Friday, September 4, 2009

Book Review - Getting Real




If you're the geek entrepreneur dreaming of starting your web empire, I highly recommend you start with Getting Real.

Writen by the same bunch that started 37signals (heard of ruby on rails?..they made it), the book offers a non-conventional and practical approach to small web startups - from planning and development to promotion, and launch. The message is simple- Get Real! - no fancy specs, no million tests, no boring meetings. Just do it.

The good:

The writing style is refreshing - light and sweet. The 180 page book can be read in 3 hrs (if you read at the same pace as I did). The chapters are sprinkled with quotes from founders of successful startups, giving different perspectives. The book gets you charged up!

The bad:

The book tries to be whacky and attention-grabbing in parts - (Say NO to customers, Nothing functional about functional specs, No Meetings) and says things they don't really mean. The second half is distinctly less interesting than the first.

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