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german
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
Social networks should evolve into a more specific community. For example, a business network where you can collaborate with co-workers around the world to improve your marketing strategy among other things. It just don't make sense to me looking at people I don't care about.
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
5
36
2007-08-12 22:44:37 UTC
41,737
41,716
rokhayakebe
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
The bottom line is that social networks are mostly a waste of time. Geek and Social do not really go together. You usually have a small and close group of friends and you sure do not need FB or MSp to connect with them. I have a FB profile and that is because I have a Facebook application and my only friends are a few users and my co-foundrs. But remember that just because you are not using Facebook does not mean you should not look for opportunities in the environment. If you can build an app that will generate a nice return within a few months, then do it.
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
19
36
2007-08-12 22:45:40 UTC
41,738
41,716
webwright
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
..."And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway."Google stole the idea for Adwords, too.Besides, how can you steal the idea "a community for college kids"? We had one of these when I was in college (the earliest days of the internet)... It sucked, but a lot of us used it.On the caring about FB front, however-- I agree. Great article here calling Facebook "AOL 2.0":http://www.kottke.org/07/07/facebook-vs-aol-redux
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
3
36
2007-08-12 22:46:12 UTC
41,739
41,685
Readmore
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Tulsa, Oklahoma
null
24
21
2007-08-12 22:48:37 UTC
41,740
41,532
Readmore
Knowledge is power, 30 books every young entrepreneur should read
sharpshoot
You don't have time to read 30 books when you're starting a company. I hardly even have time to write this comment.
null
7
29
2007-08-12 22:49:25 UTC
41,745
41,716
ashu
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
isn't getting dates supposed to be _the_ reason for facebook's existence? :P
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
17
36
2007-08-12 22:55:47 UTC
41,746
41,733
epi0Bauqu
Sources of sample business plans?
yagibear
http://www.businessplanarchive.org/
Despite the current fashion of dismissing business plans, where can one find some examples of serious business plans? serious != school assignments. Of course plans from successful companies are preferable, but success can also be related to a tighter corporate hold on plans.Some starting points: Viaweb: www.paulgraham.com/vwplan.html Extracts from Yahoo's 1995 plan: http://www.stanford.edu/class/e145/materials/Yahoo_1995_STVP... .com era from the Business Plan Archive: www.businessplanarchive.org And another era: Eckert & Mauchly's Business Plan from 1946 http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/Eckert_Mau...
0
1
2007-08-12 22:57:57 UTC
41,747
41,716
epi0Bauqu
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
I've signed up and have tried to get something useful out of facebook and the other major ones, but nothing productive has really come of any of it. I suppose if I were in college and it was the central repository for events or if I was looking for dates, maybe I would find something useful there. But college was a long time ago at this point and I'm married. I hope they prove me wrong though. It would be nice if out of the blue I met someone interesting through one of these sites.
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
7
36
2007-08-12 23:03:42 UTC
41,750
41,685
semigeek
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Cleveland, Ohio. I travel regularly to Detroit, San Francisco and Atlanta for business though.
null
2
21
2007-08-12 23:04:28 UTC
41,752
41,733
rokhayakebe
Sources of sample business plans?
yagibear
maybe http://sribd.com
Despite the current fashion of dismissing business plans, where can one find some examples of serious business plans? serious != school assignments. Of course plans from successful companies are preferable, but success can also be related to a tighter corporate hold on plans.Some starting points: Viaweb: www.paulgraham.com/vwplan.html Extracts from Yahoo's 1995 plan: http://www.stanford.edu/class/e145/materials/Yahoo_1995_STVP... .com era from the Business Plan Archive: www.businessplanarchive.org And another era: Eckert & Mauchly's Business Plan from 1946 http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/Eckert_Mau...
1
1
2007-08-12 23:10:43 UTC
41,753
41,685
vd
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Lisbon, Portugal
null
23
21
2007-08-12 23:13:17 UTC
41,754
41,685
palish
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
St Louis, MO
null
17
21
2007-08-12 23:31:30 UTC
41,755
41,716
sabat
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
You've got company. I have no idea what the fuss is about -- and why it's so sudden.
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
21
36
2007-08-12 23:33:47 UTC
41,758
41,716
mxh
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
I don't care about FB either. I probably should, because it's a huge phenomenon, but, no matter how hard I try, I just can't. In the first place, all these pure social networking sites (i.e. those that don't do much useful if you're the only user) rub me slightly the wrong way. I feel I'm being asked to invest my effort into creating value for someone else, and that I'm being locked into a single-vendor implementation. It's not a good feeling.In the second place, I just don't see what FB _does_ for me that I can't do more simply some other way.Although I can't remember name of the fellow who said it, or the exact wording, I share the sentiment that "I already belong to a social network. It's called the Internet." I've got an e-mail address, and a (few!) websites. I don't see why I should have to play in somebody's walled garden to connect with other people who've got the same.
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
4
36
2007-08-12 23:47:35 UTC
41,759
41,751
aaroneous
Two-way Video Conferencing for iPhone (trick done with mirrors!)
nickb
I'd like to call shenanigans! First of all, the camera on the iPhone can't do video - so that's a pretty great work around to start with. Second, I'm pretty sure the iPhone can't do voice and data synchronously. The fact there is no software released, and it only works on their two phones sounds even more suspicious.Ecamm makes some sweet products (I recommend their iMage webcam for mac users), but I think this post is a hoax.
null
0
4
2007-08-12 23:50:02 UTC
41,762
41,709
dood
Henry Blodget: Why Newspapers Are Screwed
pg
News moving from print to web is a fundamental shift in the nature of the market, which brings many opportunities for growth by embracing the realities of the net, and a high chance of failure by ignoring those realities. Some thoughts:The focus of the business needs to adapt to what is demanded online: giving people want they want that other sites don't give them, and conversely not providing things done better elsewhere. There is plenty of room for innovation: treating news more like data [http://www.holovaty.com/blog/archive/2006/09/06/0307], exploiting archives, focus on analysis... In short, losing the mindset of transferring print to web, sticking to core competencies, extending and innovating where appropriate, and ditching the junk.The organisation of the business may be able to move from the monolithic style to a more networked model, with more freelancing, syndication and aggregation, more 'citizen reporters' and a blurred line between bloggers and journalists.The big newspapers have strong brands, and for the near future most people don't want news from some random blog, or to have to trawl the net. NYT and friends are well positioned to capture the new news business. But likely many of them will refuse to change, or try and fail. So, a period of turmoil and consolidation: many papers fold, reporters shift gears and go where the money is online, the fit adapt and survive, the weak stagnate and die. But I think all those reporters, all the net-folk wanting news, and a few savvy types to put it together, will work it out in the end one way or another.
