4 ms·

What is this with "Launch vs. Show" thing by YC incubatees lately? Is it typical "us vs. them" thinking or does YC also promote these projects on HN over others

What is this with "Launch vs. Show" thing by YC incubatees lately? Is it typical "us vs. them" thinking or does YC also promote these projects on HN over others to let them appear on the frontpage much more easily?

slap_shot 7y ago
Show HN: community members showing HN what they've built Launch HN: YC portfolio companies showing HN what they've built, often within their batch (but can sometimes be years after they went through YC)
- capableweb 7y ago
  marvindanig understands that, judging by their comment. But the portfolio companies used to do Show HN, just like everyone else. Lately, they've started doing Launch HN instead, so they are separate. I think the question is around why that changed.
  - slap_shot 7y ago
    interesting. do you have an example of a Show HN that was an YC incubated company that the time of the post? (I believe you, I just can't find one as an example). https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=Show%20HN%3A&sort=byPopularity&type=story https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que... It looks like Launch HN has been a thing for at least three years: https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=Launch%20HN%3A&sort=byPopularity&type=story https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que...
- DJN 7y ago
  Excuse the pedanticism but I assume what you meant was "YC portfolio companies showing HN what they have built"
  - slap_shot 7y ago
    Not pedantic at all! Very confusing typo. I've fixed it.
cameroncooper 7y ago
IMO there isn't a distinction between Launch/Show, or at least one that's well understood. When we were going through our launch we asked what the difference was and didn't get a clear answer.
- dang 7y ago
  Did you ask me that question? There's a big difference between Show HN and Launch HN, so if I left you thinking this, it was a bad answer.
  - cameroncooper 7y ago
    I did not. Didn't want to call anyone specifically here. Should have gone to you but didn't really pursue the question any further.
    - dang 7y ago
      Ah, ok! It's just that HN runs pretty separately from YC's core business, since we're all busy focusing on different things. Best way to get answers to HN questions is to email hn@ycombinator.com - same for everybody.
dang 7y ago
The latter. We started doing this about three years ago: https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&query=by%3Adang%20%22launch%20hn%22&sort=byDate&type=comment https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&qu.... There's always a rush of these before Demo Day, which is probably why you noticed them lately (the W20 Demo Day is later this month). Anyone can post a Show HN, which is for sharing something you've been working on. The rules for those posts are here: https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html Launch HN is a one-time thing for YC startups. We work with them to edit their text, in the hope of presenting things the way that HN prefers—for example we coach them to take out sales and marketing language. You can see the previous submissions here: https://news.ycombinator.com/launches https://news.ycombinator.com/launches. These posts are treated like YC-startup job ads in that they get an automatic placement on HN's front page. Other than that, they are like regular submissions in that users can vote and comment on them, and they rise or fall on the page like the way that submissions do. This is one of three formal ways that HN gives back to YC in exchange for funding it. The other two are job ads and displaying YC alumni usernames in orange to other alumni. I need to add this to https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html. Incidentally, we're happy to help non-YC startups with their launches or Show HNs too. The only bottleneck is time; my time lemons are starting to be squeezed dry. But we can at least send the same list of tips we give to YC startups, and sometimes more direct feedback as well. Email a draft to hn@ycombinator.com.
- quickthrower2 7y ago
  I love the launch HN texts! The clarity, simplicity and humble style is really outstanding and it’s very consistent across launches.

slap_shot 7y ago

Show HN: community members showing HN what they've built Launch HN: YC portfolio companies showing HN what they've built, often within their batch (but can sometimes be years after they went through YC)

capableweb 7y ago
marvindanig understands that, judging by their comment. But the portfolio companies used to do Show HN, just like everyone else. Lately, they've started doing Launch HN instead, so they are separate. I think the question is around why that changed.
- slap_shot 7y ago
  interesting. do you have an example of a Show HN that was an YC incubated company that the time of the post? (I believe you, I just can't find one as an example). https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=Show%20HN%3A&sort=byPopularity&type=story https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que... It looks like Launch HN has been a thing for at least three years: https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&query=Launch%20HN%3A&sort=byPopularity&type=story https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=true&que...
DJN 7y ago
Excuse the pedanticism but I assume what you meant was "YC portfolio companies showing HN what they have built"
- slap_shot 7y ago
  Not pedantic at all! Very confusing typo. I've fixed it.

cameroncooper 7y ago

IMO there isn't a distinction between Launch/Show, or at least one that's well understood. When we were going through our launch we asked what the difference was and didn't get a clear answer.

dang 7y ago
Did you ask me that question? There's a big difference between Show HN and Launch HN, so if I left you thinking this, it was a bad answer.
- cameroncooper 7y ago
  I did not. Didn't want to call anyone specifically here. Should have gone to you but didn't really pursue the question any further.
  - dang 7y ago
    Ah, ok! It's just that HN runs pretty separately from YC's core business, since we're all busy focusing on different things. Best way to get answers to HN questions is to email hn@ycombinator.com - same for everybody.

dang 7y ago

The latter. We started doing this about three years ago: https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&query=by%3Adang%20%22launch%20hn%22&sort=byDate&type=comment https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&qu.... There's always a rush of these before Demo Day, which is probably why you noticed them lately (the W20 Demo Day is later this month). Anyone can post a Show HN, which is for sharing something you've been working on. The rules for those posts are here: https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html Launch HN is a one-time thing for YC startups. We work with them to edit their text, in the hope of presenting things the way that HN prefers—for example we coach them to take out sales and marketing language. You can see the previous submissions here: https://news.ycombinator.com/launches https://news.ycombinator.com/launches. These posts are treated like YC-startup job ads in that they get an automatic placement on HN's front page. Other than that, they are like regular submissions in that users can vote and comment on them, and they rise or fall on the page like the way that submissions do. This is one of three formal ways that HN gives back to YC in exchange for funding it. The other two are job ads and displaying YC alumni usernames in orange to other alumni. I need to add this to https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html. Incidentally, we're happy to help non-YC startups with their launches or Show HNs too. The only bottleneck is time; my time lemons are starting to be squeezed dry. But we can at least send the same list of tips we give to YC startups, and sometimes more direct feedback as well. Email a draft to hn@ycombinator.com.

quickthrower2 7y ago
I love the launch HN texts! The clarity, simplicity and humble style is really outstanding and it’s very consistent across launches.