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I'm just not entirely sure how someone can be taken advantage of at a hackathon. Are you implying that someone will steal their product? Or that they'll somehow

I'm just not entirely sure how someone can be taken advantage of at a hackathon. Are you implying that someone will steal their product? Or that they'll somehow be convinced to give up a large % stake in their project by someone who can't code? Again, an example of a hackathon where this has happened would be great. Besmirching the name of hackathons in general is wrong. As for hacker mansions, the post you linked to opens with "Like the idea of living/working in a Palo Alto hacker mansion?". If the answer to that question is no, then the likelihood is you wouldn't apply to this job. I disagree with your assessment that this ad is "clearly written by someone who thinks they can throw material things at a Developer and then get them to work 20-hour days for three months straight". From my perspective, they're offering an amazing summer experience for the right candidate who wants to work with them. This ad is clearly not aimed for experienced developers, but rather young folk who are looking to get experience in the startup community. Let's not forget that employment is at will, so if someone is not enjoying working at such a place, they can leave at any time. I, for one, know a bunch of people who love and thrive in such environments. As for "20-hour days", that's just a number you've thrown out. Who's to say you couldn't have a great work/life balance at a hacker mansion?

ryancarson 14y ago
You can be taken advantage of simply by participating. Hackathons that are tacked on to events are a great example: they're simply a way to sell more tickets. I've been guilty of this in the past on shows we've done (Twitter's Chirp conf, etc). Can good things happen at these hackathons? You bet. That doesn't mean Developers shouldn't be careful though. As for "20-hour days", that's just a number you've thrown out. Who's to say you couldn't have a great work/life balance at a hacker mansion? The whole point of a "hacker mansion" is to work 7 days a week for three months straight.
- geraldalewis 14y ago
  > they're simply a way to sell more tickets. That doesn't sound like taking advantage; that sounds like quid pro quo. Developers are buying tickets to attend a hackathon.
- olivercameron 14y ago
  Have you ever lived in a hacker house? I haven't, and if you haven't, then I don't think either of us are in the position to say the whole point of living in a hacker house is to work non-stop. You simply don't know that. Of course lots of work is going to get done at such a place, but who said that the experience and fun wouldn't also be incredibly beneficial to a young developer?
  - koko775 14y ago
    I lived in the Palo Alto hacker house for a time. It wasn't "rah-rah entrepeneurs!!!" - though it had some - it was just a comfortable place to talk with people on similar wavelengths.
  - jmtame 14y ago
    I've lived in 3 hacker houses (still living in one now), and it's been a nice place to live with like-minded individuals. It's equal parts fun and hard work.
- borski 14y ago
  Living in a hacker mansion right now, I can guarantee you that isn't the case. Our hacker mansion is filled with people working on different companies, at different stages (some funded, some not, some with customers, some without, etc.), and all of whom add something interesting and different to the diversity of the house. I take _at least_ 1 day a week off, often two. But frankly, sometimes others have to tell me to, since I love what I'm doing. In short, hacker mansions can work out great if the people there are vetted, smart, passionate, and okay with having social lives. If you get together a group of people who are only going to work 24/7, guess what, they'll work together and burn out together. That's not the house we built. Furthermore, I get to hang out with deer and wild turkeys while I relax in an enormous house with killer amenities; I wouldn't have the money to pay for that myself. I code and run my business mostly from our shared office space in Palo Alto. (Full disclosure: this is a separate and entirely different hacker house from the one ryancarson is talking about, but a hacker house nonetheless.)
  - borism 14y ago
    ok, ok. but hacker mansion? I mean, seriously...
    - borski 14y ago
      Fair. I don't like the term either, but it was the OP's and I decided to use it. :)
- pbiggar 14y ago
  Can you explain how exactly I could be taken advantage of by going to a hackathon?
- SimHacker 14y ago
  The Plone community had "Castle Sprints": http://plone.org/events/sprints/past-sprints/castlesprint http://plone.org/events/sprints/past-sprints/castlesprint

ryancarson 14y ago

You can be taken advantage of simply by participating. Hackathons that are tacked on to events are a great example: they're simply a way to sell more tickets. I've been guilty of this in the past on shows we've done (Twitter's Chirp conf, etc). Can good things happen at these hackathons? You bet. That doesn't mean Developers shouldn't be careful though. As for "20-hour days", that's just a number you've thrown out. Who's to say you couldn't have a great work/life balance at a hacker mansion? The whole point of a "hacker mansion" is to work 7 days a week for three months straight.

geraldalewis 14y ago
> they're simply a way to sell more tickets. That doesn't sound like taking advantage; that sounds like quid pro quo. Developers are buying tickets to attend a hackathon.
olivercameron 14y ago
Have you ever lived in a hacker house? I haven't, and if you haven't, then I don't think either of us are in the position to say the whole point of living in a hacker house is to work non-stop. You simply don't know that. Of course lots of work is going to get done at such a place, but who said that the experience and fun wouldn't also be incredibly beneficial to a young developer?
- koko775 14y ago
  I lived in the Palo Alto hacker house for a time. It wasn't "rah-rah entrepeneurs!!!" - though it had some - it was just a comfortable place to talk with people on similar wavelengths.
- jmtame 14y ago
  I've lived in 3 hacker houses (still living in one now), and it's been a nice place to live with like-minded individuals. It's equal parts fun and hard work.
borski 14y ago
Living in a hacker mansion right now, I can guarantee you that isn't the case. Our hacker mansion is filled with people working on different companies, at different stages (some funded, some not, some with customers, some without, etc.), and all of whom add something interesting and different to the diversity of the house. I take _at least_ 1 day a week off, often two. But frankly, sometimes others have to tell me to, since I love what I'm doing. In short, hacker mansions can work out great if the people there are vetted, smart, passionate, and okay with having social lives. If you get together a group of people who are only going to work 24/7, guess what, they'll work together and burn out together. That's not the house we built. Furthermore, I get to hang out with deer and wild turkeys while I relax in an enormous house with killer amenities; I wouldn't have the money to pay for that myself. I code and run my business mostly from our shared office space in Palo Alto. (Full disclosure: this is a separate and entirely different hacker house from the one ryancarson is talking about, but a hacker house nonetheless.)
- borism 14y ago
  ok, ok. but hacker mansion? I mean, seriously...
  - borski 14y ago
    Fair. I don't like the term either, but it was the OP's and I decided to use it. :)
pbiggar 14y ago
Can you explain how exactly I could be taken advantage of by going to a hackathon?
SimHacker 14y ago
The Plone community had "Castle Sprints": http://plone.org/events/sprints/past-sprints/castlesprint http://plone.org/events/sprints/past-sprints/castlesprint