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like 4

run4yourlives

Does anyone know of a web app for personal relationship management?

myoung8

Try highrise by 37signals.

I'm reading Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferazzi (not a great book, but highlights the importance of sustaining relationships) and I'm trying to find something online to help me with what will be an incredibly tedious task if I don't.I know about Plaxo and LinkedIn, but neither does quite what I want. I need something that lets me keep track of when I last spoke to someone and lets me tag people as being in different categories (i.e. business contact, old friend, acquaintance, etc.). Anyone know of something out there that can do this?

2007-07-15 22:20:21 UTC

jward

Does anyone know of a web app for personal relationship management?

myoung8

I've been puttering around on a Facebook app to do this kind of thing. I've been wanting to make private notes and the like about people on there. I have a horrible memory sometimes and it'd be really nice to have a place to jot things down. I don't think it's overly marketable since most of my Facebook 'friends' are real friends and not many are business colleagues. If you're interested let me know and I'll push it live in the next few days.

I'm reading Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferazzi (not a great book, but highlights the importance of sustaining relationships) and I'm trying to find something online to help me with what will be an incredibly tedious task if I don't.I know about Plaxo and LinkedIn, but neither does quite what I want. I need something that lets me keep track of when I last spoke to someone and lets me tag people as being in different categories (i.e. business contact, old friend, acquaintance, etc.). Anyone know of something out there that can do this?

2007-07-15 22:27:46 UTC

menloparkbum

The 80-hour Myth (Your best work is in bursts, surrounded by periods of dullness and inactivity)

tomh

In all the startups I've worked at, there actually was one uber-hacker who worked 80 hours a week. There were also a lot of guys who spent 75 hours a week in meetings and farting around on the internet, and 5 hours doing useful work. I've been both of those guys at different startups. The myth comes from back in the days when there was a lot of code to be written. Certain projects, like games, have TONS of code. Even the sharpest programmer can only type so fast, and even the fastest compiler can only compile so fast. The only way for projects like that to come to fruition in any reasonable amount of time is for people to work long hours.The nature of software startups has changed. With web apps, the code base is relatively small and simple. There usually isn't a compile cycle. What happens now, is you spend all your time on systems administration issues. Shit breaks, you need to respond to it immediately. I sort of miss the days where programming 70 hours a week was an option. Now I'm lucky to get in 20 hours of programming in between the 100 hours backlog of systems administration that needs to get done.

2007-07-15 23:32:12 UTC

mdolon

How to Raise Money from VCs

mdolon

Does anyone else think this guy is a little crazy? =D

Check out the video in the article, pretty funny, useful and confusing all at once.

2007-07-16 00:01:59 UTC

chandrab

List of TechStars companies (6 out of the 10 are listed)

vegashacker

I'm not impressed. Is there an equivalent list of YC companies?

2007-07-16 00:05:48 UTC

ph0rque

Millionaires Cash Out Of California

chaostheory

PG, you wrote the following some time back:> What it takes is the right people. If you could get the right ten thousand people to move from Silicon Valley to Buffalo, Buffalo would become Silicon Valley. (http://paulgraham.com/siliconvalley.html)If the millionaires are really moving out of CA, shouldn't this herald the move of a silicon valley type startup atmosphere to the city or cities millionaires are moving?

2007-07-16 00:39:51 UTC

chaostheory

Does anyone know of a web app for personal relationship management?

myoung8

I'm actually working on one: http://muchcloser.com.It's definitely not ready for prime time yet and I'm looking for a co-founder(s). (Who knows maybe we can submit to the YCombinator winter application...)I'm still debating whether I should keep user registration open since it's not polished enough to mass market... Let me know what you guys think.

I'm reading Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferazzi (not a great book, but highlights the importance of sustaining relationships) and I'm trying to find something online to help me with what will be an incredibly tedious task if I don't.I know about Plaxo and LinkedIn, but neither does quite what I want. I need something that lets me keep track of when I last spoke to someone and lets me tag people as being in different categories (i.e. business contact, old friend, acquaintance, etc.). Anyone know of something out there that can do this?

2007-07-16 00:49:23 UTC

joshwa

Does anyone know of a web app for personal relationship management?

myoung8

Salesforce.com or any other CRM product should do something similar to this. Back in the day we used ACT! or GoldMine to do it.I wonder if you could use a gmail API (is there one?) to divine this info automatically?

I'm reading Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferazzi (not a great book, but highlights the importance of sustaining relationships) and I'm trying to find something online to help me with what will be an incredibly tedious task if I don't.I know about Plaxo and LinkedIn, but neither does quite what I want. I need something that lets me keep track of when I last spoke to someone and lets me tag people as being in different categories (i.e. business contact, old friend, acquaintance, etc.). Anyone know of something out there that can do this?

2007-07-16 01:14:35 UTC

staunch

Millionaires Cash Out Of California

chaostheory

If it's just tax evasion they may still be living and doing business there. A Wyoming millionaire can invest in a California company.

2007-07-16 01:43:15 UTC

rchambers

A Patent Is Worth Having, Right? Well, Maybe Not

nickb

excellent article on patents and the need for change in the process

2007-07-16 01:49:41 UTC

budu3

How to Raise Money from VCs

mdolon

I donno if I'd take any of his advice but I like him. He's cool. :)

Check out the video in the article, pretty funny, useful and confusing all at once.

2007-07-16 02:24:16 UTC

akkartik

Favorite PG essay?

terpua

http://paulgraham.com/essay.html

http://paulgraham.com/procrastination.htmlMy fellow friends and I identify :)

2007-07-16 02:41:59 UTC

christefano

Does anyone know of a web app for personal relationship management?

myoung8

I use CiviCRM. It may not be perfect for you, as you seem to have decided on Highrise, but CiviCRM is perfect for me. Integrating it into my existing sites is a breeze.http://civicrm.org/

I'm reading Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferazzi (not a great book, but highlights the importance of sustaining relationships) and I'm trying to find something online to help me with what will be an incredibly tedious task if I don't.I know about Plaxo and LinkedIn, but neither does quite what I want. I need something that lets me keep track of when I last spoke to someone and lets me tag people as being in different categories (i.e. business contact, old friend, acquaintance, etc.). Anyone know of something out there that can do this?

2007-07-16 03:00:54 UTC

edgeztv

Remember InviteShare? Sold for $25,000!

mdolon

If I was a potential buyer I'd see someone selling a site just 4 days after launch as a big red flag. Was the developer's confidence in it's potential so low that they chose to take a sum equivalent to 4 months' salaray (assuming they're not 16) rather than ride the wave?On the other hand, maybe they're on to something - repeatedly build sites with cool design, get a mention on Tech Crunch, and flip.

