WorkHappy.net: killer resources for entrepreneurs

twtpoll

January 26, 2009 in 2 out of 5 stars, Business Intel, Twitter

What is it?

twtpoll: A simple poll service, primarily aimed at letting you use Twitter to ask a question and get responses from your followers. You can also embed the poll in your website, send it to Facebook, email it, etc.

Who makes it?

Felipe Coimbra

Why is it the killerest?

If you're using Twitter (as directed) then you'll be part of that powerful conversation we discussed. This little service is a way to harness that conversation and gain helpful information.

It's simple, it's free, no login, no fuss.

It allows you to block or allow multiple votes from a single IP (to control vote-stuffing).

Like with Twitter (and because you'll presumably be tweeting it, although that's not necessary) your questions are limited to 140 characters.

The results come back in a nifty little pie-chart. It's new and it's mostly just for fun, so I wouldn't throw anything too hefty at it, but it does fill a need, simply.

Give it a try here to let me know if you'd be interested in a WorkHappy.net podcast. 

What could be improved

A little info on customizing the look for design conscious webmasters might be nice. So would viewing the votes inline on the same page (i.e. not jumping to the twtpoll site). Hard to complain too loudly given the price, however. And the twtpoll page is clean, and ad-free.

How much does it cost?

Free

Rating?

Reviewed by Carson McComas

Bug Juice

August 7, 2006 in 2 out of 5 stars, Hosted software, Issue trackers, Software Development

What is it?

BugJuice: A bug tracking application for web developers.

Who makes it?

SmallPositives

Why is it the killerest?

This hosted software is simple and uncluttered. It's a glorified to-do list nicely tweaked for issue tracking. You can add "pages" (kinda like a wiki) for whatever purpose you like (e.g. one for each project), which is nice and flexible. You can add comments and screenshots to bugs.

An interesting option for small teams, or single person development. 

What could be improved?

It's missing most of the features of a mature issue tracker (although that's kind of their point). No support for Safari browser. Admin should be able to assign users to bugs (but can't, for now).

How much does it cost?

Free, $5, $10, $20/mo.

Rating?

Reviewed by Carson McComas

TracksLife

May 12, 2006 in 2 out of 5 stars, Hosted software, Productivity

What is it?

TracksLife: A spiffy, simple very, very lightweight cross between a spreadsheet and a database designed to help you track stuff.

Who makes it?

WebJillion

Why is it the killerest?

You can keep track of almost anything with Tracks - spreadsheets/databases that combine columns of money, numbers, words, paragraphs and yes/no's. If you ever forget to update - and you will - you can have the Friendly Trackslife Remindbot send a link through email or RSS politely reminding you. And - if you want - you can share your progress with friends, family, coworkers, bloggers - whoever!

What could be improved?

I'm not sure this service is worth paying for. It's well made, and fun, but the free version might just be enough. Adam (the owner) has recently taken steady employment with JotSpot, so although I can't imagine needing much of it, support might have a few kinks to work out.

How much does it cost?

4 Account levels -- Free to $10.99

Rating?

Reviewed by Carson McComas

TrueNYC

December 2, 2005 in 2 out of 5 stars, A website

What is it?

TrueNYC : A Website and TV show (Manhattan only) that showcases entrepreneurs and solicits advice, guidance, and inspiration for others who want to start businesses but are not sure how to do it.

Who makes it?

David Schnurman

Why is it the killerest?

I'm not in NY so for me the value is watching the concise interviews with entrepreneurs online and reading through some of the articles David has posted. There are some good ideas and inspiration. Some interviews are better than others but you're bound to find something of interest to you amongst the 17 videos interviews he has.

What could be improved?

The site is full of passion, but skinny yet on content and design. David is a third year law student and at the moment can only do this part-time. (He's hoping in time that the website will grow into a portal for all types of NYC entrepreneurs to exchange advice, ideas and experience.)

How much does it cost?

Free

Rating?