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I actually agree with most of these - at least for early-stage startups. Using off-the-shelf tools has nothing to do with barriers to entry; if you're reinventi

I actually agree with most of these - at least for early-stage startups. Using off-the-shelf tools has nothing to do with barriers to entry; if you're reinventing the wheel for things that aren't at the core of what differentiates your product, you are just wasting time. As important as they are, reducing technical debt and improving security are not the highest priority items - especially when you have limited resources and a yet-to-be-proven product. And yes, soft skills often do influence a startup's success more than code.

jackmott 10y ago
You know that actual wheel has been, and continues to be, reinvented constantly.
fsloth 10y ago
I would claim using an existing programming language on a commodity platform is good for the wheel analogue. Beyond that searching religiously for ready made solutions with decision not to make it inhouse is just asking for trouble (one needs to approach technological problems with an open mind).
emblem21 10y ago
King: Here's some land for you to work on. Serf: But we don't own it. King: You need to improve your soft skills. Serf: Sir, we don't own it. King: You need to realize that you're going to starve if you don't start farming now. Serf: Sir, how much of the food will you take for working on your land? King: Don't worry about the agrarian debt or vendor lock. Think of me as a land-as-a-service provider. Serf: But... King: I already have deals with farm tools to offer you at a discount! $40 a month with $0.01 per pound of food created! Also, friendly reminder of soft skills.. Serf: Well, sir... I... I guess my farm has yet-to-be-proven... You can't differentiate your product if you are the product. Tech service startups are just renters of digital property they can never own. They're the street shops of the internet.
- dpc_pw 10y ago
  Poor analogy. Virtual land is unlimited. You can get your servers quite fast if you need to. Plus being a commodity, prices race to the bottom, and if designed right, you can swap you "landlord" rather easily - move your dockers elsewhere.
  - bfstein 10y ago
    Agreed. This king/serf analogy works for any supplier/buyer relationship. King: here's some steel for you to use. ...
  - emblem21 10y ago
    Land is, technically, unlimited in the real world as well. Not all of it is accessible (other planets) or fertile (desert) Not all virtual land is the same, either. Some virtual land is a vendor doing streaming-as-a-service. Some is payment processing-as-a-service. Containers cannot help you regarding the leased farming equipment. No matter what land you move you, you'll still need those third-party services.
- r2dnb 10y ago
  >You can't differentiate your product if you are the product. This is it, totally agree with that.

jackmott 10y ago

You know that actual wheel has been, and continues to be, reinvented constantly.

fsloth 10y ago

I would claim using an existing programming language on a commodity platform is good for the wheel analogue. Beyond that searching religiously for ready made solutions with decision not to make it inhouse is just asking for trouble (one needs to approach technological problems with an open mind).

emblem21 10y ago

King: Here's some land for you to work on. Serf: But we don't own it. King: You need to improve your soft skills. Serf: Sir, we don't own it. King: You need to realize that you're going to starve if you don't start farming now. Serf: Sir, how much of the food will you take for working on your land? King: Don't worry about the agrarian debt or vendor lock. Think of me as a land-as-a-service provider. Serf: But... King: I already have deals with farm tools to offer you at a discount! $40 a month with $0.01 per pound of food created! Also, friendly reminder of soft skills.. Serf: Well, sir... I... I guess my farm has yet-to-be-proven... You can't differentiate your product if you are the product. Tech service startups are just renters of digital property they can never own. They're the street shops of the internet.

dpc_pw 10y ago
Poor analogy. Virtual land is unlimited. You can get your servers quite fast if you need to. Plus being a commodity, prices race to the bottom, and if designed right, you can swap you "landlord" rather easily - move your dockers elsewhere.
- bfstein 10y ago
  Agreed. This king/serf analogy works for any supplier/buyer relationship. King: here's some steel for you to use. ...
- emblem21 10y ago
  Land is, technically, unlimited in the real world as well. Not all of it is accessible (other planets) or fertile (desert) Not all virtual land is the same, either. Some virtual land is a vendor doing streaming-as-a-service. Some is payment processing-as-a-service. Containers cannot help you regarding the leased farming equipment. No matter what land you move you, you'll still need those third-party services.
r2dnb 10y ago
>You can't differentiate your product if you are the product. This is it, totally agree with that.