4 ms·

Startups Open Sourced: Stories to inspire and educate

72 points by jmtame 16y ago

patrickaljord 16y ago
Is this about startups which products are open source such as status.net or is it something else? Kind of confusing.
- jmtame 16y ago
  I'm interviewing 33 startups and they talk about how they got interested in entrepreneurship, ways they dealt with challenges such as finding cofounders, hiring, raising money, staying motivated, getting users, etc. It's the same Q&A approach as Founders at Work, but all of these guys are still in their early stages (although there are a few like Foursquare and GitHub that aren't as early stage).
  - patrickaljord 16y ago
    So is the book open source? edit: Got it after reading: "the book is true to its title in that it open sources the founders’ personal lives and their startups".
    - jmtame 16y ago
      The book title is mostly referring to the idea of making the process of doing a startup as open as possible--you're getting a pretty good view into how these founders think and deal with a lot of different problems. I'm not sure why, maybe it's because I know some of the founders personally, but these interviews are definitely more honest and cadid than most interviews I've read. I have probably only seen more swearing in a book while reading Catcher in the Rye.
prayag 16y ago
Using open source in the title doesn't seem right since you are neither talking about open source start-ups or open sourcing the book. I don't think the word open source means what you think it means. It is a particular philosophy of writing software (or doing creative work). Using open source in the title seems disingenuous.
- jmtame 16y ago
  I've gone through a few name changes. I didn't start out calling it Startups Open Sourced, I think it started out as "Founders in School" or something close to that back in February, and then it changed to "In the Trenches" and I worried that "In the Trenches" sent an overhyped message, or set the wrong tone as this aggressive, war-story type of book. When the idea of "Startups Open Sourced" came to me, I thought it seemed appropriate, because it's like you're looking at and understanding how each of these founders work on a personal and professional level. You get inside their head and they put it all out there for you to analyze. Hiring, fundraising, finding cofounders, staying motivated, all that is talked about in depth. As far as the process of writing the book, I'll actually 'open source' that process next weekend. I'll cover everything, from the e-mail templates I sent, to the way I recorded and transcribed the calls and edited everything.
  - Harkins 16y ago
    So someone who buys a copy can redistribute it freely with changes? http://opensource.org/docs/osd http://opensource.org/docs/osd
    - jmtame 16y ago
      The 'open sourced' connotation was mostly aimed at the process of doing a startup, opening up all the complexities of that from the founders perspective and allowing others to see it and possible reuse those techniques in their own startup. Sorry if I've confused anyone on the nature of that. If I had to give it a more generic name it'd probably just be "Interviews with Startup Founders." If you want to share it with your friends, there's nothing that I can really do about that--I would just say that if you like it enough, try to purchase it.
      - Harkins 16y ago
        Then quit abusing the term "open source". It has a specific meaning. The other word in the title is "Startups", would you do interviews with only established multinational companies and call it "startups"? Would you publish a cookbook and call it "startups"? Don't use "open source" unless you mean it.
revorad 16y ago
Bought a copy. Looks pretty solid. You should probably offer one free interview for download or online as a taster. Just emailed you with some more ideas.
- jmtame 16y ago
  Done. http://www.startupsopensourced.com/sample-grooveshark/ http://www.startupsopensourced.com/sample-grooveshark/
ropiku 16y ago
Can we get ePub format please ?
- jmtame 16y ago
  Sure. I'll try to get that added tonight.
  - krat0sprakhar 16y ago
    Would it be possible to mail it to the fellows who have purchased the pdf copy?
    - jmtame 16y ago
      Yes, I'll do that. Thanks for the tip.
chesspro 16y ago
Great content. I really enjoyed the interview with Dave Paola, the founder of djangy.com & thathigh.com. I saw his AMA on reddit a while back (http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ev2zb/i_run_thathighcom_and_it_pays_my_rent_in_san/ http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ev2zb/i_run_thathighco...) and was curious about his story. I've read Founders at Work and while it's a good read, I've been looking for interviews with more recent startups, which is exactly what this book/pdf provides. Thanks.
- jmtame 16y ago
  Thanks so much for the feedback! Yeah, Dave's interview still blows my mind when I read it. Guy is a trooper!
marcamillion 16y ago
I wonder if the author realizes the irony of selling an 'open-source' book of stories ? Just saying. Looks interesting though. A shame I don't have much time to take this on :|
- jmtame 16y ago
  Yeah a little bit of irony, I hear ya =]
hanibash 16y ago
I loved the Grooveshark interview. These interviews feel really personal.
thebigredjay 16y ago
I think you could have come up with a more appropriate title, the connection is a bit of a stretch. The content, however, looks great. I just purchased a physical copy.
- jmtame 16y ago
  Yeah it was more of a pun with an allusion/shoutout to the software/tech world, but I see that some of the HN readers don't dig it. Thanks for checking it out.
krat0sprakhar 16y ago
Just purchased a copy. It would be wonderful if you could bundle it with a ePub version as well (like Hacker Monthly).
- jmtame 16y ago
  Thank you. I've received several e-mails about this, I'm working on an ePub version and should have it by tomorrow or Tuesday. Send me an e-mail jmtame at gmail dot com. Edit: just saw your other comment, I responded in that thread.
sjohns52 16y ago
A writer is allowed to use words and common concepts in new and interesting ways - this is how new words and meanings get created. jmtame makes a good case for "Startups Open Sourced." He is providing insight into what the start up process is like. This book serves to "open source" the knowledge of starting a company, not the content. I like the title; it's creative.

