Leo the Homeless Coder Finished His App, and You Can Download It Right Now

Post by bottled_poe » Wed, Dec 11, 2013, 1:01 AM UTC

kenrikm wrote: post #36

kennywinker wrote: post #27

I hate to be cynical, but it feels like this is mostly capitalizing on the idea of a "homeless coder". In order for the app idea to work, it needs people. Lots of people. A $0.99 app is never going to get enough users to be useful for MOST of us. If the idea and execution stood on its own, I wouldn't fault them for leveraging the backstory for media attention, but since the execution is favouring short term money at…

I purchased without the intent to use it, I consider it as more of a donation.

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Dec 11, 2013, 1:02 AM UTC

jonknee wrote: post #29

alexcroox wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Judging by that UI screenshot it's jQuery mobile so he probably used phonegap to wrap it in a native app for both iOS and Android.

How would he use PhoneGap on a Chromebook? You still need to have X Code to sign an iOS application. I assume his mentor was the one who packaged them up for Android and iOS (especially since it's listed under his name on the iOS App Store).

Post by vertis » Wed, Dec 11, 2013, 1:03 AM UTC

felipe wrote: post #35

Homelessness is a serious and complex issue rooted in mental health and poverty, and the "mentor" behind the homeless coder reduced it to a game, just to show that all one needs to succeed is the patronizing goodwill of some privileged narcissistic clown. Stories like this are actually a disservice to the cause of technology as an agent for social and environmental change.

Post by vajrabum » Wed, Dec 11, 2013, 1:04 AM UTC

felipe wrote: post #39

jnbiche wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think Macdonough was smart to offer $100 or the opportunity to learn to code. It was a good way to screen out unmotivated people -- if someone is homeless and turns down $100, it's likely that that they're very motivated.

Are you arguing that lack of motivation is the root cause of homelessness, rather than poverty and mental health issues?

Post by fyrabanks » Wed, Dec 11, 2013, 1:06 AM UTC

kennywinker wrote: post #30

soleimc wrote: post #6

Does this seem exploitative to other people? Although it is exciting that his app launched, the fact that this entrepreneur is being called "The Homeless Coder" seems wrong to me.

I think the difference is nobody is exploiting anybody else. "Leo the Homeless Coder" is exploiting himself for profit, but Patrick McConlogue is not exploiting anybody. I'm not 100% sure what his specific motivation was, but it doesn't seem like Patrick is attempting to profit off this in any way.