null
1
12
2007-08-13 00:02:46 UTC
41,763
41,685
brianmckenzie
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
San Francisco, CA. Although I'm taking a detour to Paris for awhile, long story.
null
8
21
2007-08-13 00:20:08 UTC
41,764
41,685
ACSparks
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Chicago, IL
null
9
21
2007-08-13 00:22:26 UTC
41,767
41,716
Jd
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
I think one should distinguish between 'care about' and 'like.'Facebook has utility as a constantly updated online address book. It also has tremendous market share and the Facebook API could lead to much of social-networking for the next half-decade being trapped in the Facebook world. Consequently, I care about Facebook.I do not like Facebook. I do not like Zuckerberg. I do not use any Facebook applications because they all seem to be ridiculous time wasters. Maybe at some point this will change and there will be social-networking with greater utility.I certainly hope it is sooner rather than later.
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
10
36
2007-08-13 00:29:19 UTC
41,768
41,716
aswanson
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
No, I don't care about it either. But at 34, why would I?
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
18
36
2007-08-13 00:30:09 UTC
41,769
41,709
ivankirigin
Henry Blodget: Why Newspapers Are Screwed
pg
There are two aspects to what we think of as a "newspaper": the physical medium and the content - aggregation of mainstream print journalism.The physical medium of paper is in many ways superior to our current generation of displays. It won't go away until we have daylight readable 20000:1 contrast-ratio flexible displays. That doesn't mean the print-newspaper business isn't doomed. Subscription numbers are in a nose dive, and still have a long way to fall.Yet the aggregation of mainstream print journalism via a different medium still has a chance for success. The killer app for mainstream media is producing quality content. Bloggers can't support foreign offices, for example. Micheal Yon, Micheal Totten and other "embedded bloggers" are the exceptions that prove the rule. Distributed locality where you don't need a correspondent in, say, Beijing because Chinese Bloggers cover it, only partially solves this. There is something to be said for an expert outsider reporting news & trends.So newspapers aren't necessarily screwed. If there were a way to directly support good content proportional to its value, good written journalism provided by online newspapers could survive and even thrive. The high hurdles of subscription and premium content and the indirect path of ad revenue aren't good enough. The article is right about the numbers.I'm working on a startup that would allow a distributed set of people to directly support online content. In this way, newspapers could evolve to become aggregations of professional bloggers and journalists, providing high quality content for a profit.
null
2
12
2007-08-13 00:31:09 UTC
41,770
41,685
rms
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Pittsburgh, PA
null
27
21
2007-08-13 00:33:53 UTC
41,771
41,685
rgiar
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
DC
null
28
21
2007-08-13 00:35:06 UTC
41,772
41,716
aaroniba
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
Facebook is a utility, not just a frivolous form of entertainment. Users depend on the service to manage contacts, share photos, and meet new people. A lot of important information flows through the facebook social graph.The posts here remind me of the guy who loves to brag about how he doesn't have a TV in his house. To each his own, but television has had a huge impact on business and culture world-wide.So even if you don't personally want to be a Facebook user, you might think about how it is transforming the way a whole generation of people interact socially, recognize the business and cultural impact, and conclude that you should care about it anyway.
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
2
36
2007-08-13 00:39:47 UTC
41,777
41,716
ambition
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
OK, here is some of the "why" of facebook for those of us who aren't heavy users.Facebook is casual and useful. It's easy to set up an event or fundraiser, invite everyone you know, put up pictures about the event, and so on. Many comments show that there are expectations for use cases that Facebook really isn't about. "Having hundreds of 'friends' is pointless." "...looking for dates...met someone interesting..." That's not what Facebook is about, nor intended to be.Yep, you can stay in touch with your close friends on Facebook if you really want. Many people do. But, it's really about those hundreds of people you still care about, but you don't see on a regular basis. It is the best way to keep tabs on them. It's also great for setting plans with them. As a personal side note, Facebook has led to several happy reunions with old friends after I lost their contact information for years.More about the idea of "Facebook is casual". Facebook messages have injected themselves between email and IM on the formality spectrum, and wall posts are now between Messages and IM. You can initiate conversation with people who would otherwise find it odd. Like, say, members of the attractive sex. The common theme is that Facebook pleases our in-born psychological social instincts. It is a fine lesson in human factors. Yet more. The cool kids are on facebook. You know, the ones that we're supposed to hate as self-respecting geeks, because we're smarter but they somehow have more fun? That means people who care about being cool get on Facebook. (Although rebellion is cool, so now it's cool to take a stand against Facebook and stay off. But that's a whole other story.)It's a perfectly acceptable social norm to "Facebook-stalk" someone: To look up their interests when you're interested in them. That's a big one. It's a handy, casual way of passing around contact information. Once you know someone's name and a little bit about them, you can find them on Facebook. You don't need to ask for their phone number or IM or email address, find somewhere to write it down, and take 30 awkward seconds to do it. You just say, "Let's find each other on Facebook." To be clear: Facebook makes it just a little bit easier to pick up. Also, friending is a no-cost way of sending goodwill.So that's why people use Facebook.People on this discussion board love news about Facebook because Facebook is every tech entrepreneur's wet dream. Zuckerberg is young, modest, smart and very, very rich. Startup founders love to dream about Facebook-like success because that's what they all want. It's intellectual masturbation. When someone posts insights about Facebook's success, instant nerdgasm. Also, Facebook is an important enough influence on mainstream digital life that few Web entrepreneurs can ignore it. Facebook app clones can kill fledgling independent applications fast. And if Facebook manages to get people used to spending money while on Facebook, they could rival Google, Amazon, and Ebay in importance. Finally, a note about the 'stolen idea'. Let's ignore that where the idea came from is irrelevant to Facebook's current utility and success. You ought to realize that ideas are near-worthless and execution is everything. FB is a case study in excellent execution. They hire brilliant developers just like Joel says, and they built a very clean UI as a competitive advantage over Myspace. Nearly all successful businesses are based on incremental improvements on existing ideas with great execution. Put it this way: "Online store" is not terribly creative, but pg is rich and famous today because his gang of hackers had the best execution in building one. Search engines were not a new idea when Google took over the world. Nor were operating systems or word processors when Microsoft did before that. Online social networks were not new. They just sucked enough that there was room for Facebook to step in a build a better one.
