

Can You Build A Business On Browser Extensions? - terpua
http://avc.blogs.com/a_vc/2008/07/can-you-build-a.html

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Hexstream
I think extensions could be a great way of extending an existing business,
indirectly. Let's say you make an extension that works with your site to let
your users create some custom themes for it, really powerful stuff that you
couldn't integrate into your own site because it's way too heavy. Then once
all the theme is designed they can upload it to your site and use it. I'm
thinking such a fun feature indirectly helps your business by giving your fans
something to chew on and actually making something productive that can benefit
your other users. (You'd perhaps have to review the designs and approve them
before one can be shared with others because you don't want a theme that
obscures important messages and such).

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reazalun
I think it's hard to come with a good business model for browser extensions
that do not require the users to register/sign up.

The author also mentions the idea to capitalize AdBlockPlus. Well I think that
is a kind of extension that you shouldn't capitalize. When you do business,
you have to do marketing and one way to do it is by advertising. Isn't that
irony for you to advertise a product that blocks ads?

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babul
Yes. Look at all the photoshop/dreamweaver/other plugins etc. if you want
examples. If you build something useful that people value, then you can build
a business on it be it a shop, a website, or software like an
extension/plugin.

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rrival
_cough_ priceadvance.com _cough_

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stcredzero
Aren't all Javascript programs effectively just ephemeral browser extensions?

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jrockway
No. Extensions go with you wherever you visit. Javascript programs only exist
on one page.

Would you consider a formula in a spreadsheet an "extension" of the
spreadsheet application, or just an embedded script?

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stcredzero
Well, I did say they were like "ephemeral" extensions.

If I can reuse the formula in many spreadsheets, it becomes more like an
extension.

Once upon a time, I couldn't imagine something in the browser like the
interface for Yahoo Pipes. But once Javascript becomes capable enough, some
programmer thinks of it sometime later, and here it is! So how is that not
extending the functionality of the browser? The fact that the code has to be
reloaded for each site just isn't a big deal for the end user until download
times become a pain in the butt.

Yes, it seems basic. All software "extends" the computer. That is what's so
fundamentally great about software!

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vaksel
depends on the extension

