.KEYWORD palmgear
.FLYINGHEAD PALMPOWER PIONEER PROFILE
.TITLE The true story behind PalmGear H.Q.
.FEATURE
.SUMMARY We at PalmPower love to get to know the people behind the software and services we use every day. Towards these ends, Steve Niles recently talked to Kenny West, one of the pioneers of Palm-related e-commerce, to learn more about the fascinating and inspiring history behind his popular Web site, PalmGear H.Q.
.AUTHOR Steve Niles
What do an independent insurance agent and a college professor have in common? Well, if they’re Kenny West and J.D. Crouch, they share a common interest in all things Palm and a desire to create the most comprehensive resource for Palm applications, hardware, news, and information.
These two pioneers are the men behind PalmGear H.Q. at http://www.palmgear.com. The site is pictured in Figure A.
.FIGPAIR A PalmGear H.Q. has everything for your Palm computer.
Many of you are probably already frequent visitors to PalmGear H.Q. If you’re a developer, you might even have your software listed on the site’s extensive application database. What you might not know, however, is the fascinating story behind the site.
.H1 Birth of a Web site
To learn more about how PalmGear H.Q. was created, I spoke with the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Kenny West, who founded the company along with his partner J.D. Crouch. West and Crouch were both early adopters of Palm devices, and they met through online CompuServe Palm forums, where users would go for tips and technical assistance. The two of them began answering questions for other users and became so good at providing useful tips and information that a CompuServe representative contacted them and asked them to become official "sysops," otherwise known as System Operators. They took on the role and continued fielding and answering questions about where to find software and accessories for Palm devices.
As they saw it, there were about a half-dozen sites doing software and about another dozen doing hardware, so they ended up sending people to five or six different sites to answer one question. They agreed what was needed was a single, thorough, Web-based resource for everything the Palm user needed.
The idea for PalmGear H.Q. was born.
.H1 A rare breed
West and Crouch had two primary reasons for starting PalmGear. One, they wanted to aggregate the vast amount of Palm resources onto one easy-to-use site, and two, they wanted to get on beta lists so that they could get their hands on new technology ahead of the crowd. They didn’t have it in mind to start a new business when PalmGear H.Q. opened in 1997. They never even had a formal meeting to develop a business plan. Yet somehow these two pioneers created what is now generally recognized as the first e-commerce site devoted to Palm-related products.
In the "dot-com" world, PalmGear H.Q. was a rare breed, as it started with no outside funding or bank loans. In fact, as West recalls, the entire start-up cost was around $1,500, with a third going to Web site design, a third going to general supplies, and a third going to the cost of Internet access.
Their first Web designer was a fellow named Herb Bogart, who created the look of the site simply by using Microsoft FrontPage. In the beginning, there was no database, and the e-commerce system was created using Perl (Practical Extraction and Reporting Language). Said West, "At the time, all I knew about Perl was how to spell it."
Everything was copied and pasted into place using FrontPage. It was a lot of work, but things moved along smoothly until one day a comma was inserted into the wrong place in a piece of code. Some kind of infinite loop was created, and eventually it brought down the entire Internet Service Provider.
In the ensuing chaos, West received an irate call from a PalmGear visitor by the name of Rodney Catron who demanded to know what the heck was going on. Needless to say, West was already having a bad day, and he replied with curt remark to the effect of, "If you can do better, I’d like to see you try."
West was surprised when Catron, who worked for Synthenet Corporation at http://www.synthenet.com, responded, "Well, I can."
Catron went to work for West and Crouch, rebuilding the site so that it was no longer necessary to use FrontPage. He added a real-time database so that developers could log in and add their software themselves. When it was done, West said, "It was like that commercial where the staff of a new e-commerce company is gathered around a terminal watching as the first order gets placed. Then another, and another, until orders start streaming in." West identified with the actors as their faces turned from excitement to fear as they realized just how big a thing they had created.
.H1 The right place at the right time
PalmGear H.Q. has been in business for almost four years now, and it remains unique among dot-com companies in that it’s profitable. Their money comes from advertising, but they also retain 20% of fees paid for applications bought at PalmGear H.Q. According to their current estimates, there are between 8,600 and 8,700 applications listed in their database, and new developers continue to post their wares at PalmGear H.Q. everyday, as it’s a great way to get their products known.
Recently, PalmGear H.Q. signed a deal with Handspring, Inc. Now when visitors to the Handspring Web site are looking to buy Springboard modules for their Visors, they’re directly linked to PalmGear H.Q. When you visit PalmGear H.Q., you’ll find an extensive selection of free and commercial downloadable programs. You’ll also find handheld hardware and accessories, including carrying cases and styli. Another useful feature is "Calvin’s PGHQ," where you can find answers to your questions concerning Palm devices. There are also news posts to keep you updated on what’s going on in the Palm world.
"We were in the right place at the right time with the right product," West said. He adds, if it hadn’t been for the Internet, a company like PalmGear H.Q. wouldn’t have been possible. The Internet is also responsible, West believes, for the incredible success of Palm, Inc., as it allows users and developers to hook up and buy and sell products independent of geographic, cultural, or political barriers.
As an example, West told me about a developer he’s been corresponding with by the name of Bozadir Benc, the man behind Benc Software Production at http://www.benc.hr. Benc has developed a whole host of Palm applications, including such titles as Currency Calculator, Weight & Balance, Pilot’s Wind Computer, Launcher III, and Daylight Saving Hack. The amazing thing is, Benc lives in Croatia, "within earshot of bombs going off," as West describes it.
Despite whatever turmoil his homeland might be facing, however, Benc manages to "live like a king," owing to the great success he’s met selling his Palm software over the Internet to customers worldwide.
.H1 Conclusion
Back in 1997, West quit his job as an insurance agent to run PalmGear H.Q. full time. J.D. Crouch, meanwhile, still teaches international politics at Southwest Missouri State University in addition to helping plot strategic direction for PalmGear H.Q., which employs about nineteen people when fully staffed. While other dot-coms blew millions of dollars in investment money before crashing and burning into bankruptcy, PalmGear H.Q. held its steady, profitable course. It’s inspiring to think it all started with two guys, an idea, and 1,500 bucks.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on PalmGear H.Q., visit http://www.palmgear.com.
For more information on Synthenet Corporation, visit http://www.synthenet.com.
For more information on Benc Software Production, visit http://www.benc.hr.
For more information about Palm computers, visit http://www.palm.com.
.H1 Bulk reprints
Bulk reprints of this article (in quantities of 100 or more) are available for a fee from Reprint Services, a ZATZ business partner. Contact them at reprints@zatz.com or by calling 1-800-217-7874.
.END_SIDEBAR
.BIO
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