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
0
36
2007-08-13 00:52:18 UTC
41,778
41,685
iamyoohoo
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Los Angeles
null
31
21
2007-08-13 00:55:03 UTC
41,787
41,685
blored
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Tro, Taro... Toronto, Canada.
null
19
21
2007-08-13 01:07:01 UTC
41,788
41,685
skippybosco
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Taiwan
null
39
21
2007-08-13 01:07:34 UTC
41,789
41,782
Jd
Paul Buchheit's idea for better file uploads on browsers -- anyone want to pledge to or develop it?
rnc000
"I'm serious about this, and willing to pay quite a bit of money to make it happen."$17 does not strike me as a lot of money. Has anyone used and had success with this micropledge site?
null
3
6
2007-08-13 01:12:35 UTC
41,792
41,782
mynameishere
Paul Buchheit's idea for better file uploads on browsers -- anyone want to pledge to or develop it?
rnc000
http://jupload.sourceforge.net/applet-basic.htmlDone. Oh, right. No one likes Java. (I'm a little perplexed as to why the author defaulted to the nasty metal L&F).
null
2
6
2007-08-13 01:20:47 UTC
41,803
41,699
aswanson
The #1 reason your job sucks and how to fix it
mcxx
My job sucks because I am not the founder and owner of the business.
null
3
8
2007-08-13 01:48:09 UTC
41,805
41,784
rms
Plagiarism: Reprints PG's 'The Equity Equation' with new name and no link back to source!
drm237
Who would hire a tech consultant with an AOL email address?
This guy reprints Paul Graham's 'The Equity Equation' but changes the name to 'The Executive Equation' and doesn't cite the source except by leaving a few links point back to paulgraham.com.Is it just me, or is this not blatant plagiarism...
2
6
2007-08-13 01:50:24 UTC
41,806
41,685
nailer
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
I'm in Melbourne, Australia, but my main developer is in California. We communicate with Skype. I think user-oriented sites need good communication between designers and coders, so having a native English speaker was a top priority. Additionally I've generally been impressed with US coders. I also needed someone with a good knowledge of multiple programming languages (rather than a 'solve everything with Perl' guy), and AJAX experience which is surprisingly lacking elsewhere (check out the development history of all those Indian and Hungarian companies on eLance - they might be a fifth the price, but they're generally pretty terrible). Somewhere after public beta I'll head to SF again for a few months, maybe permanently. When I do, my dev team team will already be there.
null
0
21
2007-08-13 01:52:02 UTC
41,819
41,699
alex_c
The #1 reason your job sucks and how to fix it
mcxx
Good advice for those of us striving for levels 3-5 (as the vast majority of ycnews readers probably are)...Stop and imagine how pretentious such advice will be to those - the majority of the population - who are still trying to achieve level 1 and 2. "Follow your dreams" is great advice for those of us who aren't in immediate danger of starving; the worst that can happen if we fail at achieving our dreams will be that we have to settle for a job we find boring and unfulfilling - not a job that's low-paying or dangerous, and definitely not in danger of ending up on the streets.Not disagreeing with the article, just a bit of perspective... I personally am grateful that I have the opportunity to aim for the top of the pyramid, but many people don't have the luxury to be picky about how they're putting food on the table.
null
4
8
2007-08-13 02:45:27 UTC
41,822
41,685
jesses
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
part shanghai, part silicon valley =)
null
25
21
2007-08-13 02:57:11 UTC
41,825
41,648
alex_c
Learning from Facebook: Preventing PHP Leakage
tomh
Any good security tips for Rails? :p(speaking of which, I keep seeing requests for php files in my server logs... bots looking for php apps with known vulnerabilities, I'm guessing... kinda interesting to see).
null
1
6
2007-08-13 03:02:52 UTC
41,826
41,815
blored
The Entrepreneurial Attitude
palish
The founder of Second Cup (a coffee chain in Canada) told us what happened when a Starbucks opened across the street from a current Second Cup."The lady was furious. She had invested her entire life savings into the Second Cup, put so much energy into getting her store off the ground, and now when things were finally looking up, Starbucks moved in."What ended up happening according to Sean O'Dea, the Professor giving us the lecture, was that her Second Cup sales WENT UP 25%. The extra competition somehow begot more coffee sales for both parties.
My girlfriend works at a little coffee shop called "It's a Grind". Recently a Starbucks moved in right across the street. The owner, John, tacked a letter up on the wall. I thought it was so great and inspiring that I took a picture and decided to share it. Here it is:====To: TEAM GRINDFrom: JohnGuys,We have had a lot of questions from customers and friends about Starbucks going in across the street. Here are some things you might share with customers, assuming that you agree with them:1) Starbucks WILL be competition. Will Starbucks get some of our business? -yes. Will we get some of their business? -YES. Our drinks taste better than theirs, our store is nicer and more comfortable and our staff is more friendly. I get a lot of positive comments about our staff-it's doubtful that Starbucks does. These things will keep us competitive in spite of Starbucks brand recognition. An important thing to remember is that many people relate to locally owned businesses. Large international companies like Starbucks have the bottom line (stock price) first in mind and a lot of people don't relate to that.2) We are doing well with speed of service at the drive-thru. This is important because Starbucks is good at that. We need to make sure we keep it up and maybe get a little better.3) Our regulars will stay with us-we have a great core of regular customers that know us and this is important. Our core of customers will grow as the area grows.4) Food-this will be key in differentiating us from Starbucks. We are in the process of getting our menu set up. This will be in place before the end of the month.5) Every business that I've ever been involved with is competitive-that's the way life is. People who put their tails between their legs and pout never succeed. People with positive attitudes that stay focused almost always succeed.6) We will not only succeed but we will be thriving 2 years from now. That's because we have a great crew, a superior product and competitive prices. If somebody comes in whining-"You can't compete with Starbucks"-that's baloney and they have a loser attitude. Keep your chin up and don't be afraid of competition!John====One reason this is so great is because John is in his mid-50's. Even at that age, he still has a startup mentality.Another thing I like is he's rolling out new tactics and trying new things.Don't be afraid of the competition guys! Get things out there and make them work.
