Another look back at some selected 2006 SvN posts…

Embrace Obscurity
“It’s hard to point to a business that launched huge and has been successful. Most of the big winners in our industry started really small and grew big over time.”

Functional specs subvert the hierarchy of nature
“What may seem like the safe choice strips away the possibilities you get from allowing and encouraging evolution — and that’s actually pretty dangerous.”

Every time you add something you take something away
“What’s the most ignored paradox in software development? Every time you add something you take something away. Screen real estate. Interface clarity. Simplified testing. Shorter development time. Certainty. Agility. Managability. Familiarity. Adding anything dilutes everything else. That’s not always a bad thing, just be aware of it. Be aware of the trade-offs.”

It’s all the same
“People will often ask us ‘how do you find time to do PR or marketing when you are building your products?’ Or ‘When do you find time to do customer support?’ Or ‘How does such a small team accomplish so much? What is your time management secret?’ Here’s the secret: it’s all the same thing.”

Rubber ball lessons
”#1: Put your name on it. #2: Write a story, not copy. #3: Start with an evocative hook. #4: Overcome writer’s block by starting with small bits. #5: PR starts with you. #6: Sticky points are sometimes tiny/hidden.”

How to shoot a bullet through your startup
“People often ask us ‘what should I do to build a company like 37signals?’. I think we finally have a succinct answer now: Do exactly the opposite of what Business 2.0 tells you to.”

Bloat is a function of time, people, and money
“Be smart with your time, people, and money. The combination of these things don’t need to lead to bloat. They can actually lead to wonderful products. But the odds are against you.”