

Show HN: Getting help with your ideas - scheff
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0Au1D7vlsizmSdGZVaFBXNTgyQ092M3QzeVdJbW8zRFE&single=true&gid=0&output=html
I keep meeting so many hackers with great ideas, and they have either a hurdle, or a lack of a path to get to where they need to go.  So I have created this form that anyone can fill in, and then share, with the hope that it will be seen by someone who can come along and help them.<p>I want a tool that gives a voice, a loud-speaker, to hackers so that they're efforts get recognized, and get the support they need.<p>Please feel free to fill in this form and then share it.<p>Note: the Responses page doesn't update immediately.  Google seems to republish the form every 5 minutes or so, so please wait patiently for your entry to appear.<p>Pete.
======
scheff
Some great feedback, guys. Thankyou for contributing and sharing. I'm happy
and surprised by how well it has been received, it suggests that there is a
genuine need there that needs to be fulfilled.

I figure that many people on Hacker News are probably having similar issues
that they are trying to solve independently, or have already solved. If we can
share our solutions, we can get to where we're going much faster. The reason
this will work is because we're all in the same mindset and want to see each
other succeed.

I only went with the Google spreadsheet because I was short on time. So how's
about we brainstorm it a little and see what we can come up with to make it
really helpful? I might export what's already in there and put into more of a
web app.

So let's address some of the issues together.

1\. "It's going to fall into the background when it falls out of HN's
attention."

I was hoping that if everyone shares the link on Twitter/Forums/wherever, then
it would generate enough circulation to be self-sustaining.

Assuming that's not the case, how else can we encourage people to keep going
back to the list and contributing/helping?

Some ideas: A. Ask PG if we can actually integrate something with HN so that
people DO get rewarded karma for both sharing the link and solving people's
problems.

B. Turn it into a knowledge portal where you can find out how other people
solved the problem you're trying to deal with, be it technical, business,
personal, etc.

C. Make it a pre-payment system whereby you MUST share the link and/or help
someone with a problem before you can post your own problem up.

2\. Should the multiple choice answers be "select one or more options"?

3\. Should there be a "Bump this one up" for people who are experiencing the
same problem so that the "greatest pain" bubbles to the top where it's obvious
that it needs the most solving.

4\. Should there be a "I'd be willing to pay for a solution" for when you find
a problem that you too are having, but the original poster said "I can pay you
in Pizza/Karma"?

5\. Should there be a better interface for browsing/searching through other
people's problems? What would it look like?

6\. Is there a way of making it easier to read for the people dropping in from
Twitter, forums, etc?

7\. Do we want a system whereby you can post up your skills so that you can
offer to exchange services/skills?

Over to you.

------
pw
Build It With Me (<http://builditwith.me/>) is similar to this, and I rather
like it. I've found that asking someone about their idea is a great
conversation starter (i.e. networking technique).

~~~
pw
Even if you don't contact anyone, I think looking through lists like these can
be a good way to practice evaluating ideas. While it lacks feedback (you never
find out what, if any, of the ideas actually worked), it can get you in the
habit of asking the right questions. Repeat after pg, "Who has this problem?"

------
ww520
This can be helpful but I think the problem with this approach (and the
countless others before it) is that no one will find it after couple days.
People can't help if they can't find it. If you solve that problem, you got it
made.

------
user24
This spreadsheet is a great idea!

I've added my idea, an idea that I've been thinking about since last november;
wedding budget planning software. It's a great niche, the competition is
fierce but utterly rubbish; there are results in the top ten which literally
are html tables you're supposed to print out. I know this can be massively
improved, and I have a fantastic innovative business model. I just need
someone to help me with UI/UX. I don't want it to look like excel!

The spreadsheet only allowed one 'how I can return the favour' answer, so I
put in 'returned services', but I also have a small budget to use, and if the
idea takes off I will give a return on investment, so it's 'all of the above'
really. But I thought it was safest to say that in return I can offer my help
as a PHP/mySQL/JavaScript programmer or in any other technical capacity. I
didn't want to mislead anyone by saying "I'll pay" when in reality I don't
have a huge budget. FWIW, here's my CV:
<http://www.puremango.co.uk/2009/08/php-cv/> so you can get an idea of the
kind of things I might be able to help you with.

I'd love to hear from you if you're passionate and have ideas about how best
to present this app. It would be great to find a co-founder, but we'll see ;)

tweet me @user24 or email howard.yeend@gmail.com

------
ThomPete
<http://Weekendhacker.net> 7000 designers & developers. 160 projects.
Launching web interface Tuesday.

------
tszming
Something related:

New Startup Ideas [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ag-
R_ZlGO21NdE9...](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ag-
R_ZlGO21NdE9HSWRkbjNyUGRxS2JIV3NxYVdiaXc&hl=en_US#gid=2)

------
jason_tko
Great idea. I made a contribution and also tweeted. I'm monitoring the
spreadsheet to see if there are any problems I can help to solve.

The more people that get involved, the more value this kind of effort has, so
fill out your form, ask for help, and give help to someone else!

------
scheff
By the way - I'm completely open to advice and suggestions with this. If you
think it needs extra fields, better design, better explanation, etc. just let
me know. This tool is for you.

~~~
nl
May I suggest a field for HN username?

------
robjohnson
If this spreadsheet actually works, it will be a great tool. I will absolutely
use it.

------
chromedude
The proposals to give Karma - how would people give people karma?

~~~
user24
I think he means 'real' karma i.e. warm fuzzy feelings, rather than HN points.

