

Startup Enables Students to Outsource Schoolwork to Highly Educated Professors - techvibes
http://www.techvibes.com/blog/montreal-startup-enables-students-to-outsource-schoolwork-to-highly-educated-professionals-2012-01-12#comment-409087393

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int3rnaut
There was an article concerning custom-essay writing on HN a little while ago*
so this isn't particularly ground breaking for me, but it does beg the
question, why commit your time and energy (startups take up a big chunk of
your life for at least a few years) to something so slimy? There's obviously a
need for something like this as lazy people are willing to pay but wouldn't
you rather do something more meaningful?

*<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2775789>

Full Disclosure: I've gamed the school system, and have not always gotten the
full power of my education. I've done this by reading book reviews, google
book snippets etc to reduce reading loads--so I have been there in a sense. I
just don't understand that place of wanting to create a startup around the
immoral. I'm not judging, I'm just curious.

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LogicX
One could argue that someone who succeeds using a service like this is better
prepared for the 'real world' where a large portion of those in business
outsource or hire consultants to accomplish anything they can't figure out,
hire for, or wish to learn themselves.

Everything in moderation, and it can be a double-edged sword, but I've seen it
just as likely that someone 'fails' in the real-world because they don't think
outside the box to someone else helping them solve their problem.

Look at the successes of crowdspring, fiverr, odesk, and elance.

I had a HS history teacher who gave all tests as take home, open book tests.
One day I was really busy with other assignments and asked a friend if he
could take my paper, copy his answers, he handed it to me the next day in
class, I saw answers, I handed it in.

I got a 0% on that test. Not due to cheating, but due to lack of attention:
The teacher had randomly handed out different versions of the test to
different kids, the questions were the same, but the order was different. My
friend copied all the answers... in to the wrong questions. The teacher
obviously knew what happened - but he didn't lecture me about it. He knew I'd
learned enough of a lesson with the 0% grade - He was right.

To me, the lesson wasn't "Don't cheat" but was either "Check your work" or
"Know what you're taking responsibility for".

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greenyoda
"UnemployedProfessors.com offers a customized, safe, reliable, and plagiarism-
free service for those willing to pay to have their coursework completed."

So handing in a paper someone else wrote and passing it off as your own work
is not considered plagiarism anymore? I think they really mean that it's
plagiarism that's not likely to get caught, but even that is unlikely: since
the writers are paid by the paper and not by the hour, there would seem to be
a strong incentive for them to recycle as much of their previous work as
possible. Hey, if their customers cheat, why shouldn't they?

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wisty
I hope there's a few professors left who don't yet claim that anyone who
cheats is only cheating themselves.

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erikb
The business idea is dubious. The website looks just very bad. The
/competition page is just flaming about others. The blog starts with a big div
over the text containing a video. advertisment?

Please, up your quality a bit!

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quote
I find it highly ironic that the "firm’s writers are screened on the basis of
their educational achievements" and are supposed to have degrees. What would
that matter?

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praptak
"Highly Educated Professors"? I _hope_ this is a tautology. On the other hand,
given existence of sites like this, I am no longer so sure...

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rsanchez1
When you have an environment, where someone sees the need for a startup to
sell grades, you know the system is broken. Instead of emphasizing training
and preparation for the real world, the system emphasizes getting a high GPA
and finishing near the top of the class. It's a shame really.

