To be fair, Ross did work at Microsoft for a number of years before striking out, but sentiment doesn't put food on the table. So why target Windows Phone with FotoJelly?
There were 3 factors that influenced my decision: First, I wanted to develop on a platform and to devices I was familiar with, making it easier to work alongside the technical roles I brought on and tell the FotoJelly story from my own experiences. Secondly, I knew that if FotoJelly was accepted into Microsoft’s BizSpark program we could get developer tools and server licenses for little or no cost. That was a significant savings. Most importantly, I wanted a fighting chance to have our apps seen and adopted, even if it meant being a “big fish in a small pond” for a while. Seeing what the Microsoft marketing juggernaut was ramping up for WP8, my advisors and I we felt that if we built a good product that perhaps we could ride the coattails of their growth to a point where we could then develop for and gain visibility in the iOS and Android app stores.
The full interview contrasts the long term potential with the short term issues of Windows Phone development, and is over on GeekWire.