2007-07-16 03:43:12 UTC

ivankirigin

The greatest economic boom ever?

pg

To a certain extent, we should have expected this for some time. An introduction to economics will teach you about productivity. Clearly, sending a tractor back 1000 years would do wonders for local productivity. The boost from the marginal US tractor would be orders of magnitude smaller.This is pretty obvious.What isn't obvious is why the developing world grows so slowly in spite of the multitude of available improvements from the first world. The article mentions looking for 20% growth in some countries. Is that really a high number considering people in the US is 40X richer than Eritrea? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP...Increasing freedom is important here, clearly. Increased ease of communication must be playing a roll.One thing I've never understood is why it seems people don't try to make much money off of the poorest 5B people. If you tap that market, the growth potential is ginormous. This reminds me of an excellent article about design for the world's poor. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/29/science/29cheap.html?ex=11...

2007-07-16 04:02:56 UTC

queensnake

A Patent Is Worth Having, Right? Well, Maybe Not

queensnake

Not relevant to the article but, I've got a piece of user interface I want to patent - sure patents are evil but the underlying tech is kind of easily deducible / re-creatable once seen (it's a human-aided optimization system, the method of human interaction is obviously on display). So I feel I need that protection to even show it to anyone. Again not too relevant but, does anyone have experience with protecting 'fragile' tech?

2007-07-16 04:18:13 UTC

palish

Find a startup co-founder

rbitar

Don't make your users register. At least not to just access information.

A site for finding co-founders: http://www.cofoundr.comYou can search members by skills, interests and location or "pitch your idea" to recruit folks.

2007-07-16 04:31:56 UTC

sharpshoot

Does anyone know of a web app for personal relationship management?

myoung8

we're building it now

I'm reading Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferazzi (not a great book, but highlights the importance of sustaining relationships) and I'm trying to find something online to help me with what will be an incredibly tedious task if I don't.I know about Plaxo and LinkedIn, but neither does quite what I want. I need something that lets me keep track of when I last spoke to someone and lets me tag people as being in different categories (i.e. business contact, old friend, acquaintance, etc.). Anyone know of something out there that can do this?

2007-07-16 04:38:12 UTC

acgourley

List of TechStars companies (6 out of the 10 are listed)

vegashacker

To be fair, I didn't investigate ... but who needs 15k and office space to build a sticky note facebook app? Secondly, Didn't the facebook platform launch after the techstars deadline?

2007-07-16 06:00:52 UTC

bayareaguy

How does one learn about the latest advances in Computer Science (not fads) to apply and improve your work?

juwo

This can be a full time job in itself, but here are some quickies I like:If you want to be practical, Hack The Planet is worth a glance every now and then: http://wmf.editthispage.comLambda the Ultimate is good too, especially if you think languages are where the real CS action is: http://lambda-the-ultimate.org/

Note: core stuff like algorithms, new patterns etc. not fads like RoR, Ajax...Stuff that usually sits in abtruse papers, out of mind for the average developer. Accessible to the average developer, and in a form more easily digestible (studying research papers is not practical for all). When I picked up the Cormen book recently, I saw lots of new stuff I didnt learn in College.

2007-07-16 06:47:12 UTC

daniel-cussen

Dear Lumber yard

daniel-cussen

I had fun writing this.

Dear Sirs,I write to solicit; we sell termites. We provide termite adoption services for lumberyards.While termite adoption may sound terrible at first blush, we believe it to be adviseable. The termites can dispose of wracked beams without requiring burning. The termites can also eliminate small pieces of discarded wood, and partly take care of cleaning the sawing site in your stead. They can also easily consume stockpiles that are no longer useful. This may be especially valuable in sight of the housing downturn in your area and subsequent inventory surpluses you may be dealing with. Any surplus inventory you give to the termites will largely be metabolized by the termites, and therefore decrease in volume. From a practical point of view, a termite nest can perform in your lumber yard the task it performs in nature; that of a recycler. At this point you can exploint the large amount of fertilizer left over and sell it.You are in a position at which you can begin to sell natural fertilizer easily. Consumers relate your core business to fixing homes. You provide beams for home improvement purposes, and while that segment of the housing market is falling, the gardening market is holding up because desperate sellers will try to improve the curb appeal of their house in order to finally sell their house. This means home sellers are improving their gardens, which involves the use of fertilizer. As the housing downturn has affected your core business for the worse, why not hedge these losses by entering the fertilizer market?Not only will termites reduce costs and expand your business, they will also provide excellent public relations. Ecology is in these days; Whole Foods can charge about twice the usual price for its products solely because they are organic. This despite any evidence the food the sell is actually better in any way. Many consumers may want to reduce their carbon footprint. By buying your fertilizer, they effectively stop about half of the carbon in a plank from reaching the atmosphere. This will provide cheap and novel marketing for both your core business and your fertilizer business.We'll be the first to acknowledge that termites pose a serious risk to wood. They can devastate a home if left unattended for a few years. A simple "moat" around the termite's designated space will be able to effectively stop the termites from harming the good wood. In doing so, you will showcase your expertise in handling lumber and the confidence you have in your abilities. You may be able to sell termite control sprays in the process.At Intermite, we believe adopting a nest will be an excellent way to help your core lumber business. For an up-front set-up fee of $449.00, we offer the delivery and installation and setup of a termite nest in your lumberyard.A nest costs $450.00 plus tax. This fee includes includes delivery and installation. We offer related products such as custom fertilizer bags,Regards, Intermite

2007-07-16 07:38:43 UTC

jamiequint

Find a startup co-founder

rbitar

Is that image from the facebook "Places I've Been" App?

A site for finding co-founders: http://www.cofoundr.comYou can search members by skills, interests and location or "pitch your idea" to recruit folks.

2007-07-16 07:49:43 UTC

zach

Simplicity vs. Feature Creep: I Love It, It's Perfect, Now It Changes

nickb

I heard somewhere that the glaze lipstick that Monica Lewinsky wore for a 1999 TV interview was discontinued, so women clamor for it on eBay.

2007-07-16 07:51:50 UTC

tx

Find a startup co-founder

rbitar

Bug Alert:Once I uploaded the image into my profile, I cannot change it. It does not matter what I do: remove an existing image and upload new one, rename files before uploading, in the end, my profile shows the image I uploaded first time, regardless of what I try to upload now.

