Calendly is the fastest growing company in scheduling automation, connecting over a million people

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I am personally getting close to nailing the art of having effective and purposeful Calendly conversations with strangers - after having 50 of these with founders, mentors, advisors, and VCs. I’m a founder myself. I’ve built from scratch. Our startup advisors help SaaS startup founders scale their revenue and bring in more customers - in 90 days. You get to learn directly from founders who’ve built, scaled and sold their own companies for millions. Sparrow When we started, the platform had nothing. It was hard. But I came through. I’m telling you this so you know that my guidelines below come from experience and also from talking with over 50 startup advisors, business mentors, venture capitalists (also known as VCs) and the “aspiring” entrepreneurs. We’ve got fantastic testimonials on our homepage and . wall of love But I wasn’t always like this. I started off as someone who’d be extremely nervous with basic conversations. I would beat around the bush, not get to the point and just waste everyone’s time. Being bad at something, however, doesn’t automatically excuse you from being unskilled at it forever. Every skill set, more or less, can be improved upon over time. And with having video calls and audio calls with strangers on the internet, it’s an easy skill you can work on from your bedroom! Just make sure you blur out the background, please. Step 1: Prepare, do your homework Time needed: 20 mins Especially if you're meeting someone new, look through your blogs and social media to understand (a) what they like / dislike (b) what matters very much to them (c) the topics they care deeply about. You might not think this is important but the truth is a lot of people don’t do this ahead of time and end up asking basic, obvious questions on the calls about the other person. This works against you because a few minutes into the call, they’ll already think you are incompetent and didn’t take a minute to read up on them. Funny enough, if you know more about them than they do about you, generally, they will get more curious about you on the call. Funny how things work. Reading into a person’s background lets you understand their personality and will enable you to drive the conversation towards an end-goal / objective more easily.  E.g., extroverts may want to share their day's activities so the conversation might be a little-hearted. Conditions do apply. Pro tip: Step 2: Set the stage Time needed: 30 seconds Take the first 20-30 seconds of the call to let the person know what the main objectives of the call are. This helps everyone on the call feel at ease because sometimes (surprise!) people can forget why they’re on the call, where it’s headed, etc. People have a lot going on with their lives. Everyone gets busy. Don’t take it too personally! Here are some samples you can modify and use: : “Thank you everyone for joining! To start us off, I wanted to make sure we’re on the same page and discuss the agenda we have for today which is to (a) xxx (b) xxx and (c) xxx. Is there anything that I missed? Does this sound sufficient for the time we have today.” Formal : “Hey, awesome. Now that we’re all here, I just wanted to make sure we have our ducks in a row for what we’ll talk about today. There’s xxx and xxx. And also, the xxx. Does that sound good? Anything else you want to cover?” Informal Ideally, the agenda / objectives will be mentioned very clearly in the meeting invite details. When filling in the invite, avoid generic wording like "synergy". Make it crystal clear why you’re meeting them or what the expectation of the call would be from each or all parties, etc. Step 3: Be respectful of their time Time needed: N/A If it's 25 mins into a 30-min call and you know the conversation will go overtime, just let the person know you're closing in on the 30-min mark - and ask if they can stick around for 5 more mins. Don't keep extending obviously. Stop at 35! This shows that you care about their time and speaks to your character. 9/10 times unless it’s a very structured conversation or a short-lived one, calls will go over the expected duration. It happens. We’re not superhuman and it’s okay. It's also totally acceptable to say, "Hey we're 2 mins from the 30min mark. Let's close off early now and I'll email you the rest of our bullet points."  People love those who respect their time. Do that and you'll keep having people give you more and more of it! - I am confident these three beginner tips will help you get started on having better Calendly conversations (audio / video chats) online. Remember, no one is the best from Day 1. You need to train, try, fail, fail, fail, try and train to become the ! :) best If you’d like to reach me, I’m on and I’m the founder of . Always down to help! I’ve prepared an audio version of this article if you’re interested. You can hear my sweet voice here ( ). If you’re more of a reader, let’s dig in! Twitter Sparrow audio version