1
26
2007-08-13 03:09:27 UTC
41,828
41,815
blored
The Entrepreneurial Attitude
palish
If you have the time, this is the most inspiration story I've read this week...At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: "When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"The audience was stilled by the query.The father continued. "I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child."Then he told the following story:Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball ... the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay"Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third!"As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, "Shay, run home! Run home!" Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team."That day", said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world".Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!
My girlfriend works at a little coffee shop called "It's a Grind". Recently a Starbucks moved in right across the street. The owner, John, tacked a letter up on the wall. I thought it was so great and inspiring that I took a picture and decided to share it. Here it is:====To: TEAM GRINDFrom: JohnGuys,We have had a lot of questions from customers and friends about Starbucks going in across the street. Here are some things you might share with customers, assuming that you agree with them:1) Starbucks WILL be competition. Will Starbucks get some of our business? -yes. Will we get some of their business? -YES. Our drinks taste better than theirs, our store is nicer and more comfortable and our staff is more friendly. I get a lot of positive comments about our staff-it's doubtful that Starbucks does. These things will keep us competitive in spite of Starbucks brand recognition. An important thing to remember is that many people relate to locally owned businesses. Large international companies like Starbucks have the bottom line (stock price) first in mind and a lot of people don't relate to that.2) We are doing well with speed of service at the drive-thru. This is important because Starbucks is good at that. We need to make sure we keep it up and maybe get a little better.3) Our regulars will stay with us-we have a great core of regular customers that know us and this is important. Our core of customers will grow as the area grows.4) Food-this will be key in differentiating us from Starbucks. We are in the process of getting our menu set up. This will be in place before the end of the month.5) Every business that I've ever been involved with is competitive-that's the way life is. People who put their tails between their legs and pout never succeed. People with positive attitudes that stay focused almost always succeed.6) We will not only succeed but we will be thriving 2 years from now. That's because we have a great crew, a superior product and competitive prices. If somebody comes in whining-"You can't compete with Starbucks"-that's baloney and they have a loser attitude. Keep your chin up and don't be afraid of competition!John====One reason this is so great is because John is in his mid-50's. Even at that age, he still has a startup mentality.Another thing I like is he's rolling out new tactics and trying new things.Don't be afraid of the competition guys! Get things out there and make them work.
6
26
2007-08-13 03:14:15 UTC
41,829
41,685
rokhayakebe
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
THIS IS TRULY A GLOBAL PHENOMENON. And what we see now is just the start of it. Loving it man.
null
54
21
2007-08-13 03:27:07 UTC
41,830
41,685
benhoyt
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Christchurch, New Zealand
null
33
21
2007-08-13 03:56:17 UTC
41,832
41,784
pg
Plagiarism: Reprints PG's 'The Equity Equation' with new name and no link back to source!
drm237
It's funny that his tag line is "leading through innovation."
This guy reprints Paul Graham's 'The Equity Equation' but changes the name to 'The Executive Equation' and doesn't cite the source except by leaving a few links point back to paulgraham.com.Is it just me, or is this not blatant plagiarism...
0
6
2007-08-13 04:02:03 UTC
41,835
41,685
ochiba
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Cape Town, South Africa
null
35
21
2007-08-13 04:24:35 UTC
41,837
41,782
daltonlp
Paul Buchheit's idea for better file uploads on browsers -- anyone want to pledge to or develop it?
rnc000
SWFUpload has worked awesomely for me:http://labb.dev.mammon.se/swfupload/
null
1
6
2007-08-13 04:31:57 UTC
41,838
35,015
daveschappell
The Equity Equation
rams
Just in case readers would like the formulas in a simple spreadsheet, I posted it as a download from my server:http://www.nosnivelling.com/Paul Graham equity formulas.xls
null
20
72
2007-08-13 04:32:08 UTC
41,839
35,015
daveschappell
The Equity Equation
rams
My apologies -- here's a version with a better formatted URL for the Equity Formulas spreadsheet:http://www.nosnivelling.com/Paul-Graham-equity-formulas.xls
null
12
72
2007-08-13 04:34:34 UTC
41,843
41,709
mynameishere
Henry Blodget: Why Newspapers Are Screwed
pg
I once suggested on some blog that the death of newspapers would be tragic because bloggers are almost all writing editorials (and often much better than editors do) but almost never peform reportage. Of course, I got flamed. Of course bloggers are reporters.But "Reporting" isn't blogging. It isn't even "writing". It's going out, learning about a foreign subject in a day, driving/walking/tramping all over the place, interviewing multiple people, establishing government, police, underworld contacts, getting double and triple confirmation on key facts, adhering to rigorous journalistic ethical standards, etc. That's reporting and it isn't fun, and almost no bloggers do it--just like almost no open source writers write accounting software.The first fatality will be local news. God knows why anybody subscribes to local papers, but they do serve the purpose of keeping an eye on local politicians, who have a tendency towards corruption. Once the local rags are gone, I dread what will happen to municipal governments...Does the average blogger want to sit through the Lions' club chicken dinner every Sunday in order to hear the latest about councilman X. Didn't think so...