A site for finding co-founders: http://www.cofoundr.comYou can search members by skills, interests and location or "pitch your idea" to recruit folks.

2007-07-16 07:55:53 UTC

jamiequint

Favorite PG essay?

terpua

The Power of the Marginal

http://paulgraham.com/procrastination.htmlMy fellow friends and I identify :)

2007-07-16 08:06:50 UTC

aaroneous

Remember InviteShare? Sold for $25,000!

mdolon

While I think InviteShare provides a useful service and could gather a community, I think it would be difficult for someone to easily make a full-time business out of it on its own.$25,000 for what likely could have been a handful of days work is an excellent payout, and possibly a great way to fund their next startup ;]

2007-07-16 08:09:43 UTC

staunch

Remember InviteShare? Sold for $25,000!

mdolon

I'm interested in who bought it. Was it an SEO/domainer/spammer guy?

2007-07-16 08:16:00 UTC

7media

Bust a Name - Great way to find available domain names

exogen

but why are they using tapefailure? are they checking out what users type into the forms?

It's like Instant Domain Search taken to the next level - give it some words and it'll help you find something. Sorting by length and readability are great ideas.

2007-07-16 09:11:01 UTC

damir

Find a startup co-founder

rbitar

Why Login/Register?

A site for finding co-founders: http://www.cofoundr.comYou can search members by skills, interests and location or "pitch your idea" to recruit folks.

2007-07-16 09:41:29 UTC

rms

Could the YC model have existed in the late 90's?

terpua

Yes, but they would have needed to invest more money to cover software and servers. Open source has come a long way since then.

2007-07-16 09:46:54 UTC

epi0Bauqu

just occured to me - almost everybody do at least one startup per life

rustartup

I was thinking about this analogy this weekend because my niece was over. It sure seems like having a toddler is certainly on par in terms of work with doing a startup.

The start up that almost one do at least once per life is FAMILY:-- starting with a low budget and wild emotions -- aiming at growth and public purpose -- changing its course as life goes on -- always focused on whats critical -- totally commitedNo less than 2 co founders needed :)

2007-07-16 12:17:37 UTC

mojuba

Favorite PG essay?

terpua

Succinctness is power -- http://www.paulgraham.com/power.html -- probably the best article for a language designer. Not only succinctness is power, it turns out to be the most important quality of a good programming language. The rest is a matter of taste, I think.

http://paulgraham.com/procrastination.htmlMy fellow friends and I identify :)

2007-07-16 12:53:20 UTC

mynameishere

It's no secret: Facebook's allure is its privacy

gibsonf1

Oh. I seriously thought that its allure was a mix of voyeurism and exhibitionism.

2007-07-16 13:16:03 UTC

geebee

Millionaires Cash Out Of California

chaostheory

The article wasn't completely clear about where these millionaires are actually living. One client saved nearly 100K/year by declaring a primary residence in another state (Wyoming). Does that actually mean he/she lives there?Another thing - almost anyone who bought a modest house in a nice neighborhood in most of the bay area, los angeles, san diego, santa barbara... more than 15 years ago is probably a millionaire on paper. I have a feeling a lot of these millionaire cash outs are retirees tapping home equity.But are high tech entrepreneurs, flush with a mil from their first success, eager to leave silicon valley and resettle in Wyoming? Seriously doubt it.

2007-07-16 13:28:34 UTC

PindaxDotCom

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

If you really want to accomplish as much as possible in your life, you could start by throwing out your prejudices. Computer languages aren't religions, they're tools, get over it.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 13:59:01 UTC

brlewis

Startup Marketing: Big Bang vs. Darwinian Evolution

brlewis

I particularly liked this challenge: "Think of five startups that you really admire and that you think were big hits. Now, do some quick research and figure out how much time/energy they spent on a big-bang launch to "release" their product to the world."

2007-07-16 14:04:25 UTC

budu3

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

I think you're being petty. If you like the vibe of the startup and you think they have a future then go ahead.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 14:13:15 UTC

mattculbreth

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

Going to dissent with the other respondents. If you think you'll be unhappy (and therefore probably unproductive) using C++ then don't do it. There are other startups, and of course you could always do your own thing and pick your tools.This isn't to say that C++ is necessarily bad, but I wouldn't want to work in it (again) either.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 14:42:42 UTC

pixcavator

Why We Rank #1 for 'John Chow' and Why You Shouldn't Mess With Google

rchambers

If Google ranks anyone manually, it only proves that their algorithm is inadequate.

If you came to this article looking for ways to "Make Money Online", you came to the right place. If you were searching for John Chow, and ended up here you must be wondering how we are the first result and if it makes sense.

2007-07-16 14:54:07 UTC

brlewis

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

There are many more factors to accomplishing as much as possible than coding efficiently. Go join them and find out what they're doing right. Later you can do your own project and add the advantage of a superior language to the advantage of knowing what a successful startup looks like.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 14:57:43 UTC

gibsonf1

Please, no more LinkedIn invites ("get yourself onto Facebook if you wish to grab my attention")

tomh

It would be hard to find a more convincing business argument to joining Facebook than this.

2007-07-16 15:08:21 UTC

willarson

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

I think the important question is "why are they using C++/Java?" If they are using them for efficiency reasons, then this may be a case prematurely optimization, and they may not like the tools either, but feel trapped into using them. On the other hand they may be using them because they are most comfortable and experienced using them. This is a pretty good reason to use a language, but eventually leads to stagnation.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 15:21:58 UTC

mechanical_fish

If you are reading this you are not working on your startup.

awt

"Another trait, it took me a while to notice. I noticed the following facts about people who work with the door open or the door closed. I notice that if you have the door to your office closed, you get more work done today and tomorrow, and you are more productive than most. But 10 years later somehow you don't know quite know what problems are worth working on; all the hard work you do is sort of tangential in importance. He who works with the door open gets all kinds of interruptions, but he also occasionally gets clues as to what the world is and what might be important. Now I cannot prove the cause and effect sequence because you might say, ``The closed door is symbolic of a closed mind.'' I don't know. But I can say there is a pretty good correlation between those who work with the doors open and those who ultimately do important things, although people who work with doors closed often work harder. Somehow they seem to work on slightly the wrong thing - not much, but enough that they miss fame."-- Richard Hamming, "You and Your Research" (http://paulgraham.com/hamming.html)

2007-07-16 15:32:02 UTC

acgourley

Please, no more LinkedIn invites ("get yourself onto Facebook if you wish to grab my attention")

tomh

Yeah, except everyone who went to college has tens or hundreds of questionable photos of themselves (tagged and posted by other people) which were originally posted because facebook was "just for college.""We finished doing our due diligence on your founding team, and we was wondering if that 28 second kegstand was with a fast count or not"

2007-07-16 15:54:15 UTC

aston

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

This is some hardcore language hate. C++ is the production coding language. Java is the enterprise coding language. You should want to join these guys just to get your head around why all the companies who make a truckloads of money doing software use these languages.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 16:07:37 UTC

pg

Could the YC model have existed in the late 90's?

terpua

Yes, actually. Our model for YC was Viaweb, which was started in 1995 with $10k plus legal work from our friend Julian.At the time everyone gave us a hard time for starting the co in an apartment with so little money, using open-source sw for everything, writing a web-based app, and running the co ourselves instead of getting an MBA as the CEO. At the time we were considered a broken startup. Now we would be called a "Web 2.0" startup.

