deepstream

I'm currently building a software-as-a-service app and using a novel architecture

I'm going to use the unix specifically Debian file system and user accounts as the users database. so basically whenever someone signs up I run a shell script that creates a new user add some to some relevant groups. the benefits are I got password checking baked in and I can save their data as simple files under the user's home directory.

I'll disable shell login as well as whenever I run a workload for the service application I can use the operating system to run that command as the actual user.

I just figure it's a simple and useful architecture because I get all the benefits of multi-user operating system baked in without having to think about any of that myself. I don't have to worry about a database.

and if my audience scales then I just move to a bigger instance. plus if I need to debug or support something I can just go into the user's home directory and change it easily myself.

also looking at the pricing of instances and the pricing of my application this will be affordable and in order to make this happy side business I don't need that many paying users.

I just figured this is such a good and simple architecture where it's all of the one machine and I can manage all myself but I'm also writing it in the cloud but I could also move it out if I want it. it gets a lot of flexibility and simplicity and I just think it's better than you know having a separate database and separate web server and so on.

this probably downsides to this so am I asking for ideas about that, so I can handle them before they surprise me.

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I had an idea for an online magazine for long form content with the provision that people have to pay to submit articles if published. I would have sole responsibility for editorial direction. what are the ethics considerations I need to be aware of?

No offence to the good people of Taleo is meant, but the candidate system TOTALLY SUCKS. The UX for sign up, login, upload, is so much worse than say, applying to jobs on Stack Overflow.

Why do people use it?

I travel a lot and find Skype frustrating because it has rules for recharges based on which country you are currently in / where you created your account. I also often forget my Skype password. The result is when I need to make an international call, Skype, not that cheap, is also not easy.

I've been considering building something atop Twilio to solve my own problem, and putting the business viability aside, I'm wondering if any esteemed hackeroos could see themselves using like a "Web Payphone" where you can make international calls through your browser, after inserting some credit.

I'm thinking we could either do it once off, like make a hold on the credit, then after the call, charge for the actual amount ( say you insert 5 dollars, your call costs 1 dollar, we charge you for 1 dollar, and the 5 dollar hold comes off ). Or we could do regular PaYG. Also, if your call length is going to exceed 5 dollars, we warn on your side and cut it if it goes over (like a regular payphone of olde).

Apart from the retro tech fetishism of making a web based "payphone" (I remember them from youth), every time I need to dial international and I'm in a country, I wish I had an easy way to do it.

But I saw no one has made this, so I guess maybe it's not such a great idea. Still, it would help me. I've been thinking about it for a while and could probably build it.

I should add that this would not be for "Staying in touch with your friends"™ it would be for "utility" calls, like calling your bank when you're overseas. Not that you couldn't call any number you like, but with Whatsapp et al why would you want to pay to do so?