UTC

ozim wrote: post #5

I think a lot of devs don't want to sell. Even if they say so - building something is fun - I get my ideas into code I decide. When customers start paying it stops being fun and people start having demands/deadlines/requests/issues. Once you start rolling with project that is used by others it opens can of worms that is support. I have wet dreams about building "Super Trubo Combo Tool - that solves everything ^TM", n…

I'm currently writing a post about being a monasteric code machine where I have a project I love but don't want to market or sell it... yet.

Instead, im going to bring decades of side projects together into one platform and then just try to use it to build a few businesses. Nothing major, but i want it to be a platform to play with.