2007-07-16 16:18:36 UTC

geebee

Favorite PG essay?

terpua

While I'd pick Hackers and Painters, my favorite few paragraphs come from "Why to not not start a startup."http://paulgraham.com/notnot.htmlI find the comparison of a job to serfdom to be unsettling. Of course, a modern day cubicle dweller isn't living the kind of life of a medieval serf, but that won't necessarily stop people in the future from looking back on the lives of most people in the early 21st century with pity, wondering how they could have lived with so little personal freedom.It's not just the analogy, it's the optimism. One reason I'm so behind the new tech economy is that it's about more than business and money - this is about changing the rules. Even if you don't start a startup, or work for one, the way you work and live may be changed, much for the better, if startups prove that people who work freely and own their results dramatically outperform the serfdom of the cubicle dweller. I hope that we can prove that there's no hope in running a cubicle dwelling company - you will simply be thrashed and outperformed by more nimble startups.

http://paulgraham.com/procrastination.htmlMy fellow friends and I identify :)

2007-07-16 16:25:42 UTC

pg

Ignore the competition

vd

He's wrong. You have to pay attention to competitors because (a) so many people will ask why you're better, (b) you may be able to get new ideas from them, and (c) even a lame competitor can motivate you to work harder.Getting new ideas doesn't just mean getting ideas to copy. If the competition is really lame, studying them can be a way to learn what's good about what you're doing. Often you're doing something right unconsciously, and don't even realize it till you see someone not doing it.What you don't want to do is change your direction to do something just because competitors are.

If you want to be #1, ignore the competition.

2007-07-16 16:52:20 UTC

maxklein

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

Don't be fulled by selective perception. C++ and Java are the backbone of software.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 16:59:26 UTC

msiegel

The Dangers of Building on the Facebook Platform

rchambers

There's always a danger when building on top of a platform that's not designed as an "infrastructure" service. Even public utilities like power & water aren't 100% reliable.When you pick a platform to reach your customers, know there will be failures and set reasonable expectations about service. Sometimes you can compensate for outages and other platform problems, sometimes you can't.That's where good customer service comes in. :)-Matt

Everybody with a website knows that Google owns two of their most important marketing channels: organic search (SEO) and paid search (SEM).

2007-07-16 17:09:38 UTC

danw

It's no secret: Facebook's allure is its privacy

gibsonf1

And to think I use it just because all my friends are on there..

2007-07-16 17:23:21 UTC

smg

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

If you are really good at C++ (gork template metaprogramming, Alexandrescu's Modern C++ design) you will be as or more productive than most average people programming in Ruby or Python. Instead of focusing on the language think about the kind of people you are working with. Today you will find a lot of kool aid drinking kids coding in lightweight languages and quoting from Hackers and Painters at every opportunity. That does not mean they produce high quality software

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 17:41:08 UTC

joshclark

Startup Marketing: Big Bang vs. Darwinian Evolution

brlewis

This one reminds me a bit of Joel Spolsky's "Ben and Jerry's vs. Amazon" from back in the day: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000056.html"Both models work, but you've got to pick one and stick to it, or you'll find things mysteriously going wrong and you won't quite know why."

2007-07-16 17:47:01 UTC

joshclark

Promises, Problems and Product Development (Global Moxie)

joshclark

The clincher: "That's where the opportunity lies to surprise and delight: Find the way to solve a problem that the customer has absorbed as a fact of life, a pain they've borne so long they don't even realize it's there anymore. Those opportunities rarely present themselves as feature requests."

"Find the way to solve a problem that the customer has absorbed as a fact of life, a pain theyaEURXve borne so long they donaEURXt even realize itaEURXs there anymore."

2007-07-16 17:50:43 UTC

mdakin

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

Personally I'd take a great team of smart, flexible people over my choice of programming language any day. I think it all comes down to the specifics of your nature, the team, and its environment.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 18:11:48 UTC

hello_moto

Remember InviteShare? Sold for $25,000!

mdolon

Come to think, this "scenario" seems like a good idea rather than going through YCombinator.Think about it. Find something easy to implement (shouldn't be more than 1.5 months effort) and target it to TechCrunch audience. Flip the site for $25k - $30k and embark to your ultimate goal.Now you don't have to share 6% - 10% of your company to YCombinator (or other similar companies)

2007-07-16 18:17:26 UTC

Tichy

Please, no more LinkedIn invites ("get yourself onto Facebook if you wish to grab my attention")

tomh

All I see on his personal facebook page is a login screen. Not very compelling.

2007-07-16 18:38:14 UTC

jsjenkins168

Help me inspire 7th graders.

far33d

Much of the general public associates the term "hacker" with what they see in movies; evil geeky guys who break into computers to steal stuff. I'd start off the talk clarifying what being a hacker really is so they are clear on the term.Cool that you're doing that though, good luck!

I've been asked to speak for a group of 7th graders taking a programming class in a Palo Alto school. I want to title my talk - Why You Should Be a Hacker. The rough outline is: 1) Cheapest way to innovate - low barrier to entry, you can build things without having a lab, lots of tools, or anything more than a computer, and building things is FUN!2) You live in the center of the startup world. SV is a special place, and you are lucky to be a part of it already.3) Software will be everywhere (rotary phone evolves into the iPhone) - even if you don't hack professionally, you'll want to know how things actually work. 4) You can wear whatever you want (this is more about hackers being rule-breakers)5) It's all about practice - and you have a big headstart.PG's essays are awesome for someone who already knows they are a hacker to get inspired to do something on their own. I'm hoping to inspire the next generation of YC'ers to start now.Any suggestions?

