Ask HN: Where do you get ideas to build side-projects?

#1

Post by showsover » Sun, Feb 17, 2013, 9:24 AM UTC

I'm a 24 year old developer. Evidently I like to program, but I have no ideas of what to program. I've looked around, to my friends and family, but they have no problems they'd possibly pay for to see solved.

Some people say they have too many ideas to ever work on, but I have the opposite: time, but no inspiration.

Any input appreciated.

Re: Ask HN: Where do you get ideas to build side-projects?

#2

Post by dlawrence » Sun, Feb 17, 2013, 9:37 AM UTC

Your life is perfect? Every single object your hand touches and every website you go to each day can be improved. Innovation is a sort of mindset. You're not going out looking for a quick billion dollar idea, you're trying to improve that 5 minute unpleasant experience we all encounter at some point each day.

Re: Ask HN: Where do you get ideas to build side-projects?

#3

Post by tferris » Sun, Feb 17, 2013, 9:37 AM UTC

For me it's often some new tech as main trigger for new ideas and projects. I see new stuff and I just want to use this tech and look what could be done with it. Not the best way because tech-driven ideas often bring up solutions which don't have a problem but at least you get started, play around and then better ideas come by themselves.

I.e. Node was the main trigger for many of my projects and brought me back to web development when it came out and web development was kind of crusty and stagnating.

Re: Ask HN: Where do you get ideas to build side-projects?

#4

Post by hayksaakian » Sun, Feb 17, 2013, 9:37 AM UTC

Are there problems in your immediate community? (Online or otherwise)

Are there any open source projects you make great use of but have yet to give back?

Re: Ask HN: Where do you get ideas to build side-projects?

#5

Post by t0 » Sun, Feb 17, 2013, 9:41 AM UTC

I'm one of those people with too many ideas. Can I give you my ideas to build and we split any profits?

Re: Ask HN: Where do you get ideas to build side-projects?

#6

Post by rogi » Sun, Feb 17, 2013, 9:44 AM UTC

So, what you're saying is - you want to build an online community of people with time and skills, to match them up with people who have ideas and inspiration for co-founded projects?

Re: Ask HN: Where do you get ideas to build side-projects?

#7

Post by nfm » Sun, Feb 17, 2013, 9:44 AM UTC

Obligatory pg essay: http://www.paulgraham.com/startupideas.html. Start here.

Re: Ask HN: Where do you get ideas to build side-projects?

#8

Post by DanielRibeiro » Sun, Feb 17, 2013, 9:49 AM UTC

nfm wrote: post #7

Obligatory pg essay: http://www.paulgraham.com/startupideas.html . Start here.

I like it too. My tl,dr from it is:

Live in the future, then build what's missing.

I also draw inspiration from Bret Victor's[1]:

If there's something in the world that you feel is a wrong, and you have a vision for what a better world could be, you can find your guiding principle, and you can fight for a cause. So after this talk, I'd like you to take a little time, and think about what matters to you, what you believe in, and what you might fight for.

[1] http://gumption.typepad.com/blog/2012/03/principle-centered-...

Re: Ask HN: Where do you get ideas to build side-projects?

#9

Post by saraid216 » Sun, Feb 17, 2013, 9:53 AM UTC

Don't require that they'd pay to see them solved. Start building the prototype anyways.

Re: Ask HN: Where do you get ideas to build side-projects?

#10

Post by yesplorer » Sun, Feb 17, 2013, 9:53 AM UTC

t0 wrote: post #5

I'm one of those people with too many ideas. Can I give you my ideas to build and we split any profits?

i'm pretty sure he's talking about side project. so talking about profit right away may get you disappointed too quickly. i think.