A lot has change over that past 15 years or so, but honestly I never visit this site anymore.
I know this is a "how long is a piece of string question", but any ideas why? In some ways, I'd love to do it again.
Now it seems they're just another big tech company. The news is filled about how they're not up to very good stuff.
What happened?
When I was in high school, a bunch of us would create websites on angelfire or geocities. I'd assume kids today are just trying to get followers on Youtube or Instagram.
Today, the algorithim is almighty. But back in the day things like webrings and guestposts worked. It was more personal. There was less obsession with "going viral".
If I google "fried chicken recipes" I'm gonna get a 1500 word tome. The author will talk paragraph after paragraph about the first time she ate fried chicken, songs about fried chicken, how fried chicken is truly American, where the best spot in her state is, just to bump up the word count for SEO. And of course she'll recommend an affiliate link for a fryer, which she's never actually bought.
I guess I get nostalgic about the sense of exploration and serendipity.
Does anyone else feel this way? Is a return possible, or is nostalgia just nostalgia?
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8674644
Basically, it’s a discussion about how Microsoft held back the internet 6-7 years.
Imagine that. Human society would be 6-7 years in some respect.
I also read about Gary Kidall, the creator of CP/M. Bill gates created a variant of it, MS-DOS, and the rest is history. He was endlessly compared by the media to Bill Gates. He became an alcoholic and died in a bar fight.
Today he’s a forgotten pioneer.
As an entrepreneur, that really strikes me. Imagine a business dealing that made my partner an addict and so bitter he dies violently.
Bill Gates would also “date rape” companies by making fake overtures to acquire software companies and gather intel.
Meanwhile, Bill Gates gets a ton of good press. My friend’s wife recently “liked” his facebook page, and she’s the hippie granola, anti-capitalism type.
What do you think?
To put it simply, I don't exert myself. My pace of work is really bad. I quit during the day far too early.
I use the "pomodoro" system of productivity and once I hit 8, I start on my long list of hobbies. I know I'm capable of doing 12 or even 16.
I put in a good day yesterday, far more productive than usual. I thought to myself: this is actually what a normal day was like when I was working.
I rarely work until exhaustion.
Any thoughts?
Contrast that with what I'm doing now: niche sites. Just build content and get links. Much simpler. There are half a dozen excellent podcasts on the topics, and dozen more blogs with tutorials and how tos.
There's also FBA/dropshipping/ecommerce...
Of course, developing your own app is a lot more satisfying. But I think it's way way more difficult. I think it's better to bat for singles then aim for home runs. Not to mention that some people are making 7 figures off niche sites with no employees and an awesome software project could end up making $200/mo.
Mobile (Android, iPhone) Wordpress plugins Your own web app (SaaS) Gaming (Xbox, PS marketplace)
I'm self taught and I'm thinking WP might be best because competition is less and promotion easier.
Obviously, my own app would be the dream but that is really hard to pull off.
Anyone have any insight?
The next 10 years have been pretty bad though. I have a huge problem sticking to an idea. Out of the dozen ideas, nothing has stuck. If I started a "niche blog" I'd say I'd probably quit after 3 weeks.
Last year I bought a vending machine route for 35k but got screwed over in the end.
Not all is bad, I bought a rental property which has done very well (big increases in rent too).
Right now the rental property is kinda feeding my entrepreneurial "hunger" - I still go to networking events, do the book keeping, but I don't have enough money to expand...
But of course there is nothing like start/owning a "real" business, RE is more investment management.
So I don't know. I'm kind of getting sick of how entrepreneurship is so glorified in the media etc. Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur.
What would you do in my shoes? I've thought about getting a cofounder to compensate for my weaknesses. Also maybe I have to choose the "right" business.
Would this model work for an Uber clone?
* It could split the profit evenly by simultaneously raising the driver rate and lowering prices. * It could "growth hack" and by having drivers initially promote the app. If you get in an Uber/Lyft the driver could be like "hey man, next time you get a ride use _this app_, it helps both of us out - If it ever achieved a sizable market share, it could save massively on advertising and return marketing costs back to both drivers and riders.
I don't think it's a good idea to work on more than one project, but that's just me.
Also especially true for solo founders.
How do you keep yourself accountable?
...actually I take that back. www.nerdery.com had a design that was distinctive but it seems they changed it to the stale, standard design of a web development firm.