2007-07-16 19:05:28 UTC

jsjenkins168

UHF spectrum could deliver future open mobile network

jsjenkins168

The 700Mhz portion of the UHF spectrum goes on sale once the switch to HDTV is completed. FCC is promoting the idea that this spectrum be open and free from control by the big carriers. The carriers are losing power, fast.. This is good news for the end user and mobile software startups

2007-07-16 19:30:11 UTC

snorkel

It's no secret: Facebook's allure is its privacy

gibsonf1

This is a joke, right? Facebook encourages users to register accounts using their real name and then volunteer personal information with reckless abandon. But users need not worry because they can check a little box that says "shh! don't tell anyone!" but they didn't read the mouse print on the terms of service page that says Facebook can share it with whoever they want. If George Orwell only knew it would be this easy.

2007-07-16 19:31:31 UTC

edgeztv

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

I hear you. Right after grad school, I turned down an offer to work in a small (and very profitable) CAD company with good people mainly because I didn't want to code in C++ (and wanted to work with the web). A year later I chose a smaller web company over Microsoft partially for the same reason.Java, one the other hand, works pretty well if you have a lot of experience with it and use the right tools (IntelliJ IDE). I feel like I am more productive with Java+IntelliJ than with Python.Good luck with your decision.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 19:32:50 UTC

nickb

It's no secret: Facebook's allure is its privacy

gibsonf1

Ahem, what about this Mr Reuters guy? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34540It's as if his whole article is a sarcasm piece.

2007-07-16 19:35:28 UTC

msiegel

Why is raising money unproductive?

drusenko

Wow, I've always thought of raising capital as a chore, not as the most exciting part of the business.The most exciting part being, building & shipping great product that makes customers happy, thereby bringing in revenue.Is it just me??-Matt

2007-07-16 19:45:06 UTC

msiegel

Find a startup co-founder

rbitar

Hey, where the heck is the OpenID-based login?Come on people, let's make the 21st century a better place already! :)-Matt

A site for finding co-founders: http://www.cofoundr.comYou can search members by skills, interests and location or "pitch your idea" to recruit folks.

2007-07-16 19:50:15 UTC

sbraford

Knitting site attracts 17,000 without "any marketing to speak of"

brlewis

A while ago some knitting site sold some $100k+ of knitting kits in a few days. Their merchant provider froze their account because they feared it was due to fraud, or whatever. (don't have the link offhand)

2007-07-16 19:53:58 UTC

willarson

Help me inspire 7th graders.

far33d

Sounds like you have a fun opportunity lined up. I would personally try to broaden your message some. Kids get told what they should do all the time. I would tell them that one of life's true joys is to find something you love and to spend your life working on it. Then you could segue into a discussion of how hacking has been a personal source of meaning for you. Talk about the points you mention above, and then bring it full circle by telling them that any road they walk down can be equally fulfilling if they find something they truly care for: life's value derives from what we do, not what we have. Hope your talk goes well, and keep in mind there is probably a reason you are being asked to give a talk and not me. ;)

I've been asked to speak for a group of 7th graders taking a programming class in a Palo Alto school. I want to title my talk - Why You Should Be a Hacker. The rough outline is: 1) Cheapest way to innovate - low barrier to entry, you can build things without having a lab, lots of tools, or anything more than a computer, and building things is FUN!2) You live in the center of the startup world. SV is a special place, and you are lucky to be a part of it already.3) Software will be everywhere (rotary phone evolves into the iPhone) - even if you don't hack professionally, you'll want to know how things actually work. 4) You can wear whatever you want (this is more about hackers being rule-breakers)5) It's all about practice - and you have a big headstart.PG's essays are awesome for someone who already knows they are a hacker to get inspired to do something on their own. I'm hoping to inspire the next generation of YC'ers to start now.Any suggestions?

2007-07-16 19:54:12 UTC

mynameishere

Help me inspire 7th graders.

far33d

Mention that most jobs involve:1. Pushing paper around, and/or,2. Kissing ass to [bosses|customers|random people on the phone]Programmers, by contrast, actually get to create something, like craftsmen of the past. One of the very few jobs where that is true.Nix the word "hacker". It either has a bad connotation or is an unrealistic ambition for 7th graders (to those who understand the "good" connotation, a hacker is a person of rare abilities.)

I've been asked to speak for a group of 7th graders taking a programming class in a Palo Alto school. I want to title my talk - Why You Should Be a Hacker. The rough outline is: 1) Cheapest way to innovate - low barrier to entry, you can build things without having a lab, lots of tools, or anything more than a computer, and building things is FUN!2) You live in the center of the startup world. SV is a special place, and you are lucky to be a part of it already.3) Software will be everywhere (rotary phone evolves into the iPhone) - even if you don't hack professionally, you'll want to know how things actually work. 4) You can wear whatever you want (this is more about hackers being rule-breakers)5) It's all about practice - and you have a big headstart.PG's essays are awesome for someone who already knows they are a hacker to get inspired to do something on their own. I'm hoping to inspire the next generation of YC'ers to start now.Any suggestions?

2007-07-16 19:58:32 UTC

sabhishek

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

It depends, If you don't like doing C++/Java don't go for that. imo don't force yourself to do anything you don't like for that matter. True that C++ is losing its sheen and Java is being called a new age Cobol , but they still dominate the scene, its a matter of personal preference.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 20:03:10 UTC

mattculbreth

Need Good Startup Lawyer Recommendation

gibsonf1

I believe they work with Goodwin Procter, as do I. Feel free to email me and I'll send you a couple contacts.

We need to get a lawyer to help us with trademark issues and our company structure. Can anyone recommend a good lawyer in the SF area?PG: I did as many google searches as possible on YC to try to find the lawyer you use for YC companies which I'm pretty sure you mentioned a couple months ago, but to no avail. Which lawyers do you use?