3 Steps for More Effective Calendly Conversations

It’s obvious that Calendly is one of the most convenient calendar scheduling tools on the market. It’s a convenient virtual assistant that breezes through technical aspects of scheduling. With time zones, availability preferences, and automated links immediately generated, it’s saved people a lot of time (and sanity). However, there’s one type of scheduling scenario that I wouldn’t be able to use Calendly for: the impersonality of the auto-generated calendly link. The thing about using a virtual assistant to help manage your schedule is that, well, it’s a virtual assistant. There’s no human touch or essence of personalization. The absence of this interpersonal connection is harmful when dealing with scheduling meetings with people who are a big deal to you. Think new clients, or someone you are asking for a favor from. I wouldn’t send a Calendly link to a close friend. So why would I send one to people I want to make an impression on? Everything about it seems impersonal. It makes the invitee feel as though my time is better than theirs. They’re sent to a generic booking page which has already been sent to hundreds of other people. On top of this, they then have to enter their own contact information. It’s as if our email exchange never occurred. Adding this contact information might seem inconsequential. Yet, think about trying to schedule a meeting with the CEO of a prospective large client who’s stretched on time. Having to re-enter all their personal details could be that deciding factor that makes them go, “eh, I’ll do this later,” and they never get to it. The Inconvenience of The Personal Assistance When I’d run into this issue, I’d do things the old fashioned way: manually type out my availabilities. I’d check my calendar, find times I’m available to meet, and manually type out those 3-5 time slots in the email. The process was lengthier, but you also have to remind yourself that this is more than just “booking a call.” It’s a question of respect. You want to be able to show this person that you value their time and are willing to put in the effort to build this relationship. Manually typing out a scheduling email is a subtle way to show that. The Slippery Downslide Slope of Calendly Once I realized that Calendly wasn’t always a good option, I began noticing other downsides. There’s been instances where I’ve sent a scheduling email for the week, only for the Calendly link to show that I’m unavailable for the next month. At other times, I’d be willing to meet at times marked as busy on my calendar - such as lunch time. Calendly’s software isn’t built to account for this yet. But when I have a particularly open week, Calendly isn’t too helpful either. If I shared my entire 8-hour workday I’m not protecting my time well enough. We never want to look too available. Plus, free time is not created equal. There are instances where some free time slots work much better than others. For example, if I only have one event at 4pm on a certain day, I'd prefer to schedule my other meetings around 4pm too so that I can protect my other uninterrupted maker's time. Having someone randomly book a meeting at 10:00 AM with a Calendly link interrupts this chunk of time where I could be in an uninterrupted flow state. It could ruin my day by significantly decreasing my productivity. Taking Matters in My Own Hands While Calendly was helpful in my day-to-day activities, I needed to find a solution for these scenarios. So, I decided to build my own scheduling software. I needed to first fix the main issue: being able to send personalized scheduling emails, fast. I created a tool which would automatically generate suggested free times. All I would have to do is hit a shortcut, and the text would be generated. It would already account for previous calendar events and other personal preferences. This tool ended up saving me hours of time. Without needing to manually check my calendar, type available time slots, or worry about impersonal scheduling, my productivity soared. It dawned on me that calendaring is a fundamental daily task that if done right, could change my life and how I work. I launched into perfecting the tool even further. I set up a personalized booking page for each recipient. Not only are both parties able to save time by using a booking page, but there was an element of personalization that Calendly had been missing. The page is unique, with the third party’s name and email auto-filled. Even the booking link contains their name. It’s a small detail, but it’s this attention to detail that makes someone feel important. This tool is now a feature of what we are working on at Motion. We wanted to cover the scenarios Calendly isn’t able to, to make Calendaring seamless. It’s especially fast, easy, yet stays personal when scheduling meetings with others. It lets you use your calendar from any page or website. You could set up a meeting while on LinkedIn or Twitter, no problem. It also streamlines otherwise time-consuming tasks, like finding availability or creating zoom meetings. We want to have the best of both worlds, and Motion is going to let us have it. If you wanna try out the tool, you can in under 30 seconds. get started for free Hey, I'm Harry, co-founder of Motion , a calendar I built for myself that turned into a product. My background is in algorithmic trading, but now I am the Product Manager of our startup. I hold a Computer Science and a Math degree from Dartmouth, and was part of Y Combinator's W20 batch as well as Mozilla's Fix the Internet program with my co-founders Omid and Ethan.

Solving for the Impersonality of the Calendly Booking Page

Quality Sense Podcast: Erika Chestnut on Calendly's Test Automation Strategy

Many people, including me, find ourselves overwhelmed by the complexity of modern tools and the sheer volume of information they handle daily. It's common to struggle with "powerful" tools that are highly recommended but end up being too complex to use effectively Why is it so hard to use these tools? Many tools are designed to be feature-rich, operating under the assumption that more features mean more value. However, this often leads to feature overload, leaving users feeling overwhelmed. Furthermore, these tools typically start with a blank page, which can be daunting because it’s unclear where to begin. They often require a steep learning curve, ongoing maintenance, and significant mental effort. For individuals with neurodiversity like ADHD, these challenges can be even more pronounced, making it difficult to use the tool’s full capabilities. What's the solution? The answer might be simpler than you think: choose tools that are . Think of these tools as the of productivity—compact yet effective. simple yet powerful Swiss Army knife Opting for minimalism doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice functionality. A well-designed minimalist tool can offer the power and versatility needed to handle a variety of tasks without the clutter. Here are some benefits of using those tools: : Minimalist tools are easy to understand and use right from the start, which means you don’t have to spend hours learning how to navigate complex software. Reduce Cognitive Load : These tools help you accomplish your tasks faster by focusing on essential features, without unnecessary extras. Efficiency : By eliminating distractions, these tools help you concentrate on what’s truly important. Enhance Focus : With less mental clutter, you can free up space for innovative thinking and effective problem-solving. Boost Creativity 3. What are some examples of these Simple yet Powerful tools? Not all minimalist tools are the same; some might be too basic, lacking the features you need. Finding the right tool often involves some trial and error. Here are a few that I’ve found to be helpful: : A straightforward to-do list app that helps you manage tasks simply and effectively. Todoist : A note-taking tool that is easy to use yet powerful, enhanced with AI capabilities to boost productivity. Saner.ai : An intuitive tool for scheduling meetings that simplifies finding mutual availability without back-and-forth emails. Calendly One Sec: An app designed to limit mobile phone use by requiring a specific action before accessing the app you want to block, helping to reduce distractions. In conclusion, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by complex productivity tools, consider switching to minimalist tools that offer simplicity without sacrificing functionality. This approach can help you work more efficiently, focus better, and enhance your creativity.

