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Pownce Lessons Learned
Social messaging application
  Developed in 4 months
 Invite-only launch in June
  We’ve learned a lot ...
Lesson:
        Think about
     technology choices
     •    We could pick anything!
     •    Social as well as technological reasons
          factored into our decisions
     •    Took risks
     •    Open to new technologies
Why Django?
Django is a Python web framework


•   Yay! Web frameworks!
•   Documentation and readability
•   Auto-generated admin
•   Active community
•   Framework open to growth
                       Think about tech choices...
Why S3?
Amazon’s Simple Storage Service


•   Pownce files are stored on S3
•   Less maintenance for Pownce
•   Inexpensive
•   Been very reliable so far


                         Think about tech choices...
Why AIR?
Adobe Integrated Runtime


•   Works on both PC and Mac
•   Easy to develop
•   Encourages good UI
•   Lots of good buzz


                         Think about tech choices...
Lesson:

    Do a lot with a little
     •    Pownce has a tiny team
     •    One website developer
     •    Self-funded
     •    Short deadlines
Small Teams
We wear many shoes.


•   Multiple roles
•   Learn quickly
•   Dedicated



                      Do a lot with a little...
Open Source Tools
Plenty of web application help


•   Someone has solved this problem before
•   ... and they’re probably smarter than me
•   Lots of tools available
•   Free to use


                              Do a lot with a little...
Use Your Resources
Get some help.


•   Documentation websites
•   IRC
•   Network and learn from friends
•   Exchange knowledge with other sites
•   Participate in communities
                            Do a lot with a little...
Lesson:
           Be kind to your
              database

     •    Pownce’s database is its main bottleneck
     •    One MySQL database
     •    Responding quickly to slow queries has
          helped keep Pownce running
     •    Few simple tips...
Caching:
“I’ve already done that.”


•   We use memcached
•   Caching at page and object / list level
•   Cached our static pages since launch



                         Be kind to your database...
Queuing:
“I’ll do that later.”


•   Taking a (shorter) note of a (longer)
    process to do later
•   We “send” notes via a job queue
•   Need to improve our queuing system
    and add more processes

                         Be kind to your database...
Limits and Pagination:
 “I don’t need to do ALL of that.”


•   Notes list, friends list, recipient lists...
•   Good user interface as well
•   Django Paginator object is a good
    starting point


                            Be kind to your database...
Index:
 “I’ll mark that to find it later.”


•   We had to re-think how we were
    accessing our data
•   Friend searching is a prime example of
    where good indexing can improve
    performance


                        Be kind to your database...
Avoid Complexity:
“I won’t make the db do that.”

•   Some queries are just too complicated
    (for a new web app)
•   Consider if they’re actually NEEDED
•   Usually good to avoid abstract or
    conceptual data display


                        Be kind to your database...
[ JARRING CHORD ]




Expect Anything!
Lesson:

          Expect Anything

     •    Young sites can run into many problems
     •    Need to respond quickly
     •    Can’t prepare for everything
     •    Every web application is unique
Keep Backups
Because stuff happens.


•   Use version control
•   Have a system to revert code changes
•   Track dependencies and updates made
•   If developing locally, backup personal
    work

                                Expect anything...
Duly Noted:
Keep lots of data.


•   Stats to monitor
•   Quantitative measures
•   Pretty graphs




                            Expect anything...
Community
Keep in touch with your community.


•   Let users know what you’re working on
•   Respond to individual bug reporters
•   Inform users of bug fixes and new
    features
•   Be careful about asserting deadlines

                               Expect anything...
Friendships Matter
Social sites are all about friends.


•   Strive to make it easy to establish,
    maintain or break relationships
•   Accurately represent user relationships
•   Online friends have real-world effects
•   Don’t mess this up!

                                 Expect anything...
A feature that matters.




   (from Satisfaction)




                         Expect anything...
Prepare to Scale Up
It’s a good problem to have.