72 points by jmtame 16y ago

patrickaljord 16y ago

Is this about startups which products are open source such as status.net or is it something else? Kind of confusing.

jmtame 16y ago
I'm interviewing 33 startups and they talk about how they got interested in entrepreneurship, ways they dealt with challenges such as finding cofounders, hiring, raising money, staying motivated, getting users, etc. It's the same Q&A approach as Founders at Work, but all of these guys are still in their early stages (although there are a few like Foursquare and GitHub that aren't as early stage).
- patrickaljord 16y ago
  So is the book open source? edit: Got it after reading: "the book is true to its title in that it open sources the founders’ personal lives and their startups".
  - jmtame 16y ago
    The book title is mostly referring to the idea of making the process of doing a startup as open as possible--you're getting a pretty good view into how these founders think and deal with a lot of different problems. I'm not sure why, maybe it's because I know some of the founders personally, but these interviews are definitely more honest and cadid than most interviews I've read. I have probably only seen more swearing in a book while reading Catcher in the Rye.

prayag 16y ago

Using open source in the title doesn't seem right since you are neither talking about open source start-ups or open sourcing the book. I don't think the word open source means what you think it means. It is a particular philosophy of writing software (or doing creative work). Using open source in the title seems disingenuous.

jmtame 16y ago
I've gone through a few name changes. I didn't start out calling it Startups Open Sourced, I think it started out as "Founders in School" or something close to that back in February, and then it changed to "In the Trenches" and I worried that "In the Trenches" sent an overhyped message, or set the wrong tone as this aggressive, war-story type of book. When the idea of "Startups Open Sourced" came to me, I thought it seemed appropriate, because it's like you're looking at and understanding how each of these founders work on a personal and professional level. You get inside their head and they put it all out there for you to analyze. Hiring, fundraising, finding cofounders, staying motivated, all that is talked about in depth. As far as the process of writing the book, I'll actually 'open source' that process next weekend. I'll cover everything, from the e-mail templates I sent, to the way I recorded and transcribed the calls and edited everything.
- Harkins 16y ago
  So someone who buys a copy can redistribute it freely with changes? http://opensource.org/docs/osd http://opensource.org/docs/osd
  - jmtame 16y ago
    The 'open sourced' connotation was mostly aimed at the process of doing a startup, opening up all the complexities of that from the founders perspective and allowing others to see it and possible reuse those techniques in their own startup. Sorry if I've confused anyone on the nature of that. If I had to give it a more generic name it'd probably just be "Interviews with Startup Founders." If you want to share it with your friends, there's nothing that I can really do about that--I would just say that if you like it enough, try to purchase it.
    - Harkins 16y ago
      Then quit abusing the term "open source". It has a specific meaning. The other word in the title is "Startups", would you do interviews with only established multinational companies and call it "startups"? Would you publish a cookbook and call it "startups"? Don't use "open source" unless you mean it.

revorad 16y ago

Bought a copy. Looks pretty solid. You should probably offer one free interview for download or online as a taster. Just emailed you with some more ideas.

jmtame 16y ago
Done. http://www.startupsopensourced.com/sample-grooveshark/ http://www.startupsopensourced.com/sample-grooveshark/

ropiku 16y ago

Can we get ePub format please ?

jmtame 16y ago
Sure. I'll try to get that added tonight.
- krat0sprakhar 16y ago
  Would it be possible to mail it to the fellows who have purchased the pdf copy?
  - jmtame 16y ago
    Yes, I'll do that. Thanks for the tip.

chesspro 16y ago

Great content. I really enjoyed the interview with Dave Paola, the founder of djangy.com & thathigh.com. I saw his AMA on reddit a while back (http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ev2zb/i_run_thathighcom_and_it_pays_my_rent_in_san/ http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ev2zb/i_run_thathighco...) and was curious about his story. I've read Founders at Work and while it's a good read, I've been looking for interviews with more recent startups, which is exactly what this book/pdf provides. Thanks.

jmtame 16y ago
Thanks so much for the feedback! Yeah, Dave's interview still blows my mind when I read it. Guy is a trooper!

marcamillion 16y ago

I wonder if the author realizes the irony of selling an 'open-source' book of stories ? Just saying. Looks interesting though. A shame I don't have much time to take this on :|

jmtame 16y ago
Yeah a little bit of irony, I hear ya =]

hanibash 16y ago

I loved the Grooveshark interview. These interviews feel really personal.

thebigredjay 16y ago

I think you could have come up with a more appropriate title, the connection is a bit of a stretch. The content, however, looks great. I just purchased a physical copy.

jmtame 16y ago
Yeah it was more of a pun with an allusion/shoutout to the software/tech world, but I see that some of the HN readers don't dig it. Thanks for checking it out.

krat0sprakhar 16y ago

Just purchased a copy. It would be wonderful if you could bundle it with a ePub version as well (like Hacker Monthly).

jmtame 16y ago
Thank you. I've received several e-mails about this, I'm working on an ePub version and should have it by tomorrow or Tuesday. Send me an e-mail jmtame at gmail dot com. Edit: just saw your other comment, I responded in that thread.

sjohns52 16y ago

A writer is allowed to use words and common concepts in new and interesting ways - this is how new words and meanings get created. jmtame makes a good case for "Startups Open Sourced." He is providing insight into what the start up process is like. This book serves to "open source" the knowledge of starting a company, not the content. I like the title; it's creative.