Overcome the Overwhelm with 4 Simple Yet Powerful Productivity Tools

194 Stories To Learn About Future Of Work

In today's fast-paced digital world, we're all on a mission to conquer the productivity mountain, managing an array of tasks, deadlines, and to-do lists. At the same time, finding the right tools to boost your workflow can be overwhelming and time-consuming in our already busy schedules. I've curated 16 tools, from website management and content creation to design apps, coding utilities, automation tools, and much more that will save you time. I've included direct links, descriptions, and visuals so that you can get an initial impression of each extension right away. 1. (Sponsored) OneEntry CMS OneEntry is a headless Content Management System (CMS) designed to boost your productivity for website content creation and management experience. This cloud-based solution offers a robust set of features: OneEntry provides a user-friendly interface that is easily understandable for users without any technical background. Ease of use for everyone: The interface is intuitive, providing a clear logic for user interaction and simplifying the overall process of managing applications. It makes it easy for users to input information quickly and accurately. Intuitive data entry: It supports real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on the same data simultaneously. This feature promotes teamwork and ensures data consistency. Real-time collaboration: OneEntry includes robust data validation and quality checks to minimize errors and ensure that entered data meets specified criteria. This contributes to maintaining accurate and reliable datasets. Data validation: Users can create and customize data entry forms based on their needs. This flexibility enables organizations to tailor the platform to their unique data collection requirements. Customization options: OneEntry leverages cloud technology, providing secure storage for entered data. Users can access the platform from anywhere with an internet connection. Security and accessibility: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt3JKXxaQRM&embedable=true 2. Hoppscotch An open-source API development web app that simplifies and accelerates API testing and development. It offers a visual interface for crafting and sending HTTP requests, aiding developers in building and debugging APIs efficiently. 3. IFTTT Stands for "If This Then That," IFTTT is an automation app that connects different apps and services to create automated workflows. Users can define triggers and actions to automate various tasks across multiple platforms, enhancing productivity and connectivity. 4. Zapier A web automation app that enables users to create automated workflows (Zaps) between various apps. It facilitates the seamless transfer of information and actions between different online tools, streamlining business processes. 5. Hypefury A social media automation app designed for scheduling and automating social media marketing activities. It helps users save time, create value, and grow their audience faster through efficient social media management. 6. Monday A work management app that assists teams in planning, tracking, and managing projects. It provides a collaborative space for teams to enhance communication and productivity, especially in project management offices. 7. Calendly A scheduling tool used to organize and automate meetings with prospects, customers, and recruits. It simplifies the scheduling process by allowing users to share their availability and enables others to book time slots accordingly. 8. StackEdit An in-browser Markdown editor that allows users to write and edit Markdown documents for blogs, publications, documentation, and so on. It offers a distraction-free writing environment, allowing you to focus on the actual writing and be more productive. 9. QuillBot An AI-powered paraphrasing tool that helps users rewrite or rephrase content. It's useful for improving the originality and diversity of written content without you taking hours to rephrase the content yourself. 10. Happy Hues A color palette inspiration website that provides aesthetically pleasing color combinations for design projects. Designers can quickly explore and choose color schemes to enhance the visual appeal of their work with just a single click. 11. Penpot An open-source design and prototyping platform that allows collaborative design work for maximum productivity and efficiency. It supports the creation of user interfaces, wireframes, and interactive prototypes. 12. Airtable A cloud-based collaboration platform that combines the features of a spreadsheet and a database. It allows users to organize and track information, making it versatile for various use cases, from project management to content planning. 13. Todoist A popular task management and organization tool. Todoist helps users create and manage tasks, set deadlines, and organize projects to enhance productivity. 14. Smartmockups A tool for creating realistic mockups of websites and apps. It simplifies the design process by allowing users to showcase their work in a visually appealing and professional manner. 15. Invoicely An online invoicing and billing platform for freelancers and small businesses. It streamlines the invoicing process, helps track expenses, and facilitates efficient financial management. 16. DevTunes FM A project of mine, an online radio designed for busy developers. It now hosts 50+ various stations, 10 different themes, a recently played list, keyboard shortcuts, custom settings, and a lot more. Writing has always been my passion, and it gives me pleasure to help and inspire people. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out! Make sure to receive the best resources, tools, productivity tips, and career growth tips I discover by subscribing to ! my newsletter Also, connect with me on , , and ! Twitter LinkedIn GitHub Also published . here

Become a Productivity Beast With These 16 Killer Work-Flow Tools

Crack Long-Form Blogs: Complete Guide & Experts' Insights 

95 Stories To Learn About Startup Founders

274 Stories To Learn About Software

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgtfBpVBWoo&embedable=true&transcript=true Going over "The Bloated State of Web Development", written by . Is web development too bloated?  This is a reaction video  to this HackerNoon article: techroasts https://hackernoon.com/the-bloated-state-of-web-development?embedable=true --------------------------------------------------- 🔥 Want more personalized help from me? Schedule a 1 on 1 coaching session, portfolio review, or resume review, here: https://calendly.com/donthedeveloper

Don the Developer Asks: Has Web Development Become Too Bloated? 

