5 ms·

I couldn't think of anyone who would be interested in joining me who wouldn't dramatically lower the average founder quality. Quality is a vector, not a scalar

I couldn't think of anyone who would be interested in joining me who wouldn't dramatically lower the average founder quality. Quality is a vector, not a scalar. What's the average of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak? I don't think that's a meaningful question. But the vector sum of their skills was a startup with amazing technical and artistic skill, product focus, business aspirations, charisma, and salesmanship. And I'd like to help you become ramen profitable, so let me demonstrate what I mean by putting on my Steve Jobs hat [1] and telling you a story. I'm in the market for something like tarsnap, so i was very excited to hear about it, for the first time, in this random HN comment 23 days ago: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=458793 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=458793 ...because the product sounds great. I may sign up any day now. But I distinctly remember that, after reading this enthusiastic blurb, I spent several minutes trying to figure out if tarsnap had any kind of decent security model. I remember this because I literally laughed out loud when I finally managed to figure out the answer, after clicking through more than one link and reading a few blog posts -- tarsnap was designed by a cryptographer! Indeed, now (but only now) I learn that it's even better than that: You're the FreeBSD Security Officer, which presumably involves a great deal of practical expertise in reviewing and fixing insecure software. Why isn't this information on the tarsnap homepage, next to a "buy it now" button? --- [1] It's not nice to go all Steve Jobs on someone without being asked, so I'm deliberately toning down my Jobs impression. This is like a 2 on the Steve Jobs bluntness scale.

cperciva 18y ago
Why isn't this information on the tarsnap homepage Because the tarsnap web site sucks. (Hey, you did ask!) Until very recently the vast majority of people interested in tarsnap were people who knew who I was, had seen my work on FreeBSD, and read my blog -- so putting information about tarsnap onto my blog was only natural. Now tarsnap is starting to gain recognition as something beyond "that thing which Colin is doing", it's probably time to revisit where and how information about tarsnap is presented.
- prakash 18y ago
  maybe you don't need a co-founder but at least a contractor/employee to take care of this and all the other things you might not have had the time to take care of?
  - cperciva 18y ago
    Quite possibly. If I was going to hire one person to do some contract work, I'm pretty sure that it would be a web designer. Most likely I'll do this myself, though -- even aside from the issue of money, I find that doing tedious things like web design myself (a) is a useful learning experience, and (b) allows me to think about issues a bit more clearly.
    - trapper 18y ago
      You need a cofounder who can take care of the ramen goal so you can focus on what you love best. The point of your business isn't to do it all yourself, it is to do something you love. If you find founders with complementing skill sets, it's win win win. I would say you could easily get a web/design/biz cofounder who could dramatically change your ramen and also enjoy a few of those tasks you have been putting off for a while :).
      - omnivore 18y ago
        Not. easy.
        run4yourlives 18y ago
        Just because something isn't easy doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. In fact, it often means the exact opposite.
cperciva 18y ago
What's the average of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak? I don't think that's a meaningful question. I agree entirely. I did say that I was being a bit facetious. :-)
divia 18y ago
I learn that it's even better than that: You're the FreeBSD Security Officer, which presumably involves a great deal of practical expertise in reviewing and fixing insecure software. cperciva has a bit of a history of surprising people with his credentials: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35079 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35079
- timcederman 18y ago
  From that thread, I wonder if create_account would change their advice now? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35277 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35277

cperciva 18y ago

Why isn't this information on the tarsnap homepage Because the tarsnap web site sucks. (Hey, you did ask!) Until very recently the vast majority of people interested in tarsnap were people who knew who I was, had seen my work on FreeBSD, and read my blog -- so putting information about tarsnap onto my blog was only natural. Now tarsnap is starting to gain recognition as something beyond "that thing which Colin is doing", it's probably time to revisit where and how information about tarsnap is presented.

prakash 18y ago
maybe you don't need a co-founder but at least a contractor/employee to take care of this and all the other things you might not have had the time to take care of?
- cperciva 18y ago
  Quite possibly. If I was going to hire one person to do some contract work, I'm pretty sure that it would be a web designer. Most likely I'll do this myself, though -- even aside from the issue of money, I find that doing tedious things like web design myself (a) is a useful learning experience, and (b) allows me to think about issues a bit more clearly.
  - trapper 18y ago
    You need a cofounder who can take care of the ramen goal so you can focus on what you love best. The point of your business isn't to do it all yourself, it is to do something you love. If you find founders with complementing skill sets, it's win win win. I would say you could easily get a web/design/biz cofounder who could dramatically change your ramen and also enjoy a few of those tasks you have been putting off for a while :).
    - omnivore 18y ago
      Not. easy.
      - run4yourlives 18y ago
        Just because something isn't easy doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. In fact, it often means the exact opposite.

cperciva 18y ago

What's the average of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak? I don't think that's a meaningful question. I agree entirely. I did say that I was being a bit facetious. :-)

divia 18y ago

I learn that it's even better than that: You're the FreeBSD Security Officer, which presumably involves a great deal of practical expertise in reviewing and fixing insecure software. cperciva has a bit of a history of surprising people with his credentials: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35079 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35079

timcederman 18y ago
From that thread, I wonder if create_account would change their advice now? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35277 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35277