Turning away a potential client
Tomorrow morning I will be emailing a potential client who wants to use eWrite for their website to tell them I can’t help them.
Their site is using ASP.NET and Microsoft SQL Server. I currently only have eWrite Lite using PHP and mySQL.
So my options are to let them know that I don’t have a version of eWrite that will work on their site or else try to get them to host their site with Blacknight.
I’ve contacted their service provider in England. They don’t have mySQL or PHP on their servers and don’t plan to any time in the future. Bummer.
Im fairly sure they won’t want to change their site hosting as they have a close relationship with their current providers and also have other website related databases hosted there.
To add insult to injury, when I demoed eWrite Lite to them they expressed an interest in franchising eWrite Lite in relation to a web design company they are involved in. This would be great for eWrite Lite but alas I don’t think they’ll be jumping up and down about it right now.
As a result of this I’m wondering should I build a .NET version of eWrite Lite? I worked with ASP long before I worked with PHP and so getting into .NET wouldn’t be beyond me. I’m out of the loop on MS stuff though so wondering what costs I will be facing if I go down this road. Do I need a licence of any kind to write .NET apps? Can anyone recommend a good IDE for .NET ? I wonder is there an app out there to convert PHP code to .NET code which might save some time 
Tags: .net, asp.net, blacknight, sql server
May 7th, 2008 at 10:51 am
That’s a tough one. I’ve been surprised by the number of small companies I’ve seen on Windows hosting. The problem a lot of them run into is that they decide they want a blog (or some other app, like eWrite) and discover that Wordpress doesn’t work without PHP and MySQL.
Is the return on investment there for you to maintain and sell two completely separate code-bases? We didn’t start building our API until we had a couple of requests for it. We had previously built several things which some vocal people said we should have but which ended up with close to zero usage!
May 7th, 2008 at 11:27 am
I don’t know if I’d be able to get a good return on the developing of a .NET version. Makes me wonder why there isn’t a .NET version of Wordpress (Is there?) The programmer in me whats to do it anyway.
It would make sense to hold off on a .NET version until at least 2 more clients want it but at this early stage I’d want every client I can get.
May 7th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
“Makes me wonder why there isn’t a .NET version of Wordpress (Is there?)”
Nope. I can’t tell you why, but I do know that at least one of the developers would turn his head to the side and spit if you suggested it. As would I.
adam
May 7th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Ohh, I think I’ll start a .NET version to see if I can create a little controversy.
*Watching Subscriber numbers going down*
May 17th, 2008 at 4:48 am
I’d 2nd Conor.
Don’t go down that (side)road unless u have good reason (and not just temp $) 2 do so
Easier option is 2 drag in some .NET ‘buddy’ (that u can trust and has done good work b4) that can take this on (on the side and outa his expense) and come up with a viable ‘partnership’ that makes sense (and works with the client).
Just a thought.
Lal
May 20th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Hi Brendan,
I never even considered of looking for someone who might be able to create a .NET version for me, my default reaction was to do it myself.
There’s a guy I went to college with who’s working with Silverlight stuff at the moment, I think he’s pretty nifty with .NET too. Must look him up and see if he can help.
Thank you for the idea!
May 27th, 2008 at 2:54 am
Wow a web host that doesn’t support mysql……I thought those went extinct
Ross
-http://www.hostdisciple.com
May 28th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Good post …. but I have a better approach up my sleeve …. I can share if anyone is interested ?
May 28th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Share away, Im listening…