6 ms·

Not sure that your example proves that YC is no longer interested in RFS #5. I think RFS# 5 covers companies that could be huge, but I'm not convinced that I wo

by lquist 13y ago

Not sure that your example proves that YC is no longer interested in RFS #5. I think RFS# 5 covers companies that could be huge, but I'm not convinced that I would ever want to code on a tablet.

stephengillie 13y ago
I could see it with a graphical programming language -- one where a FOR loop is a large box into which you'd drag other commands, where each variable and equation is an icon you drag out from the side. Almost like a physics flash game.
- TheMakeA 13y ago
  We mostly expected people to attach a bluetooth keyboard to their tablet or phone. For people who insisted on using a touch screen, we were working on a graphical context sensitive system like you describe -- except for existing languages (Objective-C)... because nobody wants to keep tapping semicolons and parenthesis :-)
- Fixnum 13y ago
  Something like http://scratch.mit.edu/ http://scratch.mit.edu/ ?
dvt 13y ago
RFS #5 has nothing to do with the essay linked. See http://ycombinator.com/rfs.html http://ycombinator.com/rfs.html for all the "Request for Startups" bullet points. Personally, I think it's a dumb RFS to begin with. From a professional standpoint, I couldn't handle developing on anything else but two 24+ inch monitors (if not three) and a mechanical keyboard. Not that I couldn't do it on a laptop or tablet, it just makes me about 300x more productive -- and that's what matters.
- TheMakeA 13y ago
  There would definitely be some pains going from huge monitors to a small tablet. The bigger side of our plan was that it wouldn't just be possible to develop from a tablet, but really, from anywhere. Develop iPhone apps on your Windows box, or Chromebook, for example. I think that in the future it might be possible that developing on a tablet might just mean hooking your tablet or other sub $300 device up to two 24+ inch monitors. Think developing iPhone apps from a $25 Raspberry Pi, thanks to the cloud :-)
- lifeisstillgood 13y ago
  I don't think thats the point. It should be possible to code on a tablet because thats the device most kids will have access to as their first computer. My first (and most people on HN) computer I turned it on and the OS simply waited for me to give it an instruction. That is important in lots of ways, not just in the IPO in two years ways.
Havoc 13y ago
>I'm not convinced that I would ever want to code on a tablet. Well when I type on a on a 10 inch tab - two thoughts cross my head A) This is not working B) This could work given a bit more size and refinement. So I would not discount tablets as dev devices. Perhaps not as a hardcore workstation, but as a starbucks dev station sure - soon.
- jarek 13y ago
  > Well when I type on a on a 10 inch tab - two thoughts cross my head A) This is not working B) This could work given a bit more size and refinement. A bit more size and refinement, a nice keyboard, and a stand gets you a 11-12" laptop.
  - Havoc 13y ago
    >gets you a 11-12" laptop. No it doesn't. No hinge & typing space is also display space under some conditions e.g. browsing.
    - jarek 13y ago
      I'd classify those under "refinements" ;)
      - Havoc 13y ago
        Its a different form factor...especially the no hinge part.
- diminoten 13y ago
  You shouldn't have to use a QWERTY-like keyboard to enter text into a tablet. The very idea of a flat space with a list of letters which has you individually selecting letters (or moving your finger around on a full list of letters) is a huge waste of space on an already small screen.
  - Havoc 13y ago
sharemywin 13y ago
What if the tablet was as big as a desk? or I saw a demo of some microsoft tech where the monitor level was transparent and you could reach behind it and interact with 3d objects.

by lquist 13y ago

Not sure that your example proves that YC is no longer interested in RFS #5. I think RFS# 5 covers companies that could be huge, but I'm not convinced that I would ever want to code on a tablet.

stephengillie 13y ago

I could see it with a graphical programming language -- one where a FOR loop is a large box into which you'd drag other commands, where each variable and equation is an icon you drag out from the side. Almost like a physics flash game.

TheMakeA 13y ago
We mostly expected people to attach a bluetooth keyboard to their tablet or phone. For people who insisted on using a touch screen, we were working on a graphical context sensitive system like you describe -- except for existing languages (Objective-C)... because nobody wants to keep tapping semicolons and parenthesis :-)
Fixnum 13y ago
Something like http://scratch.mit.edu/ http://scratch.mit.edu/ ?

dvt 13y ago

RFS #5 has nothing to do with the essay linked. See http://ycombinator.com/rfs.html http://ycombinator.com/rfs.html for all the "Request for Startups" bullet points. Personally, I think it's a dumb RFS to begin with. From a professional standpoint, I couldn't handle developing on anything else but two 24+ inch monitors (if not three) and a mechanical keyboard. Not that I couldn't do it on a laptop or tablet, it just makes me about 300x more productive -- and that's what matters.

TheMakeA 13y ago
There would definitely be some pains going from huge monitors to a small tablet. The bigger side of our plan was that it wouldn't just be possible to develop from a tablet, but really, from anywhere. Develop iPhone apps on your Windows box, or Chromebook, for example. I think that in the future it might be possible that developing on a tablet might just mean hooking your tablet or other sub $300 device up to two 24+ inch monitors. Think developing iPhone apps from a $25 Raspberry Pi, thanks to the cloud :-)
lifeisstillgood 13y ago
I don't think thats the point. It should be possible to code on a tablet because thats the device most kids will have access to as their first computer. My first (and most people on HN) computer I turned it on and the OS simply waited for me to give it an instruction. That is important in lots of ways, not just in the IPO in two years ways.

Havoc 13y ago

>I'm not convinced that I would ever want to code on a tablet. Well when I type on a on a 10 inch tab - two thoughts cross my head A) This is not working B) This could work given a bit more size and refinement. So I would not discount tablets as dev devices. Perhaps not as a hardcore workstation, but as a starbucks dev station sure - soon.

jarek 13y ago
> Well when I type on a on a 10 inch tab - two thoughts cross my head A) This is not working B) This could work given a bit more size and refinement. A bit more size and refinement, a nice keyboard, and a stand gets you a 11-12" laptop.
- Havoc 13y ago
  >gets you a 11-12" laptop. No it doesn't. No hinge & typing space is also display space under some conditions e.g. browsing.
  - jarek 13y ago
    I'd classify those under "refinements" ;)
    - Havoc 13y ago
      Its a different form factor...especially the no hinge part.
diminoten 13y ago
You shouldn't have to use a QWERTY-like keyboard to enter text into a tablet. The very idea of a flat space with a list of letters which has you individually selecting letters (or moving your finger around on a full list of letters) is a huge waste of space on an already small screen.
- Havoc 13y ago

sharemywin 13y ago

What if the tablet was as big as a desk? or I saw a demo of some microsoft tech where the monitor level was transparent and you could reach behind it and interact with 3d objects.