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Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
141–150 of 165 posts
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#142Here is a list of profitable ideas for reference https://www.profithunt.co . I found it helpful to skim through because it isn't a list of shiny cool ideas, but projects that actually made money
Edit: add https to the URL
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#143I've been wanting to create a side project that I can expand and hire people back in my home country (there are tons of college graduates but because the country is a third world country, there aren't many tech jobs).
My goal is to bring a change on how software is developed using lean methods and based on user research and feedback so the devs aren't looked as sweat shop cheap labor from Asia.
I'm having trouble because I'm not sure how I should start. I don't think I'd want a VC to be involved. There are some great ideas here, I think approaching people and asking them about their problems and empathizing is not easy as an engineer myself but I'm learning.
Any pointers appreciated
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#144I don't want you to take this personally, but your post seems very low effort. How can we devote time to helping you if you only put 10 seconds into making this post without reviewing it? For one, writing skills are important. You will have a hard time selling your project to anyone on its merits if you write incomplete sentences with lackluster English. Second, you haven't taken the time to list out what your streng…
Actually, I think your response is really pathetic. Not everybody is good at writing, and for many, English isn't their first language. If you don't like his question, don't answer, but finger-wagging over commas and punctuation makes you look bad.
English is OPs first language, based on his profile.
I don't think it's too much to ask to just proofread before you submit.
That's an important life lesson as well.
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#145Earlier quoted context omitted.
What are the differences and pros and cons of a Database vs local storage? I'm thinking of creating a site where users can add there own urls and titles and this information should persist after the browser is closed, should I store these strings client side and tie it to there browsers local storage or tie it to some account on a database ran by me? Keep in mind there is no limit to the amount of strings a user coul…
If you either want to do stuff like processing or analyzing it on the backend, or let users access their data from other devices, use a database. If not, use local storage. Local storage has the benefit of saving you bandwidth and storage cost, no matter how much your users save, and probably more privacy. Databases on the other hand, allow you to „do stuff“ with the data when the user is offline, share it through cr…
Aight thanks for the reply will keep this in mind
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#146The best products happen at the intersection of an existing niche you are some level of expert in already and a technology that has not yet been adopted in that niche. I've found one approach work very well with my mentees: - Figure out which "special interest groups" you are part of beyond software engineering. That can be "aquarium owner", "coffee lover", "morning person", "diligent grandson" — the less technical,…
"teachers who work from home" (education niche) + "automated submission and pre-grading of homework" I homeschooled for a lot of years and my first blog was a homeschooling blog. I was involved with The TAG Project as part of supporting my homeschooling and I really hate this idea. "Teaching to the test" is terrible teaching. Multi-guess answers aren't good ways to test student knowledge. They are just convenient for…
I think there are two great arguments here: nobody needs tools that perpetuate a vanishing system and there are lots of interesting things happening in EdTech. While I am grateful for your example, I would like to offer a different perspective.
I know of a university teacher who is looking into solving the arduous task of grading without going crazy. I approve of a tool being built to facilitate this.
I am torn on this issue as well: I strongly dislike formal education, with it following a metric of "teaching to the test" and "learning to test instead of retention." I wish that there was more systemic change towards a different way of assessment.
But not for one second will I assume to know what is best for the teachers in that space. If building a pre-grading (which is merely an example here) can help them shave off an hour of tedious work a day, I think it's a valid side project idea. It may even be a valid business idea.
The project that changed my life[1] was an EdTech productivity system that generated student feedback for online teachers working with young students in China. Student feedback as text-only is a horrible way of communicating individualized instruction. Yet we help teachers speed up that process, which allowed them to do one thing: teach more. Be more present in the classroom. Foster stronger relationships.
I would argue that making anything nominally more convenient is a good thing: it removes an inconvenience so that things that matter can take place. No teacher would call teaching inconvenient. Lots of them would call admin stuff very inconvenient.
Again, it's not about "teaching to the test" per see. It's about removing barriers to allow for meaningful, accomplished, and impactful work.
[1] https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/from-founding-to-exit-in-...
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#147Earlier quoted context omitted.
"teachers who work from home" (education niche) + "automated submission and pre-grading of homework" I homeschooled for a lot of years and my first blog was a homeschooling blog. I was involved with The TAG Project as part of supporting my homeschooling and I really hate this idea. "Teaching to the test" is terrible teaching. Multi-guess answers aren't good ways to test student knowledge. They are just convenient for…
I think there are two great arguments here: nobody needs tools that perpetuate a vanishing system and there are lots of interesting things happening in EdTech. While I am grateful for your example, I would like to offer a different perspective. I know of a university teacher who is looking into solving the arduous task of grading without going crazy. I approve of a tool being built to facilitate this. I am torn on th…
I know of a university teacher who is looking into solving the arduous task of grading without going crazy. I approve of a tool being built to facilitate this.
This is a different thing to me and a better suggestion: Solve the problem of someone you personally know whose work you believe in.
That's completely different in my mind from "pull some generic education-related blurb off the internet and build that." Even if, nominally, the two projects sound like exactly the same thing.
In practice, they probably aren't remotely the same thing, which is part of why we have memes like "Ideas are worthless. Execution is everything."
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#148Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think there are two great arguments here: nobody needs tools that perpetuate a vanishing system and there are lots of interesting things happening in EdTech. While I am grateful for your example, I would like to offer a different perspective. I know of a university teacher who is looking into solving the arduous task of grading without going crazy. I approve of a tool being built to facilitate this. I am torn on th…
I know of a university teacher who is looking into solving the arduous task of grading without going crazy. I approve of a tool being built to facilitate this. This is a different thing to me and a better suggestion: Solve the problem of someone you personally know whose work you believe in. That's completely different in my mind from "pull some generic education-related blurb off the internet and build that." Even i…
Thanks for clarifying this. I agree with this, one hundred percent. I think that if you're not an education expert or enthusiast, you'd better go look for problems to solve somewhere else — which was the premise of my original comment. It pains me every time I see someone building a business without the passion to help their audience.
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#149Earlier quoted context omitted.
I love how your points make sense and seem reasonable at the same time that they were completely irrelevant to attract the right audience and feedback from the community. A foreigner does not need a perfect English (or English at all) to create and sell a product in their countries. Please keep in mind this is an international community. Foreigners should not be discouraged because of a broken English.
This is not a "foreigner" or "broken English" problem. I agree with the parent that this was a low-effort post. No details were included, neither emotional nor technical nor interests.
My point still stands. None of that prevented the post from reaching the front page and bringing a lot of good insights. This is a good reminder that we, as humans, sometimes focus on irrelevant things.
Re: Ask HN: Looking for side project ideas
#150This is derived somewhat from a post on HN, and it would be really hard to pull off... but, An intermediary between all the automated bills you pay and your credit card. I.E. Comcast is going to bill me $89 I get a notification asking me to approve the automated payment.
In Switzerland I have that. It integrated directly into my bank account. Any automated payments goes into an inbox were I approve each payment when I want to.