Seems a large majority are doing web based startups. Is anyone writing a desktop app as their MVP, etc? My background has been mainly writing "enterprisy" Microsoft based (yes I know) back-end office desktop applications in Windows using C#, WinForms, WPF, and in the past C++/MFC.<p>Just seeing what's out there as I'd be interested in joining a startup that is writing a thick client app even if it's not a true desktop runtime like Silverlight. And even if you're not looking for anyone I'd be interested in hearing about your startup (as probably other "desktop app dev" lurkers are perhaps interested as well).<p>And although I could try to learn web dev I feel I could better leverage my existing skills as there could be an untapped market/niche in the world of desktop apps that web apps currently can't deliver that could be filled while everyone else is focused on the next Web X.0 app (not that there's anything wrong with that).
If you're the least bit interested in writing new consumer apps for Windows, please do it! There's an incredible lack of new, interesting, exciting apps for Windows. Enough to make one want to switch to a Mac (plus a hundred other reasons...)
Dropbox and Spotify come to mind as high-profile startups whose product depends entirely on the capabilities afforded by being on the desktop vs. just doing a web app.
I'm currently working on a hybrid app that's a desktop app and web app. The desktop code is mostly done, and the web code is coming along nicely. It's very interesting working on both sides of the equation; both have their challenges. While I'm still keeping the idea close to my chest, it's an untapped market which could potentially be very big.<p>I think there are plenty of opportunities on the desktop-side of things; millions of computers are sold every month. While we may be entering the long-tail of dedicated computer sales, being replaced by iPads and other specialized devices eventually, it's going to take a while for that switch to fully happen. At least 5 if not 10 years or more; the keyboard/mouse interface still rules for content creation, and many people spend their days sitting in front of one.<p>However, it's becoming very difficult to release a desktop-only application without some sort of web component. Everything from note taking software, to video games, to music software, is all expected to be connected online somehow.<p>I'd imagine a sticking point for some corporate software is security. Most companies are not comfortable having their data stored on someone else's servers, potentially unencrypted. Some even have special agreements with governments and businesses preventing them from doing so. A lot of these companies are being left out of the cloud.<p>Two possible solutions include providing server software for IT departments to deploy (been there, done that, it's not pretty or cheap), or to have some sort of encrypted solution syncing to the cloud. The trick is, data must be fully and securely encrypted "before" going to the cloud. If someone breaks into the cloud provider's storage, or intercepts the data in-transit, they must get gibberish. The cloud provider can't read the data either; only the business. Just an idea to think about. :)
How large and economically-successful a startup are you interested in?<p>I'm bootstrapping a native-client-software-based business. My business isn't successful yet, but we'll see how things play out in the next couple of years. I'm hoping that though web-based apps are all the rage, there still exists a large-enough market for desktop software. My economic goals are modest (though a wildly-successful outcome wouldn't be unwelcome).<p>For several years I've kept up with many, very-helpful startup-related blogs and sites. The vast majority of these recommend launching web-app-based startups. Even one startup owner who had hybrid approach phased out his desktop version (<a href="http://www.kalzumeus.com/2009/09/05/desktop-aps-versus-web-apps/" rel="nofollow">http://www.kalzumeus.com/2009/09/05/desktop-aps-versus-web-a...</a>) So why am I developing desktop apps? The main reason is that I care passionately about user interfaces and the effect they have on my experience as a user. There doesn't seem to be a very consistent UI for the Web as a platform, not as consistent a UI as exists for Windows, Mac OS or GNU/Linux distributions. Web apps have their advantages, but UI-consistency isn't their strong suit (nor do I foresee this changing very soon).<p>A second reason for my focus on desktop apps is that I want to scratch my own itch and make programs that I want to use myself. I want to write high-quality software that 1) aids me with tasks related to various personal interests and 2) is desktop software, if possible. I want to exclusively produce "dogfood" (though not necessarily programmer tools). Having myself as a target user fuels my motivation to get up and work hard on making a streamlined, powerful, easy-to-use product, since I'll be using it. Yes, I'll still perform usability testing and try to understand my other target users. However, I believe it can be helpful to be a target user myself. I can't imagine how hard it must be to develop software for an unfamiliar field or making a program whose only value to me is as a source of income. (By the way, having oneself as a target user is generally considered by startup bloggers to be a mistake.)<p>A third reason for my desktop-app obsession lies in the opportunities I see to leverage the advantages of native client applications. Various articles lists the advantages of web apps. However, desktop apps have their own particular advantages, though many desktop applications fail to leverage them. I plan to keep identifying these advantages and capitalizing on them. At the same time, there's a lot for client apps to learn from web apps (and I hope to internalize those lessons as well).<p>As you can see, I'm a bit of a contrarian and somewhat stubborn about this particular issue. It may turn out to be my undoing. (I hope otherwise, of course.) Check up on me in a year or two... In the meantime, be careful about any advice you may draw from what I just wrote.
