3 ms·

Zapier is a good example of copying a good idea (IFTTT) and fast-following with good execution. Sure, copying can seem lame, but Google was copying Alta Vista,

Zapier is a good example of copying a good idea (IFTTT) and fast-following with good execution. Sure, copying can seem lame, but Google was copying Alta Vista, Facebook was copying Friendster, Microsoft was copying everyone, etc. Good ideas are important but good execution is more important.

amelius 6y ago
Yes but did they copy the idea using their own skills, or did they need VC funding to get it off the ground? The former seems ok-ish, the latter not so cool and unfair to the original inventors of the idea.
- staunch 6y ago
  We can't run the experiment but it's safe to assume most startups that took very early funding did need it to succeed. That doesn't really take away from the founders effort though. Although it does mean there were probably 10 other teams that had the same idea and skills that failed for not having the ability to raise funding.
ineedasername 6y ago
It's also unclear just how much IFTTT influenced that start of Zapier. IFTTT was announced only about 10 months earlier than Zapier. Zapier announced right around when IFTTT has a live prototype. REST APIs were really hitting popularity at that point, so services like these were becoming more & more obvious-- simultaneous invention is a thing. [0] Also, years earlier, there had been a relatively similar offering from Yahoo, Yahoo Pipes, [1] so the idea was pretty much out there before both of these companies. The rise of REST APIs really just made it much more feasible. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_discovery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_discovery [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo!_Pipes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo!_Pipes
- mooreds 6y ago
  RIP Yahoo Pipes! It even had a GUI editor. Reminded me of an ETL tool much more than Zapier did (even though in some ways that is what they both are).
  - sjg007 6y ago
    Nextflow is kinda like this.
neximo64 6y ago
Whats the idea you copied?

amelius 6y ago

Yes but did they copy the idea using their own skills, or did they need VC funding to get it off the ground? The former seems ok-ish, the latter not so cool and unfair to the original inventors of the idea.

staunch 6y ago
We can't run the experiment but it's safe to assume most startups that took very early funding did need it to succeed. That doesn't really take away from the founders effort though. Although it does mean there were probably 10 other teams that had the same idea and skills that failed for not having the ability to raise funding.

ineedasername 6y ago

It's also unclear just how much IFTTT influenced that start of Zapier. IFTTT was announced only about 10 months earlier than Zapier. Zapier announced right around when IFTTT has a live prototype. REST APIs were really hitting popularity at that point, so services like these were becoming more & more obvious-- simultaneous invention is a thing. [0] Also, years earlier, there had been a relatively similar offering from Yahoo, Yahoo Pipes, [1] so the idea was pretty much out there before both of these companies. The rise of REST APIs really just made it much more feasible. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_discovery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_discovery [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo!_Pipes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo!_Pipes

mooreds 6y ago
RIP Yahoo Pipes! It even had a GUI editor. Reminded me of an ETL tool much more than Zapier did (even though in some ways that is what they both are).
- sjg007 6y ago
  Nextflow is kinda like this.

neximo64 6y ago

Whats the idea you copied?