null
0
12
2007-08-13 04:48:27 UTC
41,847
41,833
blored
Founders at Work - Demo Day
brett
sweet, brett you're my hero
null
1
27
2007-08-13 05:03:47 UTC
41,853
41,699
vlad
The #1 reason your job sucks and how to fix it
mcxx
Here's what I think:People need to understand that when traveling through life--whether by car, aging, networking, degrees, promotions, dating)--it doesn't matter where you actually are. At all. It never has, and it never will. Those photos you took are pointless. If pictures are worth a thousand words, then people are worth a billion photos. A few photos a day just can't capture what you're thinking, the social context, the general mood, your thoughts and feelings, the state of the economy, foreign relations, what you just did 5 minutes prior, what you just ate, what your friends are up to off-camera, if the person next to you smells like they're drunk, the charge on your cell phone, your status with friends and family, etc.Photos give the illusion of defining you at a point in time, but they are NOT a virtual machine or an environment like Squeak--they're just a screen shot--and not what the person's doing, either, but what what's visible for that split second of time.The big problem, then, is that people judge themselves by what they would look like if somebody were to take a photo of them, and not by where they're going. In fact, people are doing everything they can to impede where they're going--buying anti-age cremes, spending money so they don't have to take the responsibility of saving it, which might otherwise make them feel older. So, people are always focusing on looking like they have never made any progress in their lives.However, when traveling through life--whether by car, aging, networking, degrees, promotions, dating)--it doesn't matter where you actually are. At all. It never has, and it never will.The only two things that matter are the direction and velocity. Therefore, you always have to make the best choices you can for your life, when buying things, socializing, and business. Look at what's stopping you, decide your options, and pick the best overall choice, and if you really can't see a better way, then do the option that is easier. Then move on. Life is better than any video game because you have infinite choices in infinite areas. The key is to hurry up and make a choice, and move on to the other 230 trillion choices you have.If you know you like a shirt, and the fit and price range is good, but you can't decide between red and blue, pick one randomly and move on. Who cares what it will look like when somebody takes a photo of you?
null
0
8
2007-08-13 05:28:57 UTC
41,854
41,685
cosmok
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
in the Cloud!
null
55
21
2007-08-13 05:56:08 UTC
41,859
41,815
jamesbritt
The Entrepreneurial Attitude
palish
> One reason this is so great is because John is in his mid-50's. Even at that age, he still has a startup mentality.Wow! Even at that age? I'm surprised he's even still alive!Seriously, this is a weird bit of bigotry. I'm mostly surprised when I see the start-up mentality in anybody; it's rare in all age groups, not just the AARP-ready.
My girlfriend works at a little coffee shop called "It's a Grind". Recently a Starbucks moved in right across the street. The owner, John, tacked a letter up on the wall. I thought it was so great and inspiring that I took a picture and decided to share it. Here it is:====To: TEAM GRINDFrom: JohnGuys,We have had a lot of questions from customers and friends about Starbucks going in across the street. Here are some things you might share with customers, assuming that you agree with them:1) Starbucks WILL be competition. Will Starbucks get some of our business? -yes. Will we get some of their business? -YES. Our drinks taste better than theirs, our store is nicer and more comfortable and our staff is more friendly. I get a lot of positive comments about our staff-it's doubtful that Starbucks does. These things will keep us competitive in spite of Starbucks brand recognition. An important thing to remember is that many people relate to locally owned businesses. Large international companies like Starbucks have the bottom line (stock price) first in mind and a lot of people don't relate to that.2) We are doing well with speed of service at the drive-thru. This is important because Starbucks is good at that. We need to make sure we keep it up and maybe get a little better.3) Our regulars will stay with us-we have a great core of regular customers that know us and this is important. Our core of customers will grow as the area grows.4) Food-this will be key in differentiating us from Starbucks. We are in the process of getting our menu set up. This will be in place before the end of the month.5) Every business that I've ever been involved with is competitive-that's the way life is. People who put their tails between their legs and pout never succeed. People with positive attitudes that stay focused almost always succeed.6) We will not only succeed but we will be thriving 2 years from now. That's because we have a great crew, a superior product and competitive prices. If somebody comes in whining-"You can't compete with Starbucks"-that's baloney and they have a loser attitude. Keep your chin up and don't be afraid of competition!John====One reason this is so great is because John is in his mid-50's. Even at that age, he still has a startup mentality.Another thing I like is he's rolling out new tactics and trying new things.Don't be afraid of the competition guys! Get things out there and make them work.
0
26
2007-08-13 06:53:23 UTC
41,864
41,856
menloparkbum
Anyone willing to chat?
kyro
a/s/l???
Just looking for some smart folks to chat and share some ideas with...email is: [email protected] AOL/Yahoo: hybridxaos
0
1
2007-08-13 07:04:58 UTC
41,869
41,685
toemaz
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Gent, Belgium
null
26
21
2007-08-13 07:26:25 UTC
41,871
41,685
bootload
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
melb ~ au
null
53
21
2007-08-13 07:33:56 UTC
41,873
41,823
Tichy
Spock sign-up flow demonstrates how to scare users away... (by Jeremy Zawodny)
joshwa
Facebook does it that way, too. Everybody does it. I don't like it, though.
null
6
15
2007-08-13 07:38:40 UTC
41,874
41,716
vikram
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
I don't get it either. Probably a sign that I am older than I think. A few years back it was pokemon and WWF which my younger brothers were crazy about. Now it's Facebook. Getting old was never supposed to be easy, I guess I need to face up to it now.I get linkedin. Don't use it much, but I get it. Don't get myspace, it's like my daughter's messy room. What depresses me is that there is a whole range of ideas that I will always overlook. These are to do with people unlike me. I just don't seem to have a appreciation for what they need. I find it hard to start solving problems that don't impact me personally.
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
6
36
2007-08-13 07:40:48 UTC
41,876
41,716
portLAN
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
I care about it in the sense that it's a privacy nightmare. That's why I don't use it.They are getting people to voluntarily do what they couldn't compel them to do through legislative means: build dossiers on themselves and submit them to a corporation; and thanks to recent anti-terror acts of dubious constitutionality, government will be able to look at that information when they want to. Combine with Twitter for play-by-play of your whereabouts and actions, and Loopt to geolocate you everywhere you go.It's a surveillance society that the innocent invited upon themselves uncynically.
