(1) Keep it simple, (2) make it something you'd actually use, (3) iterate.
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Re: (1) Keep it simple, (2) make it something you'd actually use, (3) iterate.
#2I completely get what this cat is saying.
I initially learned programming to help me automate some tedious duties when playing role-playing games (this was many moons ago).
The first non-trivial program I write in a new language is always related to my favorite RPG.
Re: (1) Keep it simple, (2) make it something you'd actually use, (3) iterate.
#3I completely get what this cat is saying. I initially learned programming to help me automate some tedious duties when playing role-playing games (this was many moons ago). The first non-trivial program I write in a new language is always related to my favorite RPG.
Out of curiosity (I have no experience with RPGs aside from a bit of AD&D2 15 years ago), what kinds of tools do you make? Character generation, that sort of thing?
Incidentally, the title of this HN post sounds like a good strategy for developing just about any product.
Re: (1) Keep it simple, (2) make it something you'd actually use, (3) iterate.
#4"Make it something you'd actually use" is of great value to a budding (aimless, excited) programmer, but staying too long in this mindset leads to a glut of products and services serving the same purpose for the same market. The highly-upvoted "Hello Ladies" video with patio11[1] really drove home the point that products for people who aren't programmers have tremendous value. This post is good advice to get started, but once new programmers begin to feel comfortable with their abilities, it would behoove them to empathize with people who aren't like them and try to make something others would appreciate.
[1] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2371965 -- this comment does not reflect the opinions of patio11
Re: (1) Keep it simple, (2) make it something you'd actually use, (3) iterate.
#5"Make it something you'd actually use" is of great value to a budding (aimless, excited) programmer, but staying too long in this mindset leads to a glut of products and services serving the same purpose for the same market. The highly-upvoted "Hello Ladies" video with patio11[1] really drove home the point that products for people who aren't programmers have tremendous value. This post is good advice to get started,…
+1. I never really liked the "build it for yourself" mantra. If this were true, we'd have tons of programming IDEs and project management software. What programmers and entrepreneurs really need to serve are markets where programmers are under represented. I'm talking about agriculture, natural resources, transport, finance, manufacturing, etc.
Re: (1) Keep it simple, (2) make it something you'd actually use, (3) iterate.
#6I completely get what this cat is saying. I initially learned programming to help me automate some tedious duties when playing role-playing games (this was many moons ago). The first non-trivial program I write in a new language is always related to my favorite RPG.
...
Ok, I am hanging here. What's your favorite RPG?
Re: (1) Keep it simple, (2) make it something you'd actually use, (3) iterate.
#7"Make it something you'd actually use" is of great value to a budding (aimless, excited) programmer, but staying too long in this mindset leads to a glut of products and services serving the same purpose for the same market. The highly-upvoted "Hello Ladies" video with patio11[1] really drove home the point that products for people who aren't programmers have tremendous value. This post is good advice to get started,…
+1. I never really liked the "build it for yourself" mantra. If this were true, we'd have tons of programming IDEs and project management software. What programmers and entrepreneurs really need to serve are markets where programmers are under represented. I'm talking about agriculture, natural resources, transport, finance, manufacturing, etc.
> If this were true, we'd have tons of programming IDEs and project management software.
Your assuming programmers' only interests are programming related. I'm currently building a site that sells trail mix and another to organize gear lists for backpacking. This is because I am involved in those spaces and I would like to improve the experience for the people I share it with.
I'm sure there are many programmers who are interested in agriculture, natural resources, transport, finance, and manufacturing.
Re: (1) Keep it simple, (2) make it something you'd actually use, (3) iterate.
#8Reminds me of the first project that was entirely my own idea, at age 14 or so, a system to manage customer accounts for my paper route. Written in TI99 BASIC. Data file saved to a cassette tape. It worked, but I ultimately realized that it was much easier to just use a paper ledger so I didn't really iterate on the solution. I could update the accounts on paper in the time it took the computer to load the program and data from the cassette.
Re: (1) Keep it simple, (2) make it something you'd actually use, (3) iterate.
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
+1. I never really liked the "build it for yourself" mantra. If this were true, we'd have tons of programming IDEs and project management software. What programmers and entrepreneurs really need to serve are markets where programmers are under represented. I'm talking about agriculture, natural resources, transport, finance, manufacturing, etc.
> If this were true, we'd have tons of programming IDEs and project management software. Your assuming programmers' only interests are programming related. I'm currently building a site that sells trail mix and another to organize gear lists for backpacking. This is because I am involved in those spaces and I would like to improve the experience for the people I share it with. I'm sure there are many programmers who…
I'm not saying programmers don't have other interests, just that programming is usually their main interest which leads them to build products targeted at programmers (there's quite a lot of empirical evidence to back this observation: just look at all the "Show HN" we're getting here). I think it takes at least a conscious effort to get interested by say agriculture, unless you were raised on a farm :). More people need to make that conscious effort. Interdisciplinarity is where the real money is at.
Re: (1) Keep it simple, (2) make it something you'd actually use, (3) iterate.
#10I completely get what this cat is saying. I initially learned programming to help me automate some tedious duties when playing role-playing games (this was many moons ago). The first non-trivial program I write in a new language is always related to my favorite RPG.
... Ok, I am hanging here. What's your favorite RPG?
It's "Traveller". I've always been a sucker for Space Opera.
Firefly was so much like my Traveller campaign that I suspect that Joss Whedon used to play it.