Extreme questions to trigger new, better ideas • Hacker News Board

Re: Extreme questions to trigger new, better ideas

#91

Post by pelasaco » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 4:34 PM UTC

cube2222 wrote: post #51

pelasaco wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

well, EU talks a lot about national carbon footprint and normally the solution is to send the carbon footprint overseas, then the national problem is solved.

This is actually being changed and was discussed here on HN[0]. [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33833017

The example why "nothing is being changed" just because EU signed a compromise to do it in 2024. https://www.euronews.com/2023/01/10/belgium-extends-life-of-.... Belgium extends life of its nuclear power industry by 10 years regardless of previous European agreements.

Re: Extreme questions to trigger new, better ideas

#92

Post by tremon » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 5:46 PM UTC

college_physics wrote: post #50

xoptions wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you think about utopia?

According to search behavior at least, interest in utopias is growing steadily since the fifties. The fans of the "you never had it so good" theory must work a bit harder https://www.google.com/search?channel=fs&client=ubuntu&q=uto... Interestingly, while from the beginning the word utopia was used to refer to a desirable (perfect) society, etymologically it simply means a place that does not exist. In contrast to dy…

etymologically it simply means a place that does not exist

This isn't true, I think? Assuming that it derives from the Greek τόπος (location), it literally means "good place" (εὖ-τόπος). The no-such-place translation in Greek would probably be ἄτοπος, but that's an existing word and uses one of the other meanings of τόπος (it means uncommon or absurd).

Re: Extreme questions to trigger new, better ideas

#93

Post by sakerbos » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 5:47 PM UTC

“Brainstorming” is hard—staring at a blank whiteboard, wondering whether someone could make a real-life “dark mode” whiteboard, then realizing that’s what a blackboard is, only dustier - this cracked me up!

Re: Extreme questions to trigger new, better ideas

#94

Post by gernb » Tue, Jan 10, 2023, 6:36 PM UTC

dublinben wrote: post #82

gernb wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yes you can. Because it will likely be decades before the environment kills people but you can save a life today. Oh, don't drive that ambulance to go pick someone up and rescue them, it pollutes! Where as other solutions may exist for the environment in the future. Here's another. Maybe no one should go hiking/camping/mountain climbing because the few that need to be rescued generally require cars/helicopters the bu…

Many people are killed by "the environment" every year already. This problem will only continue to get worse unless we make radical changes today. Over 20,000 died in western Europe’s summer heatwaves [0] Bangladesh, India floods kill over 100; millions in need of aid [1] Climate Change Causes 5 Million Extra Deaths Per Year [2] [0] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/24/over-200... [1] https://www.aljaz…

Poverty also causes millions of deaths a year.

Re: Extreme questions to trigger new, better ideas

#95

Post by 8n4vidtmkvmk » Wed, Jan 11, 2023, 2:56 AM UTC

pjc50 wrote: post #33

8n4vidtmkvmk wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm trying to think of how that would change the product. I would have to hire a team of folks to actually provide tech support, for sure. But the product? Would need less attention to detail because we'd always be a phone call away. Edit: Maybe I can train a ChatGPT embedding on how to use my product and force customers to use that...

The support team will provide you with a set of suggestions as to how to change the product, unless you slap them down constantly.

That's true. That kind of does happen actually. I let my business partner take all the calls and he sometimes asks me to change stuff based on recurring confusion.

Re: Extreme questions to trigger new, better ideas

#96

Post by smartbear » Thu, Jan 12, 2023, 4:50 PM UTC

meltyness wrote: post #9

The application of whatever conceptual model was being used here doesn't encompass the biggest innovations of the last few decades, open-source and user-generated content. Or in terms of the language of the article: how can we enlist the customer to work for us for free?

Ha, I love it, thank you! I'll consider adding that. (Already added one new section thanks to other great ideas from others.)

Re: Extreme questions to trigger new, better ideas

#97

Post by smartbear » Thu, Jan 12, 2023, 4:53 PM UTC

smartbear wrote: post #70

college_physics wrote: post #46

I am missing: "How could we make the world a better place while doing good business?" Probably too extreme a question.

I like that a lot. I'll probably add that to the piece, thank you!

I actually did add this as another prompt. Thanks again for the great idea.