

Ask HN: YC, transitioning to webapps, building a prototype - linhir

In college I took a great CS sequence at Brown where we had to learn Scheme, ML and Java. After that I learned some python, and some C, although my main workhorse is R and I've mostly worked in the other languages to write more efficient R programs. My interests include a good bit of applied stats work on the side of my normal, mostly unrelated, job.<p>Every time there is a YC app due, a few friends and I brainstorm about ideas. Ya, ya, I know ideas are cheap, but working tirelessly building something is one hell of a dream/nightmare, and you better be pretty sure you believe in the idea. But none of them have ever been that good, even though we applied once.  Today though, for the first time, I came up with an idea that really struck me. Its the first idea I've had that I could explain to completely random non-technical friends and have them say 1) I get that 2) I'd use it and 3) I'd invest.<p>And then I realize, crap, I want to do this more than I've wanted to do anything in a long time. If I had any money I'd quit my job today, but barring that I'm going to make as good a prototype by March 20th as is possible. So my question is pretty simple: what next? Lets assume for a moment that I can program in some computation is beautiful and has always clicked for me, and I own a copy of and have implemented things from CLRS way, but that until about 12 hours ago I was always more fascinated with datasets sitting on my computer than web applications. I know I'm asking the impossible/ridiculous question, but lets assume I didn't sleep much for the next 60 days, what do I need to read? I assume I want to use LAMP (with python), what is a good introduction to MySQL? What libraries do I need to look at? Is Django the way to go? (I ask this because I want to do things right, not necessarily quickly, I'm skeptical of something like turbogears) Who is best for hosting Django projects since I need shell access, etc? I know partially I'm asking religious questions, and I also know that I will definitely ultimately relay on lots of guides/how-tos/instructions on everything, but HN seems like the perfect place to ask for that first push down the hill.
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minalecs
I think you have to pick the tools that will allow you to get things done as
fast as possible. Get you to something thats releasable (MVP) and allows you
to test your assumptions. If you read a lot of the articles on HN you will see
a lot are about how fast and cheap can you run experiments on your assumptions
and execution. I think you are thinking in the opposite of what you need to be
in saying, "I want to do it right, not necessarily quickly". So yeah my advice
is .. if you know Java do Java, if you can pick up PHP fast, do it. Whatever
makes sense and can get you a working prototype that clearly shows your
vision.

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revorad
Instead of declaring that you are going to build this amazing idea, you should
pose it as a question. Could one build this? How would I build the simplest
version 1? Will I use it? Who among my friends or acquaintances might use it?

What is your idea anyway? Hiding it is the single best predictor that it's a
dud.

