Currently building two decidedly uncool real-world projects in Node.js. Hype aside, it really is just a much better PHP.
Agreed... Ive seen projects die [most of them in C++, strangely] because the core devs cared more about the elegance of their template contortions than the usability/simplicity/robustness of the product. <rant> The other common killer is premature optimisation - ie. they worry about scalability for 2 years before they ship basic features. The third killer I would say is allowing the code to get too big. Bigness is an evil all of its own. C++ suffers from this often, in practice. Ive also seen some surprisingly large PHP code-bases. In contrast, Im reminded daily of the shortness of code in Javascript [Node.js] [ Modern JS is very different from the crappy old JS you used to see pre JQuery days ] The forth killer I would say is morphing requirements... the cure is to ship code for the old requirements anyway, then update to the new requirements This follows from the "shipping is everything" rule. </rant> gord. On Apr 8, 12:09 pm, Derek Winter <derek.win...@ergoconsulting.com.au> wrote: > I'd like to re-inforce Matthew's viewpoint. > > Because of (at least)... > - The stress and pressure that founders will undoubtedly experience > - The amount of time they will spend together > > The strength of relationship between them is critical to the success of the > venture. It will get tested along the way, but the ability to trust and > respect each other even when the necessary robust debates occur (ok ... > brutal arguments sometimes) will make a huge difference to the chance's of > success. > > This kind of relationship doesn't happen overnight, so some history of > working together, knowing each other outside a work context, friends in > common, networks in common ... will make a huge difference. > > But that's not all. The right people for the CTO/CEO (for want of a better > word) type roles on day one are highly unlikely to be the right people for > the same role's two years later and almost definitely 5 years later. The > ability to recognise this and be able to replace yourself with the right > people as the business builds and develops will be vital. This is not to say > that those people don't continue to have crucial and significant roles to > play, just that the personality profiles that make them good entrepreneurs > and able to successfully function in the early stages of a startup are > probably the same personality profiles that don't make them good at > functioning in the same roles when the business is bigger and growth and > development stabilises. > > I've seen this scenario wreck start-ups as well as 'stunt' their growth and > development. > > As an aside, as a newcomer to this group, I've enjoyed the great discussion > this topic has generated. > > Derek Winter > > Ergo Consulting > Subscribe to the Ergo blog...<http://feeds.feedburner.com/ergoconsulting> > > 49-51 Rosslyn St, West Melbourne, VIC 3003, Australia > > Office: (03) 9923 7300 | Mobile: 0405 344 370 | Fax: (03) 9923 7355 > > Email: > derek.win...@ergoconsulting.com.au<mailto:derek.win...@ergoconsulting.com.au> > Web:www.ergoconsulting.com.au<http://www.ergoconsulting.com.au/> > LinkedIn: linkd.in/gw1DQ6<http://au.linkedin.com/in/derekwinter> > Please consider the environment before printing this email > > On 08/04/2011, at 7:23 AM, Matthew Ho wrote: > > the way that I have approached it, is a bit different and maybe this > will help some people. > > My background is in online marketing, sales, social media and I have a > good business network. I'm not a programmer but I am looking to learn > Python / Java. I think its quite a valuable skillset to have being > able to program (at least to understand people who are programmers). > > I have helped out startups in the past because 1) they were my friends > 2) that's what I like to get in involved with. I did it voluntarily > and helped them out with the skills that I had. I also hang out with > developers and some of my really good friends are developers, and I > love talking to them about startups and new apps, etc... > > Sometimes my developer friends approach me and ask me about marketing > for their startup and I'm willing to help. And vice versa, if I need > some technical help they are also willing to help me. > > My belief is that I don't think approaching new people and tell them > about your idea and asking to be a co-founder really works, unless you > know them. Having some kind of relationship, goes a long way if they > are going to buy into what you are doing. If I do need a technical co- > founder, I know who I can approach, or at least they can give me some > high level advice and introduce me to the right people. > > I'd start by connecting with people that may have the skills you need > and give them help in the areas they do not have strong competencies > in. > > On Apr 7, 10:13 am, Ryan Henderson <ryanhe...@googlemail.com> wrote: > Great points. Programmers (collectively) on pedestals is a fair point. I > have worked with some great ones though, and the business knows it! I > have also worked with many programmers, some that you would never put in > front of the business (internal), your customers (external), let alone > form a company with them. > > Your point about CTO is a good one, though I would say not all start-ups > need an experienced CTO. Depends on your business really. A tech > co-founder should demonstrate more than just coding skills though. > > And to be clear, developing software, or in the bigger picture systems, > is much more than just churning code... so don't get coder and > programmer mixed up with a good software/systems developer. In some > businesses you will see, coders, team leaders, business analysts, > project managers, software architects, testers and various other people. > A good SOFTWARE DEVELOPER should have all those traits in some form, > maybe they are not CTO material but they are the type of person that > understands more than just code (Though they should be a master of code > first). Maybe this is the types of person you need as a tech co-founder > (again depends on your business). In my opinion there are lots of > programmers, fewer developers, and even less CTOs. > > Ryan > > On 7/04/11 2:20 AM, pcoll...