Check out my startup, Futureproof: <a href="http://iamfutureproof.com" rel="nofollow">http://iamfutureproof.com</a><p>Our goal is to build a large collection of small software products, including a mix of desktop and web apps, that help people form sophisticated relationships with technology. We also want to build "hardware" to support people in making healthy changes to technology habits.<p>Our first product, Awareness, is a C# app for Mac and Windows, already distributed through the App Store.<p>I'm actually looking to bring another programmer onboard, so send us your resume!
Tower ( <a href="http://www.git-tower.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.git-tower.com/</a> ) is a commercial Git GUI for Mac OSX that, by all accounts, is pretty excellent; don't know much about the team, but I believe it's their first product and doing OK.<p>I think you'll find more desktop-app-focused startups in Apple-land, largely thanks to the impetus to Obj-C & Cocoa programming that the iPhone has given.
Not sure if you'd consider them a start-up or not (<a href="http://www.skybound.ca/" rel="nofollow">http://www.skybound.ca/</a>), but they have a pretty cool and fancy product. A few weeks ago, I read they are looking for solid dot net developers. You could check out. They are based in Canada.
My friends and I are currently working on our first product retickr right now. Our Mac client will launch this summer and we are hoping to bring a Windows client to market this fall. Initially retickr will be "another" news aggregator but we are working closely with businesses and niche users to provide a tailored solution. <a href="http://www.retickr.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.retickr.com</a>
Not really a start up per se, though I am working on it full time:<p><a href="http://shavevideo.com/" rel="nofollow">http://shavevideo.com/</a><p>Just got a great review in MacLife:<p><a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/shave_video_review" rel="nofollow">http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/shave_video_review</a>
DeskMetrics (<a href="http://deskmetrics.com/" rel="nofollow">http://deskmetrics.com/</a>, <a href="http://www.crunchbase.com/company/deskmetrics" rel="nofollow">http://www.crunchbase.com/company/deskmetrics</a>) comes to mind, they're doing analytics on the desktop.<p>(I've got no relationship with them)
Sometimes you have to stay on the desktop out of necessity. Can't intercept low-level keyboard events or manipulate the file system, for example, from the web.<p>Not a 'startup' per say but I'm in that boat. If I wrote this as a web app, it would work only on my website. As a desktop app it works in every open text-field, regardless of the program.
<a href="http://onehandkeyboard.org" rel="nofollow">http://onehandkeyboard.org</a><p>Also check out the the Business of Software forum, lots of desktop based app developers there.
<a href="http://discuss.joelonsoftware.com/default.asp?biz" rel="nofollow">http://discuss.joelonsoftware.com/default.asp?biz</a>
Evernote's Desktop App is a pretty big part of their product. Here's their open source page which reveals some of their technology choices:<p><a href="http://www.evernote.com/about/opensource/" rel="nofollow">http://www.evernote.com/about/opensource/</a><p>I think they got the Webkit license wrong. Just like the LibXML License, it says:<p>> Copyright (C) 1998-2003 Daniel Veillard. All Rights Reserved.
We're building our MVP in wpf, with the intent of supporting silverlight at some point. Being B2B, we think its less of an issue than a B2C company. Our platform requires access to local databases, which isn't possible directly through a web app. Wpf and silverlight give us the ability for an enriched user experience while still being able to support web distribution through xbap and xap.
The only real desktop "Startup" in recent times is doubleTwist. Most other are either client for a web service, or more of a lifestyle business than a startup.<p>On a sidenote: That doesn't really count either, but MacHeist has done fantastically well selling Mac desktop software in bundles online.
<a href="http://udeployer.com/" rel="nofollow">http://udeployer.com/</a> here :). I'm trying to fix Windows software deployment by providing an apt-get like tool for IT agencies but more targeted to deploying to multiple remote computers instead of only your local machine.