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Ask HN: Is making clones bad?

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Re: Ask HN: Is making clones bad?

#11

Post by modoc »

wesley wrote: post #3

Err, localizing the site is already offering something better. I'd say go for it. Are you suggesting non-english people simply shouldn't have access to such a site because it already exists in english and the company chose not to build a localized version? There's a huge market there ripe for the picking and many American companies aren't taking notice.

While you're offering something better, you're not offering a new actual feature or function, just a swap of the text. It's like adding an 'S' to someone else's big word in Scrabble. Yes, you get the points, but it's not nearly as satisfying as laying down your own word. It's a move of last resort: "I have nothing better I can do".

I'm not saying he shouldn't do it, but if I'm at a gathering and person A says "I built this new web-app that does cool new thing X" and person B says "I copied site B, only I changed the text to Spanish", it's pretty clear who I'm going to want to chat with.

Re: Ask HN: Is making clones bad?

#12

Post by modoc »

eugenejen wrote: post #9

"Bad artists copy. Great artists steal." -- Pablo Picasso. I think as long as your friend is conscious what Picasso said in the quote above, it will be ok. Because the clone is just the starting point. There is market there but no product is available. So by cloning this product, he gets his foot out of the door and the rest of journey is up to him.

There's getting ideas and inspiration from existing works is one thing.

Selling your The Frugal Repast forgeries is another.

Re: Ask HN: Is making clones bad?

#13

Post by Timothee »

I think there is a good market for cloning site.

But I agree with you though, that if it's literally cloning, it's not great... and some people will notice anyway and that would give you a bad image.

Overall though, I don't think there is anything bad about it. That means you start with a proven idea. We all know execution will make the difference anyway.

Re: Ask HN: Is making clones bad?

#14

Post by code_devil »

I think its fine. Look at even the current social networks in English itself.

Dating Sites ---> Friendster --> hi5 --> Facebook --> Orkut

                                               --> Bebo

                                               --> WAYN

                                            --> LinkedIn
They all started with the same base, a database of people that interact.

Again, the App development platform was started by facebook and now everyone else copied it. So, once you clone it you can always give it your own unique flavor with time.

Re: Ask HN: Is making clones bad?

#15

Post by mcxx »

visdo wrote: post #8

Bad? No. Cloning idea is actually good thing. We need multiple choices. Doing better is also not a necessary thing. I say doing different.

But only cloning doesn't bring multiple choices. You have to bring innovation to create a difference.

Re: Ask HN: Is making clones bad?

#16

Post by eugenejen »

modoc wrote: post #12
eugenejen wrote: post #9

"Bad artists copy. Great artists steal." -- Pablo Picasso. I think as long as your friend is conscious what Picasso said in the quote above, it will be ok. Because the clone is just the starting point. There is market there but no product is available. So by cloning this product, he gets his foot out of the door and the rest of journey is up to him.

There's getting ideas and inspiration from existing works is one thing. Selling your The Frugal Repast forgeries is another.

It depends.

In early 1980, all Apple IIe in Taiwan were made by clone manufacturers. There was a market, but Apple's price was too high by living standard then. Most of the clone manufacturers just copied the Apple IIe. But some of the clone manufacturers started to experiment with new features and improvements, and learned the experience of making computers. They later cloned IBM PC, Compaq and continued the process for each generation. Some failed but some survived and became stronger.

Many years later, they are so much better in cost and design of the system and take over the business from large manufacturers in U.S. and lower the price of PC to today's level. Ain't that a good thing to enable us to own cheap computers? While Apple, HP all outsource their manufacture to them.

Meanwhile, some of them start to improve the design and create their own product line, and finally they reach the level with confidence to introduce their own new designs and innovations.

Acer was one of this cloner. ASUS's founder was part of Acer team. And you can see how far they have progressed.

But they all started because they want to make something that people want, even just clone it.

Re: Ask HN: Is making clones bad?

#17

Post by iamelgringo »

I think that making clones is a great idea. My current project is making a reddit clone on top of Django. I'm planning on setting up social news sites focused on niche markets.

I know that there's already sub-reddits, Digg, etc.. but I'm pretty convinced that your average person in Peoria/Des Moines/Kansas City isn't going to get past the first page of reddit or Digg without running away screaming because of the trolls.

Think about it this way. How many web forums are out there that are devoted to niche markets? How many magazines are there? How many local newspapers are there? How many sitcoms are there? How many movies are there? The web is media.

There's nothing wrong with taking a format or platform, and targeting it at a niche market. You don't have to reinvent the wheel every time you make a consumer facing web application.

The problem of "What do people want" has already been solved repeatedly. As long as you're not infringing on IP, if you can take an idea and focus it on a specific market, you're one step closer to making money.

Re: Ask HN: Is making clones bad?

#18

Post by eugenejen »

iamelgringo wrote: post #17

I think that making clones is a great idea. My current project is making a reddit clone on top of Django. I'm planning on setting up social news sites focused on niche markets. I know that there's already sub-reddits, Digg, etc.. but I'm pretty convinced that your average person in Peoria/Des Moines/Kansas City isn't going to get past the first page of reddit or Digg without running away screaming because of the trol…

Not a bad idea! But reddit is pretty bad in dealing with trollers in non programming subreddit.

But I like the newmogul when nickb released it. The feeling is very natural but each focuses on its own subject.

Re: Ask HN: Is making clones bad?

#19

Post by alex_c »

modoc wrote: post #11
wesley wrote: post #3

Err, localizing the site is already offering something better. I'd say go for it. Are you suggesting non-english people simply shouldn't have access to such a site because it already exists in english and the company chose not to build a localized version? There's a huge market there ripe for the picking and many American companies aren't taking notice.

While you're offering something better, you're not offering a new actual feature or function, just a swap of the text. It's like adding an 'S' to someone else's big word in Scrabble. Yes, you get the points, but it's not nearly as satisfying as laying down your own word. It's a move of last resort: "I have nothing better I can do". I'm not saying he shouldn't do it, but if I'm at a gathering and person A says "I buil…

I think it depends what you're after. Building something brand new is more interesting and challenging, but taking a proven design and introducing it to an untapped market has a higher probability of resulting in "something people use", for substantially less effort. So I disagree with the "I have nothing better I can do" sentiment.

Re: Ask HN: Is making clones bad?

#20

Post by vaksel »

modoc wrote: post #11
wesley wrote: post #3

Err, localizing the site is already offering something better. I'd say go for it. Are you suggesting non-english people simply shouldn't have access to such a site because it already exists in english and the company chose not to build a localized version? There's a huge market there ripe for the picking and many American companies aren't taking notice.

While you're offering something better, you're not offering a new actual feature or function, just a swap of the text. It's like adding an 'S' to someone else's big word in Scrabble. Yes, you get the points, but it's not nearly as satisfying as laying down your own word. It's a move of last resort: "I have nothing better I can do". I'm not saying he shouldn't do it, but if I'm at a gathering and person A says "I buil…

yet 5 years later the guy who built "this new web-app" is still floundering trying to compete with the behemoths for attention, while the guy who did a +1 in a foreign market is #1 or #2 in his country, rolling around in millions and waiting to be acquired for a ton of money.

Nothing is stopping the guy who did +1 from doing the innovative thing after he makes his millions.

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