This weekend brought the news that 37signals is phasing out Backpack. Existing customers can still login and use it, but new customers cannot sign up. So where does this leave Packrat?
First off, Packrat will continue to work for existing Backpack customers just like the web version.
Second, I have some thoughts on what I would like to do with Packrat. I would like to turn it into a full-fledged, standalone personal information manager app in the style of Backpack, with pages, and notes, images, etc. on each page. Then, being free of the restrictions of the Backpack API, I would like to add other features that many of you and myself might want, such as folders, support for adding images right in the app, many others too numerous to mention. I would also write an universal iOS version that used iCloud to keep everything in sync.
The new version of the app would primarily be independent of the Backpack service. If there is enough demand we could still support a feature to import data from the service and/or keep it in sync. Of course, the data you could import/export would most likely be a subset of the functionality of the app and eventually 37signals would probably drop Backpack altogether so it might be best just to have an import from Backpack feature.
I would be excited about writing such as app. My concern is that there is just not enough demand or interest. Packrat sales don’t even make enough to buy myself a mocha everyday. Perhaps with the new functionality, the phasing out of Backpack, things might change. I myself would be interested in using such as app. The ability to craft a personal information app to something I would like to use would be a lot of fun.
So, I am asking for input. If you would like to see such an application then please let me know and spread the word to others to let me know as well. You might even show your support by purchasing a copy of Packrat if you haven’t already done so.