On: Ask PG: When will YC selectees be notified?

[pg]

We did once fund a pair of founders neither of whom were hackers. One of them had majored in physics in college though.

[Major_Grooves → pg]

The auctomatic guys had studied PPE and Law I think. It wasn't till at or after YC that they merged with a hacker. Or maybe I get the details wrong...

[vlad → Major_Grooves]

I think you're right, Major. But those two had founded and worked on an eBay clone for students prior to that.

[unalone → pg]

Does physics majoring help start-ups? Were they a physics-central startup? Or is it just proof of dedication, similar to how a math major would be?

[pg → unalone]

Anyone who understands math will at least get what the issues are in hacking, even if they don't understand random details. They won't panic at the sight of formal notation.

[pclark → unalone]

physics is a pretty common major to lead to internet/tech startups, I know quite a few guys that made that transition.

[ryanwaggoner → pg]

Results?

[lisper → ryanwaggoner]

I believe he's talking about Octopart. They were doing well the last time I checked.

[pg → lisper]

No, Auctomatic. The Octoparts were physics grad students, but they could hack.

[lisper → pg]

Auctopart, Octomatic, who can keep these things straight?

;-)