Ask HN: Feedback on BijectKarma, our YC prototype | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Feedback on BijectKarma, our YC prototype

10 pointszaveri11 comments

As rejection comes with no explanation (understandably, given the number of YC applicants), we'd (unignorant & zaveri) like to ask the critical eyes of HN readers for some feedback. A short description of our idea follows:

BijectKarma is a place where developers, designers, and hackers can request and fulfill services for karma (our currency). By completing requests, users can build portfolios and form networks while developing an online reputation. Think of us as Listia.com, but for services.

Prototype url: http://yc.ethanjfast.com

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Not trying to be too harsh, but since you asked:

What makes your site different than a Stack Exchange site?

How do you plan to entice users to do work, for free?

If you plan to entice them with Karma alone (i.e. no monetary pay-out), how do you guarantee that there will be something they wish to purchase with the Karma they earn? (i.e. How are you going to build to critical mass?)

For that matter, if I'm going to do work for others to earn Karma, and then spend that Karma to hire work from others...why wouldn't I just do work for others to earn money, and then spend that money for a whole range of things beyond just what I can find on your site?

Edit: Just realized I wasn't very constructive there...to expand on my last point: there are downsides to doing work for money (i.e. finding buyers/sellers/clients/contractors, contracts, rate negotiations, tax forms, etc.). So, I'm not saying your idea couldn't work, but as it is presented now, it's just not horribly interesting.

Isn't this model how open source development works? How are programmers motivated to do open source work?

I think the concept of trading services based on karma points is good. If I can build a simple site for a plumber or mechanic, to have them fix a broken pipe or replace my clutch, that's pretty valuable. Things aren't that black and white or simple, but this is a start to getting back into a society where people help each other in exchange for services. This might be more of a local (think craigslist) thing too. I do think the name is pretty horrible though.

This reminds me of a recent HN post that contrasted product vs. technology vs. business. I get your product but not your business.

A business turns something into money. What is it that you are turning into money? How are you turning this into money?

This also reminds me of a not-so-recent HN post describing different business personalities that are needed in a startup: the entrepreneur, the manager, and the technician. It looks like you're strong in the technician area, but what about the entrepreneurial area? Your video describes how your product works--that's how technicians think. It doesn't directly address the user's problems--that's how an entrepreneur thinks. What problem are you solving for your users and is their problem bad enough that they will pay someone money to solve it?

The video is a bit long. You want to say in a nice way: People offer job and trade karma. People accept job and get karma. I don't need to watch a 2min video with login, logout, login, logout, login, logout to understand that. Otherwise, I like the idea.

2 separate browsers for the 2 users (preventing the login ping-pong) would go a long way

Prototype url: http://yc.ethanjfast.com

Interesting. It's a start, but I think the idea needs work.

What is the upside in completing a job then pitching for the contract vs. pitching for the contract then completing the job?

ok, Feedback:

- great idea!

- I think the homepage needs to show better what the site is about, above you have a nice start of a blurb, if you can trim that a bit it would make for a nice sub-title

- Why does looking at the entries for awesome work require registration ?

- why limit yourself to 'free' ?

- how will you monetize this ?

- I don't understand the link between the name and the product. Maybe there doesn't have to be one but then you could pick an easier one!

Get rid of the first 5 seconds of the video .. "this will be a small screencast to demo functionality". It's redundant, the information is implicit.

i stopped watching after the first 15 seconds, you gotta get to the juicy parts quicker. Because after first glance i have no idea wtf your site does.

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