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
11
36
2007-08-13 08:02:30 UTC
41,877
41,685
thomasswift
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
chicago... kinda
null
43
21
2007-08-13 08:24:15 UTC
41,879
41,685
tim
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Hamburg, Germany
null
42
21
2007-08-13 08:40:35 UTC
41,882
41,685
altay
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Portland, Maine (seriously) and SF/Mountain View, CA.
null
12
21
2007-08-13 08:49:03 UTC
41,883
41,782
sbraford
Paul Buchheit's idea for better file uploads on browsers -- anyone want to pledge to or develop it?
rnc000
I don't get it -- Flash is already ubiquitous. Why does Paul want to boil the ocean?Even multi-file Flash uploaders with progress bar indicators are free and plentiful. My favorite: http://www.element-it.com/MultiPowUpload.aspxThe only trick is getting Flash to pass session variables or some other way for the server to authenticate the user.
null
0
6
2007-08-13 08:50:21 UTC
41,886
41,823
sbraford
Spock sign-up flow demonstrates how to scare users away... (by Jeremy Zawodny)
joshwa
I would be willing to trade the few users it scares away for the thousands (or tens/hundreds of thousands) that end up signing up as a result of these tools.
null
5
15
2007-08-13 08:58:58 UTC
41,887
41,885
c41conference
Is this how the Macintosh developer community wants to be represented?
c41conference
This picture was taken during the C4[1] conference in Chicago, IL on Saturday, August 11th 2007.
null
1
1
2007-08-13 09:00:06 UTC
41,888
41,884
cperciva
Do you have a friend inside Google?
sbraford
Worried my startup idea might be Googleized? Not at all. Google has some pretty smart people, and I'm sure they would realize that they would be better off buying my work rather than trying to duplicate it.The same probably goes for anyone here who has made significant progress -- Google would rather buy a startup than try to compete with them.
I had a potential startup idea... so I ran it by one of my friends who works at the big G.While he didn't give anything confidential away about their plans -- I could tell from his response that it would probably be a good idea to postpone any work on the idea for a few months ... when Google just might launch some whizbang new technology.Are you worried your startup idea will be Googleized?
0
2
2007-08-13 09:07:06 UTC
41,889
41,699
corentin
The #1 reason your job sucks and how to fix it
mcxx
The article ties one's dreams to his job. To some extent it's a valid link because work is so much of our lives. But as far as I'm concerned a job is just a tool, a (rather painful) way to obtain freedom; the wealth I create while working allows me to do whatever I want in my free time (I'd rather have just the wealth than the job). I prefer clearly separating my work life and my fun life instead of living for my job. The non-work part is much easier: if I want to become a robotics engineer for a month, I can buy parts and play with them until I get bored (and want to become a musician for a month). If I want to become a professional robotics engineer, it's a very different story! (I chose this example while thinking of Anybots: now that Trevor has the wealth, I'm pretty sure he's building robots for pure fun only; if he decided early, right after graduation, to start a career in robotics he would probably be designing boring industrial robots for some corporation).
null
2
8
2007-08-13 09:09:50 UTC
41,892
41,685
vuknje
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Belgrade, Serbia
null
41
21
2007-08-13 10:09:31 UTC
41,893
41,685
davidw
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
... On the internet ...Me: located in Innsbruck, AustriaServers: located somewhere in TexasDedaSys LLC: registered in Eugene, Oregon
null
4
21
2007-08-13 10:56:29 UTC
41,894
41,685
asmosoinio
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Turku, Finland (Northern Europe). Partly in Espoo.
null
14
21
2007-08-13 10:58:30 UTC
41,896
41,685
terpua
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
I'm in a third-world country - Manila, Philippines (there are some talent here!) but poorer infrastructure.
null
16
21
2007-08-13 11:40:48 UTC
41,900
41,716
edw519
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
Please don't confuse "friend" with "acquaintance". Ask anyone who has ever had a serious illness. That's one way to find out who's who.My real problem with any form of digital communication (social networking, email, voicemail, text, etc.) is that NONE OF THEM ARE SUITABLE REPLACEMENTS FOR GENUINE HUMAN INTERACTION. Is it any coincidence that the Facebook generation is also the Xanax generation?
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
22
36
2007-08-13 12:35:56 UTC
41,902
41,685
abhishek2
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Prague
null
51
21
2007-08-13 12:47:59 UTC
41,903
41,815
jmzachary
The Entrepreneurial Attitude
palish
at 50, john is way too old to have a startup mentality. he has kids, mortgage, etc to worry about. didn't you read the other posts at this site?
My girlfriend works at a little coffee shop called "It's a Grind". Recently a Starbucks moved in right across the street. The owner, John, tacked a letter up on the wall. I thought it was so great and inspiring that I took a picture and decided to share it. Here it is:====To: TEAM GRINDFrom: JohnGuys,We have had a lot of questions from customers and friends about Starbucks going in across the street. Here are some things you might share with customers, assuming that you agree with them:1) Starbucks WILL be competition. Will Starbucks get some of our business? -yes. Will we get some of their business? -YES. Our drinks taste better than theirs, our store is nicer and more comfortable and our staff is more friendly. I get a lot of positive comments about our staff-it's doubtful that Starbucks does. These things will keep us competitive in spite of Starbucks brand recognition. An important thing to remember is that many people relate to locally owned businesses. Large international companies like Starbucks have the bottom line (stock price) first in mind and a lot of people don't relate to that.2) We are doing well with speed of service at the drive-thru. This is important because Starbucks is good at that. We need to make sure we keep it up and maybe get a little better.3) Our regulars will stay with us-we have a great core of regular customers that know us and this is important. Our core of customers will grow as the area grows.4) Food-this will be key in differentiating us from Starbucks. We are in the process of getting our menu set up. This will be in place before the end of the month.5) Every business that I've ever been involved with is competitive-that's the way life is. People who put their tails between their legs and pout never succeed. People with positive attitudes that stay focused almost always succeed.6) We will not only succeed but we will be thriving 2 years from now. That's because we have a great crew, a superior product and competitive prices. If somebody comes in whining-"You can't compete with Starbucks"-that's baloney and they have a loser attitude. Keep your chin up and don't be afraid of competition!John====One reason this is so great is because John is in his mid-50's. Even at that age, he still has a startup mentality.Another thing I like is he's rolling out new tactics and trying new things.Don't be afraid of the competition guys! Get things out there and make them work.
5
26
2007-08-13 12:48:38 UTC
41,904
41,685
ahaas
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Also in Atlanta. Planning to move to Portland in the near future, though.
null
20
21
2007-08-13 12:49:42 UTC
41,908
41,685
joshtempte
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Charleston, SC
null
46
21
2007-08-13 13:13:52 UTC
41,909
41,685
jeffw
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Orlando, FL
null
48
21
2007-08-13 13:13:54 UTC
41,912
41,911
vlad
Best drop-in forum software?
epi0Bauqu
http://punbb.org/ is a free lightweight forum. I just checked out their forums and it does seem to be very, very fast.
