91–100 of 130 posts
Try to talk to who ever procures management software, BI, CRM, payroll and see how much they pay for what. See if there is something you can do significant better/cheaper. Also ask them what they wish they had.
> ... or else I default into the standard class and must take a project from the industry. What about if, instead of speculating on a business idea to implement in isolation, you found some of these industry partners, and asked them to describe something they need desperately and would pay for? If you can't do that before your proposal is due, make that research your proposal -- get familiar with the process of gathe…
At the very least, you'll learn something about practical development and what it takes to get a real-world project off the ground. If you can can both get a good grade and make some money, so much the better.
Make an app-store, but for web applications. You can fill it to begin with using affiliate links to existing web apps. Once you get a decent number of people using it, you can allow people with new web apps to advertise there, or charge for subscriptions to be listed there, or take a cut out of every sale/signup. Many ways to skin this cat.
To get the network, you could create an app like SETI@home which pays people for their idle cycles.
Mechanical Turk, but with lots of computers instead of a few humans.
1) It would provide you with a "customer" who is close by and you can interact with heavily. 2) There are likely more professors with a similar problem and a similar willingness to pay for it. 3) If you are successful, you will be giving back to your community that fostered your opportunity.
Hmmm. Here's a problem that I'm going to end up building a solution to if someone else doesn't do it first (and by all means, please do it because I am lazy and have enough projects to last me for the foreseeable future): A CRUD application generator. You go to a page and define all of your models and basic rules. The models get defined in very simple terms - you give each model a name, and then define each field wit…
I've seen this done a few times on varying scales (from form gen to whole app gen) and it's never been pretty.
Invariably, if you've got no previous experience with real business software, you'll get it wrong. Even if you have experience, you'll get it wrong. The database will probably be where you go wrong the most.
Also consider some of the basic hurdles. As soon as you've done iteration 1 of the app you need to customise it a bit.
Then you need to do iteration 2, the scope's increased. Do you rebuild using the tools and then reintegrate all those little customisations? Or do you stop using the framework? If so, what was the point of it in the first place? You've got a bunch of code that you're not sure quite how it works or where everything is. It's also not in your programming style.
The closest I've seen anyone getting to this is MS's Entity Framework and the scope of that is extremely limited compared to what's being suggested.
This is a timesink of good intentions that will produce the most horrific code.
You might be able to tell I've been on the receiving end of cleaning up after these things. I need to go shower just thinking about it. Feeling. Unclean. Urgh.
Two things I would love to see: 1. Kayak.com for ground transportation. Trains, buses, ferries, etc. are a pain to compare prices and book right now. Admittedly there probably isn't as much of a business case for this. 2. A music site where I could collaborate on a playlist with my friends and listen to the music at the same time. Currently there are sites that let you share playlists, but not listen at the same time…
The version that's up there was written in a single Caltrain ride but I have a lot more features after coding some more. I'll push those changes in a couple of days but let me know what you guys think, would love to hear any feedback.
I haven't seen anyone do it right yet, here's the thread: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1399953
Hmmm. Here's a problem that I'm going to end up building a solution to if someone else doesn't do it first (and by all means, please do it because I am lazy and have enough projects to last me for the foreseeable future): A CRUD application generator. You go to a page and define all of your models and basic rules. The models get defined in very simple terms - you give each model a name, and then define each field wit…
If I were you, run screaming from this idea. I've seen this done a few times on varying scales (from form gen to whole app gen) and it's never been pretty. Invariably, if you've got no previous experience with real business software, you'll get it wrong. Even if you have experience, you'll get it wrong. The database will probably be where you go wrong the most. Also consider some of the basic hurdles. As soon as you'…
This is all pseudo-implemented already; I'm just talking about adding a little more automation to an already repetitive process.
Either way, it's a problem that needs solving; just because it's hard doesn't mean it's not worth trying to fix, right?