This is a quick review of . As a heads up, I run a website called , where we list and review the newest and coolest sales tools coming out. journey.io SalePier What is Journey.io? You may have heard of Journey.io through all the buzz and hype it’s been having these past couple of months, but they describe Journey as a new way of storytelling through responsive slides, video recordings, interactive blogs, and more — through a no-code fashion. I’d say just think of it as a souped-up version of Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint. In their own words, the value-adds are: The ability to create content automatically with AI Personalize the content to your branding or the customer’s branding easily Swap in modular content through different pre-made blocks. Get insights on how viewers are engaging with the content. Nothing jarring in terms of value prop, but when it comes to any AI tools such as this one, the biggest thing to evaluate is if it actually delivers on its promises. Here’s a preview - it does. Creating an Account and Dashboard Once you create an account, you’ll be taken to the Journey dashboard, where you’ll see a list of all the journeys you’ve created in a sidebar. You have options to create a journey with AI from scratch, repurpose an existing PDF, or create from a template. No surprises here outside of your traditional account dashboard for any software you likely use today. I will say, however, if your day-to-day is in Google Workspace or Microsoft Office, it’s a little annoying to have to go to a completely different platform. Creating a Journey from scratch When it comes to creating a journey from scratch, you have options to add text, images, links, files, recordings, and various integrations. There are also templates available, such as a sales room template, which includes different elements like videos, recordings, and integrations like Calendly. The canvas almost reminded me of Prezi (2000s kids will remember), but flatter and with a lot more integrations. There is a limit to how creative you can be within the canvas, as there are only certain slots you can add in content, so the ability to customize the presentations becomes limited. The good news is that the Journeys look good regardless, but I question the ability to create more intricate presentations. Chatbot Integration There’s also a chatbot feature where you can add a chatbot to your journey, allowing viewers to ask questions and get responses. This can add an interactive element to your content. To me, this was the coolest part of the entire platform - a 0 effort way to set up a chatbot, give it a personality and make it easier for the viewer to digest the content and ask questions. Not only did it provide answers to questions I asked, but suggested follow-up questions I could ask. It reminded me of the interface in Bard or the new Generative AI features coming to Google search. Converting PDFs You can even convert a PDF document into a journey, where the AI pulls out relevant information and organizes it into slides. This feature is particularly useful for longer documents or content-heavy pieces. I tried it out by uploading a Certificate of Incorporation for a fictional company to see how it would handle it, considering a Certificate of Incorporation usually has a ton of legal jargon. All things considered, it took out five sections from the Certificate of Incorporation and put it into a mini Journey - not as comprehensive as I would have thought, but it still worked nonetheless. The images that were associated with the text were obviously AI-generated, considering that most of them created nonsensical text. AI-Generated Journeys The AI-generated journey can cover various sections like an introduction, market analysis, growth strategies, execution plans, and more. It creates a framework that can serve as a starting point for building your presentation. I was impressed at the presentation sections it created, but as expected, a lot of the content generated was pretty boilerplate. However, breaking down a sales narrative into a cohesive story is half of the battle, so a feature like this becomes helpful when it comes to organizing messy thoughts into an organized story. Insights and Analytics Journey provides insights into how your content is performing. You can track metrics like views, engagement time, and click-through rates. This can help you understand how viewers are interacting with your content. Initially, I was surprised at how simple the provided analytics were, but after additional thought, I couldn’t really think of additional analytics that I really needed other than views and depth of engagement. In fact, Journey.io goes even further, as it provides analytics at an individual element level. Pricing Journey offers different pricing tiers, including a free plan with limitations on the number of journeys you can create. The paid plans offer more features, such as unlimited journeys and the removal of watermarks. The jump in pricing from Pro to Teams is pretty drastic - I wonder which enterprises and at what size they would invest in adopting Journey.io. Final Verdict and Considerations Journey is a sleek product for the value adds it advertises. The product is well built, and the output is clean, aesthetic, and minimalist, and integrations make it very dynamic. However, the biggest question that needs to be asked prior to purchasing/using Journey is — what problem does this actually solve? While the AI can create content, the content doesn’t necessarily provide the most accurate/in-depth content, not to mention the fact that it’s not recommended to supply sensitive content to a third party like Journey. As a result, I’d argue that the time savings are negligible, considering the time it would take to re-read, re-edit, and revise. Where I can really see a tool like this excelling is potentially for internal enablement or low-stakes presentations where hyper-customization isn’t necessary. I would almost frame Journey.io as a hybrid between a collateral creation tool and a digital sales room. I think a product like this has very specific use cases. Conclusion In conclusion, Journey can be a useful tool for creating dynamic and interactive content, especially for internal purposes or less complex presentations. However, it’s crucial to evaluate whether it genuinely addresses your needs and provides value before diving in. You can watch the full video review here

Reviewing Journey.io: Worth the Hype or Just Vaporware?

