I wonder if this series of events (or one like it) is becoming the norm for app development/growth? Is there any money in the process for anyone or is this simply part of the contest/marketing infrastructure? Here's what happened:
Wired plays with Platial tools.
Makes interactive map of bands named after geographic locations called "Wish you were here."
Leaves it be.
It has some 9000 visits.
It wins (ties) award for best music map in the 2007 Platial + Frappr Map Awards.
Platial makes it into a Facebook app anyone can add to their page.
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Wired
a) it's astonishing how hungry the world is for mapping, even simple maps
b) part of the buzz around "web2.0" is the whole user-generated content concept and for simple things like adding dots to a map, you can engage people easily and quickly (side note: I'm yet to be convinced that user-generated content for true GIS data makes sense)
c) and lastly (this might be controversial), business models that start out flimsy (essentially no business plan) often graft on a more valid business plan after they get lucky; I'm not dissing Platial here, but commenting on how sheer dumb luck is more likely to be responsible for a start-up's success than a superior product or business model.