2007-07-16 20:07:50 UTC

mynameishere

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

C++. Pshaw. Only crap companies like ID Software use that. What has Quake got on the awesome expressiveness of Flickr, or Facebook or Google Suggest? I mean, just in terms of sheer output, consider that BOTH Flickr and Facebook are able to...display text on a screen! And put jpegs in neat columns in div tags!Pshaw. What has C++ got on that?Seriously. Do away with the tunnel vision. When you're talking consumer software, all of the output of all of the languages of the world combined absolutely pale compared with that of C/C++.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 20:10:54 UTC

nostrademons

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

I am in almost the exact same situation, except with 2 years of hindsight. I joined a startup straight out of college as employee #13 (at the time, it had about 8 employees in the office at any given time). It was profitable, I liked the people, and they were doing some pretty cool stuff.Overall, I would do it over again but probably will not remain with them for much longer, if that makes any sense. Some observations:The language choice will grate on you after a while. I dunno what the background of posters saying "Be professional. Suck it up." is, but I actually liked Java coding when I started, and have since learned to hate it. If you're going in with a strong aversion to Java & C++ already, it'll probably only get worse.Flip side is that you do get better at these languages after you work with them a while, as long as you keep an open mind. There are tricks and tools in C++ to help you manage memory - you shouldn't be tracing pointers from new to delete. And Java's verbosity isn't as bad once you get used it and consider "for(int i = 0; i < array.length; ++i)...." to be a single map function that just has a really long name. ;-)One question to ask that'll help you determine if the language will end up becoming a total drag: are they using it because the problem fits the language's strengths, or are they using it because they don't know any better and aren't comfortable with multi-language solutions? Every mainstream language is good for something. In my case, I was perfectly happy as long as I was writing IDE plugins and server software in Java, and then became very unhappy once I had to write a webapp. (IMNSHO, Java is irredeemably broken for webapps; the only sane way to do them is to strip out all the JavaEE bullshit and program on bare servlets, but then you get something that's nowhere near as nice as Python/PHP/Perl.)There are plenty of things beyond programming that you learn from working in a successful (profitable) startup. OTOH, it's not rocket science. Basically, you can boil it all down to: 1.) Make something people want, 2.) Charge more for it than it costs you, and 3.) Fix problems now rather than later. Every failed startup I've been involved with has neglected at least one of these: every successful startup has done all three.I dunno what you expect financially out of this, but be aware that founders get rich, late-stage employees get paid, and early-stage employees get screwed. At least in proportion to the amount of effort they put in. One startup I worked in went bust, taking my 0.1% of stock options with it. One that I interviewed at offered me about 0.01% of the company; I did the math, and calculated that at their expected $40M exit, I would get a whole $4000. I have no equity at my current employer. My cubemate was an early employee at CCBN, which was sold to Thomson for about $40M. He got $3K or so. I have another friend who was employee #35 at Stratus and later a VP; she was rich for a while when they ended up with a billion-$ market cap, but ended up poor again after the stock crashed. If you plan on being an early employee at a startup, you should do it for learning or for the experience rather than any perceived financial rewards.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 20:12:02 UTC

danielha

Need Good Startup Lawyer Recommendation

gibsonf1

YC works with WSGR.http://www.wsgr.com

We need to get a lawyer to help us with trademark issues and our company structure. Can anyone recommend a good lawyer in the SF area?PG: I did as many google searches as possible on YC to try to find the lawyer you use for YC companies which I'm pretty sure you mentioned a couple months ago, but to no avail. Which lawyers do you use?

2007-07-16 20:15:10 UTC

mattculbreth

Need Good Startup Lawyer Recommendation

gibsonf1

Here you go, another thread:http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16419

We need to get a lawyer to help us with trademark issues and our company structure. Can anyone recommend a good lawyer in the SF area?PG: I did as many google searches as possible on YC to try to find the lawyer you use for YC companies which I'm pretty sure you mentioned a couple months ago, but to no avail. Which lawyers do you use?

2007-07-16 20:26:54 UTC

cwilbur

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

If you think you'll be unhappy doing the actual work that you'll be doing when you take the job, the job isn't worth it. There's no difference between being employee #9 or being employee #99999 in that regard.Also, if they're successful enough with their current languages, you will not change them. Taking a job saying "I know they use X, but I'll talk them into using Y instead, and then I'll be happy!" is like entering a relationship saying "I know she does X that drives me nuts, but I know if I pester her enough, she'll stop it, and then I'll be happy!" Doesn't work that way.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 20:38:48 UTC

uuilly

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

I think there is nothing more miserable than working with tools that you don't like. Part of the allure of starting a startup was not compromising an inch on the exact tools you want. Follow your bliss, not your stock options. That said, I suspect most people that pan C++ have never extensively used or understood the STL or Boost Libraries. Undergrad C++ is nothing more than a basic introduction to the language.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 20:40:17 UTC

reeses

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

There's a broad line with "C++/Java". You can use C++ as a safer C, and yes, that's generally unpleasant. But if you're leveraging STL, Boost, and some GC like Boehm, among other extensions, it's a great deal better. Same with Java -- if you're leveraging Java 5/6 functionality, using Groovy for scripting, etc., you're going to be stretching your brain with something other than memory management.Ask them how they use the languages, and you might find they wrote their own compilers for DSLs or other things you'll enjoy working on.All that said, the market is ripe right now, and it's a good time to be a prima donna about what you'll work on.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 20:41:58 UTC

juwo

Help me inspire 7th graders.

far33d

How boring y'all make it seem!play them clips from movies (e.g. the scene from Titanic which was computer generated), popular gamesthen play short interviews with the designers and developers who wrote them.then show them a simple computer program, and it executing to do some graphics. So they can correlate code with effects.

I've been asked to speak for a group of 7th graders taking a programming class in a Palo Alto school. I want to title my talk - Why You Should Be a Hacker. The rough outline is: 1) Cheapest way to innovate - low barrier to entry, you can build things without having a lab, lots of tools, or anything more than a computer, and building things is FUN!2) You live in the center of the startup world. SV is a special place, and you are lucky to be a part of it already.3) Software will be everywhere (rotary phone evolves into the iPhone) - even if you don't hack professionally, you'll want to know how things actually work. 4) You can wear whatever you want (this is more about hackers being rule-breakers)5) It's all about practice - and you have a big headstart.PG's essays are awesome for someone who already knows they are a hacker to get inspired to do something on their own. I'm hoping to inspire the next generation of YC'ers to start now.Any suggestions?

2007-07-16 20:51:29 UTC

msiegel

Simplicity vs. Feature Creep: I Love It, It's Perfect, Now It Changes

nickb

Outstanding article. Who among us has this not happened to? I take this as a huge lesson in product design.

2007-07-16 20:55:46 UTC

nostrademons

Need Good Startup Lawyer Recommendation

gibsonf1

I've got the same question, but for Boston area. Recommendations would be appreciated.Also, how do costs compare with these law firms? Will using WSGR or Goodwin Procter set us back an arm and a leg, or are most competent firms roughly equivalent in price? Is legal stuff a place where it's even worth being price-sensitive, or does it pay to splurge for a top-tier law firm?

