Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

How a 19-Year-Old Raised $5 Million to Revolutionize Search

inc.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 73 posts

Re: How a 19-Year-Old Raised $5 Million to Revolutionize Search

#31

Post by pbiggar »

kouiskas wrote: post #29
pbiggar wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would they do that? That's what the APIs are for.

Facebook already updates their API and policies very regularly, nothing they give an application access to can be given for granted in the long term. Especially when it deals with private content. When your service is dependent on another, you're always at the mercy of an update that can shut down the API feature you were using, whether the intention is to kill your service or not. In this case it seems like the goal…

Yes, but you haven't really address 'why' they would do it.

> In this case it seems like the goal of the website is to become a starting point for a person's browsing/searching experience, facebook and google want the same thing.

This is your only 'why', but it's very weak. Every company wants to be the 'starting point for a persons browsing experience', but Facebook doesn't provide that, and neither does Greplin. Google does of course, but Greplin doesn't.

Your point reduces to "companies which consume APIs might compete with the companies which create them, and so might be shut down". Of course, your statement is true, but it's valueless.

Re: How a 19-Year-Old Raised $5 Million to Revolutionize Search

#32

Post by RiderOfGiraffes »

lysium wrote: post #30
RiderOfGiraffes wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What a crock - the second challenge requires calling a USA phone number. Color me unimpressed.

There's an alternative, just click the provided link: http://challenge.greplin.com/static/nophone.html

Thanks - I might get back to it in a few hours. Currently busy now - I did have 20 minutes to spare earlier and thought a small challenge could be fun.

Re: How a 19-Year-Old Raised $5 Million to Revolutionize Search

#33

Post by djahng »

pbiggar wrote: post #26
kouiskas wrote: post #20

It looks like he's using APIs, which means that he can only index as much data as the services are willing to provide. They can squeeze him out of business by shutting down or reducing access to the data whenever they please. Or just add to their API TOS that keeping a cached copy of the data is a no go. The service would lose a lot of relevance if suddenly one of the main players like Facebook decided that they don'…

Why would they do that? That's what the APIs are for.

It happened to Facebook Breakup Notifier recently. Facebook revoked API access without notification.

Re: How a 19-Year-Old Raised $5 Million to Revolutionize Search

#34

Post by pbiggar »

djahng wrote: post #33
pbiggar wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would they do that? That's what the APIs are for.

It happened to Facebook Breakup Notifier recently. Facebook revoked API access without notification.

Sure, but why would they do it to Greplin specifically?

Re: How a 19-Year-Old Raised $5 Million to Revolutionize Search

#35

Post by m_myers »

acconrad wrote: post #13

I thought this was a cool article until I read this line: "But regardless of how successful Greplin is, say, even if we go public someday, my parents won't be satisfied unless I get a degree. They won't speak to me." That's pretty sad, actually :(

I came here to say the same thing (even worded the same way in my head).

Why are people so fixated on college degrees -- even if they've already built a profitable company from scratch? Is it to prove something? If so, what?

Re: How a 19-Year-Old Raised $5 Million to Revolutionize Search

#37

Post by dkl »

m_myers wrote: post #35
acconrad wrote: post #13

I thought this was a cool article until I read this line: "But regardless of how successful Greplin is, say, even if we go public someday, my parents won't be satisfied unless I get a degree. They won't speak to me." That's pretty sad, actually :(

I came here to say the same thing (even worded the same way in my head). Why are people so fixated on college degrees -- even if they've already built a profitable company from scratch? Is it to prove something? If so, what?

Because they are an obvious measure of worth for some people. Shallow, yes, but that's the short of it.

Re: How a 19-Year-Old Raised $5 Million to Revolutionize Search

#38

Post by mayank »

acconrad wrote: post #13

I thought this was a cool article until I read this line: "But regardless of how successful Greplin is, say, even if we go public someday, my parents won't be satisfied unless I get a degree. They won't speak to me." That's pretty sad, actually :(

I don't think it's sad at all. People seem to forget that college can be about more than career advancement.

In this case, he clearly doesn't need a degree to be gainfully employed. Chances are that he's a pretty intelligent kid with other interests. If he puts 3-4 years into startups, not only will he probably be able to pay his own way through college, but will be at a point in life to appreciate the learning options a lot more (I can attest to this having taught many "older" undergraduates).

Maybe he'll develop an interest in advanced algorithms, or number theory, or neuroscience, or literature. At 19, there are a lot of possibilities in life, and college is a great way to be exposed to them, as well as people with passions in other fields.

Re: How a 19-Year-Old Raised $5 Million to Revolutionize Search

#39

Post by acconrad »

acconrad wrote: post #13

I thought this was a cool article until I read this line: "But regardless of how successful Greplin is, say, even if we go public someday, my parents won't be satisfied unless I get a degree. They won't speak to me." That's pretty sad, actually :(

It's sad because his parents won't talk to him guys, c'mon.

Re: How a 19-Year-Old Raised $5 Million to Revolutionize Search

#40

Post by nandemo »

RiderOfGiraffes wrote: post #14
iworkforthem wrote: post #4

easy to click Greplin Programming Challenge: http://challenge.greplin.com/ Anyone managed to pass level 1? I am stuck at level 1. Please share the logic.

What a crock - the second challenge requires calling a USA phone number. Color me unimpressed.

Well, do you want to work there? It's a challenge used for hiring. They might as well restrict it to people living in the US.
Post reply on HN