

First look at 37signals big rewrite of basecamp - andycroll
http://37signals.com/svn/posts/3087-basecamp-next-a-peek-at-early-iterations-of-the-projects-screen

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bguthrie
It made me feel better, as I struggle from time to time with design, to know
that even companies with as much focused design talent as 37signals tweak
stuff endlessly, and that clean designs don't spring fully-formed from their
heads. Everyone iterates.

~~~
rhizome
_clean designs don't spring fully-formed from their heads. Everyone iterates._

Kind of a strawman, though?

~~~
jmulho
What do you mean?

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kanwisher
Really liked the video styling, showing the evolution of a design. Something
as simple as a few icons, its rare on a project you get to put that much time
into it. I'm a bit excited they are going to do more project boards like
Trello or Jira Greenhopper

~~~
andycroll
Think they hired a videographer recently, presumably to do this very sort of
thing.

~~~
wlll
Yep, Shaun Hildner:

<http://37signals.com/svn/posts/3041-welcome-shaun-and-emily>
<https://twitter.com/shildner/status/162600458559565824>

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thesash
Thats a really pretty illustration of the concept that "failed" designs are
the most important part of the journey to the one that works. They've
certainly explored a vast number of disparte approaches, excited to see where
it ends up.

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mikelbring
Does remind me of Trello a little with the project board. Looks neat though.

~~~
jasonfried
We did this thing called Sortfolio a handful of years ago, too:
<http://sortfolio.com>

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tsunamifury
As a designer the images dont seem to have a very clear evolution so its
difficult to tell why things were changed. It sort of frusterates me to watch
this video because, while I respect evolutionary editing and design -- this
feels like a lot of versioning for no clear reason.

I'm sure thats not the case -- but its what it FEELS like.

~~~
jasonfried
It's a one minute video just sharing some of the discarded designs. There's a
reason behind all of it, but showing the reason(s) wasn't the intent of this
video.

~~~
tsunamifury
Then what was the reason for the video? I guess I'm genuinely missing the
point.

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gerasini
When I am reading about BP Next or viewing this video, I get the feeling that
this "move" has something to do with Wunderkit launch
<http://www.wunderkit.com/>. Be it the timing, be it the coloured backgrounds
on the video, etc. I don't know exactly why, but I get the feeling.

And I am saying this, despite being a huge fan of 37s, their products and
their philosophy (as demonstrated in their books and SvN). I have read
everything they have written and I am a paying customer.

I also feel, however, that BP Next would be one more great product from 37s.

~~~
pablasso
I'm sure they respect all the competition, but I don't get why they would feel
specially threatened by Wunderkit. I've tried it and it's feels so cluttered
compared to 37signals products.

Seems more like this iteration has been going forever, and they're just ready
to launch.

~~~
gerasini
Pablasso, we will never know for sure.

But strategically wise, I can see a threat from Wunderkit to Basecamp.
Wunderkit is trying to bring a BP-style project management product (evolved)
to a mass-market. It is not going for the geeks, designers, etc that BP has
mostly as its clients. It is going for the mass and thus a recent article has
mentioned them as "a Facebook for the workplace". After all, their first
product (Wunderlist) has 1.5M users and reached 1M users in 275 days(!).
Finally, a previous comment in HN frames 37s move in a nice way:

"This is very Apple. If somebody is going to cannibalize our market anyway, we
prefer to do it ourselves." (by armandososa)
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3506546>

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swah
And that's why they get rich with software hackers thinks its easy to write
your own.

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CubicleNinjas
This is an exceptionally well-handled video. No matter what the end result
there will be a contingent that says "Didn't 37 test this?!", and you can show
quite a bit of thought went into the process.

Excited to see what Basecamp evolves into, but I doubt it can lure me from
Trello. :)

