I'm looking to solve a problem that is really bugging you/your business. Really bugging you in the sense that you'd be comfortable paying for it.
Ask HN: What problem is REALLY bugging you?
1–10 of 74 posts
Re: Ask HN: What problem is REALLY bugging you?
#2How ebooks that are distributed in pdf are so hard to read on small screens, and the lack of properly working pdf->reflowable format (epub) tools. This is a hard problem and I'd pay for a 80% solution. It would have to recognize and properly fix/insert chapter titles, initial caps, tables of content, other leader/footer material, ... It would have to properly insert images in a sensible spot yet remove background images. Also it needs to properly recognize and format paragraphs. Columns would be nice but those are in the 20% I can live without.
Re: Ask HN: What problem is REALLY bugging you?
#3How ebooks that are distributed in pdf are so hard to read on small screens, and the lack of properly working pdf->reflowable format (epub) tools. This is a hard problem and I'd pay for a 80% solution. It would have to recognize and properly fix/insert chapter titles, initial caps, tables of content, other leader/footer material, ... It would have to properly insert images in a sensible spot yet remove background ima…
Funnily enough, I was going to talk about ePub as well. A lot is now resting on it, but the format is in desperate need of an overhaul. I'm running a BarCamp in London next month and hoping to get both geeks and publishers along to discuss the issues.
Re: Ask HN: What problem is REALLY bugging you?
#4I would pay to outsource the risk of being a PayPal merchant. I want to be able to serve my users with the option of paying with PayPal, but PayPal for merchants is totally unreliable. Especially in the virtual good/currency industry they seem to have the tendency to lock your account for no reasons at all, and you can be without money for over 180 days.
Re: Ask HN: What problem is REALLY bugging you?
#5How ebooks that are distributed in pdf are so hard to read on small screens, and the lack of properly working pdf->reflowable format (epub) tools. This is a hard problem and I'd pay for a 80% solution. It would have to recognize and properly fix/insert chapter titles, initial caps, tables of content, other leader/footer material, ... It would have to properly insert images in a sensible spot yet remove background ima…
I agree it's annoying, and I agree it's a hard problem... but I don't think there's any money in solving it.
The target audience is HN readers... and we still make for bad consumers.
Re: Ask HN: What problem is REALLY bugging you?
#6[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: What problem is REALLY bugging you?
#7I want a personal assistant for 5-10 hours a week. Not a virtual one because most of the things I want done are in meat space. Stuff like filling out forms, doing my laundry, waiting in line for me at the DMV, and dropping off my netflix returns in the mail. It sounds petty, but I really hate running errands and filling out forms. I'm considering hiring someone off craigslist.
Re: Ask HN: What problem is REALLY bugging you?
#8The fact that people vote for their leaders based on superficial stupidity and not based on issues.
Re: Ask HN: What problem is REALLY bugging you?
#9Here's what you can't find among a plethora of web design consultancies, cms systems, off-the-shelf website design services, html templates...
A small business/startup website solution that is compact, editable, live and clearly describes the product and company.
No, its not vague or different every time. It should:
1) Clearly describe the product
2) Clearly describe the company and what it does.
3) Does not look mediocre. (E.g. those static html sites based on those usual narrow rectangular templates with links at the side or top).
4) Easily changeable. (i.e. updates on parts of it without much html tweaking)
Extra:
5) An easy-to-update company blog, ability to upload multimedia content such as embed product videos. A startup is changing quick, and so should the website.
Do the first 4, I'll buy it. Then add 5.
Examples:
I have researched and both have spent considerable amount of time building theirs, and they have all 5. Why not do it off the shelf?
Re: Ask HN: What problem is REALLY bugging you?
#10Here's what you can't find among a plethora of web design consultancies, cms systems, off-the-shelf website design services, html templates... A small business/startup website solution that is compact, editable, live and clearly describes the product and company. No, its not vague or different every time. It should: 1) Clearly describe the product 2) Clearly describe the company and what it does. 3) Does not look med…
I tried this a few years ago (for businesses). It never really worked out because you have to sell it to people.
In the end it filled with affiliate marketers (it seems it was useful for them :P) so I had to scrap it.