Nobody learns if nothing is brok3n

So who are Jason Glaspey, Matt King, Geoffrey Lorenzen anyhow?

Matt and I have been building websites for several years, working
together for the last five. Currently we work for Instrument
(http://www.instrum3nt.com) as the Interactive Producer (me), and
Interactive Developer (Matt). Geoffrey Lorenzen is a talented, and
twisted, illustrator working at Avenue A:Razorfish.

So your webapp, Unthirsty, is more of a side project than
anything else?

Yeah, we've got ideas for the future, and there are some
conversations going on that would allow us to make it more of a
full-time thing, but for now, we're just really happy to have a fun
site to work on when we're not doing client work.

What made you guys want to start Unthirsty?

We regularly went to happy hours after work, but were getting tired
of going to the same places. I could never remember any of hundreds of
other places in Portland, so I figured it was time to start keeping
track of a list. Being web geeks, Matt and I built a website so we
could access it anywhere. As soon as we started building it, our
friends let us know we were on to something, so we figured we better
build it for everyone else to use too. This was truly a tool created
out of necessity.

Do you get a lot of requests for Unthirsty now, or is it a bit
of an unknown at this point?

The traffic is decent, and it continues to grow every month. Also,
people continue to enter in locations where they live, so it continues
to grow and get better every day.

What's the strangest/coolest request that you guys have received
for Unthirsty so far?

I got a very ecstatic hug from a very drunk, very sweaty guy when
he heard about unthirsty. That was a little awkward, but funny.

Why an iPhone webapp?

It really just seemed like a logical step. Being able to access that
database in a quick and relatively painless manner. It's when you're
away from your computer, on a different side of town, or out with
friends, that you really need to know where the specials are, so
creating a tool for mobile was obvious. The iPhone just let us do it
in a way that really worked versus a crippled interface that was
painful to use.

So does everyone on your team have an iPhone?

Well, our team is really only Matt and I, and yes, we both have
iPhones. In our office, we have 6 out of 7 people with one.

Will having an iPhone SDK change anything for you guys, or do
you intend to continue along the path of an iPhone specific web
application?

It depends on demand and the quality of the SDK. If making a better
iPhone application is worth the time and effort, compared to spending
that time building up the entire site, then we'll do it. Otherwise,
we'll continue to just add and improve to the whole package.

What database is powering the backend of Unthirsty?

We use MySql and Ruby on Rails.

Is there any specific reason you chose MySQL?

We run all of our website applications with it.

Why did you pick Rails to begin with?

We actually built the first application in PHP, but when we did our
Version 2 launch this spring, we redid it in Rails to utilize some new
features while being easier to manage and code.

Why is Unthirsty important?

Well, I'm not sure I'd say it's important, but it solves a common
problem. It tells you where to go when you don't know where to go,
while helping you keep a little of that cash you work so hard to get.
As someone who loves a nice pint and a burger, getting one for $3
means I can go out twice as often than if I was paying $6. That's just
good math.

Right, but finding a good place to drink is the cornerstone of a
lot of cool stuff. What other webapps do you guys tend to use while
on the road with just your mobile devices?

Having a true version of google maps in my pocket has changed the
way i travel for sure. I'm never worried about where I'm at, where I'm
going, or if I'm going to find what I need. It's just peace of mind.
I'm also a sucker for movies times.

What do you guys do for fun?

Besides making other websites and carrying our laptops around, I try
and get outside and either mountain bike, snowboard, and obviously, go
to happy hours (summer-time patios are the best.) Matt is always
building some other tool or application (see http://mattking.org)
watching movies or travelling, and Geoffrey draws some pretty twisted
comics (http://niftyco.com/ and http://omaticdesign.com)

Name your favorite drinks

I drink three things: Vodka and soda, Gin Martini with extra olives
(up and dry), and pretty much any beer I can find. Matt is faithful to
the Tanqueray Ten Gin Martini. Geoffrey swears by Old Guy Brown Liquor
and Soda with Bitters.