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Introducing Hackers Den - inspired by Dragons Den

45 points by HNer 16y ago

revorad 16y ago
The YC interview is one example of a high profile Hackers Den. This kind of thing runs on the panel's personal brand. Who do you have on yours?
- HNer 16y ago
  I'm hoping as a community we will have plenty of great people who would be interested and wise enough to participate in that capacity. I would hope to have some investor types like maybe Derick Sivers et al, but would be open to anyone who the community felt was a good fit. It's ours to hack into what we want. There are no rules in place right now, it's just the seed of an idea which I think we can develop into an entertaining and useful feature of HN.
  - revorad 16y ago
    Are you thinking of making it a literal clone of Dragons Den, as in with video?
    - HNer 16y ago
      Yes most certainly with video if possible as this would make it so much more entertaining for others watching. I'm pretty proficient with Flash and online video having a background in this area so code should be no problem and with the use of skype combined with pitches which the particpants create anyway to pitch on their sites, I'd expect it could all be done very elegantly.
      - revorad 16y ago
        I don't think the tech is the problem here. It's the people. It sounds a bit vague without having some credible people signed up to it.
        HNer 16y ago
        Everything starts somewhere. I'm starting right here.
        revorad 16y ago
        Yes and I wish you luck. It would be interesting and useful if this works out. (Sorry I didn't mean to be so cynical with my earlier comments.)
        HNer 16y ago
        Many thanks
        HNer 16y ago
        I will soon be able to announce a few names who have already come forward with investment capital and other goodies to offer.
      - notahacker 16y ago
        I think the 'pitch and feedback as entertainment' could work well - we see plenty of video feedback and blog posts about what people thought of their pitching experiences anyway. To be even remotely appealing to the sorts of hackers that might apply to YC it would have to be a little different from the BBC TV show though; the key features that make the show entertaining are investors being rude about bad ideas and the wrangling over huge equity stakes because they're not allowed to do any real due diligence. P.S. your cousins did pretty well; if their patent for the watering mechanism is as broad as suggested they might want to ask questions about it's applicability to industrial sized greenhouses as well...
        HNer 16y ago
        "P.S. your cousins did pretty well; if their patent for the watering mechanism is as broad as suggested they might want to ask questions about it's applicability to industrial sized greenhouses as well..." Cool Point, I will pass that on... thanks.
pclark 16y ago
saying you were inspired by Dragons Den devalues your proposition IMHO.
- Hari_Seldon 16y ago
  Personally, I can't stand Dragons Den, a bunch of smug and often rude people sitting there with piles of cash, pontificating and judging other people's ideas. Capitalism at its worst
  - HNer 16y ago
    Quite entertaining though. And it is also a reality check for many who often need such an abrasive dressing down so as to ensure they don't carry on wasting their life on something which will clearly never work.
    - revorad 16y ago
      It certainly is entertaining for the viewers, but probably too soul-crushing for the participants themselves. I'm not too sure about the "something which will clearly never work" part. Really? Just because 5 investors think so?
      - HNer 16y ago
        Ok, some of the ideas pitched are really insane, and we all have bad ideas sometimes. I see it as a more positive thing to get a dressing down by people who aren't friends and family (who would never dare) as a result many people can get quite lost down the rabbit hole without such feedback, and lets face it we always think our own ideas are fab.
      - ig1 16y ago
        If you're going to pitch to angels, let alone the public, you have to prepared to be told your idea is crap. It happens to everyone. Getting over it is part of being an entrepreneur.
metachris 16y ago
This site is made by the same guy as brandcurrency.co.uk (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1563441 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1563441 - "Marketer rakes £25k Profit I'm So Jealous I'm Giving Up Developing Apps"). I noticed because the video on this website stops after a couple of minutes and asks for a payment the same way as his "Outrank negative reviews on Google" video. http://webwhois.nic.uk/cgi-bin/whois.cgi?query=brandcurrency.co.uk&WHOIS+Submit.x=0&WHOIS+Submit.y=0 http://webwhois.nic.uk/cgi-bin/whois.cgi?query=brandcurrency... http://webwhois.nic.uk/cgi-bin/whois.cgi?query=hackersden.co.uk&WHOIS+Submit.x=0&WHOIS+Submit.y=0 http://webwhois.nic.uk/cgi-bin/whois.cgi?query=hackersden.co... For me it seems he (username HNer) wants to make money with his Flash video payment service (karsa.co.uk), which aborts videos and asks users to pay for resuming. http://news.ycombinator.com/submitted?id=HNer http://news.ycombinator.com/submitted?id=HNer There was an interesting discussion in the techcrunch comments about the security of this karsa solution, where the author failed to address the security concerns: http://eu.techcrunch.com/2010/07/20/karsa-flash-payer-offers-bait-and-switch-model-for-video-monetization/?replytocom=409994#comment-410658 http://eu.techcrunch.com/2010/07/20/karsa-flash-payer-offers... Edit: The last paragraph is incorrect -- I've mistakenly attributed the techcrunch comments to karsa, but apparently the security concerns were about a competitor.
- HNer 16y ago
  The payment app is located here: http://karsa.co.uk http://karsa.co.uk I just put this up quickly as an example. It could use any Flash player as we all can decide.
  - metachris 16y ago
    I watched the video and it aborted after a couple of minutes asking me to pay. Why are you doing that on this website?
    - deleted 16y ago
      [deleted]
      - 16y ago
alexandros 16y ago
the video in the page can be seen here in full (at least from the UK): http://www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden/entrepreneurs/lisamarshall.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden/entrepreneurs/lisamarshall.s...
- listic 16y ago
  not available worldwide.
  - rbanffy 16y ago
    You can always use ssh to proxy yourself anywhere you have a server.
benwerd 16y ago
All the criticisms about the underlying technology and business model aside: if you do nothing else, please hire a copywriter.
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
AlfaWolph 16y ago
I like the idea. I don't like your Flash player though. The American version is called Shark Tank and I remember spending a night watching the episodes on Hulu. I loved seeing the ideas, the "sharks" interacting with the entrepreneurs (and among themselves), and the financial negotiation involved. And yes, I'm guilty of liking the dramatics, too. A Silicon Valley version with technology-based startups pitching to real VC's who could invest would definitely appeal to the HN audience. BTW, there was even a redditor that unsuccessfully pitched an idea on their show. (http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/aq2p2/im_going_to_be_on_a_us_reality_tv_show_tonight/ http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/aq2p2/im_going_to_be_o...)
user24 16y ago
I much prefer http://launchset.com http://launchset.com as a "place for hackers to get together" project. Launchset seems like it genuinely wants to bring hackers together. Hackers Den seems like it's trying to make money from hackers, without providing any value back (who's on the panel?)
- HNer 16y ago
  Hackers Den could have a commercial aspect to it. Money raised could be used to pay the contributors or it could be used as a prize draw for the best of the best. I'm certainly not against any commercial aspects but that really is miles away at this point. My intent is to develop something entertaining and of use to us all.
- Tarski 16y ago
  LaunchSet.com has absolutely no public information on it. The only links require you to sign up.
  - user24 16y ago
    yeah I know, that's the main piece of feedback that people gave yesterday: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1575098 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1575098 once you take the plunge though it's pretty cool, I can see real potential.(I'm not associated with the project at all, I know I'm sounding like I am).
atomical 16y ago
I watch Dragon's Den all the time but the show probably knowingly lets on a lot of people who are not investable and could not get a meeting with a VC to save their life. The show is more about the personalities of the investors themselves, many of whom in the first few series did not make one single investment.

