Interesting article about a company formed by ex-Microsofties...
"A team of ex-Microsofties leftto create Jackson Fish Market, with the tagline "Handcrafted Software Experiences," in November 2006. In their introductory blog post, co-founder Hillel Coopermantalks about his grandfather's fish store, Jackson Fish, a "small businesses was run by family, with everyone pitching in as best they could" and which sold "handcrafted products" that "that both address a core customer need, but also make them feel emotionally satisfied, content, and… happy." They credit 37 Signals with much of the inspiration behind the company.
They're working on a number of projects, and "They're Beautiful" is the first to launch. It's a free virtual flowers site. Users can send a virtual bouquet to any email address (even without registering). The recipient sees the bouquet and can choose to put it in their Greenhouse on the site by registering. They then must return every few days to "water" the flowers and keep them from wilting.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/08/ex-microsoft-team-launches-theyre-beautiful/