Roads to App Success
... and other news from around the RunRev scene this month

By Heather Nagey

I always love hearing about LiveCode success stories, and I've heard about several this month. We've also been busy collecting reviews, joining organisations and getting ready for RunRevLive! Here's a round up of some of the events that have been happening during May and June.

Snapper Success

Paul Hibbert was delighted with the success of his new release, Little Red Snapper. Here's what he told me about it.

Little Red Snapper is a LiveCode built multi-screen grab utility that allows several screen grabs to be montaged together. The app is (currently) aimed at mobile phone website developers and allows them to re-design existing web site logos to better suit mobile phone sites.

There is a video demonstrating the basic features on http://www.littleredsnapper.net. The app is still a little raw at present, but the feedback has been really good so far with comments like:

"Logo Creator meets SnagIt, sweet. The software was easy to install and fun to use."

"Wow just bought it, installed it and created my first logo in less than 3 minutes. Didn't even have to read the instructions so easy to use."

"So easy to use especially for those who don't like or can't get there heads around the likes of Photoshop or Gimp."

"Just purchased and had a play around. With some imagination, you can do a lot with this."

Considering this is my first commercially available app, I am really pleased with the results and I feel it is a huge testament to the strengths of LiveCode that I could achieve this kind of success.

The sales have just topped 1100 in the first week and I have quite a few ideas for version 2 that should widen it's appeal.

Way to go Paul! I hope you continue to see great sales on this neat little app.

Reviews and Articles

We were thrilled to get this great 5 star review from MacWorld earlier this month. Karl Hodge, the author, makes comparisons with Apple's much loved but now extinct HyperCard, saying

"But LiveCode has two significant advantages over its inspiration. The first is that there have been two decades of development in hypermedia. LiveCode is packed with a library of ready to use features and functions that HyperCard users could not have imagined - including RSS and video, database and web connectivity. The second is that LiveCode apps can be deployed almost anywhere with the right license."

Thanks Karl, we appreciate the review.

A rather helpful article on LiveCode Mac Sandboxing, from a user, Obleo Beck, may be found here. I've recently received quite a few questions on this topic from users, so if you are unsure how to get LiveCode working in the Mac Sandbox then this article is for you. It's great to see users helping out the community like this. Are you an expert on a LiveCode topic? Why not write it up and share it! Send us your article links and we'll be delighted to publicize them.

Talking of the community, are you following us on Twitter yet? We've also got a presence on Linkedin, Facebook and Youtube, and if you aren't already friending us, what are you waiting for? Come and join the party!

Group Memberships

This month RunRev are pleased to announce we have joined the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, which will be a great resource for us to interact more directly with the business community throughout the United Kingdom. Apparently the Edinburgh Chamber is not only the 6th largest in the UK and voted UK Chamber of the Year, but it was founded as far back as 1786 - there is a fascinating potted history on the website from which I have borrowed this interesting snippet:

One of the first matters to which Edinburgh Chamber gave attention was the need for improving the Lighthouse on May Island and a committee was formed to look into the matter and visit the island during 1786. A lighthouse man was duly appointed at a salary of £7 per annum. However, the drinks bill for the occasion is listed in the Chamber accounts as over £12.

Sounds like our kind of organization.

We've also joined Computing At School, as part of our drive to support and enable the teaching of real programming in our schools. The Computing at School Working Group (CAS) is a grass roots organization that aims to promote the teaching of Computing at school. We're thrilled to be a part of this important work.

...And Finally, RunRevLive.12!

The plane tickets are booked, and the team are getting ready to pack and fly out to Atlantic City. Yes,its almost on us, the RunRev event of the year, our live conference where we get to meet so many of you, our wonderful users. You can learn all about it here, and if you haven't got your ticket and you've suddenly realized you really can't miss it, its not too late - just - to grab one of the last available places. But you'll need to be quick, we must close the attendee list within days now.

I'm very much looking forward to this event - especially to some of the evening entertainments Jo has planned for us! I hear there is to be a "Take on the Team" evening, making use of the lavish games room facilities available to us. Fancy your chances against the RunRev geeks at poker? (You may not be aware that Kevin Miller, CEO, has a strong partiality for this game). Or maybe you are an Air Hockey expert, or the Ping Pong champion? I'll be staying well away from the ping pong, as I am known for my total inability to hit any kind of moving object, but I'll certainly be sitting at the poker table :).

See you there!

About the Author Heather Nagey is Customer Services Manager for RunRev Ltd.