Shame, it was an interesting and well written article.
Guess I’m not reading it then.
Even though I have emails created specifically for stuff like this, I refuse to uphold the practice.
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/atlassian-mike-cannon-...
[Edit] "Engine" is ambigous, wiki render engine would be more precise [0]. To be transparent and because it is not and was not my intention to mislead people: the code was a library that rendered Wiki markup into HTML and had a plugin/extension system to e.G. render syntax highlighted code, diagrams and integrate with third party systems. It implemented this with a macro system using {...} syntax. You would need to add at least load/safe e.G. with Hibernate to have a (minimal) Wiki application. But with Radeox you could create your Wiki app in perhaps 100 LOC.
[0] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/200773455_The_Radeo...
I'm a former Confluence developer (2008-2013). I don't know anything about you or the detailed history of Confluence.
- When I started there were 12 people on the team including me. I wasn't there at the very beginning but some people on that team were and they would discuss design decisions from the start of the project.
- It was a spring-hibernate-webwork Java web application. Very complex and structured. Not your typical weekend project. Mike Cannon-Brookes (co-founder) of Atlassian wrote a book on this type of architecture.[0]
- They were always very open and forthcoming about open source they were leveraging. I don't remember this ever being discussed or mentioned.
[0] https://www.wiley.com/en-ie/Java+Open+Source+Programming:+wi...
[Deleted b/c it was inappropriate]
The wiki engine was called Radeox and rendered wiki markup into HTML. It was written in Java and open sourced from an existing Wiki application called SnipSnap [0]. If you have worked at Atlassian as a developer, you should have seen that name. It was also used as an example by Grails developers, e.G. in "The definitive guide to Grails"
References to it can be e.G. found here:
https://docs.atlassian.com/ConfluenceServer/javadoc/7.12.2/c...
The way macros are done and I have invented can e.G. be found here:
https://support.atlassian.com/confluence-cloud/docs/insert-t...
I have discussed things with Mike Cannon-Brookes long before you've joined the company. Sadly the oldest mail I can still find from Mike to me is from 2006 and was not about this topic.
But sometimes yes, company created billions [0] and I haven't seen a cent :-)
[0] Yes, also JIRA
I'm responsible for everthing like e.G.
https://support.atlassian.com/confluence-cloud/docs/insert-t...
What is the name / URL to your wiki engine?
A reference can be found on the (back then) famous C2
It was cut out from a Wiki application called SnipSnap
Most of their growth playbook from back then is obsolete or basic knowledge these days.
Have you ever found any useful guides for bootstrapping in competitive markets?
It seems based on indie hacker building a personal founder brand is the only viable method for low customer acquisition.
The trick is:
- being default-alive (the business will never go under, as I have a full time job)
- continuous progress (2 hours a day, every workday)
- learn everything you can about sales and marketing, the engineering is the easy part :)
The "obvious" things the Atlassian founders did back then were not obvious at all at the time.
Interesting to see how documentation & support are such pain points to sell enterprise software, and yet how few companies manage to differentiate themselves by making truly great documentation & support experiences. Stripe is another good example
- Have a working spouse that can float you.
- Have funding secured BEFORE launching your startup.
- Have a solid network of friends, acquaintances, co-workers, business partners, etc. that have enough money to support you.
And so on.
Not really the best kept secret, but a LOT of startup founders come from social classes where money isn't that difficult to get. And others work in lucrative industries before launching their entrepreneurial careers.
For ages there's been this debate on being able to afford (taking) risks, which tends to be strongly correlated with your socioeconomic background.
Taking out credit-card loans, mortgaging your house, etc. def isn't the norm.
While maybe not a secret it is striking how many startups had initial "friends and family" pre-seed/seed.
I think it's very important to call-out for those like OP where having ready access to five-six figures is one of the main reasons why a lot of founders can "take the leap" while it seems nearly impossible/terrifying for those who don't.
Needless to say if things don't work out those same friends and family can help the failed founder "get back on their feet", repeat for the next one, or keep dumping in cash for runway.
Having ready access to such funds and the safety net these same networks often provide makes a world of difference.
I did it once, now doing it for the second time. I think most people will not bear it, but for me it feels like the only natural thing to do.
I can never imagine enjoying either running a hyper-growth VC funded company or being an employee, and I realize most people are not like that.
So on that end, maybe ask yourself if you were OK with cutting costs like losing the car, moving to a smaller apartment (even back with your parents) etc. and be happy about it even if your company flops.
Live below your means, so you're not stuck in working longer and longer hours just to pay for your lifestyle.
Accept help from family. If your parents have a big house, move back in with them. If your wife has a good job, ask her if she's okay with being the primary breadwinner for some time.
Build a small fraction of your company on the side, while still working as an employee.
Maybe even find some contract work to do part time.
Or find an investor who pays you a salary to work on your startup :)
It may take a few of months ( <6 ) to cover your cost of living, but if you can sell, it’s readily achievable. The trick is pricing high enough to actually achieve this on 2-4 customers.
In my experience, almost all new businesses price far too low in the early days.
2) Family money. Either have access to it directly, or be personally "poor" but with an excellent safety net in the form of rich (-enough) relatives who won't let you really suffer if things go poorly (and may help fund your business, even). Doesn't need to be, like, Rockefeller money, either—parents who can guarantee you a place to live, comfortably cover your living expenses for a while, give you the occasional four or five figure interest-free loan without putting their financial security at risk, that kind of thing, can be enough to eliminate most of the personal risk of trying to start a business.
I can make millions in revenue by selling dollar for 50c as well.