45 points by HNer 16y ago

The YC interview is one example of a high profile Hackers Den. This kind of thing runs on the panel's personal brand. Who do you have on yours?

HNer 16y ago
I'm hoping as a community we will have plenty of great people who would be interested and wise enough to participate in that capacity. I would hope to have some investor types like maybe Derick Sivers et al, but would be open to anyone who the community felt was a good fit. It's ours to hack into what we want. There are no rules in place right now, it's just the seed of an idea which I think we can develop into an entertaining and useful feature of HN.
- revorad 16y ago
  Are you thinking of making it a literal clone of Dragons Den, as in with video?
  - HNer 16y ago
    Yes most certainly with video if possible as this would make it so much more entertaining for others watching. I'm pretty proficient with Flash and online video having a background in this area so code should be no problem and with the use of skype combined with pitches which the particpants create anyway to pitch on their sites, I'd expect it could all be done very elegantly.
    - revorad 16y ago
      I don't think the tech is the problem here. It's the people. It sounds a bit vague without having some credible people signed up to it.
      - HNer 16y ago
        Everything starts somewhere. I'm starting right here.
        revorad 16y ago
        Yes and I wish you luck. It would be interesting and useful if this works out. (Sorry I didn't mean to be so cynical with my earlier comments.)
        HNer 16y ago
        Many thanks
        HNer 16y ago
        I will soon be able to announce a few names who have already come forward with investment capital and other goodies to offer.
    - notahacker 16y ago
      I think the 'pitch and feedback as entertainment' could work well - we see plenty of video feedback and blog posts about what people thought of their pitching experiences anyway. To be even remotely appealing to the sorts of hackers that might apply to YC it would have to be a little different from the BBC TV show though; the key features that make the show entertaining are investors being rude about bad ideas and the wrangling over huge equity stakes because they're not allowed to do any real due diligence. P.S. your cousins did pretty well; if their patent for the watering mechanism is as broad as suggested they might want to ask questions about it's applicability to industrial sized greenhouses as well...
      - HNer 16y ago
        "P.S. your cousins did pretty well; if their patent for the watering mechanism is as broad as suggested they might want to ask questions about it's applicability to industrial sized greenhouses as well..." Cool Point, I will pass that on... thanks.

pclark 16y ago

saying you were inspired by Dragons Den devalues your proposition IMHO.

