Ask: What would you do/make if you never had to monetize it? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask: What would you do/make if you never had to monetize it?

#21

Post by Locke » Fri, Mar 21, 2008, 9:16 PM UTC

I'm doing this right now, with a game site devoted to multi-player turn-based strategy games. It's still a small site (as far as the number of players go) and I'm sure it could be monetized, but I doubt it'd make much money right now. Certainly not enough to put it outside the realm of just doing this for fun.

The site's Vying Games (vying.org) if you want to check it out. : ))

Re: Ask: What would you do/make if you never had to monetize it?

#22

Post by Hexstream » Fri, Mar 21, 2008, 9:17 PM UTC

Xichekolas wrote: post #8

An alternative to hierarchical file systems.

Indeed. I came up with a new motto lately: "Premature hierarchisation is the root of all rigidity."

Re: Ask: What would you do/make if you never had to monetize it?

#23

Post by Xichekolas » Fri, Mar 21, 2008, 9:26 PM UTC

dkokelley wrote: post #16

Xichekolas wrote: post #8

An alternative to hierarchical file systems.

I've been thinking recently about that too. It's inefficient to use a traditional folder/file system, at least for your personal documents (for system and program files I think they're better off the original way.) What about folders that represent tags? I could tag a file (say a picture) with Danny (my name), Vacation, and 2007. The system creates 4 "folders" as we understand them, each one labeled with a tag, and t…

Yeah my thoughts on the matter have always included tagging. It just seems logical to have the same file in more than one group (or folder if you want to call it that), and I hate drilling down seven levels to find something. My problem has always been in dealing with system files. The current setup seems rather logical for them anyway. Maybe a two pronged approach like you suggest makes the most sense.

Re: Ask: What would you do/make if you never had to monetize it?

#24

Post by rokhayakebe » Fri, Mar 21, 2008, 9:37 PM UTC

an virtual programmer ie a software or call it AI that creates software based on my desire. so i will give simple specification and it will turn it into software, i can refine the code, save, go back to previous version....

Re: Ask: What would you do/make if you never had to monetize it?

#25

Post by mosburger » Fri, Mar 21, 2008, 9:41 PM UTC

bread.

seriously. i think i would own a bakery.

Re: Ask: What would you do/make if you never had to monetize it?

#26

Post by mixmax » Fri, Mar 21, 2008, 9:44 PM UTC

sabat wrote: post #17

andr wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microsoft is already working on that. ;)

All the more reason for someone else to work on it, and do it right.

i wouldn't worry about Microsoft actually developing something new and useful. Unless Apple did it first of course.

Re: Ask: What would you do/make if you never had to monetize it?

#27

Post by byrneseyeview » Fri, Mar 21, 2008, 9:47 PM UTC

I would start a derivatives trading firm specializing in securitizing consumer products. First: a gasoline-contract, so people could hedge their gas purchases for the expected life of any car they bought (and never care about gas again -- until it was time to buy a new car). Then, personal market-makers, which would, e.g., try to buy more of foods you liked when they were cheap, suggest alternative venues for entertainment and dining, etc. This would allow people to 'sketch' their demand curves for lots of goods, solving part of the socialist calculation debate and allowing me and my friends to spend our time doing something besides being obnoxious libertarians.

Interesting problems this could solve: over-investment and under-use of transportation (lease your bike to a courier from 9, when you arrive at work, until 5, when you leave -- charging a different leasing rate depending on the reputation of the courier, of course); estimating the effects of changes in excise taxes; having a better idea of when it's worth it to spend X minutes for a Y% chance to save $Z; etc.

Re: Ask: What would you do/make if you never had to monetize it?

#28

Post by byrneseyeview » Fri, Mar 21, 2008, 9:50 PM UTC

ericb wrote: post #20

Evolutionary algorithms to create music (attached to libraries for sound generation and modification, drum beat, samples, etc) fronted by a reddit-like vote-up, vote-down system for the output of different algorithms. I'd try out different strategies for evolving things. I'd focus on electronica or something without vocals initially. Each "subreddit" would be focused around the evolved algorithms for a different them…

You should work with this guy: http://www.electricsheep.org/

Re: Ask: What would you do/make if you never had to monetize it?

#29

Post by tjr » Fri, Mar 21, 2008, 9:53 PM UTC

Text adventure games, a la Infocom.

Re: Ask: What would you do/make if you never had to monetize it?

#30

Post by sabat » Fri, Mar 21, 2008, 9:53 PM UTC

sabat wrote: post #18

andr wrote: post #6

a social network for fictional people. like facebook except you don't have to feel guilty when you lie about everything

AvatarNet. They start off based loosely on your personality but self-develop and become independent over time.

BTW I would seriously like to work on this someday.