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#1 2021-02-12 21:47:08

philwareham
Core designer
From: Haslemere, Surrey, UK
Registered: 2009-06-11
Posts: 3,564
Website GitHub Mastodon

Perch CMS sold

I noticed the Drew M has sold Perch CMS to a third party, and is stepping away. Had a couple of people I know using that CMS.

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#2 2021-02-12 22:38:45

jakob
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From: Germany
Registered: 2005-01-20
Posts: 4,578
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Re: Perch CMS sold

I hadn’t seen that but I had wondered because both Drew and Rachel have been busy in their own rights with other ventures for some time now, and both are impressive in what they do. 24ways, which began on Textpattern before moving to Perch, also took a break this year (which Drew explained on Twitter) which reinforced the impression.

I never used Perch myself but have seen sites, including just recently, built with it.


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#3 2021-02-12 22:49:12

philwareham
Core designer
From: Haslemere, Surrey, UK
Registered: 2009-06-11
Posts: 3,564
Website GitHub Mastodon

Re: Perch CMS sold

I’m struggling to see the good news in this, but we’ll see I guess. Always a risk with proprietary software though.

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#4 2021-02-13 10:10:31

Destry
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From: Haut-Rhin
Registered: 2004-08-04
Posts: 4,909
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Re: Perch CMS sold

Was Drew part of the deal in the sell? An employee now with corner office? Or did he let it go entirely? A lot of people go with the deal in those situations, which requires abandoning the side projects (e.g. 24 ways).

jakob wrote #328840:

24ways, which began on Textpattern before moving to Perch, also took a break this year (which Drew explained on Twitter)

I’m pretty sure, by the way he writes that tweet, that 24 ways will not come back. Not by Drew, anyway.

The CSF was a 7-year body of considerably time-consuming non-profit work (much of it behind the scenes coordination more than a recorded body of writing), and I can tell you, that when that decision and feeling comes to hang it up, it is a major load off the shoulders and not one you easily burden yourself with again. I never will, unless there is loads of cash involved. /* Goes to darn the holes in his socks. */

I think I read a few articles in 24 ways years ago. I never kept up with it. The advent calendar hitch as a vehicle for education, and especially technology, always bugged me. But I can see how it makes it convenient, being a short show out of 365 days, against which to plan and prepare. Still.

Last edited by Destry (2021-02-13 10:11:25)

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#5 2021-02-13 10:31:57

jakob
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From: Germany
Registered: 2005-01-20
Posts: 4,578
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Re: Perch CMS sold

Destry wrote #328844:

Was Drew part of the deal in the sell? An employee now with corner office? Or did he let it go entirely?

There’s a post on the Perch forum – https://community.perchcms.com/forum/thread/3289-perch-has-a-new-home/ – in which Drew details that he and Rachel won’t be involved any more themselves, but that there are new formal owners, who reply further down in the thread. It seems from looking around the forum that development had stalled for a while. Like here, they have a loyal following but as a paid, proprietary product, some were disappointed. I guess the news is a mixed bag for their users: it could signal a new basis for their investment but the proof will come in the coming months.

I have huge respect for Drew and Rachel, their work at conferences, at Smashing Magazine, on the CSS board. Both have become authoritative voices. Drew has worked for netlify and now snyk in the past year too, so Perch can’t have been their main focus for a while.

I’m pretty sure, by the way he writes that tweet, that 24 ways will not come back. Not by Drew, anyway. … I think I read a few articles in 24 ways years ago. I never kept up with it. The advent calendar hitch as a vehicle for education, and especially technology, always bugged me.

I thought it was great and I found there were almost always a handful of useful articles in there. But I think you’re right: it’s probably run its course.


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#6 2021-02-13 10:47:21

philwareham
Core designer
From: Haslemere, Surrey, UK
Registered: 2009-06-11
Posts: 3,564
Website GitHub Mastodon

Re: Perch CMS sold

Rachel left her role at Smashing Mag too, in last few weeks. Sounds like they needed a whole new change of direction. Can’t fault them for that.

I did try Perch once but it wasn’t for me. Also it not being open source was a concern (for the risks above). Same reason I’ve never used Craft CMS in production (although I do like a lot of Craft’s features).

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#7 2021-02-13 12:31:42

Destry
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From: Haut-Rhin
Registered: 2004-08-04
Posts: 4,909
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Re: Perch CMS sold

philwareham wrote #328846:

Sounds like they needed a whole new change of direction. Can’t fault them for that.

As someone who dreams daily of living a simpler DIY life a bit further out from the central demographic, with just enough agriculture and animal husbandry to be mostly self-sufficient, and do all the woodcraft stuff I want with freedom, I can totally relate with that need for change of direction, especially with the planet as it is these days. I would not be surprised if that is the kind of thing they are thinking about, because it is for a lot of people these days.

There is an old school web guy, I forget his name off hand… He had started one of the early social platforms before FB came along. He and his companion quit the web tech scene and moved to Oregon, outside of Portland somewhere, and set up a little farm, with chickens, goats, agriculture, etc. They then started growing hemp and making commercial products from it. That might have been the plan all along, I don’t know. I can’t find their website because I can’t remember his name, and their is a ton of hemp farm competition in Oregon. But they are doing really well, and he was routinely saying how happier and healthier he is not being in web tech anymore. I can well imagine. Still has his socmed accounts but, damn, I can’t recall his name. I want to say Joshua, or Jason, or something like that, but I’m not positive.

Speaking of Portland, I just happened across an old Jon Hicks post in the forum the other day and it said he’s in Portland, now. What’s he doing over there?

Last edited by Destry (2021-02-13 12:36:07)

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#8 2021-02-13 13:53:03

jakob
Admin
From: Germany
Registered: 2005-01-20
Posts: 4,578
Website

Re: Perch CMS sold

Destry wrote #328847:

Speaking of Portland, I just happened across an old Jon Hicks post in the forum the other day and it said he’s in Portland, now. What’s he doing over there?

Maybe another Jo(h)n Hicks?

For example, there’s John Hicks / Twitter: farwest in Portland and Jon Hicks / Twitter: hicksdesign in Oxfordshire, GB.

Ah no, you mean this post and that is this person.


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#9 2021-02-13 15:30:49

Destry
Member
From: Haut-Rhin
Registered: 2004-08-04
Posts: 4,909
Website

Re: Perch CMS sold

Well, isn’t that confusing. More British Hicks around here than in Oklahoma. Heh.

I though ‘Jon’ Hicks, as in the famed FF logo designer, always went by ‘Hicks’ in the forum. I guess I was wrong.

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