• Glitch Overview: A place on the web where one could write a website or node.js server and have it hosted and updated as they type. RIP 2015 - 2025. Built on ACE and later Codemirror.
• Creation and Work at Fog Creek Software: Co-created Glitch at Fog Creek Software. Laid out the original product vision for web development with real code as easy as editing a Google Doc, designed and built the editor, started the community site, and drew the logo and illustrations. Hired as a member of technical staff to help come up with the next big product, which became Glitch. Worked on Fogbugz with smart and cool programmers.
• Promising Early Days: Thought of Glitch as web development without complex git and heroku commands. Believed in a new "middle-market" of developers. Launched well with coverage in The Verge, TechCrunch, etc. Critiqued for a simple editor but aimed to follow Ruby on Rails' path. Discussed and wrote specs for collaborative and backup features.
• Changes with VC Funding: Received $30m in VC funding with a new vision of Glitch as a new entertainment medium like Youtube. Team size doubled each year, with two frontend teams. Editor had technical debt and new dev projects focused on easier tasks. Middle-market positioning is challenging.
• Learning from Failure: Fog Creek has a history of releasing ahead-of-time products that weren't positioned or steered right. Learned that clear communication is more important than changing narratives and that a leader should be able to commit and deliver. Grateful for creating something cool with Glitch over the years. Special thanks to Aneesha for helping edit.