Ask HN - What's your best startup idea? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN - What's your best startup idea?

#131

Post by ramoq » Fri, Oct 02, 2009, 7:41 PM UTC

frossie wrote: post #114

run4yourlives wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know, and I'm not claiming to have the answer, but basically the idea seems to be "electronic checks".

You guys know that in Europe this is common? It's called a "bank transfer" and it is trivial to do, just need people's bank account and routing number and yes, people do hand it out. Many (most? all?) bank websites support it. We have newly-arrived Europeans working at our US office that cannot believe people still write cheques here. [Edit since there has been some curiosity: here is who underwrites the scheme in th…

I'm still frustrated by how far behind we (North Americans) are in terms of payments. What ever happened to using debit cards online? I find promise in email money transfers. But it's still a closed circle. Canadian banks only allow it among Canadian banks.

Re: Ask HN - What's your best startup idea?

#132

Post by rv77ax » Fri, Oct 02, 2009, 7:42 PM UTC

(not the best one, but just some thought)

a website that allow FOSS community to pay up developers based on community request. basic goal : to speed up FOSS development.

i.e: let just say that user A want to donate $100 to pay any developer to create a 3D driver for X card. Later, user B want it to and increase the pot $150, and so on, and so on. At some time, some developers take a request and developing it, publish it and take the money. As a profit, 5% of the pot will be taken by the website.

So this website basically functioned as a mediator between FOSS user and FOSS developer.

Re: Ask HN - What's your best startup idea?

#133

Post by desiderata » Fri, Oct 02, 2009, 7:46 PM UTC

zackattack wrote: post #124

matthodan wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like a motorcycle ;)

Except a car.

There's Aptera, I guess: http://www.aptera.com/

MIT did a neat concept car which could be stacked together for compact parking as well.

Re: Ask HN - What's your best startup idea?

#134

Post by I_I » Fri, Oct 02, 2009, 7:46 PM UTC

rv77ax wrote: post #132

(not the best one, but just some thought) a website that allow FOSS community to pay up developers based on community request. basic goal : to speed up FOSS development. i.e: let just say that user A want to donate $100 to pay any developer to create a 3D driver for X card. Later, user B want it to and increase the pot $150, and so on, and so on. At some time, some developers take a request and developing it, publish…

This is seriously a fantastic idea. Could really focus development on a number of fronts.

Re: Ask HN - What's your best startup idea?

#135

Post by ErrantX » Fri, Oct 02, 2009, 7:47 PM UTC

rv77ax wrote: post #132

(not the best one, but just some thought) a website that allow FOSS community to pay up developers based on community request. basic goal : to speed up FOSS development. i.e: let just say that user A want to donate $100 to pay any developer to create a 3D driver for X card. Later, user B want it to and increase the pot $150, and so on, and so on. At some time, some developers take a request and developing it, publish…

I posted a quite similar idea (though mine had some charity donation aspects too it) here some time ago and the final consensus was that in an ideal world it would be great.

But in actually fact it wouldn't get much by the way of serious pledges and it probably is more off putting for the developers.

(I still think it is a good idea though; and sorry cant find a link to the old thread)

EDIT: found it, http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=682450

Actually my idea was more different than I remember :P (sorry). Your is a better approach to the problem.

Re: Ask HN - What's your best startup idea?

#136

Post by madebylaw » Fri, Oct 02, 2009, 7:47 PM UTC

DannyDover wrote: post #116

I have always wanted to create a widget that would go into a dishwasher and change color after the cycle was completed. This way, you would always know if the dishes were clean :-) It might work based on heat (drying cycle) or via a reaction with soap.

And this would be better than checking the dishes themselves?

Re: Ask HN - What's your best startup idea?

#137

Post by _3ex7 » Fri, Oct 02, 2009, 7:49 PM UTC

rv77ax wrote: post #132

(not the best one, but just some thought) a website that allow FOSS community to pay up developers based on community request. basic goal : to speed up FOSS development. i.e: let just say that user A want to donate $100 to pay any developer to create a 3D driver for X card. Later, user B want it to and increase the pot $150, and so on, and so on. At some time, some developers take a request and developing it, publish…

Something like this exists already... http://micropledge.com/

Re: Ask HN - What's your best startup idea?

#138

Post by hedgehog » Fri, Oct 02, 2009, 7:49 PM UTC

zackattack wrote: post #124

matthodan wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like a motorcycle ;)

Except a car.

Smart or Tango might cover you pretty well there.

Re: Ask HN - What's your best startup idea?

#139

Post by anigbrowl » Fri, Oct 02, 2009, 7:50 PM UTC

matthodan wrote: post #64

adityakothadiya wrote: post #48

To manufacture single-seater cars for daily commute. Saves fuel, traffic conjunction, parking space, maintainence, etc.

Like a motorcycle ;)

Unfortunately, the company set up to sell this product: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carver_(automobile) has gone bust, although the engineering firm soldiers on. Video needs to be seen to be believed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPOkeJCiw9A&feature=relat... BMW have a similar concept called the 'Clever'.

Re: Ask HN - What's your best startup idea?

#140

Post by _3ex7 » Fri, Oct 02, 2009, 7:53 PM UTC

Something like the robotic vacum cleaner (I think it was called "Roomba" ??) except instead of vaccuming, it will steam clean. Also, instead of doing it all day willy-nilly, it will only activate when it senses your poorly-trained or bad dog soils the carpet when you are at work.

Diapers on a dog just dont seem right...