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Why the downvote? Codecademy and CodePupil are working towards the same goal. TO make learning how to code easier and more fun then before. We are happy of C

Why the downvote? Codecademy and CodePupil are working towards the same goal. TO make learning how to code easier and more fun then before. We are happy of Codecademy's success, as it shows there is a need for the learning to code through gaming space. We just went live and are looking to gain insight on what works best - our visual exercises, our games and or our watch a video/typing exercise - thnx

pfraze 14y ago
It's a little off-putting to use a post about a competitor to promote your own site.
- paul9290 14y ago
  Sure I understand this point but how does a unknown start-up in a similar space bring in visitors/users to gain feedback & insight to make their product better? Figure out what is resonating with visitors/users and focus on that vs. what isn't. After all Flickr started as MMORPG where they noticed their visitors/users were using the upload photo feature more then playing their game.
  - AznHisoka 14y ago
    You got a good point. I also find it a bit disconcerting a post about a web design change has gotten more comments than your post introducing a new product. Call it fame bias or something. Codeacademy is vastly overrated right now.
    - apsurd 14y ago
      YC promotes their own; it's their house. I'm not supporting the idea that 'YC alumn eats an apple for lunch' is indeed noteworthy, just providing an explanation. I used to think HN front page was heavily gamed. That is you had to have a network of insta-voters in order to build up enough momentum. And while that is probably true for some stories, I honestly believe it's just a matter of good timing, luck, and persistence. If you keep having something to say, you'll eventually get lucky with good timing!
      - paul7986 14y ago
        agreed don't give up - keep at it! Not many start-ups win the startup lottery immediately. A small margin do but most need to work hard to figure things out and find their niche.
  - tnorthcutt 14y ago
    Figure out what is resonating with visitors/users and focus on that vs. what isn't. That does not dictate spamming a thread about one of your competitors. What you're doing is distinctly NOT resonating with some of your potential users.
  - OmarIsmail 14y ago
    Lots of startups have figured out this problem, so it's obviously not an impossible task. There are good ways to do it (getting front page of HN) and there are bad ways to do it (hijacking a competitor's comment thread). You're not entitled to feedback, so having that problem is nobody but yours. Like with everything in startups: figure it out.
AVTizzle 14y ago
You're running a business. Working toward the same goal doesn't mean your every interest is aligned. Quite the opposite, actually. You're competing to offer similar value to the same users. You're working on a noble cause, sure, but consider this: If you look at your post as a competitive service spamming Codecademy's thread to call attention toward your own, all of a sudden the downvotes start to make sense, don't they?

pfraze 14y ago

It's a little off-putting to use a post about a competitor to promote your own site.

paul9290 14y ago
Sure I understand this point but how does a unknown start-up in a similar space bring in visitors/users to gain feedback & insight to make their product better? Figure out what is resonating with visitors/users and focus on that vs. what isn't. After all Flickr started as MMORPG where they noticed their visitors/users were using the upload photo feature more then playing their game.
- AznHisoka 14y ago
  You got a good point. I also find it a bit disconcerting a post about a web design change has gotten more comments than your post introducing a new product. Call it fame bias or something. Codeacademy is vastly overrated right now.
  - apsurd 14y ago
    YC promotes their own; it's their house. I'm not supporting the idea that 'YC alumn eats an apple for lunch' is indeed noteworthy, just providing an explanation. I used to think HN front page was heavily gamed. That is you had to have a network of insta-voters in order to build up enough momentum. And while that is probably true for some stories, I honestly believe it's just a matter of good timing, luck, and persistence. If you keep having something to say, you'll eventually get lucky with good timing!
    - paul7986 14y ago
      agreed don't give up - keep at it! Not many start-ups win the startup lottery immediately. A small margin do but most need to work hard to figure things out and find their niche.
- tnorthcutt 14y ago
  Figure out what is resonating with visitors/users and focus on that vs. what isn't. That does not dictate spamming a thread about one of your competitors. What you're doing is distinctly NOT resonating with some of your potential users.
- OmarIsmail 14y ago
  Lots of startups have figured out this problem, so it's obviously not an impossible task. There are good ways to do it (getting front page of HN) and there are bad ways to do it (hijacking a competitor's comment thread). You're not entitled to feedback, so having that problem is nobody but yours. Like with everything in startups: figure it out.

AVTizzle 14y ago

You're running a business. Working toward the same goal doesn't mean your every interest is aligned. Quite the opposite, actually. You're competing to offer similar value to the same users. You're working on a noble cause, sure, but consider this: If you look at your post as a competitive service spamming Codecademy's thread to call attention toward your own, all of a sudden the downvotes start to make sense, don't they?