Qik: A Third-Rate Startup | Hacker News Reader

Qik: A Third-Rate Startup

startupscoop.com

9 pointsrroy9 comments

I have been using Qik happily over the default Droid video camera for awhile. One of the best Android apps I've used. I have heard their iPhone versions are great too, especially since they add previously nonexistent video functionality to the older models. I would like to think that a startup's chances of success are at least partly based on the ability to deliver quality products, not simply a quick glance at the pedigree of the cofounders and VC firm.

I am stunned that "below market salaries for employees" is a red flag for a startup. Is there any correlation between throwing gobs of money at employees early on and medium-term viability?

Combined with out-sourcing their core development it may mean they view programmers as code monkeys, which would be a big red flag for a technology startup.

If their executives are paid market rate (or better), and the rest of the employees are paid below, that would also be a red flag.

It seems like a very biased review to me. You can succeed with a huge variation of inputs, including treating developers as code monkeys. This startup might go nowhere, or it might do okay. The guy who was fired from Techcrunch might do better this time. Maybe the execs are also getting paid peanuts until they can afford not to.

At Google it's all about the coders but Apple is mostly about design and they're a 'technology' company. Apple essentially 'outsourced' a huge pillar of their core to FreeBSD and it succeeded hugely. I'm not convinced Larry Ellison thinks programmers are the precious jewels of his company, but he's done okay.

This is such bullshit.

I don't use Qik, but I've seen quite a few high-profile folks who do.

Additionally, I personally know of multiple successful, profitable startups who have outsourced development. And someone with a degree from University of Phoenix? Seriously? They could have gotten that ten years ago and kicked ass every day since then. You're really going to hold that against them?

Finally, hiring Daniel Brusilovsky might be smarter than you think; it's pretty unlikely that he'll ever do anything like that again. Read his apology here: http://www.danielbru.com/2010/02/the-line-was-crossed/

It seems like someone thought that slinging shit anonymously would be a good business model. Here's hoping they're wrong. Flagged.

I read this review and I think, "can you review some of the dodgy companies I've worked for? In the same tone? Please?"

:-)

What's their business model?

I don't understand the purpose of this article.

Dicey business, but what business isn't.

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