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Comment by SubiculumCode | Hacker News Reader

The article never explained what it was selling, not that I could find. (EDIT: I found in a foot note at the bottom of page. Leading with that would have made the article clearer)

Also what is the failure rate of tech businesses again?

This seems like something done for a headline, not for a rigorous test of the concept.

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okay found it, a bathroom diary app for those who have IBS. It was in a foot note at the very bottom.

Yeah it was also oddly hidden away.

> Based on an agentic market research campaign, we vibe coded an app called GutCheck, a bathroom diary for people with IBS. We chose this app for its minimal yet helpful functionality: an iOS app live on the App Store with the RevenueCat MCP and App Store Connect CLI. Saul has full write access to the codebase. We set up the App Store account permissions beforehand to ensure Saul wouldn’t get blocked by Apple human compliance checks. We sourced this idea from Reddit.

I think this shows the flaws in doing agentic designed apps. This is a really specific market that would be hard to make money from. Many people aren't going to think of using diary, most will use generic tracking app or even just notebook. Those that do won't spend money on it.

Another is that they don't have enthusiasm for the idea. Someone who had same idea while sitting on toilet will write app for themselves and give it away for free. They will have connection with IBS groups for promotion. They won't give up after weeks.

Maybe they were embarrassed that a bathroom tracker was kind of a shit idea

"in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying Beware of the Leopard"

Kinda some kettel logic here no? Is it not rigorous enough, or is it in-line with typical failure rates?

Rigor would be trying it more times so that you can perform statistical tests against some established baseline rate. Feasibility without funding would be the problem, as alluded to in another comment.

I am just trying to (gently) suggest you did not frame your points here in a good or convincing way, but thanks for the explanations here anyway.

Sure sounds like there would be a lot to think about either way!

Please do try it again with your own money I’d you think these events are capable of it.

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