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Ask HN: Does this idea of favor-tracking sound viable?
Today I setup the launchrock page for an idea of mine: http://launch.favorb.com/
The idea is simple: you track favors that your friends are doing for you.
Do you see this as complete nonsense, or do you find it a viable usecase many people have?
Note: I have a lot of code already written, but before I proceed I need check if people are positive about it.
- Zenst 14y agoIf i used this it would make me depressed. I find if I run my life like a anal accountant I get bummed out fast. For some this may work but for me it's something I'd end up asking a friend to do for me :). That all said I don't do facebook and this is something that would bolt on there easier than most. Maybe look at g+ as a interface platform. Good luck, and nomatter what people say, see if it floats would be the way as you have already done all the work etc.
- adityar 14y agoAssuming this is an app that tracks favors for the sole reason of saying "you owe me one", I wouldn't use it for friends. gives off a cold & calculating vibe. Maybe track something else like "help me do this": you say you need help with X and your friends pitch in. I'd feel much better helping my friends out. just don't keep score.
- adityar 14y agoif you have the code, then just put it out there. What's the worst that can happen?
- bozho 14y agothe code is not 100% complete. I will put it once it's ready.
- bozho 14y agoThe idea is reverse. It's not about saying "you owe me". It's about "I owe you", so that you don't have to many unreturned favors.
- caw 14y agoFor myself, I don't have too many outstanding favors at any one time. I tend to know who has helped me out. Even had I forgot, I'm sure just talking to the person (or at least when they redeem their favor), I'd remember. That being said, some people might still find it interesting. I might actually use the service in reverse to, but more in a business context. So and so owes me 1, because I did this for them. A sales rep I worked with once gave me 15% on a future order (I could call in that favor whenever), because of some screw ups, so I would definitely record that.
- bozho 14y agothanks, that seems like a good scenario. People that are not actually friends do favors to each other just for that: to get them some day back in return.
- zaptheimpaler 14y agoIMHO the idea won't work. I don't see why someone would use the application - saying "I owe you one" doesn't sound particularly engaging , and the overall purpose of the app still remains too cold and calculating. Even if people did use it, favors between friends don't work like transactions - that's why they're favors and not paid services. That said, I think you should still finish the app. Startups pivot a LOT, and you might stumble across an awesome idea once you start looking at feedback and trying to figure out what people really use the app for.