

Why there aren't more Flips (and why there'll always be startups) - adamhowell
http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/why-there-arent-more-flips/

======
rantfoil
This is a challenge to startup founders -- to pare down the feature list to
just the essentials. When you're in a meeting and someone says "Wouldn't it be
great if..." -- you as a designer must forcefully evaluate whether or not it
is valid. If there is any doubt, push back. The good ideas that deserve to
make it into the product can survive merciless scrutiny.

I believe this is at least partially why Steve Jobs's tyrannical
micromanagement of product design works. Every single feature that makes it
into an Apple product has to pass the muster of Steve's unforgiving eye. Chaff
is discarded, like spare words at the hands of a great editor.

------
adamhowell
"Imagine the product comparison grid on the back of the box: our product has
to have more check marks against more features than Quicken. Even if they
never get used…"

------
wumi
"The conclusions were pretty simple: the vast majority of users and potential
users of Quicken simply wanted to know where their money was going."

Mint/Buxfer

