From idea to final product

How long does it take, on average, to turn an idea into a final product? I know each case is a case, but on average, how long does it take to create a single app, something like a mail client?

Ogami Itto
Friday, August 27, 2004

Ogami, you have so stupid questions. How can you "average" products?

But because you want an answer "they" say that you need around 7 years to make a company really successful.

Friday, August 27, 2004

Who talked about companies?

Ogami Itto
Friday, August 27, 2004

25,123 hours.

John C
Friday, August 27, 2004

Long enough.

Just me (Sir to you)
Friday, August 27, 2004

Ogami,

Why don't you give it (whatever it is you are trying to make) a try, and see how long it will take you?  No matter what answer you get here, it won't matter because it all depends on you (or whoever is making the product)...

Not a solitaire guy
Friday, August 27, 2004

According to The Mythical Man-Month, it takes nine times as long as the initial working version to make a final product.

This seems reasonable, but YMMV, especially depending on what your project is and who implements it.

For example, it is likely that the original version of Oracle took significantly longer to create than the original version of Notepad.

Nemesis
Friday, August 27, 2004

Ogami, I talked about companies because I have access to super-secret-research-documents and they say it's the same in terms of time.

So count with 7 years. But it's only 7 if you start the product in the winter.

Friday, August 27, 2004

This shall be known as the post that shouldn't have been written.

Ogami Itto
Friday, August 27, 2004

Ogami, I'm glad you start to be self-critic.

Friday, August 27, 2004

I think it was a good question for a Software discussion forum.

I don't know the answer but I'm sure there are people here who could have answered with some personal anecdotes and stories which could have spurred a fascinating discussion.

Unfortunately the crowd here lately just wants to shout people down and feel superior.

And yes, I know that any discussion would not result in a true "average", but anyone who brings this up in this thread will only make Joel's recent book review all the more appropriate.

Kent
Friday, August 27, 2004

42

KC
Friday, August 27, 2004

Forum Patrol, Joel, mysterious gnomes of the internet, somebody, PLEASE DELETE THIS FORUM!

Ogami Itto
Friday, August 27, 2004

Blank;

--------I have access to super-secret-research-documents and they say it's the same in terms of time.--------

Oh! Come on friend. So you might be knowing where WMD located in Iraq.

I did talked to GOD about this, so that he can let me know, where the WMD are hidden, from up above.

Do you know what his reply was!?

COME UP TO ME SON, AND SEE FOR YOURSELF. IT LOOKS CLEARER FROM HERE.

I hated this!
So help me my friend

It's Bush here!
Friday, August 27, 2004

Errr... I meant this post.

Ogami Itto
Friday, August 27, 2004

+++I did talked to GOD about this+++

Frankly, I don't remember that we talked.

Friday, August 27, 2004

Any more comments for this great questions?

Friday, August 27, 2004

I hate you

Ogami Itto
Friday, August 27, 2004

Ogami, I assume you're either 8 or 16 years old.

Friday, August 27, 2004

Dont forget 24 years old too, it seems to come in multiples of 8...

anon-y-mous cow-ard
Friday, August 27, 2004

24 or 32 is the next one?
2^3, 2^4, 2^5 or
2x8, 3x8

Friday, August 27, 2004

It's like somebody handed out meths and guns at the school chess clulb!

Tucker
Friday, August 27, 2004

>From idea to final product

9 months

Sathyaish Chakravarthy
Friday, August 27, 2004

I invented a computer language http://www.lingolanguage.com and it took about 10 years.

bill rayer
Friday, August 27, 2004

Let me see. How about alot?

2 CENTS ARE FREE
Friday, August 27, 2004

A "single app" like a basic mail client I'd say would be around 1500-2000 man-hours. A more complicated "single app" might be 5-10,000 hours; a commercial game (also a "single app") is around 15-30,000 man-hours, although 60-70 percent would be for the art.

Ron
Friday, August 27, 2004

... and to Sathyaish I say; that was funny! If you meant it the way I think you did. :)

HeyCoolAid!
Friday, August 27, 2004

I hate every single one of you. (but in a nice way)

Ogami Itto
Friday, August 27, 2004

It can take ages to get from the almost finished to totally finished and ready to be downloaded and sold.

Matthew Lock
Saturday, August 28, 2004

this forum has no more meaningful discussions and full of idiots. but i will still chip in my two cents:

It all depends on on your development approach, do you want to
1. release more and often?
2. work on it long time and try to release a near perfect product?

If you follow the first approach your first release does not have to take more than couple of weeks. For a small ISV I think the first approach works better.

aytek
Saturday, August 28, 2004

My boss had his first app written and released within about a year. We spent the next 12 years adding to it, with a new release at least twice a year.

Christopher Wells
Saturday, August 28, 2004

  Recent Topics

  Fog Creek Home