Software design and engineering: how we build and look after software, written by the people doing the work.
AI4 min read
How an AI chatbot for a small business website stays grounded in your own content, what to test before launch, and what to ask any vendor.
Baris TaskiranFounding engineer
What to ask, what it costs and how to pay for it, before you hire anyone.
A buyer's guide to hiring a software development company in Vermont: code ownership, hosting, change requests, references and when to look out of state.
Custom software vs off the shelf: a checklist to score your own case on cost over three years, workflow fit, data ownership and the hybrid option.
Fixed price vs time and materials for a software project: how each model shares risk, when each fits, and the hybrids that work for small businesses.
What sets custom software development cost: users and roles, integrations, data migration, compliance and upkeep, with a worked scoping example.
A one-page software project brief template: the problem, the people, the tools, the data and the budget. What to prepare before you talk to a developer.
Software development contract terms explained plainly: who owns the code, open source, accounts, warranties, change orders and leaving cleanly.
What inns, restaurants, stores, agents and agencies should buy, and what is worth building.
Direct booking software for inns and B&Bs: a worked commission example, what a booking engine must do, and how to compare options fairly.
IDX for Vermont real estate agents explained: how an MLS feed reaches your website, what PrimeMLS and brokerage rules require, and the running costs.
Shopify theme customization or a custom Shopify app? What each one can change, when the App Store already has the answer, and how to decide.
Tablet menus vs QR menus for restaurants: cost, guest experience, updates, allergens and Wi-Fi, with an honest view of when each one fits a dining room.
Staffing agency time tracking software has to handle client sites, client approval, overtime rules and bill vs pay rates. What to buy, and what to build.
How we build and look after the software, ours and our clients’.
Legacy software modernization one piece at a time: why big-bang rewrites fail, how the strangler fig approach works, and where to start safely.
Native vs cross platform app development for a business app: offline use, device features, team size, store review, and when a web app is the better choice.
React vs Next.js for a business web application: what each one is, when a plain React app is enough, and when a framework like Next.js earns its place.
How the BTV Transit app turns GPS into metres along a bus route to time one notification, and the bug that sent “Your stop is next” three stops early.
The AI chatbot guardrails on 802.software: where the chat gets its answers, what it is told never to say, and how it books a call without double-booking.
AI automation for small business without the hype: five jobs worth handing to AI, three that aren't, and the guardrails we use in our own tools.
When a QuickBooks integration with Stripe and payroll beats retyping, when Zapier is enough, and what idempotency and reconciliation mean in plain words.
Seven signs your business has outgrown its spreadsheets, and the smallest fix for each, from a better sheet to when to replace it with custom software.
Building a SaaS MVP as a non-technical founder: the phases, the parts that get forgotten (billing, roles, admin, backups) and what drives the cost.
A few lines about the project and when it needs to ship is enough to start. Replies usually come within one business day.
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