Defining Goals, Streamlining Processes, and Introducing the LQL 1.0

The essence of my Launch Quest is not just about reaching the finish line; it's about enjoying the process of creation and learning along the way. Too often, I find myself fixated on the end goal, causing frustration and losing sight of the valuable experiences gained during the journey.

As the saying goes, "A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving." Those who enjoy the act of walking itself will ultimately walk farther and discover more than those who focus solely on reaching the destination. This philosophy applies not only to travel but also to the world of entrepreneurship and product development.

Building a product from scratch can be a challenging journey, with many obstacles and mundane tasks that can drain one's motivation. To truly enjoy the process and maintain momentum, it's crucial to streamline these boring parts and create a framework that allows for quick and easy project setup. By minimising the time spent on repetitive tasks, I can focus on the exciting aspects of development and bring my ideas to life more efficiently.

As someone who loves building proofs of concept and exploring new technologies, I understand the value of sharing knowledge and learning from others. However, navigating the world of licences can be a daunting and boring task. Existing licences can be dry and difficult to understand, making it challenging to choose the right one for a given project.

To address this issue and provide guidance for myself and fellow entrepreneurs, and also because I can, I have created the Launch Quest Licence 1.0 (LQL 1.0). This licence is designed to support small business owners and solo entrepreneurs, granting them the freedom to use, study, modify, and incorporate the software into their own projects. By creating a clear and accessible licence, I aim to foster a community of builders who can learn from and inspire one another.

The LQL 1.0 recognises that larger companies may have different needs and resources. As such, the licence requires these organisations to seek prior written consent and discuss licensing options with Launch Quest Ltd before using the software for commercial purposes. This approach ensures that the licence remains fair and adaptable to various use cases while still supporting the growth and success of smaller enterprises.

In addition to the LQL 1.0, I will be releasing experimental research projects and explorations under an experimental tag. These projects are meant to serve as learning resources and sources of inspiration, rather than production-ready solutions. By labelling these projects as experimental, I can reduce the pressure to achieve perfection and instead focus on the process of discovery and knowledge-sharing. Others can examine the code, learn from the concepts, and build upon the ideas presented without the expectation of a polished, final product.

The first project to use this license is the Node.js GraphQL Express project, in which I wanted to understand how I can utilise GraphQL to reduce the amount of boilerplate REST API code I have to write. The structure isn't perfect, but it has a working user authentication flow and served to help me understand its place in a project. It's experimental and has a tag to explain this. I'll likely not touch this again but it's public and a step forward.

With these guiding principles in place, the next step in my Launch Quest is to plan the framework that will seed each project effectively. I want to focus only on what matters for each example, and this requires determining what mundane boilerplate there is and writing it just once.