97 Stories To Learn About Quality Assurance

Let's learn about via these 50 free stories. They are ordered by most time reading created on HackerNoon. Visit the to find the most read stories about any technology. Fix The Internet /Learn Repo The internet functions, but does it work? Too often it works for shareholders and not the individual. We can rebuild it. 1. What's Wrong with the Internet? 2. For the <3 of the Internet Mozilla Builders is hosting the Love the Internet  ❤️ Collegiate Hackathon to inspire the next generation of builders. RSVP to join them! 3. From FireChat to Starlink: The Best Attempts to Decentralize the Internet In this article, we look at the past, present, and future of internet decentralization efforts. We'll explore how projects such as FireChat and Starlink. [4. Go-Daddy Gone Wrong: What Happens to Your Domain if Your Co-Owner Dies?](https://hackernoon.com/thats-a-no-go-daddy-what-happens-to-your-domain-if-your-co-owner-dies-or-flies-off-the-handle) One day you receive a call from a mutual friend and hear unbelievable stories, when your friend is out of his mind, and harms himself, and others. 5. Everyone Works for Facebook and Google Imagine a car factory where nameless workers in a sprawling complex make expensive cars all day and all night.  Thousands of shiny, new expensive cars move off the line every millisecond and are shipped instantly all over the world to wealthy buyers, generating $195 million of profit daily for the car company. 6. Online Privacy is Not an Option: It's a Necessity How the challenge of protecting personal information online led to data protection and privacy laws in the EU and U.S. 7. How the Environment is Paying for our Prime Day Discounts The Lightning Deal timer is ticking away. You're frantically scraping through hundreds of discounts. Finally, after a barrage of Prime deals and discounts, you find the one: a deeply discounted, 30% off Amazon Echo. 8. What is Abusability Testing and Why is it Necessary? What does the future of online social networks look like?  We have seen how the most powerful social media networks have endangered democracy and public health. While there are interesting conversations today about what decentralized social networks might bring to bear to our online social lives, I want to raise a new approach that is critical to any product team -- particularly those building social features. 9. Solving for the Impersonality of the Calendly Booking Page It’s obvious that Calendly is one of the most convenient calendar scheduling tools on the market. It’s a convenient virtual assistant that breezes through technical aspects of scheduling. With time zones, availability preferences, and automated links immediately generated, it’s saved people a lot of time (and sanity). 10. The History of the Internet: Collaboration, Commerce, and Polarization A compilation of some of the key historical events shaping the Internet, examining what decisions got us here and how we use it to connect with others. 11. The Data Revolution: Green, Accessible, and Fully-Decentralized it's time to make data sexy again. Let's revive the dream of a truly neutral Internet, from the people for the people with wide accessibility and no censorship 12. Are the days of Internet Freedom Numbered? In an ideal digital world, everyone has open access to the Internet. 13. Know Thyself What do I think about creating a world in virtual reality? I think it's amazing! What's the problem with that? 14. If You Work From Home Do These 8 Things To Boost Your Internet Speed Is your Wi-Fi slowing you down? If these 8 tips for boosting internet speed don't help, maybe it's time to change your ISP. But let's see if that is the case. 15. How to Navigate the Endless Streams of the Internet How can we describe the way we experience the platforms we spend our lives on? Let's tinker around using a legendary Internet metaphor. 16. How We're Helping Black Founders Succeed with Launch Like a Mogul Growing up and entering adulthood post-college, I always knew that I wanted to be in a position to help the Black community succeed and break barriers. 17. The Internet is Broken, But The Metaverse and Web 3.0 Could be the Solution What is the major issue with the internet today, and how can Web 3.0 fix it? 18. Doing My Bit To Help Build the Web Monetization Community I first came across Web Monetization in the Grant for the Web x DEV.to hackathon a few months ago. Elliot and I had been itching to create something together, so we were on the lookout for hackathons that piqued our interests. 19. The Change and Innovation that Web 3.0 Will Bring The popularity of web 3.0 is increasing due to people’s increasing concerns about sensitive data exposure on the internet as well as the growing popularity of decentralized technologies, such as blockchain and IPFS. With this type of technology, users do not have to rely on centralized local networks and Internet providers in having access to the Internet. In other words, this allows for a failure-resistant Internet. But this also creates some issues regarding the content that is being published on such Internet. So, here I will give my view on how I see the benefits and challenges if there are any that web 3.0 may offer. 20. Why There is No Digital Future Without Blockchain Blockchain will transform the internet and the way we use it.  From digital freedom to data protection; the reasons are becoming more important every day. 21. Free Wi-Fi Hotspots: The Vital Lifesaver WiFi Map shows you more than just public hotspots that are available nearby, but provides great time-saving help by also offering passwords for these hotspots. 22. An Intro to Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) and Identity Learn about Zero Knowledge claims and how they can help in securing your Identity. 23. 7 Easy Methods to Fix the Red Light on Router When the Internet light on your router is red, there is a problem with our internet connection that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. 