We need to get a lawyer to help us with trademark issues and our company structure. Can anyone recommend a good lawyer in the SF area?PG: I did as many google searches as possible on YC to try to find the lawyer you use for YC companies which I'm pretty sure you mentioned a couple months ago, but to no avail. Which lawyers do you use?

2007-07-16 21:17:34 UTC

nivi

Need Good Startup Lawyer Recommendation

gibsonf1

You need to ask for a specific Partner. Just going to WSGR is not useful. Or Fenwick. Or Gunderson. Or anywhere. They all have good and bad lawyers.In general, it is really really hard to find a good lawyer. I have never hired Yokum but he is very active in the Venture Hacks community and he has a good blog: http://startupcompanylawyer.com/Nivi http://venturehacks.com

We need to get a lawyer to help us with trademark issues and our company structure. Can anyone recommend a good lawyer in the SF area?PG: I did as many google searches as possible on YC to try to find the lawyer you use for YC companies which I'm pretty sure you mentioned a couple months ago, but to no avail. Which lawyers do you use?

2007-07-16 21:18:24 UTC

ryantmulligan

Help me inspire 7th graders.

far33d

Doing is the second best way to learn.http://hacketyhack.net/

I've been asked to speak for a group of 7th graders taking a programming class in a Palo Alto school. I want to title my talk - Why You Should Be a Hacker. The rough outline is: 1) Cheapest way to innovate - low barrier to entry, you can build things without having a lab, lots of tools, or anything more than a computer, and building things is FUN!2) You live in the center of the startup world. SV is a special place, and you are lucky to be a part of it already.3) Software will be everywhere (rotary phone evolves into the iPhone) - even if you don't hack professionally, you'll want to know how things actually work. 4) You can wear whatever you want (this is more about hackers being rule-breakers)5) It's all about practice - and you have a big headstart.PG's essays are awesome for someone who already knows they are a hacker to get inspired to do something on their own. I'm hoping to inspire the next generation of YC'ers to start now.Any suggestions?

2007-07-16 21:30:00 UTC

jsjenkins168

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

I've noticed there is a negative bias towards the "enterprise" languages by many on this forum. Not calling out gregwebs in particular, just speaking generally. I think much of the negativism stems from the hacker mentality that big companies are evil and that breaking the rules is cool. Therefore anything that big companies do or use is automatically uncool.Nothing wrong with this mindset, but I think it often goes too far with some. Java and C++ are not bad languages. Yes, most large software companies use them but there are some reasons why they might be a desirable choice. One is that these languages work well in a collaborative work environment. There are many proven debugging tools, established QA practices, very good IDEs with integrated revision synchronization tools, etc. While these may not matter for the hacker or small group of hackers creating something cool, they are very important considerations for a growing software company who has plans to scale.So with this understanding in mind I wouldn't automatically rule out a company based on the fact they code in C++/Java. Ask them why do and you might discover that there's more there than what meets the eye.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-16 21:32:01 UTC

Zak

Ignore the competition

vd

He's quoting Netscape about the virtues of ignoring the competition. Netscape failed to pay enough attention to what the competition was doing. Where are they now?

If you want to be #1, ignore the competition.

2007-07-16 21:32:34 UTC

msiegel

Lessons for Consumer-Focused Startups (from Accel Venture Partners)

joshwa

I agree: overnight success may be programmed over a weekend, but it also has to be grown with care like a garden.I've heard "buy some customers" a few times myself, and while it's possible for me to think like that, who as a customer would want to be treated that way? Not me. This article is an excellent, level-headed summary.-Matt

2007-07-16 21:49:39 UTC

aston

FlickIM: Bored Startup Makes Awesome IM for the iPhone

abstractbill

I don't buy it. Why do they have funding, but just up and decided this week what to do?

2007-07-16 22:39:36 UTC

pramodbiligiri

Help me inspire 7th graders.

far33d

"building things is FUN" Start with that point. In fact turn it around and say "Let's have some FUN..and also happen to build things"The other points are too abstract for 7th graders. For example, 2) is strongly empirical, partly circular reasoning. 3) and 5) will only appeal to the academic types who anyway work towards scoring in exams.A demo would be great. Tune into some part of kiddie pop culture (some handheld game or Myspace or whatever) and demo how that can be built. No need for snazzy graphics, Even a bare bones version will work.(I'd go for HTML, Javascript. Biggest reason is that it's easily accessible everywhere, and comes with a decent UI toolkit and Turing complete language)I'm assuming you have been invited since you are a practising professional. It's the job of the teacher to explain how things will be (points 2 to 5). You ought to be that person in front of them for those few hours.Walk the talk. Show the enthu in your eyes, voice. Kids pick up such things better than any words. Every gesture in your body language will matter. Unless you successfully come across as cool, 4) will be a waste.Hope that helps :)

I've been asked to speak for a group of 7th graders taking a programming class in a Palo Alto school. I want to title my talk - Why You Should Be a Hacker. The rough outline is: 1) Cheapest way to innovate - low barrier to entry, you can build things without having a lab, lots of tools, or anything more than a computer, and building things is FUN!2) You live in the center of the startup world. SV is a special place, and you are lucky to be a part of it already.3) Software will be everywhere (rotary phone evolves into the iPhone) - even if you don't hack professionally, you'll want to know how things actually work. 4) You can wear whatever you want (this is more about hackers being rule-breakers)5) It's all about practice - and you have a big headstart.PG's essays are awesome for someone who already knows they are a hacker to get inspired to do something on their own. I'm hoping to inspire the next generation of YC'ers to start now.Any suggestions?

2007-07-16 22:43:17 UTC

euccastro

Aaron Swartz: Announcing the Open Library

abstractbill

From one of the comments:> Amazon is NOT the place to store information on the world's books!This Brewster Kahle, isn't he still working at Amazon-owned Alexa?

2007-07-16 23:02:04 UTC

nickb

Aaron Swartz: Announcing the Open Library

abstractbill

Even more competition for Scribd.

2007-07-16 23:22:02 UTC

mdolon

Help me inspire 7th graders.

far33d

Please, please show them hackers can be cool. You can play sports and be a hacker. You can be in a band and still be a hacker. And yes, you CAN get hot girls and still be a hacker.Enough with the thick glasses and pimple-faces!

