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Why You Don't Need A Programmer

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Re: Why You Don't Need A Programmer

#11

Post by _3u10 »

If someone hires me to write something for them I write that for them, if they ask me for advice I give them advice. I don't get into arguments about how their idea won't work, or call them 'stupid', I charge them my rate for the work they ask me to do and I thank them when they pay me.

You think the guys at the general store in 1849 told the gold prospectors that they were stupid and would lose their money? Or do you think they smiled, told them about the guy who just discovered millions in gold, wished them luck and sold them tents, picks, and levis?

Re: Why You Don't Need A Programmer

#13

Post by dcosson »

ntmartin wrote: post #5

Good piece. I've talked with numerous people looking to start a startup with the assumption that implementation is just a case of hiring a few devs or outsourcing to n freelancers. I especially liked the wake up call to developers at the end. Would be very interested to read any reciprocal articles on why technical founders need a business co-founder.

Totally agree, I'd love to read a reciprocal piece. I think programmers (myself included) often feel that a non-technical person can't write a single line of code* whereas a technical person can figure out enough of the business and product side of things and make up the rest as he goes along. A lot of times this works out, but I'm sure there have been many cases where a failed startup might have succeeded if they'd had a good non-tech cofounder and made better strategy decisions.

* unless he/she decides to learn to code well enough to hack together an MVP, but that's not what the article is talking about

Re: Why You Don't Need A Programmer

#14

Post by mikeriess »

stevear wrote: post #12

Is there a good place to match non-technical and technical founders?

Founder Dating claims to do that to an extent, but you have to apply and be accepted to one of their events.

As a non-tech looking for a technical co-founder, I got fed up with this search and decided I'd be better off just learning to build and code my idea(s) myself. It was actually the questions on the Y combinator app that made me realize that once you push out past the second or third degree of separation in your social network ("oh yeah the friend of my friend of a guy I used to work with can code") you're too far removed from this person, and a co-founder you don't know or can't trust seems like far greater a risk than investing the time to learn to do it yourself. Plus once you build your first project, I suspect it gets exponentially easier to make the next and the next thereafter!

Re: Why You Don't Need A Programmer

#16

Post by tomjen3 »

amishforkfight wrote: post #4

Why do the technical people always seem to get the short end of the stick? I have people approaching me on a monthly basis with their 'great idea' and 'all I need is someone to code it', and compensation varies from 'money when it gets big' all the way up to a very enticing 20% equity. After working on a few of these I now ask for cash up front, no equity. I have plenty of my own ideas and not enough time to work on…

Heck as far as I can see I can't see the value of the business person at all, except for whatever connections he has.

Now I am biased, but why would one go into a partnership with a business person in the first place.

Re: Why You Don't Need A Programmer

#17

Post by DanBC »

tomjen3 wrote: post #16
amishforkfight wrote: post #4

Why do the technical people always seem to get the short end of the stick? I have people approaching me on a monthly basis with their 'great idea' and 'all I need is someone to code it', and compensation varies from 'money when it gets big' all the way up to a very enticing 20% equity. After working on a few of these I now ask for cash up front, no equity. I have plenty of my own ideas and not enough time to work on…

Heck as far as I can see I can't see the value of the business person at all, except for whatever connections he has. Now I am biased, but why would one go into a partnership with a business person in the first place.

> Now I am biased, but why would one go into a partnership with a business person in the first place.

Because they know the bureaucracy and can get on with handling the paperwork and legal admin while you get on and do the actual work?

Re: Why You Don't Need A Programmer

#19

Post by joanakoiller »

I liked this piece. I'm a designer, not a programmer, but I a lot in this piece would resonate with designers as well. So many times I have been asked to illustrate or design something, in exchange for "exposure" - "how great this opportunity is to get your design out there." One thing that I disagree on this piece is that I don't think there is a specific formula: that "you need" a technical co-founder and a business co-founder for a startup to work. Although programming is obviously a big part of this business, in my view successful entrepreneurs can come from a variety of backgrounds, and make it work - it's more about how they can draw from their backgrounds and how they can learn/contract what they need in order to make the idea fly.
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