Archive for the ‘About Us’ Category
Tastebud application takes over the world - drops price to nearly free.
Dollar bill, y'all.
So we’re about as happy as we can be! We released our new iPhone app into the abyss that is the App Store with very low expectations. There are tons of recipe apps already there and we didn’t know if our twist on the idea would interest anyone (you can pick ingredients and then Tastebud recommends recipes). We’ve been pleasantly surprised (shocked is maybe a better word) to see it really take off.
We’re so excited we’ve decided to DROP THE PRICE to almost free ($.99). So any of you that were on the fence - go, now, buy (here), cook, and enjoy. If you’ve already bought - PLEASE GIVE US A REVIEW in the app store. It really helps.
Here is what the world is saying about Tastebud:
AppCast, where we were App of the Week.
AppScout, where we got a great review.
eCom technology solutions - Got a nice review here (the site’s tag line is “Website Management Solutions and High Risk Credit Card Processing” Not sure how our recipe app ties in but, I’m not complaining.
AppStore HQ featured us.
So did MacWorld.
So, I’m not sure how to interpret this but it seems like we’re getting good coverage. Again, I want to thank everyone who has been forwarding, Digging, retweeting, etc. It’s really helped a lot. If you’re in the mood, please visit the sites above and comment, Digg, retweet, etc. Agave Lab loves you for it.
Tastebud iPhone application launches!
AT LONG LAST… Our application made it through the iTunes App Store approval process and is available for PURCHASE.
So what is it? A new iPhone app that works like a an upside-down recipe book!
First, OPEN your refrigerator…
Then, select ingredients that you have on hand,
And ADD them to your virtual basket.
As you fill your basket, Tastebud matches your ingredients against our database of thousands of tasty recipes to build a list of dishes that you can cook.
You can buy it (oh please, oh please, oh please) here or by clicking on the logo.
Still resisting? You can learn more about and see a tutorial here: www.tastebudapp.com
The iTunes app store contemplates the infinite.
So, we’ve submitted an iPhone app to the iTunes app store over a month ago. Since then they mistakenly deleted our our account and can’t seem to figure out how to right it. I’ve sent dozens of emails, made the same amount of calls, and it’s always the same message - “We’re right on this. Should be fixed any time now.” Then nothing. I’m not sure if the most recent email (check signature line at bottom) is an attempt at a cruel joke or withering irony.
Happy New Year!
Hi All:
So after 2 weeks of R&R, we all arrived back at the office this morning. It took an hour or two to rev up again (and remember where we left off), but we’re back in full swing. The full team here hopes that you had a great holiday season and we look forward to hearing from you in 2010!
Mexican Nearsourcing a bright spot in an otherwise dismal year.
Posted by: andy in About Us, Nearsourcing on December 11th, 2009
Check out this well-written article about Mexico’s rocky 2009. The flu, recession, drug wars, rogue neutrinos - it’s been a hell of year. Thankfully, one happy little corner of the economy happens to be where we’re camped.
Another industry that has thrived in Mexico despite the recession is software development. Anchored in the city of Guadalajara and surrounding state of Jalisco, Mexican software engineers both develop their own software and provide “nearshoring” code writing services to software companies in California and elsewhere. Jalisco boasts over 200 information technology companies, and national IT organizations are projecting 11% growth for the sector in 2009 at a time when most other industries are facing contraction for the year.
Come work with us!!!
Posted by: andy in About Us, Agile and SCRUM on December 6th, 2009
We are in search of a developer to join the team here in Guadalajara. The skills that we’re looking for include: CSS, javascript, PHP, and Flex/Flash. Attitude is key in that we’ve built a really fun team and we all get along well. The candidate will have to be flexible as our development methodology (which is based on Agile) is very different from a traditional waterfall approach. We’re very picky about the projects that we do - we only do web or iphone apps that are fun, interesting, and that are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. We’re not too hung up on university degrees or professional background. We’re looking for people who really enjoy coding and are genuinely interested in current web programming trends. If you know anyone that fits that description, please send me an email: andy@agavelab.com.
Agave Lab Office Gets Tagged
So we were getting bored with our white walls and decided to call in some professionals. Two guys from HardIf productions came in with a backpack full of spray cans and whupped ass on our wall. The office seems a lot more lively now!
