Switchboard Computing

For months, my cloud desktop platform existed in a bubble. My code, my tests, my assumptions about what people wanted.

Then someone I'd never met logged in and started using it.

That's when it became real.

Before: It was a clever technical solution to my own problem. I could break things, rebuild them, change direction on a whim. No consequences except to myself.

After: It's someone else's tool. They're trying to get actual work done. They don't care about my clever architecture or the bugs I know about. They just want it to work.

The shift isn't about metrics or growth. It's about crossing the line from "I built something" to "people use what I built."

Your side project stops being yours the moment someone else depends on it.

That first real user makes everything real. The responsibility, the stakes, the fact that you're no longer building for yourself.

For those still in the bubble: ship it. Get that first stranger to try your thing.

Nothing makes a project real faster than someone else actually using it.

Hey IndieHackers!

I just launched Switchboard (switchboard.computer) - a cloud desktop that streams any software to any device through a web browser. Think of it as turning your phone into a full workstation.

The Problem I'm Solving

I got tired of being limited by whatever device I had with me. Wanted to code on my iPad, run design software on my Chromebook, or access my full desktop setup while traveling with just my phone. Hardware shouldn't dictate what you can accomplish.

What I Built

A platform that streams a full desktop environment to any device with a browser. Users can run their existing software without reinstalling anything, access their files from anywhere, and get desktop-class performance on lightweight hardware.

Current features:

• 1080p streaming

• Web browser, productivity apps, basic media tools

• Persistent environment (your setup follows you)

• Works on phones, tablets, laptops - anything with a browser

Where I'm At (Just Launched)

The honest truth: This is alpha software that I just put live. No users yet, lots of bugs, but the core concept works.

Current status:

• 0 users (literally just went live)

• Built mostly solo over the past few months

• No revenue yet (still figuring out pricing)

• Looking for first brave early adopters

Technical challenges I'm facing:

• Latency optimization is harder than expected

• Some applications don't play nice with virtualization

• Mobile experience needs serious work

• Infrastructure costs are going to be scary as I scale

Business Model

I've settled on a tiered pricing structure with founder rates:

• Free tier - Basic access to test it out

• Lite: $4.99/month - For light productivity use

• Pro: $14.99/month - For power users and heavier workloads

These are founder prices while I'm figuring out product-market fit. The infrastructure costs are real, but I wanted to keep it accessible for early adopters willing to deal with alpha software.

What I'm Learning Already

What feels right:

• People immediately understand the value when I explain it

• The technical foundation works (even if buggy)

• There's clear demand for this type of solution

What's intimidating:

• Performance expectations will be extremely high

• Competition from established players (AWS WorkSpaces, etc.)

• Infrastructure costs with zero revenue is stressful

Biggest surprise: Friends keep asking about gaming! I built this for productivity, but maybe there's something there.

Questions for the Community

1. Pricing strategy: How would you approach pricing something this infrastructure-heavy?

2. Market focus: Should I target prosumers first or go straight for enterprise?

3. Feature priorities: What would convince you to switch from your current setup?

4. Technical founders: Any experience with real-time streaming applications? The latency challenges are brutal.

The Ask

If this sounds interesting, I'd love you to be one of my first users. Fair warning - expect bugs and frustration alongside moments of "wow, this could be amazing."

More importantly, I'm curious about your thoughts on:

• Whether these founder prices make sense for the value

• If the free tier will help or hurt conversions

• What features would justify the Pro tier for you

Any other founders building infrastructure-heavy products? Would love to connect and share war stories.

What's Next

My immediate plan:

• Get my first 10-20 users and fix whatever breaks

• Figure out sustainable pricing

• Decide if I should pivot toward gaming or stick with productivity

• Maybe someday look at raising a small round if I prove real traction

Building this solo while managing infrastructure costs is scary, but the potential feels huge.

Thanks for reading - this community always gives incredible feedback! 🙏