I want to add some kind of segmented forum functionality within my site, such that smaller groups of users can have their own forums. Does anyone have any recommendations for some good forum software? I don't really have any specific requirements yet as this is just exploratory, so any recommendations would be appreciated, even software that is not open-source.
0
1
2007-08-13 13:25:05 UTC
41,917
41,833
georgeappiah
Founders at Work - Demo Day
brett
"Y Combinator founders typically fall towards the Woz end of the continuum rather than the Jobs' end"What a great way to put it!
null
0
27
2007-08-13 13:59:41 UTC
41,919
41,815
jdavid
The Entrepreneurial Attitude
palish
In Milwaukee, WI on Brady st. there are 3 cafes within walking distance, a Starbucks and two local establishments; Rochambo, and Anodyne. I find it odd, and awesome that either of the local establishments have more business than Starbucks does. In fact there is so much more business in these other two cafes that a 3rd could probably still spring up and beat the Starbucks.
My girlfriend works at a little coffee shop called "It's a Grind". Recently a Starbucks moved in right across the street. The owner, John, tacked a letter up on the wall. I thought it was so great and inspiring that I took a picture and decided to share it. Here it is:====To: TEAM GRINDFrom: JohnGuys,We have had a lot of questions from customers and friends about Starbucks going in across the street. Here are some things you might share with customers, assuming that you agree with them:1) Starbucks WILL be competition. Will Starbucks get some of our business? -yes. Will we get some of their business? -YES. Our drinks taste better than theirs, our store is nicer and more comfortable and our staff is more friendly. I get a lot of positive comments about our staff-it's doubtful that Starbucks does. These things will keep us competitive in spite of Starbucks brand recognition. An important thing to remember is that many people relate to locally owned businesses. Large international companies like Starbucks have the bottom line (stock price) first in mind and a lot of people don't relate to that.2) We are doing well with speed of service at the drive-thru. This is important because Starbucks is good at that. We need to make sure we keep it up and maybe get a little better.3) Our regulars will stay with us-we have a great core of regular customers that know us and this is important. Our core of customers will grow as the area grows.4) Food-this will be key in differentiating us from Starbucks. We are in the process of getting our menu set up. This will be in place before the end of the month.5) Every business that I've ever been involved with is competitive-that's the way life is. People who put their tails between their legs and pout never succeed. People with positive attitudes that stay focused almost always succeed.6) We will not only succeed but we will be thriving 2 years from now. That's because we have a great crew, a superior product and competitive prices. If somebody comes in whining-"You can't compete with Starbucks"-that's baloney and they have a loser attitude. Keep your chin up and don't be afraid of competition!John====One reason this is so great is because John is in his mid-50's. Even at that age, he still has a startup mentality.Another thing I like is he's rolling out new tactics and trying new things.Don't be afraid of the competition guys! Get things out there and make them work.
4
26
2007-08-13 14:02:41 UTC
41,928
41,884
tedb
Do you have a friend inside Google?
sbraford
Competition is a good thing. If anything, it validates that your idea is a good one, or at least one shared by others.Google is a giant, but its success with search hasn't proven to translate into de facto dominance of other areas of the web. In most cases they've had to end up buying their competition -- YouTube won the video battle, Google Docs & Spreadsheets was acquired from Writely, Google Earth was acquired from Keyhole...So don't let Google's interest in a problem scare you away from an idea -- use it to motivate you. The web is the one niche in the economy where a 3-person team can topple a multi-billion dollar corporation.
I had a potential startup idea... so I ran it by one of my friends who works at the big G.While he didn't give anything confidential away about their plans -- I could tell from his response that it would probably be a good idea to postpone any work on the idea for a few months ... when Google just might launch some whizbang new technology.Are you worried your startup idea will be Googleized?
2
2
2007-08-13 14:31:34 UTC
41,929
41,685
tedb
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
washington, dc here, the cap city!
null
30
21
2007-08-13 14:33:57 UTC
41,930
41,823
steve
Spock sign-up flow demonstrates how to scare users away... (by Jeremy Zawodny)
joshwa
Here's a cookie for not getting it ---> (*)
null
7
15
2007-08-13 14:38:46 UTC
41,934
41,823
omouse
Spock sign-up flow demonstrates how to scare users away... (by Jeremy Zawodny)
joshwa
>I can't think of a very polite way to say "no fucking way", so I won't even try. There wasn't a button for that.How could he miss the "Skip this step" button so clearly pictured??
null
2
15
2007-08-13 14:50:45 UTC
41,936
41,885
twism
Is this how the Macintosh developer community wants to be represented?
c41conference
im black and i use macs as well as PCs, I know other black people who use macs exclusively... although i prefer to develop on windows. OS X just seems lerthagic to me ;)
null
0
1
2007-08-13 14:53:02 UTC
41,942
41,911
yubrew
Best drop-in forum software?
epi0Bauqu
http://www.forummatrix.org/ is a good source for comparing different forum software.
I want to add some kind of segmented forum functionality within my site, such that smaller groups of users can have their own forums. Does anyone have any recommendations for some good forum software? I don't really have any specific requirements yet as this is just exploratory, so any recommendations would be appreciated, even software that is not open-source.
1
1
2007-08-13 15:07:26 UTC
41,945
41,595
abashford
Rats, My Startup Just Got Googled!!
drm237
Having some time to think about it.A) Google will trend towards a short-sighted bureaucracy over time, as most public companies do.B) As a result, the opportunities for the small nimble players to succeed will still be great.C) Having Google, a big public company with a big bank account, is actually a great thing for startups; it is a company that understands the market that it is helping to create, and can used its deep pockets to acquire companies that create a lot of value. D) Strong adversaries (Google) lead to better products! Which is great for users!
The consumer in me says: "I love Google!". I really can't think of any company which has given me so much cool stuff without me taking out my wallet!The entrepreneur in me (a sometimes small, sometimes loud voice) looks at Google with a mixture of fear and envy. Why? Well, imagine you have poured your heart and soul into a startup project over months or years, to find out Google has launched a similar service for free just as your project is gaining traction! This is the stuff that makes people jump of bridges or tall buildings.
