15 minutes
Check out these two CouchDb demo applications Jan Lehnardt created and put online:
Sofr - A threaded discussion.
BugShrink - A simple bug database.
Update:The demos are offline for now, we're setting up a dedicated server to host the demos.
The PHP source is available from the project source control.
I'm going to show these as part of the CouchDb demo for Y Combinator. I want to show how easy it is to create these types of applications, but the killer feature is to show them replicating without any special design consideration.
The Y Combinator funding process is a long, drawn out and complicated one. It works like this:
1. I, like all accepted applicants, get a 15 minute interview to talk about my project and answer questions.
2. Later that day I might get a funding offer. I can accept or decline.
That's it. Yes, it is kinda crazy. But maybe in a good way.
So I know you are probably asking yourself, how can Damien possibly fill a entire 15 minutes talking about CouchDb? My plan so far:
I spend 5 minutes explaining CouchDb from a high level point of view. I'll draw a bunch of crap on a whiteboard and probably get real animated (Win, Lose or Draw, for a number of reasons, comes to mind).
Then show the demos and show them replicating.
Then present a big list of topics related to the project (reliability, performance, atomicity, security, scaling up, scaling down, portability, internationalization, missing features, features not demo'd, etc) and answer as many questions as possible in the remaining time.
That's the plan. 15 minutes to explain an entire distributed database system.
How would you do it?
Posted November 2, 2006 4:07 PM
Comments
I think its a tough question and a tough presentation. Your in the same space as Lotus to a certain extent, trying to explain an object orientated, replicatable, object store application infrastructure.
Hard.
Might be best to start off with architecture, and then concentrate on business benefits... ?
In any case - good luck. If anyone deserves it - you do. Keep yourself lucid, and keep it focused...
:-)
---* Bill
Wild Bill, November 2, 2006 5:35 PM
You've probably read this already, but in case you haven't: http://www.paulgraham.com/investors.html
marvin, November 2, 2006 7:46 PM
Thanks Bill.
Marvin, yeah reading that again maybe I should explain CouchDb in the just the highest level terms and go straight to the demos and then have more time for questions.
Damien, November 2, 2006 7:56 PM
My VP always ask for 5 minutes presentation. Instead of a full application demo, I use print screen to show in the presentation slides. It's easier to go through slides and explain rather than going through the application (typing and clicking on buttons).
Good luck
William Beh, November 2, 2006 10:42 PM
I think starting with *why*, and not *how* is the way to go. Start with a demo, or at least a few slides with screenshots, as William suggested -something to get the attention of the audience!
Take a look at Kathy Sierra's recent post on "Better beginnings", maybe that'll give you some ideas:
http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2006/10/better_beginnin.html
Best of luck to you!
Erlend, November 3, 2006 4:57 AM
Just thought I'd ad something: The screenshots/demo doesn't necessarily have to be of an application, it could very well be just code, or a maybe a combination of both.
Erlend, November 3, 2006 5:02 AM
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