My point is, what would you guys do, if you found that somebody has already built a service that you were thinking seriously from last few months? Would you just swift change your ideas? Make improvements in your idea seeing what their demerits are and what services/features they lack? Or just dive into it without caring and start building your own? I understand that their already exist Yahoo search before Google came up, Friendster before Facebook came up, and as there was already Facebook, Google+ came up.
Ask HN: When your startup IDEA has already been built by someone else?
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Re: Ask HN: When your startup IDEA has already been built by someone else?
#2Do you really, honestly think you can make it better than what already exists? What is in it for your customers, can you make their lives better? Does your (financial) life depend on it or do you do it as a side project for the fun of it (1)? Can you refine your idea with real user feedback or are you on your own? etc...
(1) I develop a community climbing blog and a web framework as side projects, just for fun. The rules change when you do things just for fun - see also my blog post "Why re-invent the wheel" http://davidtanzer.net/node/81
Re: Ask HN: When your startup IDEA has already been built by someone else?
#3If you want to compete which might be fun and drive you to make your service/product better and better everyday. Then do that and try to survive.
Re: Ask HN: When your startup IDEA has already been built by someone else?
#4Re: Ask HN: When your startup IDEA has already been built by someone else?
#5Re: Ask HN: When your startup IDEA has already been built by someone else?
#6I really like the idea that you targeted book readers and authors. As you found that Scribd works on almost similar lines of what your idea was, look at the points where you think Scribd has to improve. Features that you would like in such a service.
If I were you, I would look at possibilities of coming up with a service that people think is better than the existing one or that solves a problem which the current ones fail at.
"Necessity is the mother of Invention". Do a your target users really need an alternative to Scribd ? We do not need another facebook. Not another gmail. Instead, see how you can make use of the existing platforms to improve or bring traction to your product or idea.
Believe in your idea and set a goal. Target a specific group of people, pitch your product and if they like it, it spreads for itself. People might call it another Scribd. But, there are still millions who haven't heard about Scribd. They are your first customers.