24. Insight Browser Wants to Rid the Internet of Bad ADs and SEO It's early days for Insight Browser but our mission is ambitious — we want to rid the internet of bad ads, SEO and misinformation 25. Decentralizing the Internet, One Metaverse at a Time The metaverse is simply the internet, evolved. And that’s why we need to ensure we build it with open standards, decentralized infrastructure and Web3 tools 26. Sta(c)king on Bitcoin For Building A New Decentralized Internet Bitcoin — the king of cryptocurrencies — uses the Proof of Work POW consensus algorithm to secure its network. 27. Hacker Noon Joins Mozilla’s Fix The Internet Incubator The internet functions, but does it work? 28. An Intro to Web3 and Why You Should Give a Damn With blockchain, Web3 users get more freedom, privacy and access to the same social services without fear of their data being used without their permission. 29. Is Inherently Intellectual Social Media a Pipe Dream? Social media platforms moderate a global conversation. It's time to re-think what kind of a moderator we want for our well-being and for better progress. 30. What is The Open Web and Why is it Dying? People switched from an open, hackable web to apps for a better user experience, but walled gardens now hinder UX. We need a better UX alternative. 31. Linh Dao Smooke & David Smooke repping Hacker Noon at the Mozilla Fix the Internet Showcase I joined a panel with awesome fellow founders and builders of Mozilla to discuss the future of "citizen publishing" as a way to democratize the internet. 32. The Unrelenting Spies in your Pocket and How to Get Rid of Them Privacy...that mythical unicorn many chase but only a few manage to catch. Though elusive, privacy is a pressing issue in a hyper-connected world where a handful of companies control the information you consume and the information you produce. 33. What is Broken About the Internet? This Slack discussion with Utsav Jaiswal, richard-kubina, Natasha, Limarc, Linh, Adrian, Dane, Anna Bleker and me occurred in hackernoon's official #slogging-beta channel. 34. 6 Years Later, My Google Spreadsheet Is Now an App Called Taonga With Taonga, I'm working to build the easiest way to securely manage and share your personal documents, like your passport. It’s built using privacy-by-design and consent-by-design concepts, making sure the user has full control over their personal documents. The idea for Taonga stemmed from an ad-hoc Google Spreadsheet I created 6 years ago, and I’d love to share that story with you here. 35. Anonymity Could be the Key to Fixing Social Media The Social Dilemma has been a trending film and a large topic of discussion these past few months, and for good reason. Social media in its current form is deeply flawed. 36. Let Web3 Flow: Democratizing Data Ownership to Curb Malpractice Web3 is the attempt to come full circle in how data is shared by democratizing ownership. 37. Introduction to Nexus: Building a New Internet Driven by Blockchain Nexus is building a new internet driven by a blockchain-based operating system (LX-OS) and communications protocol (Nexus Protocol), that will be connected by distributed satellite constellations and mesh networks. 38. Walled Gardens Transparency and the Cost of Obscurity: Will 2021 Be Different? The walled gardens situation is on everyone's lips, as it pushes ad-tech peers on both buying and selling sides to fight over the scraps remaining after the industry titans saved the best ad budget slices for themselves. 39. Hacker Noon Joins Mozilla’s Fix The Internet Initiative The internet functions, but does it work? 40. The Best of the Internet (Slogging Insights) In this thread, the slogging community shares the piece of content that has improved their day. 41. Why We Should Opt Out of the Attention Economy The Value of Attention - why your attention is so valuable and why you're selling it too cheaply 42. Why Elastos is Building a New Internet With User Rights and Freedom at its Core Building decentralised web 3.0 network on a decentralised network which is censorship resistant and provides users with net neutrality. 43. Bot Strategies: Manipulating Democratic Discourse Two-thirds of Americans know what bots are, from a strictly negative perspective—and not without good reason. Malicious bot activity has evolved over time, from hackers using bots to infect millions of devices with malware to the more modern usage as spreaders of propaganda, fake news, and false social media accounts. 44. Web 3.0: Decentralizing the Internet Web 3.0 opens a new future where users and distributed machines can interact with data, value, and even other counterparties via peer-to-peer networks without the need for third parties. Therefore, Web 3.0 is considered a new generation of the world wide web to increase user utility and the number of online applications in exploiting the power of the current decentralized network. 45. How I Built My Own Internet 5 Times Cheaper than My Expensive ISP I will tell you how I suffered from expensive cable internet in the office and decided to make my own internet that is 5 times cheaper. As a result, my team and I have created summator.me. It's a device that combines the traffic from several 4G/LTE modems and provides a fast and reliable internet connection. 46. How to Add a Social Layer Across the Web Think of social media sites as malls and every other website as independent shops and houses in a sprawling suburb. 47. You’ve Never Heard Of These Sites, But They Know A Lot About You A Marriage And A Funeral 48. "How Tall is Donald Trump?" and Other Weird Questions Online In this slogging thread, our community shares a few of the weirdest questions they've seen asked online. 49. 2020 Noonies Awards: Official Winners of The Internet Now Declared As in all elections of great importance, tallying the official results of Hacker Noon's annual awards took us somewhat longer than expected. 50. How Can We Democratize Publishing Online? This Slack discussion by Anna Bleker, Linh, David, Dane and Austin occurred in hackernoon's official #slogging-beta channel. Thank you for checking out the 50 most read stories about Fix The Internet on HackerNoon. to find the most read stories about any technology. Visit the /Learn Repo