@cpan.org wrote: > > I'm finding this thread quite amusing and for some reason it is > annoying me. I haven't put my finger on why that is yet. I think > perhaps it is the tendency for many people on this list to put > "programmers" on a pedestal. As if everybody could one day be Mark > Zuckerberg. (OK this part was maybe a bit harsh, but I think this > bubble we're in is creating this holier than thou attitude again). > > Instead of thinking about it in terms of a "coder". Think about a good > technical co-founder who is actually an experienced CTO with a > business mind, not just a coder. The CTO should have enough skills to > do some initial prototyping. Probably has enough experience to assess > the risks and rewards of the startup. Can attract great coding talent > quickly (or if not lead the remote Ukrainian team). If your idea can't > attract an experienced startup CTO with a good stomach for risk, then > you're probably riding the wrong horse or in the wrong direction. If > you can't assess a good CTO from a great coder, then you probably > can't run a startup either. > > In my experience other than having watched the social network, most > coders don't actually get the risk/reward tradeoff of a startup and > aren't sufficiently rounded to carry their half of a demanding startup > partnership. Coders are just regular smart people with some coding > chops, that doesn't make them anymore qualified to join the > partnership of a startup than my accountant except that they have the > skills I need to help get it off the ground on day 1 when I have > little cash. > > Patrick. > > On 6 April 2011 06:05, Brendan Quinn <bren...@clueful.com.au > > <mailto:bren...@clueful.com.au>> wrote: > > On 6 April 2011 07:49, Geoff Langdale <geoff.langd...@gmail.com > <mailto:geoff.langd...@gmail.com>> wrote: > > 3. There's no technical prestige associated in having worked for a > technically dull failed business startup. The vast majority of > startups are going to fail. If you're a tech guy and you're > realistic > about this, go figure out whether you're going to want to work > for a > startup that's going to fail that (a) is boring and has no > technical > kudos or (b) is technically interesting. Someone who works on a > technical startup that's a 'noble failure' is going to have > improved > their position; someone who works for a 'plug web front end into > database backend' type role has at best stayed in the same place > career-wise. > > Possibly #3 is the point touched on the least. A lot of ideas, > whether > good or bad as business, are just boring technically and > that's all > there is to it. > > Of course the converse is true as well: a lot of tech-focussed > teams don't care about the business side enough, and end up > spending all their time building something "cool" in node.js or > Scala or some other of-the-moment technology, forgetting that they > have to find users and revenue and traction etc etc. > > So maybe we need some more give-and-take and respect for both the > tech and the marketing sides: "okay I'll let you build the DB > backend in Redis/Membase/MongoDB rather than MySQL so you can > boast to your friends at the ruby meetup, but only if you help me > to make the SEO work and create a good viral invite system so we > can get traction" > > In the end it's more important to build a successful business than > a sexy one... well that's my opinion anyway! > > Brendan. > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the > Silicon Beach Australia mailing list. > > Guidelines on discussion: > http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia/msg/351e183e13... > > No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. > > To post to this group, send email to > > silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com<mailto:silicon-beach-australia@goo > glegroups.com> > <mailto:silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > silicon-beach-australia+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<mailto:silicon-beach-a > ustralia+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > <mailto:silicon-beach-australia%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon > Beach Australia mailing list. > > Guidelines on > discussion:http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia/msg/351e183e13... > > No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. > > To post to this group, send email to > silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com<mailto:silicon-beach-australia@goo > glegroups.com> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > silicon-beach-australia+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<mailto:silicon-beach-a > ustralia+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > For more options, visit this group > athttp://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en > > -- > You received this message because you... > > read more » -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach Australia mailing list. Guidelines on discussion: http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia/msg/351e183e1303508d?hl=en%3Fhl%3Den No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. 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