2
6
2007-08-13 15:20:54 UTC
41,947
41,699
fad
The #1 reason your job sucks and how to fix it
mcxx
So he had to work for 6 years to realize he didn't like his work?
null
5
8
2007-08-13 15:29:25 UTC
41,948
41,784
far33d
Plagiarism: Reprints PG's 'The Equity Equation' with new name and no link back to source!
drm237
His phone number is up there. Maybe someone should kindly tell him that plagiarism isn't very innovative.
This guy reprints Paul Graham's 'The Equity Equation' but changes the name to 'The Executive Equation' and doesn't cite the source except by leaving a few links point back to paulgraham.com.Is it just me, or is this not blatant plagiarism...
1
6
2007-08-13 15:30:25 UTC
41,951
41,685
dottertrotter
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
South Bend Indiana
null
37
21
2007-08-13 15:35:12 UTC
41,952
41,716
awt
Am I the only one who doesn't care about Facebook?
henning
Yes. You should definitely ignore facebook. Continue along as if it does not exist. Please.
All the social networks look like boring walled gardens/roach motels to me. Great if you can get in on the ground floor for the next big one, lousy for all the users.I'm not willing to buy into an application platform that isn't open and vendor-neutral. For networking, I think there are better ways, like plain old face to face talking: the "hallway track" in conferences is often better than any of the talks.I don't get it. And Zuckerberg stole the idea anyway.
15
36
2007-08-13 15:41:16 UTC
41,954
41,685
jsackmann
Where is your startup? (for me Atlanta)
rokhayakebe
Wow...I didn't expect to see 64 comments and then be the first one chiming in from New York City. But here I am.
null
5
21
2007-08-13 15:42:50 UTC
41,956
41,955
dean
Poll - How many here are involved in a startup? Vote up the appropriate comment.
dean
I am in a startup full-time.
Update: The options didn't come out in the order I wanted. "None of the above" came out in the wrong place, but I'm sure you all get the picture.Update #2: Added another option that you should vote down in order to make this poll "Karma-neutral".
1
7
2007-08-13 15:44:24 UTC
41,957
41,955
dean
Poll - How many here are involved in a startup? Vote up the appropriate comment.
dean
I am in a startup part-time (I have a full-time job).
Update: The options didn't come out in the order I wanted. "None of the above" came out in the wrong place, but I'm sure you all get the picture.Update #2: Added another option that you should vote down in order to make this poll "Karma-neutral".
3
7
2007-08-13 15:44:35 UTC
41,958
41,955
dean
Poll - How many here are involved in a startup? Vote up the appropriate comment.
dean
I have an idea for a startup.
Update: The options didn't come out in the order I wanted. "None of the above" came out in the wrong place, but I'm sure you all get the picture.Update #2: Added another option that you should vote down in order to make this poll "Karma-neutral".
8
7
2007-08-13 15:44:46 UTC
41,959
41,955
dean
Poll - How many here are involved in a startup? Vote up the appropriate comment.
dean
It would be nice to do a startup one day.
Update: The options didn't come out in the order I wanted. "None of the above" came out in the wrong place, but I'm sure you all get the picture.Update #2: Added another option that you should vote down in order to make this poll "Karma-neutral".
5
7
2007-08-13 15:44:55 UTC
41,960
41,955
dean
Poll - How many here are involved in a startup? Vote up the appropriate comment.
dean
I do not want to be involved in a startup (but I enjoy reading about it).
Update: The options didn't come out in the order I wanted. "None of the above" came out in the wrong place, but I'm sure you all get the picture.Update #2: Added another option that you should vote down in order to make this poll "Karma-neutral".
10
7
2007-08-13 15:45:04 UTC
41,961
41,955
dean
Poll - How many here are involved in a startup? Vote up the appropriate comment.
dean
None of the above (reply to this comment if you want to elaborate).
Update: The options didn't come out in the order I wanted. "None of the above" came out in the wrong place, but I'm sure you all get the picture.Update #2: Added another option that you should vote down in order to make this poll "Karma-neutral".
11
7
2007-08-13 15:45:11 UTC
41,967
41,963
sharpshoot
Submit several ideas to YC?
Tichy
Snipshot was i believe.Also i heard that iminlikewithyou and scribd had to substantially change their idea in the interview.
Is it possible to submit several ideas to YC? Would it be contraproductive (not focussed enough)? Or would it be better to just mention the other ideas in the respective form field?Has anybody ever been accepted for a secondary idea they mentioned on the form field, rather than the main idea?
1
4
2007-08-13 16:02:15 UTC
41,970
41,963
pg
Submit several ideas to YC?
Tichy
The idea often changes during the interview, sometimes to other stuff the founders proposed in their application, and sometimes to stuff we collectively cook up on the fly.
Is it possible to submit several ideas to YC? Would it be contraproductive (not focussed enough)? Or would it be better to just mention the other ideas in the respective form field?Has anybody ever been accepted for a secondary idea they mentioned on the form field, rather than the main idea?
0
4
2007-08-13 16:09:20 UTC
41,974
41,932
rms
VideoEgg: Suddenly They're A Facebook Ad Network
pg
$10 CPM? That's not going to hold up very long.
null
0
5
2007-08-13 16:23:17 UTC
41,975
41,962
davidw
Would we be more willing to participate in a discussion if it involved people we know? - tribeIn
maverick001
Needs some more appealing content on the front page.
Guys, I need your help. In my free time I wrote up this application which enables users to create topics and discuss it with their friends. <p>I would spend a lot of time on reddit but rarely participated in the discussions. This had me wondering, "Would we be more willing to participate in a discussion if it involved people we know?" The quest for an answer led me to create tribeIn. Try it out and let me know what you think.
0
2
2007-08-13 16:24:07 UTC
41,982
41,955
epi0Bauqu
Poll - How many here are involved in a startup? Vote up the appropriate comment.
dean
People should reply to the comments and not just upvote them so we see who is where. Otherwise, this looks a lot like a ploy for karma.
Update: The options didn't come out in the order I wanted. "None of the above" came out in the wrong place, but I'm sure you all get the picture.Update #2: Added another option that you should vote down in order to make this poll "Karma-neutral".
4
7
2007-08-13 16:38:42 UTC