•   “Don’t prematurely optimize”
•   ... unless you work with Kevin Rose
•   Design for success
•   Accept that your code will change


                               Expect anything...
Lessons Learned
 Think about technology choices
      Do a lot with a little
    Be kind to your database
        Expect anything
Thanks!

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Pownce Lessons Learned

  • 2. Social messaging application Developed in 4 months Invite-only launch in June We’ve learned a lot ...
  • 3. Lesson: Think about technology choices • We could pick anything! • Social as well as technological reasons factored into our decisions • Took risks • Open to new technologies
  • 4. Why Django? Django is a Python web framework • Yay! Web frameworks! • Documentation and readability • Auto-generated admin • Active community • Framework open to growth Think about tech choices...
  • 5. Why S3? Amazon’s Simple Storage Service • Pownce files are stored on S3 • Less maintenance for Pownce • Inexpensive • Been very reliable so far Think about tech choices...
  • 6. Why AIR? Adobe Integrated Runtime • Works on both PC and Mac • Easy to develop • Encourages good UI • Lots of good buzz Think about tech choices...
  • 7. Lesson: Do a lot with a little • Pownce has a tiny team • One website developer • Self-funded • Short deadlines
  • 8. Small Teams We wear many shoes. • Multiple roles • Learn quickly • Dedicated Do a lot with a little...
  • 9. Open Source Tools Plenty of web application help • Someone has solved this problem before • ... and they’re probably smarter than me • Lots of tools available • Free to use Do a lot with a little...
  • 10. Use Your Resources Get some help. • Documentation websites • IRC • Network and learn from friends • Exchange knowledge with other sites • Participate in communities Do a lot with a little...
  • 11. Lesson: Be kind to your database • Pownce’s database is its main bottleneck • One MySQL database • Responding quickly to slow queries has helped keep Pownce running • Few simple tips...
  • 12. Caching: “I’ve already done that.” • We use memcached • Caching at page and object / list level • Cached our static pages since launch Be kind to your database...
  • 13. Queuing: “I’ll do that later.” • Taking a (shorter) note of a (longer) process to do later • We “send” notes via a job queue • Need to improve our queuing system and add more processes Be kind to your database...
  • 14. Limits and Pagination: “I don’t need to do ALL of that.” • Notes list, friends list, recipient lists... • Good user interface as well • Django Paginator object is a good starting point Be kind to your database...
  • 15. Index: “I’ll mark that to find it later.” • We had to re-think how we were accessing our data • Friend searching is a prime example of where good indexing can improve performance Be kind to your database...
  • 16. Avoid Complexity: “I won’t make the db do that.” • Some queries are just too complicated (for a new web app) • Consider if they’re actually NEEDED • Usually good to avoid abstract or conceptual data display Be kind to your database...
  • 17. [ JARRING CHORD ] Expect Anything!
  • 18. Lesson: Expect Anything • Young sites can run into many problems • Need to respond quickly • Can’t prepare for everything • Every web application is unique
  • 19. Keep Backups Because stuff happens. • Use version control • Have a system to revert code changes • Track dependencies and updates made • If developing locally, backup personal work Expect anything...
  • 20. Duly Noted: Keep lots of data. • Stats to monitor • Quantitative measures • Pretty graphs Expect anything...
  • 21. Community Keep in touch with your community. • Let users know what you’re working on • Respond to individual bug reporters • Inform users of bug fixes and new features • Be careful about asserting deadlines Expect anything...
  • 22. Friendships Matter Social sites are all about friends. • Strive to make it easy to establish, maintain or break relationships • Accurately represent user relationships • Online friends have real-world effects • Don’t mess this up! Expect anything...
  • 23. A feature that matters. (from Satisfaction) Expect anything...
  • 24. Prepare to Scale Up It’s a good problem to have. • “Don’t prematurely optimize” • ... unless you work with Kevin Rose • Design for success • Accept that your code will change Expect anything...
  • 25. Lessons Learned Think about technology choices Do a lot with a little Be kind to your database Expect anything