Totally agree. I'm a huge fan and think I like it even more because I didn't get it right away.
16 karma · joined March 3, 2011
This idea is brilliant, and this kid understood it because it makes so much sense from his perspective. Even with my more limited context, once I "got it", I couldn't wait to try it out and it rocks.
You select your platforms, type what you are looking for into a search box and Greplin finds it instantly... no scrolling or searching. Check it out.
Kids (and like it or not, that IS what they are) are notoriously dramatic and these kids are definitely experiencing this as a crisis, no matter how they present in their comments.
They are also now being border-line, and in some cases overtly cyber bullied by some of their peers online which may be devastating if they don't have great face-to-face support. As adults, we have a responsibility not to add fuel to that fire and remember that if teenagers were predictable and transparent, there wouldn't be so many tragic cases in the news where they hurt themselves and each other.
Part of the problem is that teenagers and young adults aren't great at predicting consequences. This isn't opinion - it's science.
Especially in males, the part of the brain that is responsible for predicting consequences is not fully developed until the early to middle twenties. This is a double whammy because it leads to their bad decision making, but also to their belief that when something bad happens as a result, that it's literally the end of the world... that there is no way out.
There is no disputing that what these boys did was a big deal and that there have to be consequences. But it's also just a symptom of a bigger problem: as a society, we have failed to keep pace with the challenges that are the result of the first generation of digital natives (kids) being raised and educated by a generation of adults who are (at best) digital immigrants.
This post is getting way too long so I'm going to finish it on my blog @ thenewtag.com But thanks, criticsquid and nbpoole for posting some of the aftermath. I hope that one of the 1st things phpfog (or the authorities) did was involve these boys' parents?
I also think a lot depends on how you're wired. I'm relentless & tireless when I believe in what I'm doing and good things tend to happen when I'm in that space. But I can't see myself getting there from a starting point built only on $$$.
We only learned about YCombinator about 2 weeks ago, within days of having decided to go "all in" but it's too great of an opportunity to pass up so we're scrambling to hit the app. deadline while getting the house on the market, planning next steps etc. But we are so energized everyday by the possibility of bringing our idea to life.
The Ron Conway quote was right on time for me -“real entrepreneurs aren’t thinking about exits; they’re thinking about changing the world”... I always feel a little nuts for being sad when people say things like "you'll probably sell to...for millions"... but from now on, I'll think about you, Ron Conway and changing the world and smile because clearly, I'm not the only one! Thanks a bunch for this post.
If the goal is just to build something that will get bought, you might be able to get... stressed and frantic about that. But you usually won't have the same type of passionate, intrinsic motivation that drives founders who are in love with their idea.