

Ask HN: Let's list hair on fire problems - adamzerner

Don&#x27;t worry about them being good startup ideas.
======
adamzerner
Having to go to the doctor for something little, rather than a quicker and
cheaper alternative.

~~~
flint
I need a "do you think I should see a doctor about this?" Server.

------
adamzerner
A lack of stimulating discussion. Most people treat discussions/arguments like
wars, and don't know how to apply the principles of reductionism.

------
adamzerner
Having to buy a car when you really just need to get to work and go shopping
every once in a while.

~~~
collyw
Actually I think that is part of a general problem, of infrequent large
purchases.

Most people buy these things maybe once every ten years, so it is very unusual
to have people who actually know what they are looking for when they are
buying (a salesman's dream I guess).

I read an interesting article about washing machines, written by a repair man.
Apparently there are not many manufacturers, but the cheap ones have loads of
different brands. And loads of models, which don't actually differ very much,
except for the software on them. So they can have a range of different price
points, as it has x many different programs so must cost $100 more. Better to
go for a basic one from one of the better quality brands than an expensive one
with 100 different programs that you probably won't use anyway.

------
adamzerner
Not knowing what the culture is really like at the companies your considering
working for.

~~~
codezero
what ever you see in public, multiplied by terrible.

------
markovbling
Grocery store has ALL the ingredients i need except 1 or 2 ESSENTIAL
components.

I'm sure everyone's had the experience of filling their shopping trolley up
with all the ingredients to make say wraps except the store is sold out of
actual wraps. Like you have all the salads and fillings etc but no actual
wraps.

Now I have to find another store nearby that has my missing ingredients.
DURRRR RAGE!

There's a start up idea in there somewhere.

like what if I could check off my grocery list and any items not checked off,
i automatically get a list of the nearest places relative to my current
location where i can get that item.

:)

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crpatino
Knowledge management in big institutions. -> Being aware there's a missing
piece of the puzzle. -> Being aware of who has pieces of this puzzle. -> Being
able to tell this piece belongs with a different puzzle. -> For each puzzle.
how many (and which) pieces no longer fit in the whole picture (because
puzzles evolve over time). -> For each piece, find out the name of the guy who
has it. -> Bob's turned his 2 week notice... which puzzles are likely to
suffer one year from now because of the pieces (or meta pieces) he's taking
with him.

------
adamzerner
Not having any useful startup related classes to take in college. (Business
classes teach how to run big businesses. CS classes are often many levels of
abstraction too low. And there aren't any classes that teach design)

~~~
josephpmay
You might be interested in [https://iovine-young.usc.edu/](https://iovine-
young.usc.edu/)

which is trying to solve these exact problems

------
adamzerner
Not knowing what different careers are really like until you try them.

------
bjourne
Create a fully automated and objective system to gauge the ability of
developers. Then people and companies wouldn't have to waste time performing
interviews.

~~~
oftenwrong
[https://codility.com/](https://codility.com/) is that. I have never used it,
so I cannot comment on effectiveness. It is pitched as a pre-filter, not a
total replacement for the interviewing process.

------
NicheDiver
Digital asset management after death. Something all encompassing that is easy
to comprehend by non-technical people. (i.e. The people you leave behind.)

Instead of leaving a list of accounts, user names, passwords and instructions
for each, I want to be able to say, "When I die, XYZ co will take care of all
of this" and feel confident that it will be as stress free as possible for my
family.

~~~
TheLoneWolfling
Perhaps with the account data encrypted with a two-part key, one part on the
will, one part in the hands of said company.

------
adamzerner
Cheap and convenient interstate travel. Megabus sucks.

------
read
I make bad decisions to do things that are not as important as other things.
It's as if I'm perpetually missing something at the point in time where I
could make a better decision. I'd love to hear how to change that.

------
adamzerner
Trouble meeting cool new people. Most of it just happens by chance encounters.

~~~
collyw
Do some cool stuff, and you will be more likely to meet cool people.

------
petervandijck
international tax advice. cash flow for young companies. hiring.

------
adamzerner
Not being able to fall asleep at night.

~~~
koberstein
ZzzQuil

~~~
josephpmay
ZzzQuil is just rebranded Benadryl. I believe it stops being effective after a
few days of use.

------
helen842000
Curing physical pain - especially long term (neck, back, shoulder)

Debt

Earning more money

------
adamzerner
Not being able to easily compare the performance of different mutual funds.

~~~
koberstein
Past performance means nothing to the future.

~~~
adamzerner
Surly there is some correlation. Is there data on this?

------
adamzerner
Not having a quick, cheap and healthy fast food place to go to.

------
adamzerner
Having to go grocery shopping when you only need a few things.

------
adamzerner
"Having" to go through K-12.

------
adamzerner
Remembering all your passwords.

~~~
gburt
This is solved with a variety of methods. I prefer KeePassX stored in Dropbox
and available on my phone.

------
adamzerner
Finding something good on TV.

------
angersock
Dicks to chicks ratio at tech conferences is abysmal.

------
adamzerner
Dying.

~~~
koberstein
Fear of death is the actual problem.

~~~
adamzerner
No, dying itself is definitely bad.

~~~
mike47
Don't knock it 'til you've tried it ;-)

------
adamzerner
Having to clean.

