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What a stupid idea

dcurt.is

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Re: What a stupid idea

#221

Post by xemoka »

charlieok wrote: post #217
nashequilibrium wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You really hit the nail on the head and i agree 100% with this line " This isn't all the peak of innovation, many times it's just people working on a CRUD site trying to "disrupt big industry player x" until they run out of money and then resort to the same cheap tactics as everyone else." I have to ask myself is it worth it to start a web or mobile phone startup right now or wait a few yrs. The reason why i am think…

I agree that Svbtle and Medium have a similar look and overall design sensibility. But in the interest of giving credit where it is due... Svbtle's announcement is dated March 22, 2012 http://dcurt.is/codename-svbtle https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3742314 Medium's announcement is dated October 29, 2012 https://medium.com/about/9e53ca408c48 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4383283 (not to mention Obtvse) So,…

Originality? You mean iteration right?

Re: What a stupid idea

#222

Post by md224 »

wtvanhest wrote: post #218
jdietrich wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tobacco was not a particularly great cause of morbidity and mortality until the invention of the cigarette rolling machine. The cheap, mass-produced cigarette offered an instant hit of nicotine which was more convenient than pipes and more affordable than cigars. Tobacco is a natural leaf that became a mass killer because it was packaged in small, easy to consume units that provided an instant dopamine hit, then rele…

I disagree primarily with your first statement: > Success is not validation of an idea and we should be ashamed to think so. To me, it is the very definition of success. If you think that a product is harmful you can state that, but belittling its success because you don't feel like it is best allocation of resources sounds very similar to what the governments of both China and Russia did prior to the cold war and so…

I think there's some confusion here over what jdietrich meant by "Success is not validation of an idea." He was merely pointing out that just because a product is successful (i.e. everyone buys it) doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea (i.e. a net positive contribution to society). It may be a good idea, or it may be neutral, or even potentially a net harm (such as in the case of cigarettes). He's not trying to redefine success, he's just saying it shouldn't be the only consideration when judging an idea.

I think we can at least agree on that point.

Side note: I'll admit that there is no single objective interpretation as to what actually constitutes a "good idea," which further complicates the issue. I just figured "net positive contribution to society" was general enough to make my point.

Re: What a stupid idea

#223

Post by wtvanhest »

md224 wrote: post #222
wtvanhest wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree primarily with your first statement: > Success is not validation of an idea and we should be ashamed to think so. To me, it is the very definition of success. If you think that a product is harmful you can state that, but belittling its success because you don't feel like it is best allocation of resources sounds very similar to what the governments of both China and Russia did prior to the cold war and so…

I think there's some confusion here over what jdietrich meant by "Success is not validation of an idea." He was merely pointing out that just because a product is successful (i.e. everyone buys it) doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea (i.e. a net positive contribution to society). It may be a good idea, or it may be neutral, or even potentially a net harm (such as in the case of cigarettes). He's not trying to r…

except that determining what is a "net contribution to society" is an extremely difficult task.

Maybe after a lengthy analysis, you may come up with a good list of points and counter points, but to whimsically dismiss some of the fastest growing websites in the world without even making an attempt to show how they are not a good idea is not a worthwhile comment.

Re: What a stupid idea

#224

Post by biolime »

greghinch wrote: post #57
biolime wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I can't speak for your personal experiences I've noticed that Vine is becoming increasingly popular with my High School classmates (I'm a sophomore). Many of my friends I wouldn't necessarily consider "techie" found Vine and are enjoying it. Maybe age is playing a role in its adoption?

That is entirely possible. I think it still comes down to how much work it is for the payoff, but perhaps the payoff is bigger as a high school student where these things can have more of an effect on social status than they do to the late 20s/early 30s set* * I hope that doesn't come off as too condescending to HS students, I certainly don't mean it to be!

That didn't come off as condescending to me at all, I appreciate the comment. I'm not entirely sure if my classmates use it to gain popularity or simply use it for fun but then again I'm not exactly "popular" myself so I'm not sure.

