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1. • CommentAuthorbbm678
   • CommentTimeJan 10th 2007 edited

    
   I'm a software engineer and want to establish my business onto both
   my software and marketing skills. The problem is that I've trouble
   finding software ideas. I see others identify some problems and develop
   software to solve these problems and make big money selling their
   solutions. I can't manage to find such problems - ideas.
   But even if I manage to identify a problem, how can I know if it will
   sell when I develop a solution for it? How can I be sure? You know that
   a nice software takes a couple of months to be developed. Are there any
   ways to test the market demand of a software idea?
   Thanks in advance,
2. •  
     CommentAuthorvishen
   • CommentTimeJan 10th 2007

    
   We developed software ideas when we're trying to solve our own problems. For example...we invented Blinklist.com because we needed a good knowledge management system to manage our research. We invented Clickmuse.com because we could not find a good split testing tool.
   
   If you don;t have your own business where you can try to solve your own problems - observe what people are discussing on online forums like this. Ask questions and try to identify common problems. Lurk on the big forums.
   
   Another way is to look at top selling existing software and improve upon it by say adding better UI, employing Web 2.0 ideas, or using the 37signals.com concept of creating new products by simplifying existing best-sellers.
3. • CommentAuthorjoyously
   • CommentTimeJan 31st 2007

    
   To identify what problems people are having, go to one of the keyword tools and see what people are searching for starting with words like "stop", "find", "help", "fix".
   You could also do a survey in a targeted market such as a forum, or a list you might have (or someone you know has).