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The 15 Roles Absolutely Necessary in a Startup, No Matter How Small it is

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Re: The 15 Roles Absolutely Necessary in a Startup, No Matter How Small it is

#31

Post by ricree »

blhack wrote: post #27
hhm wrote: post #13

"Uses web framework, creates functionality; knows Python/Ruby, Javascript, AJAX, Flash(?), HTML, databases." This is a very weak description of what a hacker is by the way.

I also just want to chime in and say that I absolutely HATE websites that feel like they're been over-designed. perfect = hackernews horrible = digg.com I feel like the "uses webframework python $buzzword, javascript $buzzword $buzzword $buzzword" speaks to this. SOOO many websites have got too many distracting buttons and things to click on, and no actual content . Look at something like craigslist...its perfect. It…

I don't really prefer one way or the other. If digg's content was at the level that HN's is, it wouldn't be that bad.

Re: The 15 Roles Absolutely Necessary in a Startup, No Matter How Small it is

#32

Post by lsb »

ricree wrote: post #31
blhack wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also just want to chime in and say that I absolutely HATE websites that feel like they're been over-designed. perfect = hackernews horrible = digg.com I feel like the "uses webframework python $buzzword, javascript $buzzword $buzzword $buzzword" speaks to this. SOOO many websites have got too many distracting buttons and things to click on, and no actual content . Look at something like craigslist...its perfect. It…

I don't really prefer one way or the other. If digg's content was at the level that HN's is, it wouldn't be that bad.

A man with a shovel, instead of an up arrow? That's like

  ADD X TO Y GIVING Z.
instead of

  z=x+y
so yes, it wouldn't be that bad, but food from Per Se wouldn't be that bad if you ate it at McDonald's, either.

Re: The 15 Roles Absolutely Necessary in a Startup, No Matter How Small it is

#33

Post by Flemlord »

scorxn wrote: post #17
moe wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then, if what you say is true, why do you put up with it? Does he pay a salary? Did you receive an appropiate equity share for the work you put in relative to his? Or, to put it bluntly, what do you need him for?

I get a salary that would be laughable by most standards, partly because I'm a young autodidact with a BFA, and partly because I live in a part of the US with very little web dev opportunity. I'm stuck here while my SO finishes grad school. I think it's time to start looking again, this time remotely.

Think it through before quitting. You're getting paid to be a startup CEO-in-training. I did this for 4 years for somebody and it gave me the practical experience I needed to launch my own startup. My situation had the added bonus of the founder being a gifted salesman, and I learned how to sell from watching him.

Re: The 15 Roles Absolutely Necessary in a Startup, No Matter How Small it is

#34

Post by brandnewlow »

blhack wrote: post #27
hhm wrote: post #13

"Uses web framework, creates functionality; knows Python/Ruby, Javascript, AJAX, Flash(?), HTML, databases." This is a very weak description of what a hacker is by the way.

I also just want to chime in and say that I absolutely HATE websites that feel like they're been over-designed. perfect = hackernews horrible = digg.com I feel like the "uses webframework python $buzzword, javascript $buzzword $buzzword $buzzword" speaks to this. SOOO many websites have got too many distracting buttons and things to click on, and no actual content . Look at something like craigslist...its perfect. It…

Digg's design is not horrible. C'mon. They've won design awards with it and have millions of users. Hacker News has no design, which appeals to an audience that would love to think that code (a.k.a. content) is the only thing that matters in a business' success and that everything else is superfluous.

Digg's audience is more into fashion/style/cool stuff. So they should get some colors and a few gradients here and there.

I actually think Digg's design is very low-key.

Re: The 15 Roles Absolutely Necessary in a Startup, No Matter How Small it is

#35

Post by quizbiz »

scorxn wrote: post #4

What do you do if you find yourself having to wear all these hats, while the founder forwards emails and reads FastCompany all day? I don't see a hat for that.

Have a talk with the founder. Reading about good management isn't enough.

Re: The 15 Roles Absolutely Necessary in a Startup, No Matter How Small it is

#36

Post by njharman »

wvenable wrote: post #24

It's a great list as long as your startup doesn't intend to ever make any money! No accountant, no business people, nothing of the sort? Speaking from experience, the business management side is very important if you want your venture to be successful (or take advantage of success when it comes).

These are/can be all business people.

* Visionary/Architect * Marketer * Manager * Lawyer * Chef

Accountant is something you rent/outsource.

Re: The 15 Roles Absolutely Necessary in a Startup, No Matter How Small it is

#37

Post by dasil003 »

blhack wrote: post #27
hhm wrote: post #13

"Uses web framework, creates functionality; knows Python/Ruby, Javascript, AJAX, Flash(?), HTML, databases." This is a very weak description of what a hacker is by the way.

I also just want to chime in and say that I absolutely HATE websites that feel like they're been over-designed. perfect = hackernews horrible = digg.com I feel like the "uses webframework python $buzzword, javascript $buzzword $buzzword $buzzword" speaks to this. SOOO many websites have got too many distracting buttons and things to click on, and no actual content . Look at something like craigslist...its perfect. It…

The biggest mistake you can make in visual design is to be guided by taste rather than understanding how different styles work psychologically and what is suitable to your target market. Some hackers deride "design" because they've either never worked with a talented designer, or they don't understand what design does. However there's quite a bit of science to design as well, it's just not as quantifiable as code.

Re: The 15 Roles Absolutely Necessary in a Startup, No Matter How Small it is

#39

Post by swombat »

alabut wrote: post #29
swombat wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally, I'd hate to be referred to as "the blogger". "The author" seems a bit less dismissive.

It's all in the viewpoint - I don't see "blogger" as dismissive at all and see "author" a bit pompous for the level of writing.

I don't see what the level of writing has to do with whether one is an author or not. You're the author of your comment, and a graffiti artist who draws a penis on a wall is the author of that graffiti. Author merely implies who created the thing.

Anyway, all I was commenting is that I find it quite unpleasant when I write blog posts and people refer to me in the third person, as either "the author" or "the blogger", but between the two, "the author" seems less dismissive and I'd pick that over the other. It's worth keeping in mind that the author probably reads these comments too.

Re: The 15 Roles Absolutely Necessary in a Startup, No Matter How Small it is

#40

Post by amvp »

brandnewlow wrote: post #34
blhack wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also just want to chime in and say that I absolutely HATE websites that feel like they're been over-designed. perfect = hackernews horrible = digg.com I feel like the "uses webframework python $buzzword, javascript $buzzword $buzzword $buzzword" speaks to this. SOOO many websites have got too many distracting buttons and things to click on, and no actual content . Look at something like craigslist...its perfect. It…

Digg's design is not horrible. C'mon. They've won design awards with it and have millions of users. Hacker News has no design, which appeals to an audience that would love to think that code (a.k.a. content) is the only thing that matters in a business' success and that everything else is superfluous. Digg's audience is more into fashion/style/cool stuff. So they should get some colors and a few gradients here and th…

I agree - digg has a fairly elegant design that's easy on the eye, without being obstructive. I don't think hacker news would suffer a great deal if a :little: more attention was paid to visual design. It doesn't really matter, I think people come here for the content, and that's fine.

Rater than comparing hn with digg, the comparison I saw somewhere was with http://www.newspond.com/ - an example of a site that looks nice (if you like gradients and glasy, round corners), at the expense of usability (only 3 posts per screen height etc). The first time I visited it, I was genuinely impressed by what they've archived, visually. But I've never been back since.

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