How do you get past the Analysis to Paralysis when working on a new project?
- by Cape Cod Gunny
I've been struggling with how to get my project going. I've got an old software package that is in need of desparate rewrite. I haven't compiled the source code since 2004. It still sells, it's stable but does require the “Run this program in compatibility mode for:” on a lot of the newer windows systems. It's also one of those hard coded 640 X 480 screen resolution programs. Yuck!
I can't seem to get started with this rewrite. I'm constantly fiddling around with different things. I'll play around with different fluid layouts for a while. Then I start looking around at how the main menu should work/look. I quickly find out that there's this thing called "Cool Bars" and I'll spend hours playing with that.
Then I start thinking about stuff like "Oh I need to make sure that the screen sizes are preserved so when the application gets relaunched it remebers how the screens were positioned." Which leads to what happens if they have two monitors? Which leads to what happens if they have a quad screen? Yikes it's got to stop.
I have always been a slow starter. I think about stuff long and hard up front. This has always plagued me. Once I get my mind made up then bam... I'm off and running.
I'm looking for advice from some other one-person software companies that can help someone like me get off to a quicker start?
