

Introducing Hackers Den - inspired by Dragons Den - HNer
http://hackersden.co.uk/

======
metachris
This site is made by the same guy as brandcurrency.co.uk
(<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1563441> \- "Marketer rakes £25k Profit
I'm So Jealous I'm Giving Up Developing Apps"). I noticed because the video on
this website stops after a couple of minutes and asks for a payment the same
way as his "Outrank negative reviews on Google" video.

[http://webwhois.nic.uk/cgi-
bin/whois.cgi?query=brandcurrency...](http://webwhois.nic.uk/cgi-
bin/whois.cgi?query=brandcurrency.co.uk&WHOIS+Submit.x=0&WHOIS+Submit.y=0)

[http://webwhois.nic.uk/cgi-
bin/whois.cgi?query=hackersden.co...](http://webwhois.nic.uk/cgi-
bin/whois.cgi?query=hackersden.co.uk&WHOIS+Submit.x=0&WHOIS+Submit.y=0)

For me it seems he (username HNer) wants to make money with his Flash video
payment service (karsa.co.uk), which aborts videos and asks users to pay for
resuming.

<http://news.ycombinator.com/submitted?id=HNer>

There was an interesting discussion in the techcrunch comments about the
security of this karsa solution, where the author failed to address the
security concerns: [http://eu.techcrunch.com/2010/07/20/karsa-flash-payer-
offers...](http://eu.techcrunch.com/2010/07/20/karsa-flash-payer-offers-bait-
and-switch-model-for-video-monetization/?replytocom=409994#comment-410658)

Edit: The last paragraph is incorrect -- I've mistakenly attributed the
techcrunch comments to karsa, but apparently the security concerns were about
a competitor.

~~~
HNer
The payment app is located here: <http://karsa.co.uk>

I just put this up quickly as an example. It could use any Flash player as we
all can decide.

~~~
metachris
I watched the video and it aborted after a couple of minutes asking me to pay.
Why are you doing that on this website?

~~~
HNer
I limited the video to demonstrate how the concept could be commercialized. I
have now lifted the limited viewing period.

------
benwerd
All the criticisms about the underlying technology and business model aside:
if you do nothing else, please hire a copywriter.

------
AlfaWolph
I like the idea. I don't like your Flash player though.

The American version is called Shark Tank and I remember spending a night
watching the episodes on Hulu. I loved seeing the ideas, the "sharks"
interacting with the entrepreneurs (and among themselves), and the financial
negotiation involved. And yes, I'm guilty of liking the dramatics, too.

A Silicon Valley version with technology-based startups pitching to real VC's
who could invest would definitely appeal to the HN audience.

BTW, there was even a redditor that unsuccessfully pitched an idea on their
show.
([http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/aq2p2/im_going_to_be_o...](http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/aq2p2/im_going_to_be_on_a_us_reality_tv_show_tonight/))

------
revorad
The YC interview is one example of a high profile Hackers Den. This kind of
thing runs on the panel's personal brand. Who do you have on yours?

~~~
HNer
I'm hoping as a community we will have plenty of great people who would be
interested and wise enough to participate in that capacity. I would hope to
have some investor types like maybe Derick Sivers et al, but would be open to
anyone who the community felt was a good fit. It's ours to hack into what we
want. There are no rules in place right now, it's just the seed of an idea
which I think we can develop into an entertaining and useful feature of HN.

~~~
revorad
Are you thinking of making it a literal clone of Dragons Den, as in with
video?

~~~
HNer
Yes most certainly with video if possible as this would make it so much more
entertaining for others watching. I'm pretty proficient with Flash and online
video having a background in this area so code should be no problem and with
the use of skype combined with pitches which the particpants create anyway to
pitch on their sites, I'd expect it could all be done very elegantly.

~~~
revorad
I don't think the tech is the problem here. It's the people. It sounds a bit
vague without having some credible people signed up to it.

~~~
HNer
Everything starts somewhere. I'm starting right here.

~~~
revorad
Yes and I wish you luck. It would be interesting and useful if this works out.

(Sorry I didn't mean to be so cynical with my earlier comments.)

~~~
HNer
I will soon be able to announce a few names who have already come forward with
investment capital and other goodies to offer.

------
user24
I much prefer <http://launchset.com> as a "place for hackers to get together"
project. Launchset seems like it genuinely wants to bring hackers together.
Hackers Den seems like it's trying to make money from hackers, without
providing any value back (who's on the panel?)

~~~
Tarski
LaunchSet.com has absolutely no public information on it. The only links
require you to sign up.

~~~
user24
yeah I know, that's the main piece of feedback that people gave yesterday:
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1575098>

once you take the plunge though it's pretty cool, I can see real
potential.(I'm not associated with the project at all, I know I'm sounding
like I am).

------
atomical
I watch Dragon's Den all the time but the show probably knowingly lets on a
lot of people who are not investable and could not get a meeting with a VC to
save their life. The show is more about the personalities of the investors
themselves, many of whom in the first few series did not make one single
investment.

------
alexandros
the video in the page can be seen here in full (at least from the UK):
[http://www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden/entrepreneurs/lisamarshall.s...](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden/entrepreneurs/lisamarshall.shtml)

~~~
listic
not available worldwide.

~~~
rbanffy
You can always use ssh to proxy yourself anywhere you have a server.

------
pclark
saying you were inspired by Dragons Den devalues your proposition IMHO.

~~~
Hari_Seldon
Personally, I can't stand Dragons Den, a bunch of smug and often rude people
sitting there with piles of cash, pontificating and judging other people's
ideas.

Capitalism at its worst

~~~
HNer
Quite entertaining though. And it is also a reality check for many who often
need such an abrasive dressing down so as to ensure they don't carry on
wasting their life on something which will clearly never work.

~~~
revorad
It certainly is entertaining for the viewers, but probably too soul-crushing
for the participants themselves. I'm not too sure about the "something which
will clearly never work" part. Really? Just because 5 investors think so?

~~~
HNer
Ok, some of the ideas pitched are really insane, and we all have bad ideas
sometimes. I see it as a more positive thing to get a dressing down by people
who aren't friends and family (who would never dare) as a result many people
can get quite lost down the rabbit hole without such feedback, and lets face
it we always think our own ideas are fab.