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Although SaaS is a very popular term, many people still don’t fully understand it. Regardless, we use these software solutions daily. So, here’s an in-depth guide to this blossoming technology. By the end of this article, you should have a comprehensive understanding of SaaS and how it works. TL; DR Software as a Service (SaaS) is a software delivery model that involves an application being offered as a product over the Internet for a subscription fee. SaaS differs from conventional software in many ways. For one, you don’t have to download SaaS applications or worry about the computing power needed to run them. Also, you can use them on any device you choose as long as you have your password and an internet connection. There are several types of SaaS applications; they can either be designed for businesses, e.g., Hubspot, or for individual use, e.g., Spotify. However, some SaaS products, like Google Workspace, can be used by both businesses and individuals. SaaS providers utilize various security measures, such as encryption and access control, to safeguard data. Additionally, they adhere to several data regulations to keep sensitive information secure. One of the advantages of SaaS, aside from cost-saving, accessibility, and scalability, is that it can integrate with other existing software applications you use through APIs — protocols that let software programs communicate. However, SaaS has some drawbacks, such as the occasional data breaches and vendor lock-ins, making migrating from one SaaS provider to another difficult. To choose a software provider, you have to consider many factors, in particular, functionality, pricing, and scalability, among other things. What is SaaS? SaaS, an acronym for Software as a Service, is a model that involves delivering applications as products over the internet. It’s quite similar to internet-enabled services such as email or social media, although different. Some examples of SaaS products include Slack, Google Docs, and Zoom. To understand SaaS, you must note that it is a of cloud computing, an internet delivery system. Cloud computing simply means that, as a user, you can access online resources, such as storage space, without having to manage them directly. type Think of it as owning an online safe. If you want to access stored files, all you have to do is open the safe. Only this time, your safe isn’t confined to one place; you can use it virtually anywhere with the password and internet connectivity. How does SaaS work? As aforementioned, SaaS is a type of cloud computing, so it a cloud delivery model. utilizes This means that software providers host, maintain, and secure the applications you use on their servers. But not all software providers have the resources to do these. So, they may contract cloud providers to host their applications in their data centers. How data is secured in SaaS Data safety is very important in SaaS. So, SaaS companies combine several measures to ensure your data is safe and easily retrievable. These means include : Encryption works by when you’re uploading or using it and when it’s in storage. It ensures you’re the only one who can read and access your data. So, even if someone manages to hack your service provider’s firewall, they’ll have a hard time reading your info. Encryption scrambling your data : SaaS providers prioritize access control protocols to ensure that only you can access your data. These protocols include passwords, two-factor authentication, and biometric authentication. Access Controls : SaaS providers regularly back up your data on multiple channels to ensure you can still retrieve your data in worst-case data-loss scenarios. Data backup and recovery : SaaS providers must also specific and strict data regulations when handling your data. These rules differ depending on your location and the kind of information you store online. Compliance follow For instance, SaaS companies must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation’s (GDPR) rules when storing data for European citizens, and when handling credit card information, they have to follow Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). How SaaS products communicate with your apps This may sound sketchy, but SaaS products share your info with other web-based software you use. However, they do this with your permission to ensure a seamless flow with your other applications. For instance, Calendly, a meeting-scheduling software, can share your events and appointments with your calendar app. Doing this saves you the stress of documenting them manually. But how exactly do these SaaS products communicate with your other software? They use APIs or Application Programming Interfaces, which are a that define how different software components should interact. set of protocols B2B vs B2C SaaS Like other software models, SaaS is either on a business-to-customer (B2C) delivery system or a (B2B) model. And these models differ in many ways. offered business-to-business B2B SaaS are software applications designed for other businesses, e.g., Hubspot, Salesforce, and Slack. These apps either have a wide range of functionality or only perform singular, complex functions like accounting, project management, or customer relationship management (CRM). Furthermore, B2B applications are advertised differently from B2C SaaS products since they target only organizations, not individuals. They are also always offered on a subscription basis. B2C SaaS, on the other hand, refers to software packages designed for individual customers. They usually have only one function, such as note-taking or task management. While most of these products are offered on a subscription basis, they also have free versions with limited functionality. Some examples include Spotify, Canva, and Dropbox. It’s important to note that some SaaS products, such as Google Workspace and Zoom, are universal, serving both individuals and businesses. Why is SaaS Different from Conventional Software There are several differences between SaaS applications and traditional on-premises you install on your PC. software programs Firstly, you don’t have to worry about the computing requirements to run any SaaS application because software providers handle them. On the other hand, software applications on your PC require storage, maintenance, and updates, all handled by you, to function properly. But while you can access most conventional software programs offline, it’s not the