Re: What a stupid idea

#225

Post by anthonyb »

wtvanhest wrote: post #223
md224 wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think there's some confusion here over what jdietrich meant by "Success is not validation of an idea." He was merely pointing out that just because a product is successful (i.e. everyone buys it) doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea (i.e. a net positive contribution to society). It may be a good idea, or it may be neutral, or even potentially a net harm (such as in the case of cigarettes). He's not trying to r…

except that determining what is a "net contribution to society" is an extremely difficult task. Maybe after a lengthy analysis, you may come up with a good list of points and counter points, but to whimsically dismiss some of the fastest growing websites in the world without even making an attempt to show how they are not a good idea is not a worthwhile comment.

They're the internet equivalent of junk food.

Re: What a stupid idea

#226

Post by charlieok »

xemoka wrote: post #221
charlieok wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree that Svbtle and Medium have a similar look and overall design sensibility. But in the interest of giving credit where it is due... Svbtle's announcement is dated March 22, 2012 http://dcurt.is/codename-svbtle https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3742314 Medium's announcement is dated October 29, 2012 https://medium.com/about/9e53ca408c48 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4383283 (not to mention Obtvse) So,…

Originality? You mean iteration right?

My impression is that he came up with a design successful enough that it has well-known imitators. Can you say a bit about what you mean by “iteration”?

Re: What a stupid idea

#227

Post by olivier1664 »

joering2 wrote: post #209
derefr wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Both of those are very well-studied business models, though: 1. sell to the lonely and impulsive who are willing to trade money for attention (Also see: therapists, people who run cons on the elderly, everything else involving real interaction with a woman in the sex industry); additionally, take advantage of the sunk-cost bias to keep people after they would have otherwise "passed their limit" (Also see: casinos) 2.…

can you give any example for deodorant? I mean I know diamonds are bullshit and hybrid gas cost equally much to produce as to use oil, but deodorant? If you don't use it, you stink, right?

If you take shower once a day (and after sport), you do not stink so much compared to a smoker.

Re: What a stupid idea

#228

Post by snogglethorpe »

oakaz wrote: post #184
jdietrich wrote: post #104

Success is not validation of an idea and we should be ashamed to think so. Cigarettes are one of the most successful consumer products on earth. Inhaling a lungful of carcinogenic smoke several hundred times a day is undoubtedly a stupid idea. Tobacco has made a small number of people incomprehensibly rich, to the great detriment of humanity. Personally, I think nearly all of these 'social' startups are bad news. Not…

I agree except the cigarette example. I'm not a smoker, and think that smoking in public is annoying and it harms our health. But at the same time, I personally love smoking tobacco when I go to a park for camping. Recommend you to try it smoking tobacco from a pipe with properly steeped ceylon tea in the middle of a forest where you can only hear the the nature and enjoy good tobacco.

> ...I'm not a smoker ... at the same time, I personally love smoking tobacco...

Wait, what...?

Re: What a stupid idea

#229

Post by snogglethorpe »

olivier1664 wrote: post #227
joering2 wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

can you give any example for deodorant? I mean I know diamonds are bullshit and hybrid gas cost equally much to produce as to use oil, but deodorant? If you don't use it, you stink, right?

If you take shower once a day (and after sport), you do not stink so much compared to a smoker.

Er, well throwing in "compared to a smoker" is a bit of a cheat... but body odor depends a lot on the person. I've known some people that could go ages without showering and still seem (and smell, even in close proximity) as fresh as a daisy, but others that always seemed to have an obvious, er, presence, daily shower or no.

Re: What a stupid idea

#230

Post by oakaz »

snogglethorpe wrote: post #228
oakaz wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree except the cigarette example. I'm not a smoker, and think that smoking in public is annoying and it harms our health. But at the same time, I personally love smoking tobacco when I go to a park for camping. Recommend you to try it smoking tobacco from a pipe with properly steeped ceylon tea in the middle of a forest where you can only hear the the nature and enjoy good tobacco.

> ...I'm not a smoker ... at the same time, I personally love smoking tobacco... Wait, what...?

i just smoke once in 2-3 months.
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