Check out the vid. I wrote the music.
Agave Lab Gets Tagged from Andy Kieffer on Vimeo.
The Agave Lab Method
Posted by: andy in About Us, Agile and SCRUM on October 12th, 2009
A Nice Pair
So lately we’ve been fetching around for a way to take advantage of Pair Programming that would work for us. Some of our projects involve building relatively simple web sites. Often times, we’re building on top of a platform like Joomla, WordPress, Drupal, or Elgg, or we’re using pre-existing patterns and/or classes. In these cases, when we were pair programming, there were long periods where one of the programmers would be staring off into space while the other was installing a plug-in, fidgeting with a CSS file, or some other pedestrian bit of work. On the other hand, when we weren’t pair programming, we’d see programmers get stuck on a particularly thorny bit of code, architect themselves into a box, or miss a critical shortcut.
.
What to do? Pair programming seemed like overkill but without it, we were often spinning our wheels. Enter the “Agave Lab Method”. Here’s how it works:
- Programmers work in pairs.
- Each pair is given two projects.
- Every morning, the pair spends 3 hours together, with 1.5 hours dedicated to each project
- After the 3 hours in the morning, each programmer works on a project solo for the rest of the day
- The next day, the same thing happens EXCEPT, after the three hours working together, the programmers switch projects.
- So, for example, on Monday programmer 1 works on project A while programmer 2 works on project B. On Tuesday programmer 1 works on project B and programmer 2 works on project A. On Wednesday, we switch back.
Okay, I know that this sounds weird and complicated but stay with me here. Every morning, programmer A has to explain to programmer B what he/she did the day before so that he/she can pick up from where things were left off. In addition, each programmer needs to plan out, with the help of his/her partner, what he/she intends to accomplish that day. This forces the right things to happen:
- It forces the code into intelligible form. If you know that someone else is going to pick up where you left off, your code has to be clean, logical, and well-documented
- Two heads are better than one. Solutions are first architected (and later reviewed) with input from two people - this leads to more elegant code.
- A set of fresh eyes can spot potential bugs, and offer suggestions on how to re-factor cumbersome elements
- Knowledge transfer is maximized
- Boredom / burnout is diminished
- Programmers get better at verbally communicating what they’re doing, why, and where they’re having problems
- If there is a particularly thorny bit of code, the pair can co-program during the 1.5 hours of shared time, leaving the more understood programming tasks for solo time in the afternoon.
Of course all of these benefits flow from standard pair programming and, for more complicated projects, we’ll still do full-time pair programming. However, by using this modified approach, we get more throughput (progress on 2 projects rather than 1) and less staring-at-the-wall time for those projects that involve a lot of straight-forward implementation.
AgaveLab heads to the beach again!
So we decided to blow off some steam at the beach. This time we made it past the military checkpoint (only after some very invigorating frisking by the local army guys - they were very thorough) and on to Maruata. Just a stunningly beautiful place. Not everybody on the team made it but those who did had a ball. The only real downside was Hurricane Jimena - we forgot to check the weather before we left and only learned later that we had camped right in the path of a category 4 hurricane. Luckily it arrived just as we were leaving. We were having breakfast on the beach on Sunday when the rain and wind came up. We knew that it was time to go when all of our plates blew away. We made it back by Sunday night and were hard at work by Monday morning.
Company Team Building Excercise
So we decided to do some quality team-building at the beach. The Suburban that we rented online was not available when we showed up to pick it up so, after some creative negotiation, we drive away with shuttle van. Odd but functional.
We were headed to Maruata in Michoacan but, just 30 scant kilometers before our destination, some land skirmish had erupted into a full-on conflict. One of the groups had the road blocked with sandbags and was fully armed. They’d already kidnapped some tourists from Jalisco and we were warned that if we continued, we’d be next. I’m not sure how real the threat was so I tracked down some of the federal soldiers stationed there and they confirmed that it was not safe to go any further south. So, we just pulled up to the closest beach, unloaded, and threw down a three day party. Teams were built, booze was consumed, there was volleyball, surfing, guitar playing and singing. We all have sunburns and mosquito bites but a good time was had by all.