same with SaaS apps because they are delivered over the Internet. However, this also means you can use SaaS applications on different devices without installing them. So if you’re out with your friends, and a work emergency comes up, you can easily use your friend’s PC even if they don’t have the SaaS application installed. Whereas with conventional software, you must buy, download and customize the application to your specifications on every new device. Types of SaaS Solutions SaaS products exist in different categories. One way to classify them is by separating them into . horizontal SaaS or vertical SaaS Horizontal SaaS solutions are universal because you can use them across multiple industries; they include email marketing or accounting software. On the other hand, Vertical SaaS refers to solutions that can only be used in a certain industry, e.g. Vetcove, a SaaS product used in veterinary medicine. SaaS solutions can also be categorized into packaged, collaborative, and management and enabling tools. : Packaged software refers to SaaS solutions ready-made to handle specific functions. They are designed for functions such as accounting, customer relationship management (CRM), or project management, among others. Packaged software : are designed with teamwork in mind. These SaaS products offer real-time communication, document sharing, and live editing features. Some examples include Slack, Google Docs, and Asana. Collaborative software Collaborative SaaS products : Management and enabling tools help organizations manage their IT infrastructure with monitoring, backup and recovery, and security. Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform are some examples of such tools. Management and Enabling tools SaaS applications also serve various functions, including customer relationship management (CRM), accounting, project management, and content management. Benefits of SaaS Using SaaS eliminates the hassle of purchasing, installing, and maintaining conventional software programs. It also has other benefits, which include the following. Cost savings You don’t have to worry about the storage space and computing power required to run SaaS apps. Hence, you don’t have to purchase and maintain extra hardware other than your PC, reducing operational costs. Also, budgeting is more predictable with SaaS models, so you know exactly how much to pay for your software service every time. You can also choose to unsubscribe whenever there is no need for those services. Scalability You can upgrade to a higher subscription tier to unlock more benefits when using a SaaS product. These benefits can range from higher storage capacity to more user accounts. You can also downgrade to a lower tier with only the necessary features to save costs. Accessibility and mobility Unlike conventional software, you can access SaaS products with just an internet connection and a computer anywhere in the world. Furthermore, because software is hosted on the cloud, you can switch devices without losing access to your files. Upgrades and maintenance You don’t have to worry about software maintenance and updates when using SaaS products since the software providers handle them. So, things like updates, bug fixes, and security patches, among others, are not your problem. This also helps you eliminate the cost and hassle of having in-house IT teams. Integration with other applications With APIs, SaaS applications can seamlessly integrate with your other software programs and SaaS products you use, especially those from the same provider. This helps you streamline your workflow and avoid unnecessary duplication. Risks and Challenges of SaaS As beneficial as SaaS programs are, they also come with risks and challenges. Let’s take a look at some of them below. Security and data privacy concerns Although most software providers follow strict data privacy regulations, there’s still the risk of losing your information to hackers. Luckily, while occur, they are rare. SaaS data breaches Customization limitations Most SaaS applications do not offer varied customization features, as they are often provided in one-size-fits-all solutions. So, it can be challenging for individuals and businesses with peculiar needs to configure SaaS products to their specifications. While some SaaS products offer APIs to enable customization, it requires additional resources and technical support, increasing operational costs. Data migration challenges , a situation where SaaS brands make switching to another provider or platform difficult or costly, is a common problem. Vendor lock-in Without APIs, moving to another SaaS platform means downloading and uploading your data to your new provider. And if you use SaaS products for your business, this may mean migrating terabytes of data. Choosing the Right SaaS Product Choosing the right SaaS provider can be difficult in a highly varied pool of options. So, here are some useful tips to consider : Choose a software provider with features that align with your requirements. For instance, if you run a marketing agency that manages social media accounts for multiple clients, you should look for a SaaS provider that offers features like social media scheduling, content creation tools, and analytics reporting. Features and functionality : It’s best to pick a SaaS provider whose pricing plans fit your budget. Compare similar products and pick the software solution that offers the best value for money. Pricing : Only some SaaS products have a wide range of vertical scalability. So, it’s best to keep your options limited to providers that can easily scale up or down with the needs of your business. Scalability : As data breaches are no joke, you should consider the software provider’s security measures and compliance certifications, especially if you handle sensitive data. Security and Compliance : Choose a software solution that can integrate with your existing systems and workflows, saving you time and making your workflow productive. Integration : Evaluate your options to see which SaaS product has the best customer support. As SaaS issues can be very technical, you must ensure you can easily access help when needed. Support Conclusion SaaS is the now and future of software applications. In this article, we’ve explored how it works, its types, and the benefits and challenges facing SaaS adoption. Armed with this information, you can make the right decision when choosing your software providers.

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