Cross-post from my personal blog.

This article from the January Wired got me started:

An email arrives announcing a fete, but it's short on deets. You're forced to click to an ad-choked Web page, then another to RSVP, and then back to the first to see the info again. That faint sound you hear? It's coins tumbling into the pockets of media conglomerate IAC/InterActiveCorp, which acquired the site in 2003.

It's been 2 days since I read the article and I've received 4 evites. It's time to put a stop to this.

The article recommends Socializer as an alternative, but it's way too heavy for my taste. The sign-up experience should be almost invisible.

What I want:

• Painless sign-up
• Time and location details in the email
• +1 if it includes a link to a map
• +1 if the map link is to Google Maps
• +1 if a calendar file is attached for us Gmail/Outlook users.
• Super-clean user experience.

Invitastic nails it. There are no crazy custom themes or anything and I'm fine with that. Kudos to the Jackson Fish Market folks.

Goovite also looks promising. It includes the ability to offer a number of possible meeting times and allow a discussion about when.

Progress rocks!