optimal

What field isn't monotonous, though? IT work is boring, repetitive, and relegated to the back office, cut off from life, the outside world--even sunlight--and the only interesting and creative part of business: the start (though how exciting or fulfilling is it really to be hawking another useless widget or service to someone who most likely doesn't need it?).

I'm interested in hearing more about this, too. It sounds like the two offerings combined (service plus storage) make for a complete hosted solution. Is this correct? And how are domain services handled? By a third party?

I'm sure you know this better than I do. There are just so many stories of companies that implode before their time, or get devoured when the piranhas come around.

Anyway, congratulations and good luck!

This is an old article, but in my opinion kids today have the same opportunity to learn programming, only now it's not tied to a particular hardware platform or operating system--it's the Web! They might start playing with simple HTML, text and graphics and maybe some JavaScript. Or customizing MySpace or whatever.

The Web is also more collaborative--instead of coding in isolation they can share their results with the world.

I haven't been in your situation, so please consider my comments accordingly, but if you're doing well can't you continue to grow the company organically? Can your business plan prize fund R&D and marketing for the near future?

I don't know your situation, but is it possible you're trying to move at Silicon Valley, light-speed pace when it might be more beneficial to throttle back a bit?

I'd think with your continued success the money would soon be chasing after you.

I suggest that if it's at all possible, try to recycle or preserve the work you've already done so you might derive some value from it.

For example, if it's a web site/application/service, can you maintain it in a minimal and economical way, such as moving to shared hosting from more expensive options? In this case you may find that traffic grows as more users find the site, or you may come up with some new ideas after taking a break, etc. Perhaps you can scale back or put a new twist on your original concept.

At minimum it could be a portfolio site or demo app when seeking out client work to pay the bills.

Of course this all depends on the nature of the failure and your particular circumstances.

I haven't burned many bridges in life, but I do regret some I've allowed to rot and fall away.

foodawg,

Thanks--that looks better than the thread from 148 days ago I had bookmarked (whatever date that happens to be):

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29011

Is there a search function here I'm missing? I did search for search to parse prior posts but withdrew without the words of the most.

Hi nickb,

Thanks for your response. I was going to get into details, but figured my requirements are so typical it wouldn't be worth the extra description.

This is for a standard LAMP-based app with a minimum of graphics. I expect traffic volume to be low for the near future and have no heavy-duty requirements for video and such.

Basically I'd like to find an economical service that can scale with my user base.