Sunday's Solutions | Hacker News Reader

Sunday's Solutions

12 pointsaugy7 comments

In the essay Why Smart People Have Bad Ideas, PG states

"Reading the Wall Street Journal for a week should give anyone ideas for two or three new startups. The articles are full of descriptions of problems that need to be solved."

This statement gave me an idea for YCnews. What if every Sunday (usually a slow news day) PG posts an article from the Wall Street Journal or any other publication, but instead of people just giving their opinions they gave their solutions to the problems presented in the article? People could then up-vote the solutions they liked the best. This would get everyone's thoughts flowing in the right direction, which is forward towards creation and innovation.

It's a good idea, but it doesn't have to be Paul Graham posting the problem. Anyone can do this on any day they want.

Interesting idea. Why don't you get the ball rolling augy?

Isn't that pretty much what happens with most links anyway?

More like what should happen. ;)

I love it. No development, just come up with a name that makes sense and post the link for the article. People can leave their ideas for a business that solves the problem in the comments. The top vote getter wins ice cream.

This is a good way of identifying problems, but unless it is for a problem hackers can identify with, we may not be the best people to suggest solutions. Ask the people that are most frustrated with that problem, that need to deal with it most frequently about how important it is, and potential solutions you are thinking about.

This comment contradicts PG's theory that hackers can learn what people want. I agree with PG, and this exercise would help us, not only think more forward, but to think in terms of what everyone wants, not just hackers.

In response to the other comments, the article would have to have a special title, so people would know to reply with only solutions. And I think it would get a greater response if it was posted by PG on a limited basis X once a week.

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