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Why don't you build Skin Cancer detector and sell it as Image Viewer? The end result will be someone telling the customer to go to doctor or not. It's a hack bu

Why don't you build Skin Cancer detector and sell it as Image Viewer? The end result will be someone telling the customer to go to doctor or not. It's a hack but if you are sure about the end result why not?

yummyfajitas 17y ago
Possible issues: 1.) Some John Edwards ambulance chaser type finds patients who had skin cancer which was not found by the detector. He finds a doctor to say "if they came to see me, I would have spotted it." 2.) The FDA doesn't care about the disclaimer and calls it a medical device. Then you need a doctor's permission to use it. 3.) It isn't a medical device, but the FDA persuades congress to rewrite the law slightly to make it into a medical device. Incidentally, I'm pretty sure 2 will apply, since that's the same system which applies to other medical imaging devices.
- ZeroGravitas 17y ago
  Do people get skin cancer in countries other than the U.S.?
  - Shooter 17y ago
    I realize you're probably being sarcastic, but just in case you're actually serious: Yes. Skin cancer exists all over the world, at varying rates due to complexion/sun exposure/protection habits, etc. Australia actually has the highest skin cancer rates in the world (with the hole in the ozone being a major reason.)
    - DaniFong 17y ago
      I started looking into the laws after I realized the trouble in the USA market. I don't remember the specifics -- it's none-too-fresh in my mind, but I do remember abandoning this particular startup idea soon after...
- emmett 17y ago
  I voted up your comment; you bring up three very likely scenarios. This is a side issue, but an important one in my opinion: Why did you mention John Edwards there? Did it really make what you were saying more clear? Or was it just a great opportunity to get in a political dig? """ In Artificial Intelligence, and particularly in the domain of nonmonotonic reasoning, there's a standard problem: "All Quakers are pacifists. All Republicans are not pacifists. Nixon is a Quaker and a Republican. Is Nixon a pacifist?" What on Earth was the point of choosing this as an example? To rouse the political emotions of the readers and distract them from the main question? To make Republicans feel unwelcome in courses on Artificial Intelligence and discourage them from entering the field? """ http://lesswrong.com/lw/gw/politics_is_the_mindkiller/ http://lesswrong.com/lw/gw/politics_is_the_mindkiller/
  - yummyfajitas 17y ago
    At the time I was trying to personify the ambulance chaser - I had two choices, John Edwards and Lionel Hutz (a Simpson's character). I chose the real one. However, your comment has convinced that it probably would have been better not to personify at all, since it wasn't strictly necessary and is distracting.
tocomment 17y ago
Is there a way to release open source software anonymously? This might be a good case for that.
- pavel_lishin 17y ago
  Sort of defeats the original intention of running a business.
  - DaniFong 17y ago
    Only to a certain extent. I mostly work on things to solve problems. If I aim to make money from a business it is to build my personal power so I can solve more problems. I've already met my needs in other forms of material wealth -- now this is what makes me happy. And there are so many problems in the world -- there would be no peace for me if I just let them go.

yummyfajitas 17y ago

Possible issues: 1.) Some John Edwards ambulance chaser type finds patients who had skin cancer which was not found by the detector. He finds a doctor to say "if they came to see me, I would have spotted it." 2.) The FDA doesn't care about the disclaimer and calls it a medical device. Then you need a doctor's permission to use it. 3.) It isn't a medical device, but the FDA persuades congress to rewrite the law slightly to make it into a medical device. Incidentally, I'm pretty sure 2 will apply, since that's the same system which applies to other medical imaging devices.

ZeroGravitas 17y ago
Do people get skin cancer in countries other than the U.S.?
- Shooter 17y ago
  I realize you're probably being sarcastic, but just in case you're actually serious: Yes. Skin cancer exists all over the world, at varying rates due to complexion/sun exposure/protection habits, etc. Australia actually has the highest skin cancer rates in the world (with the hole in the ozone being a major reason.)
  - DaniFong 17y ago
    I started looking into the laws after I realized the trouble in the USA market. I don't remember the specifics -- it's none-too-fresh in my mind, but I do remember abandoning this particular startup idea soon after...
emmett 17y ago
I voted up your comment; you bring up three very likely scenarios. This is a side issue, but an important one in my opinion: Why did you mention John Edwards there? Did it really make what you were saying more clear? Or was it just a great opportunity to get in a political dig? """ In Artificial Intelligence, and particularly in the domain of nonmonotonic reasoning, there's a standard problem: "All Quakers are pacifists. All Republicans are not pacifists. Nixon is a Quaker and a Republican. Is Nixon a pacifist?" What on Earth was the point of choosing this as an example? To rouse the political emotions of the readers and distract them from the main question? To make Republicans feel unwelcome in courses on Artificial Intelligence and discourage them from entering the field? """ http://lesswrong.com/lw/gw/politics_is_the_mindkiller/ http://lesswrong.com/lw/gw/politics_is_the_mindkiller/
- yummyfajitas 17y ago
  At the time I was trying to personify the ambulance chaser - I had two choices, John Edwards and Lionel Hutz (a Simpson's character). I chose the real one. However, your comment has convinced that it probably would have been better not to personify at all, since it wasn't strictly necessary and is distracting.

tocomment 17y ago

Is there a way to release open source software anonymously? This might be a good case for that.

pavel_lishin 17y ago
Sort of defeats the original intention of running a business.
- DaniFong 17y ago
  Only to a certain extent. I mostly work on things to solve problems. If I aim to make money from a business it is to build my personal power so I can solve more problems. I've already met my needs in other forms of material wealth -- now this is what makes me happy. And there are so many problems in the world -- there would be no peace for me if I just let them go.