The Mac Observer

Skip navigational links

Choose text size: Select small text. Select medium text. Select large text.

DealsOnTheWeb Daily Deal: OneCall's Weekend Sale - 20 Great Items at Great Prices All Weekend Long

My Dream App Aims to be the American Idol of Software Development

by , 2:25 PM EDT, August 21st, 2006

Self-described software entrepreneur Phill Ryu on Monday launched My Dream App, a competition of which he said: "My Dream App will do for software users what American Idol did for aspiring singers. All it takes is a really great idea, and you don't even have to use a Mac. We're democratizing software."

The 40 judges in the contest, which lets anyone submit their ideas for their dream software application, include Digg.com founder Kevin Rose, New York Times columnist David Pogue, former Apple evangelist Guy Kawasaki, and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. The initial slate of entries will be narrowed down to 24, which will be voted on by visitors to the Web site until three are left.

Jason Harris of Unsanity (ShapeShifter), Austin Sarner (AppZapper) and Martin Ott (SubEthaEdit) will turn the three finalists into shareware applications, with all royalties going to them. Each finalist will have a blog on the site through which they can explain their vision. In addition, they'll receive MacBooks and video iPods.

The submission process is open now and ends Sept. 1. User voting begins Sept. 21.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:geoduck Posts: 1721 Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Mon Aug 21, 2006 3:13 pm Subject:

I like that they aren't asking for people to develop their dream app. They just want people to suggest what it would be. A lot of people have an idea for an app they would like to see but have no idea how to build it (myself included). Conversely most people who do serious coding don't use the apps the way the rest of us do so they often don't understand what we think makes a great app (did anyone ask for a dancing paperclip?).


 Reply | Quote
Close Name:jimothy Posts: 581 Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Tue Aug 22, 2006 8:06 am Subject: Dancing paperclips

As a software developer myself, I can say with a high degree of likelihood that the dancing paperclip was not a developers idea. It probably came from marketing (who are known to employ tea leaves and chicken blood in their decision making process), who passed the requirement to the developers, who then wrinkled their noses and reluctant gave birth to Clippy.


 Reply | Quote
Close Name:geoduck Posts: 1721 Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Tue Aug 22, 2006 8:44 am Subject:

That very well could be. I remember a few years back at some conference there was a demo for developers of a small software package that not only got rid of Clippy, (that wasn't an option in Office at the time), but graphically Killed him.

They gave the guy a standing ovation.


 Reply | Quote
Comment on this Article

Show:   comments per page.   Save Settings
Guest Posts Hidden. View Them.
Back to top  Page 1 of 1    

You cannot edit your comments.   You cannot delete your comments.
Log in | Register | Having Problems? Reset TMO Cookies & Try Again
Username:   Password:   Log me on automatically each visit   

You are not logged in, and this post will appear as "Guest." Log in with your username and password from the TMO forums. If you do not have a username, you can register here.
Please note that guests are limited to including a maximum of two URLs per post.

Post A Comment
  Subject


  Your Comments



Please enter the word exactly as you see it in the image above. Registered users aren't prompted for this. Having trouble reading the image get a new one.

Recent Headlines - Updated Friday, July 4th, 2008

Fri., 7:30 AM
Happy Fourth of July!
Thu., 4:50 PM
Apple Slashes $400 from SSD Drive in MacBook Air
4:05 PM
It's Official - Firefox Sets Guinness Record for Downloads
3:30 PM
Apple Files Patent for a Multi-touch Gesture Language
2:20 PM
Editorial - Mac's Market Share and the Cascade Failure of Windows
1:35 PM
iPodObserver - Apple Slurps Up Samsung's NAND Flash for iPhone 3G
1:05 PM
WSJ: Tips for Switching from Windows to Mac
12:05 PM
iPodObserver - Google Intros Google Talk for iPhone
11:35 AM
iPO Just a Thought - iPod nano Versus iPhone: Decisons, Decisions...
10:55 AM
YouTube Ordered to Turn Over All User Records to Viacom
10:10 AM
Hot Forum Topic - Apple vs. Cell Carriers: Who's Winning the Game
9:25 AM
iPodObserver - Rumor: Best Buy, Radio Shack to Sell iPhone 3G
8:45 AM
.Mac Bookmark Sync Deadline Extended to July 6
8:10 AM
Adobe Reader 9 Hits the Streets
 

The Mac Observer Reader Specials

  • Download Typestyler, still the Ultimate Styling Tool for Internet, Print and Video Graphics. Works great in Classic with a Native OS X Version on the way. Free Tryout: www.typestyler.com
  • OWC: NewerTech miniStack FireWire/USB 2.0 HD & Hub Up to 1.0TB of Performance Storage + FW/USB2 Powered Hubs - convenient & sleek 6.5" x 6.5" x 1.5" Featured: 500GB $169.99; 750GB $209.99; 1.0TB $339.99
  • New MacPro Memory 800Mhz With Apple Spec Heat Sink 2GB $104 / 4GB $172 / 8GB $338. Click to Maximize your Macs...
  • Mac observers can now play Party Poker for Mac as well as Mac casino games by going to MacPokerOnline.com.
  • RamJet Memory: MacBook 1Gig $39, 2Gig $78, 4Gig $195! Mac Pro 2Gig $115, 4Gig $189! 500G Seagate SATA II $139! Click here

  • For the latest Apple products use Ciao a comparison website to find laptops like MacBook Air. Then find the best prices on MP3 players and use our comparison tool to evaluate cell phones.

  • Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.
  • Special Report: WWDC 2008
  • Special Report: iPhone
  • __________
  • Help TMO Grow
  • Podcast: Mac Geek Gab
  • Podcast: Apple Weekly Report
  • TMO on Twitter!
  • New Media Expo 2008

Apple Stock Quote

  • AAPL: $170.12. Change Today: +1.94.
  • (Prices delayed up to 20 minutes.)
  • Discuss in our Apple Finance Board

Hot Topics

What's the buzz? These articles have TMO readers talking.

Top Deals From DealsOnTheWeb