AppStore Developers Aren't Millionaires, But Some Are Living Life Richly

David of AppCubby was quoted in the Newsweek article. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=867048

I thought the post he published to his blog today reflects what a number of indie developers are experiencing. For all it's pains and problems, if you have a good idea(s) and stay focused — it's not all negative. The quote at the top sums it up nicely:

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison

The real question is: how does app development on the iPhone compare to it on competitors (Twitter, Facebook, Web, etc.). It stacks up very poorly (in general of course) by almost every metric compared to the last two. I'll be able to tell you about #1 in a couple months.

If your goal is to leverage your programming skills to make money (be it millions or thousands) and work from home, you're going to find much more success elsewhere. If you want to make cool mobile devices that run on a popular smartphone, you won't.

I have an 8-month old son, and one of my annoyances with working at a Real Job (tm) is that I really feel I am not giving enough time to him. I used to be a graduate student so I would get to spend a lot more time with him in his earlier months.

Anyhow, glad to see its working well for you. Your post is well-written and thoughtful. Success in any sort of business venture has some really simple rules, the App Store should be no different.

OMG why do I hate that baby already!