A blog post about the development of spot.us

1. Hello Everyone!!!!!!!
❖ Travelingagain to meet the developers
for another big push.....
Me, pretending
I’m not tired in
an airport.

2. Hoping to launch a 1.0
version of spot.us
❖In the next 8-16 days!!!!!
(rough estimate)
BUT.... This will be a soft launch with very small goals.
What are those goals?

3. Goals During First Phase
❖ Break stuff (I’m sure there will be plenty of bugs). Early
users should recognize this is a natural part of the process -
and that their feedback is valuable.
❖ Get 3-5 community tips from community members - these
act as groups gaining pledges from other members of the
community.
❖ Get 3-5 pitches from reporters in the system and start
fundraising.
❖ Start a working relationship with at least one “traditional”
news organization.

4. How the Site Works
I. Anyone can create a tip.
(people “pledge” tips - but no money changes hands)
II. Journalists create pitches.
(people donate to pitches - these can be inspired by tips)
III. Crowdfunding begins
(community organizing is key)
IV. Publish content + give it away.
(If somebody wants exclusive rights - must refund original donors)

5. WHAT’S GOING TO
HAPPEN??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?
❖ I’d be lying if I said I knew........... but that’s what makes this
a fun and exciting experiment.
❖ Expect improvements: So many features won’t be released
in this first version. When we launch the site will be about
1/4th of what we’ve planned. But there’s no better time to
start than asap!!!