[sfgweilr4f]

I feel like there was a loaded gun next to the head of each of these projects.

Plus, I don't think the projects were duds. They were instead simply buds - still too immature. Exactly how you execute an idea is often far more important than the actual idea. This isn't some catchy phrase, its how people take failing businesses and rework them to massive profits.

I agree that more iteration was required. Focusing on a particular set of real customers is also a useful activity. Real people have real needs. Developers often have no clue what people want because people in general have problems and your shiny thing is weird and wonderful and they don't (yet) understand it.

eg That time tracker... omg. Plenty of people use worse. Plenty are better. Its minimal, but a start. If this had been pushed in front of a large enough group of real people and left to grow with multiple iterations from feedback it could have ended up in all sorts of useful directions.