I've been asked to speak for a group of 7th graders taking a programming class in a Palo Alto school. I want to title my talk - Why You Should Be a Hacker. The rough outline is: 1) Cheapest way to innovate - low barrier to entry, you can build things without having a lab, lots of tools, or anything more than a computer, and building things is FUN!2) You live in the center of the startup world. SV is a special place, and you are lucky to be a part of it already.3) Software will be everywhere (rotary phone evolves into the iPhone) - even if you don't hack professionally, you'll want to know how things actually work. 4) You can wear whatever you want (this is more about hackers being rule-breakers)5) It's all about practice - and you have a big headstart.PG's essays are awesome for someone who already knows they are a hacker to get inspired to do something on their own. I'm hoping to inspire the next generation of YC'ers to start now.Any suggestions?

2007-07-16 23:24:53 UTC

rms

It's no secret: Facebook's allure is its privacy

gibsonf1

Facebook's secret is that there is no spam. MySpace is completely usually because of the spambots but Facebook has some kind of brilliant secret algorithm for keeping the network spam free.

2007-07-16 23:30:01 UTC

mdolon

Rails users: would you use rails again?

menloparkbum

In all honesty, for a quick and easy app, sure I would. For anything more complex where performance or scaling is required without hassle, I'd use something else. This is after I've made my first couple of apps in rails.

I've been building web apps ontop of rails for the past year and a half. Now I need to decide if I want to stick with rails for my startup.I like that it is quick to try things out. I don't like the various execution models or scaling issues. I've spent as much or more time tweaking configurations and de-railsifying certain pieces for performace as I have developing the app. I've also used Ruby to replace perl and python for utility scripts, and haven't been impressed with its performance. For those of you in a similar position, would you choose to use rails again?

2007-07-16 23:30:56 UTC

rnc000

Rails users: would you use rails again?

menloparkbum

No way.

I've been building web apps ontop of rails for the past year and a half. Now I need to decide if I want to stick with rails for my startup.I like that it is quick to try things out. I don't like the various execution models or scaling issues. I've spent as much or more time tweaking configurations and de-railsifying certain pieces for performace as I have developing the app. I've also used Ruby to replace perl and python for utility scripts, and haven't been impressed with its performance. For those of you in a similar position, would you choose to use rails again?

2007-07-16 23:39:53 UTC

bls

Lessons for Consumer-Focused Startups (from Accel Venture Partners)

joshwa

Just like everything on scribd, this would be much better as an HTML document.

2007-07-16 23:56:42 UTC

herdrick

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

Your instincts are good - I'd guess that you'd slowly come to despise your job So, what're your languages/tools of choice?

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-17 00:57:05 UTC

gibsonf1

Aaron Swartz: Announcing the Open Library

abstractbill

"champagne has a disgusting taste" <-- He can't be serious!

2007-07-17 01:28:24 UTC

cmars232

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

All languages suck, they're all Blub. Get over it. It seems kind of silly to be a language snob if the team and opportunity are right.Who knows, you might be able to embed scripting in their product. Maybe automate a test suite with dynamic bindings to their libraries. Or maybe be the voice of reason when someone on the team discovers design patterns or IoC and gets delusions of grandeur.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-17 01:43:06 UTC

whacked_new

Help me inspire 7th graders.

far33d

I'm highly interested in the education of young adults, but why 7th graders? 7th graders and programming just don't seem to fit together. Perhaps you're talking to a gifted bunch, but are they really precocious enough to understand the concept of 9-5, let alone "startup"? If not, then I would cut out points 2-5.I agree that inspiring youngsters is very important, but do you have particular reasons for focusing on the professional aspect of it, as opposed to, say, being able to do cool things with software?Many years ago, there was a kid at a programming camp; he was a bit too young, but not far off from 7th grade. And he declared that he wanted to learn programming to make games, the kind that he played everyday, some 3D RTS. Starting from scratch, for 2 months, that was quite plainly an impossibility. He probably would've had a more profitable experience if he had more reasonable, and relevant, expectations.Rather than PG's essay as a starting point to motivate 12-14 year olds, I would be more inclined to use more "palpable" examples, perhaps like the Mars Rovers or movie special effects or something. It'd be pretty cool if you started with a demo where by changing certain parts of the code you could create interesting changes. (But I know nothing about the interests or attention spans of the kids you are going to speak to.)Just a thought. Please post after the talk!

I've been asked to speak for a group of 7th graders taking a programming class in a Palo Alto school. I want to title my talk - Why You Should Be a Hacker. The rough outline is: 1) Cheapest way to innovate - low barrier to entry, you can build things without having a lab, lots of tools, or anything more than a computer, and building things is FUN!2) You live in the center of the startup world. SV is a special place, and you are lucky to be a part of it already.3) Software will be everywhere (rotary phone evolves into the iPhone) - even if you don't hack professionally, you'll want to know how things actually work. 4) You can wear whatever you want (this is more about hackers being rule-breakers)5) It's all about practice - and you have a big headstart.PG's essays are awesome for someone who already knows they are a hacker to get inspired to do something on their own. I'm hoping to inspire the next generation of YC'ers to start now.Any suggestions?

2007-07-17 01:53:58 UTC

dbosson

Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson

dbosson

"A man's power to connect his thought with its proper symbol, and so to utter it, depends on the simplicity of his character, that is, upon his love of truth, and his desire to communicate it without loss." I think this sentence and those that follow are very insightful, when it comes to communicating our ideas.

2007-07-17 02:29:36 UTC

davidz

Is it bad if I don't want to work at a C++/Java startup?

gregwebs

Why place so much emphasis on the language rather than the outlook of the startup? If the startup looks promising and you believe in it. It shouldn't matter if you need to work in _____(Write language here), I'd certainly go for it.

I have an opportunity to work at a company coming in as employee# < 10. They are doing so well that they are already profitable after a year and trying to keep up with the demand. I think I would really like working there, except that they use C++/Java. I want to accomplish as much as possible in my life, and coding memory management in C++ or otherwise being limited to unexpressive languages just seems to prevent that goal.

2007-07-17 02:36:56 UTC

chaostheory

Rails users: would you use rails again?

menloparkbum

In my case I would. None of the apps I have in my mind are super complicated (relative to other apps that is - though even simple apps have the devil in the details).If you're looking for performance, ruby is not the place to look. Ruby/Rails is for faster development with good organization, with much less chance of having sphagetti code (like PHP) which results in easier maintenance and evolution.

I've been building web apps ontop of rails for the past year and a half. Now I need to decide if I want to stick with rails for my startup.I like that it is quick to try things out. I don't like the various execution models or scaling issues. I've spent as much or more time tweaking configurations and de-railsifying certain pieces for performace as I have developing the app. I've also used Ruby to replace perl and python for utility scripts, and haven't been impressed with its performance. For those of you in a similar position, would you choose to use rails again?

2007-07-17 02:42:35 UTC