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How to Succeed with a Startup [video]

blog.ycombinator.com

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Re: How to Succeed with a Startup [video]

#31

Post by lwansbrough »

jarsin wrote: post #10
noer wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The next sentence after he calls it a fake trend (as of August 2018) is that he believes it will be big someday, but not today.

So a VR startup might be a tough sell right now (tougher than usual) until they think that trend changes from fake to real (if ever) is how I understood what he was saying.

VR is just really bad right now. Every experience either requires a thousand dollars' worth of equipment or it's going to make the user nauscious. The only borderline acceptable experience I've had was a Vive, and that required 2 lighthouses, an HMD, 2 controllers, 400 sqft, and a $2000+ gaming machine -- and I was still tripping over the fucking wires.

Any sub-$100 system is a total joke that no one is going to use for more than a minute. Anything less than $1000 isn't pushing the frame rate or the latency to keep users from vomiting, and even if you don't get sick you're probably constrained to your chair.

It's going to take serious technological advances to get VR into a place where it's fun to use consistently for most people.

IMO, the best place to look for VR opportunities right now is actually in AR/MR. Plenty of enterprise customers interested, frame rate comes second to utility, augmentation means you can actually see what's going on so frame rate doesn't actually matter that much (indeed when I developed for the HoloLens, 30fps was sufficient.)

Re: How to Succeed with a Startup [video]

#32

Post by swizzbeats »

paul7986 wrote: post #25
sidlls wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The tone of your comment is off, but the underlying point has at least some merit.

Pardon if it comes off jaded, but what I note is very true. I’m in no way trying to impress Sam Altman like i gather some others may be. No idea his background... yet did he not go to an Ivy League school?

he went to Stanford

Re: How to Succeed with a Startup [video]

#33

Post by dpeterson »

ameister14 wrote: post #30
paul7986 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pardon if it comes off jaded, but what I note is very true. I’m in no way trying to impress Sam Altman like i gather some others may be. No idea his background... yet did he not go to an Ivy League school?

No, he didn't go to an Ivy League school.

From wikipedia: "studied computer science at Stanford University". Stanford isn't Ivy league? Or is wikipedia wrong?

Re: How to Succeed with a Startup [video]

#35

Post by fermienrico »

projectramo wrote: post #29
fermienrico wrote: post #16

I find Sam Altman's advice on startup completely and utterly useless. They're akin to the "How to become a millionaire" books. I've said this in the past [1] that providing generic advice doesn't work for startups. Every company is unique and they have unique challenges. Instead, Sam should be focusing on bringing stories of various startups in light, interview their founders and have a focused discourse on what work…

I sort of disagree in one important sense: all generic advice is pretty useless. How to succeed in sports? practice, focus, take care of your diet and health How to succeed in a large company? keep your boss happy, work hard, focus etc This is not Altman's fault. I don't think the videos can -- or are supposed to -- replace actual detailed daily advice on struggles which, presumably, you get if you join Ycombinator.…

I think you're right - all generic advice, __by definition__ is not going to be specific and its utility is questionable.

The problem doesn't just lie in the answer, but the question itself. When you ask a question such as "How can I do well in life?", that lends itself to generic bullshit advice.

My problem with Sam Altman is that he keeps perpetuating these kinds of questions as if he is going to help people. I am disagreeing with both what he is trying to appoint as a question, i.e. "How to success with a startup?" and his generic answers to his generic questions.

It helps nobody. Stop asking these questions.

Re: How to Succeed with a Startup [video]

#37

Post by rmason »

rexreed wrote: post #27

I'll counter with some more basic and more broadly applicable advice. 1) Build a product people actually want and need and will pay money for 2) Promote yourself incessantly because others will be promoting themselves even more incessantly. 3) Spend your money wisely - focus on people, product, and marketing. Don't waste your money on office trappings and stuff that makes you feel good. Save your lunch money. 4) Igno…

Number 4 is exceedingly important and it's counter to popular thought. Bootstrapping is painful but if you start growing fast you won't have to seek them out the VC's will find you.

Re: How to Succeed with a Startup [video]

#38

Post by drum »

fermienrico wrote: post #16

I find Sam Altman's advice on startup completely and utterly useless. They're akin to the "How to become a millionaire" books. I've said this in the past [1] that providing generic advice doesn't work for startups. Every company is unique and they have unique challenges. Instead, Sam should be focusing on bringing stories of various startups in light, interview their founders and have a focused discourse on what work…

The upcoming videos in this series are mostly presented by startup founders, employees, and investors speaking from their personal experience. To your point about generic advice not working for startups, his advice seems distilled down to the most general advice that does work for startups. Given the number YC has incubated he probably has a good grasp on that. To me these videos are like candy, intuitive but great reminders nonetheless.

Re: How to Succeed with a Startup [video]

#39

Post by dpeterson »

ameister14 wrote: post #34
dpeterson wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From wikipedia: "studied computer science at Stanford University". Stanford isn't Ivy league? Or is wikipedia wrong?

Stanford is not Ivy League.

Semantics aside, I think it serves nearly the same purpose to immediately exclude 99.999999% of the population.

Re: How to Succeed with a Startup [video]

#40

Post by paul7986 »

ameister14 wrote: post #34
dpeterson wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From wikipedia: "studied computer science at Stanford University". Stanford isn't Ivy league? Or is wikipedia wrong?

Stanford is not Ivy League.

Umm in 2015/2016 Stanford's tuition was $46k while Harvard was $45k.

If it's not Ivy League why am I paying more to go there then the hallmark ivy league school?

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