Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

671–680 of 768 posts

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#671

Post by Rainymood »

endophage wrote: post #642
dvainsencher wrote: post #585

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is a job of the government to counteract destabilizing influences such as the wealth concentrating effects of technology and under-competition. As a foreigner living in the US, the US government honestly sucks eggs at it. Healthcare, banks, cable, broadband, cell phone service, Google, Apple, Microsoft... all classic antitrust cases across the board, waiting for an un-captured regulator. If world governments conti…

A Universal Basic Income is not necessarily paid to everyone, at least not directly. A UBI means a certain income level is guaranteed, if you are earning more than the guaranteed level, you may not be given anything in addition. This is most clearly demonstrated by one proposed implementation of UBI, namely, a negative income tax. A negative income tax would entail those earning below the guaranteed level being paid…

>A Universal Basic Income is not necessarily paid to everyone, at least not directly. A UBI means a certain income level is guaranteed, if you are earning more than the guaranteed level, you may not be given anything in addition.

Well that is fucked up? They dont call it a "UNIVERSAL" basic income.

Yeah let's give a basic income to EVERYONE, EXCEPT ... that makes 0 sense. You just described wellfare really.

Universal or bust. Everyone or no-one imo. It's a universal basic income afterall. Not a conditional basic income.

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#672

Post by adamdill »

nikcub wrote: post #560
redtri wrote: post #399

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Jason is the only investor I've worked with that treated me simply as a founder, not a "female founder." This alone is a reason that new YC entrepreneurs should have access to working with him. He sets an example of how entrepreneurs should be treated. Jason has seen me at my worst, when I was ready to throw in the towel and battling with my board and generally having a tough, tough time, and I left the meeting with…

You are one of 7 brand new accounts created since this thread was posted who have left comments praising Jason: https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=supergeek18 https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=vincentc https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=Clectasteve https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=ericzli https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=rushtix https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=redtri https://news.ycombinator.com/u…

Yeah, I created a new account, WITH MY REAL NAME for this as I wanted to be super transparent. I didn't want to use a scrub account that I normally post under here. All of those except for one probably fall under the same situation.

It's not a case of malice, just transparency.

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#673

Post by namenotrequired »

echoudhry wrote: post #443

Hey Sam, we have attempted to apply a couple times showing steady progression. Does it hurt to re-apply with same idea. To be fair, I know if I have seen a resume for the third time, I am conflicted with the applicants passion and my initial decision. How would say this can differ with your team or is it the same?

They've always said that it's good to reapply, which makes sense to me personally, because they say they need founders who get things done. Having a previous application to compare your current application with must be one of the best ways to judge that.

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#674

Post by ec109685 »

RCra wrote: post #358

Hey Sam! We're disrupting a $3.2B information market, full of old slow tech. We've received encouragement from YC alum to apply and had help with our application, but warned that what we're doing might be too difficult for the average tech person to grasp and be vetted out for this reason. We have 11k in revenue from our first sales cycle and 200% mom user growth. Any recommendations on how we can make sure we get he…

Typo here: Smart Company the is easiest way to keep on top of scientific progress and research-based products.

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#676

Post by graycat »

fsloth wrote: post #656
graycat wrote: post #614

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But how to create stealth took some darned good "ideas". Sure, the startup "circles" regard an idea as a short description of a sentence or two to a family member, neighbor, or prospective user/customer of how the new product/service will look to them. But, then what about how to make that product/service work? Ignore that? That part should be crucial: Crucial for having the first good or a much better product/soluti…

Actually the shape of the f-117 came out of computations based on publicly published work. A Skunk works engineer was skimming through obscure russian math papers when he came across it by chance. 'Skunk Works' by Ben Rich

IIRC such a thing. But for the B-1, F-22, F-35, no doubt more work was needed, that is, more ideas.

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#677

Post by namenotrequired »

emilwallner wrote: post #189
sama wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, we are considering doing something along these lines later this year, though we haven't made a final decision.

You should do it in Stockholm, we have produced more unicorns per capita than any other city in the world: http://techcrunch.com/2016/01/26/sweden-is-a-tech-superstar-...

Why should "per capita" matter to YC?

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#678

Post by marincounty »

cybin wrote: post #568

Hey Sam: So I've been working diligently for the last few weeks putting the final edits on my application to YC. I'm 68 years old an the only founder. On the positive side I've got almost 50 years of work in the project that defines the state of the art. Am I wasting my time in applying considering my age and singleness?

I don't think this question will be honestly answered.

Maybe we should ask is there over three successful applicants that were over 50?

It's not an unfair question.

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#679

Post by MattyMc »

Hi Sam. Not sure if you'll read this, but thought I'd take a moment this morning on the off chance you might.

I just wanted to say hi, and say thanks. 5-6 years ago I came to realized how much I enjoy creating/making things, how little that process resembled work for me, and shortly later after reading Paul Graham's essays felt like I had finally found a community that who shares my interests and values.

Although my background is in mathematics I've spent much of the past 6 years in coffee shops during evenings and weekends teaching myself to code and bringing my projects to life. Equally important has been my business education during this time. I now view business as a means to spend more of my time in that creative space, and creating successful business as an equally enjoyable engineering challenge.

So thanks. Thank you to you for the countless videos, the (awesome) recent lecture series, the Stanford Entrepreneurial talks, and for curating this community. Thank you also to Paul and Jessica, from whom I continue to learn so much as I try to get to the essence of the deeper, most important questions in life. Thanks to you all.

Well, it's Saturday morning which means Pam and I are off to the coffee shop - her to write and me to code. Although my current project/business (that I'm super excited about!) doesn't lend to a startup-style investment growth model, hence no immediate YC application forthcoming, I hope one day some context will exist where I can thank you in person.

Have a great day.

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#680

Post by ericzawo »

sama wrote: post #190
ericzawo wrote: post #186

What's one piece of advice you could give to a recent graduate?

Things are almost never as risky as they seem to a recent graduate. This is one of the best times in your life to take a risk and do what you really want.

Thank you for this.
Post reply on HN