Some things to check in your YC application • Hacker News Board

Re: Some things to check in your YC application

#21

Post by nailer » Fri, Oct 12, 2007, 12:38 AM UTC

pg wrote: post #14

DanielBMarkham wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FWIW, I got a server timeout earlier today when I took just over 30 minutes to start on my application. It looks like it is easy to lose your cookies just under normal use.

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=66604

"We recommend you save regularly by clicking on the update button at the bottom of this page. Otherwise you may lose work if we restart the server."

Implies one would only lose work is when the server is restarted - an event that usually doesn't happen multiple times a day.

Re: Some things to check in your YC application

#22

Post by bootload » Fri, Oct 12, 2007, 12:44 AM UTC

pg wrote: post #15

bootload wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"... I came across an otherwise promising application that didn't have any email addresses in it ..." Is the application via online form? Would it be scalable to verify addition of email address on submit?

I've been resisting adding lots of structure to the form so that people can email drafts around when working on their applications.

"... I've been resisting adding lots of structure to the form so that people can email drafts around ..."

Maybe there should (a few) mandatory fields (contact email + phone + first name + last name) like a login. Leave the rest unstructured. You don't need your life details, just a username and email address that uniquely identifies users and allows contact.

Re: Some things to check in your YC application

#23

Post by dcurtis » Fri, Oct 12, 2007, 12:48 AM UTC

pg wrote: post #15

bootload wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"... I came across an otherwise promising application that didn't have any email addresses in it ..." Is the application via online form? Would it be scalable to verify addition of email address on submit?

I've been resisting adding lots of structure to the form so that people can email drafts around when working on their applications.

Do the verifications upon submission only, not on saving. There, problem solved!

Re: Some things to check in your YC application

#24

Post by mwerty » Fri, Oct 12, 2007, 2:32 AM UTC

pg wrote: post #11

alaskamiller wrote: post #8

Reading, comprehending, and filling out an application should be the first way to cull people.

We do treat it that way. But today I came across an otherwise promising application that didn't have any email addresses in it. I had to call them on the phone and leave a message telling them to add their email addresses. Obviously this does not scale.

My guess is that the team worked off s2007 app and missed the addition of email as a requirement.

Re: Some things to check in your YC application

#25

Post by gabrielleydon » Fri, Oct 12, 2007, 4:27 AM UTC

After i submitted my application I went back to read over it again and I noticed only one of the three YC names were left in the fields for cofounders YC names and the list of YC names of who will move to the bay area. I am 100% positive all three names were there when i submitted the first time because we went over it a few times before hand. (I spent a few years as a video game tester so i noticed it was missing immediately) So maybe there is a problem with the app if these fields have consistent missing info.

I fixed the fields and resubmitted so hopefully the problem was corrected for me but just a heads up for YC. It might be worth looking into.