Hari_Seldon 16y ago
Personally, I can't stand Dragons Den, a bunch of smug and often rude people sitting there with piles of cash, pontificating and judging other people's ideas. Capitalism at its worst
- HNer 16y ago
  Quite entertaining though. And it is also a reality check for many who often need such an abrasive dressing down so as to ensure they don't carry on wasting their life on something which will clearly never work.
  - revorad 16y ago
    It certainly is entertaining for the viewers, but probably too soul-crushing for the participants themselves. I'm not too sure about the "something which will clearly never work" part. Really? Just because 5 investors think so?
    - HNer 16y ago
      Ok, some of the ideas pitched are really insane, and we all have bad ideas sometimes. I see it as a more positive thing to get a dressing down by people who aren't friends and family (who would never dare) as a result many people can get quite lost down the rabbit hole without such feedback, and lets face it we always think our own ideas are fab.
    - ig1 16y ago
      If you're going to pitch to angels, let alone the public, you have to prepared to be told your idea is crap. It happens to everyone. Getting over it is part of being an entrepreneur.

metachris 16y ago

This site is made by the same guy as brandcurrency.co.uk (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1563441 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1563441 - "Marketer rakes £25k Profit I'm So Jealous I'm Giving Up Developing Apps"). I noticed because the video on this website stops after a couple of minutes and asks for a payment the same way as his "Outrank negative reviews on Google" video. http://webwhois.nic.uk/cgi-bin/whois.cgi?query=brandcurrency.co.uk&WHOIS+Submit.x=0&WHOIS+Submit.y=0 http://webwhois.nic.uk/cgi-bin/whois.cgi?query=brandcurrency... http://webwhois.nic.uk/cgi-bin/whois.cgi?query=hackersden.co.uk&WHOIS+Submit.x=0&WHOIS+Submit.y=0 http://webwhois.nic.uk/cgi-bin/whois.cgi?query=hackersden.co... For me it seems he (username HNer) wants to make money with his Flash video payment service (karsa.co.uk), which aborts videos and asks users to pay for resuming. http://news.ycombinator.com/submitted?id=HNer http://news.ycombinator.com/submitted?id=HNer There was an interesting discussion in the techcrunch comments about the security of this karsa solution, where the author failed to address the security concerns: http://eu.techcrunch.com/2010/07/20/karsa-flash-payer-offers-bait-and-switch-model-for-video-monetization/?replytocom=409994#comment-410658 http://eu.techcrunch.com/2010/07/20/karsa-flash-payer-offers... Edit: The last paragraph is incorrect -- I've mistakenly attributed the techcrunch comments to karsa, but apparently the security concerns were about a competitor.

HNer 16y ago
The payment app is located here: http://karsa.co.uk http://karsa.co.uk I just put this up quickly as an example. It could use any Flash player as we all can decide.
- metachris 16y ago
  I watched the video and it aborted after a couple of minutes asking me to pay. Why are you doing that on this website?
  - deleted 16y ago
    [deleted]
    - 16y ago

alexandros 16y ago

the video in the page can be seen here in full (at least from the UK): http://www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden/entrepreneurs/lisamarshall.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden/entrepreneurs/lisamarshall.s...

listic 16y ago
not available worldwide.
- rbanffy 16y ago
  You can always use ssh to proxy yourself anywhere you have a server.

benwerd 16y ago

All the criticisms about the underlying technology and business model aside: if you do nothing else, please hire a copywriter.

deleted 16y ago
[deleted]

AlfaWolph 16y ago

I like the idea. I don't like your Flash player though. The American version is called Shark Tank and I remember spending a night watching the episodes on Hulu. I loved seeing the ideas, the "sharks" interacting with the entrepreneurs (and among themselves), and the financial negotiation involved. And yes, I'm guilty of liking the dramatics, too. A Silicon Valley version with technology-based startups pitching to real VC's who could invest would definitely appeal to the HN audience. BTW, there was even a redditor that unsuccessfully pitched an idea on their show. (http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/aq2p2/im_going_to_be_on_a_us_reality_tv_show_tonight/ http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/aq2p2/im_going_to_be_o...)

user24 16y ago

I much prefer http://launchset.com http://launchset.com as a "place for hackers to get together" project. Launchset seems like it genuinely wants to bring hackers together. Hackers Den seems like it's trying to make money from hackers, without providing any value back (who's on the panel?)

HNer 16y ago
Hackers Den could have a commercial aspect to it. Money raised could be used to pay the contributors or it could be used as a prize draw for the best of the best. I'm certainly not against any commercial aspects but that really is miles away at this point. My intent is to develop something entertaining and of use to us all.
Tarski 16y ago
LaunchSet.com has absolutely no public information on it. The only links require you to sign up.
- user24 16y ago
  yeah I know, that's the main piece of feedback that people gave yesterday: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1575098 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1575098 once you take the plunge though it's pretty cool, I can see real potential.(I'm not associated with the project at all, I know I'm sounding like I am).

atomical 16y ago

I watch Dragon's Den all the time but the show probably knowingly lets on a lot of people who are not investable and could not get a meeting with a VC to save their life. The show is more about the personalities of the investors themselves, many of whom in the first few series did not make one single investment.