Ask YC/HN: What's a problem you'd like to see someone solve? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask YC/HN: What's a problem you'd like to see someone solve?

#11

Post by nx » Wed, Jan 21, 2009, 3:40 AM UTC

mixmax wrote: post #9

Self replicating nano-machines. It's a powerful and dangerous thing to wish for though.

That's actually one of my childhood fears. Just that they were live beings, not machines.

Re: Ask YC/HN: What's a problem you'd like to see someone solve?

#12

Post by enomar » Wed, Jan 21, 2009, 3:50 AM UTC

I want to be able to pause and rewind audio from my car radio.

Re: Ask YC/HN: What's a problem you'd like to see someone solve?

#13

Post by tlrobinson » Wed, Jan 21, 2009, 3:52 AM UTC

nx wrote: post #11

mixmax wrote: post #9

Self replicating nano-machines. It's a powerful and dangerous thing to wish for though.

That's actually one of my childhood fears. Just that they were live beings, not machines.

Self replicating living beings? Wouldn't that cover just about all living beings?

Re: Ask YC/HN: What's a problem you'd like to see someone solve?

#14

Post by jd » Wed, Jan 21, 2009, 3:55 AM UTC

The build system on *nix. make, gmake, autoconf and related tools are really terrible.

Re: Ask YC/HN: What's a problem you'd like to see someone solve?

#15

Post by Dilpil » Wed, Jan 21, 2009, 3:58 AM UTC

tlrobinson wrote: post #13

nx wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's actually one of my childhood fears. Just that they were live beings, not machines.

Self replicating living beings? Wouldn't that cover just about all living beings?

Pretty scarey though aren't they?

Re: Ask YC/HN: What's a problem you'd like to see someone solve?

#16

Post by Dilpil » Wed, Jan 21, 2009, 3:59 AM UTC

One click install java IDE and compiler.

One click install C IDE and compiler.

One click install Erlange IDE and compiler.

And so on and so forth.

Re: Ask YC/HN: What's a problem you'd like to see someone solve?

#17

Post by gravitycop » Wed, Jan 21, 2009, 4:03 AM UTC

Problem: lump-sum up-front car-insurance that fails to take into account how much customer drives, and other risks.

Potential solution:

Car insurance by the minute/mile with instant-update rates based on:

  * steering and pedal input
  * time-of-day/day-of-week
  * location
  * speed
  * acceleration data

It's a $200 billion market (US only). http://www.ohioinsurance.org/factbook/2006/chapter1/chapter1...

With payment by the minute/mile, customers would instantly be rewarded for driving less, driving more-safely, and driving in safer conditions. Ceteris peribus, insurers would have lower claims costs, and drivers would have lower insurance costs. Everyone wins. No one loses.

Re: Ask YC/HN: What's a problem you'd like to see someone solve?

#18

Post by notyouravgjoel » Wed, Jan 21, 2009, 4:04 AM UTC

Once you've identified what the exact problem, the solution is often obvious. And, since this IS a tech startup website, I cant imagine people who have possible solutions giving them away here.

Re: Ask YC/HN: What's a problem you'd like to see someone solve?

#19

Post by sachinag » Wed, Jan 21, 2009, 4:11 AM UTC

Really? No world peace? No world hunger (where dwarf wheat has saved literally millions of lives: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug)? How about happiness? Comfort? Love?

Re: Ask YC/HN: What's a problem you'd like to see someone solve?

#20

Post by mrtron » Wed, Jan 21, 2009, 4:11 AM UTC

keltecp11 wrote: post #2

Video Game Systems For The Elderly... Very easy to use, big buttons, simple setup, focuses on hand eye coordination, and elevates heart rates (not just chess, checkers, etc.)

The Wii?

Seriously - a few of my friends' parents just bought it and love it. They play some of the simple games like sports to death.