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Koding(en)'s been on my radar a while since they're in a vaguely similar space (lightweight virtualization). But as a coder, I could never for the life of me f

by aegiso 13y ago

Koding(en)'s been on my radar a while since they're in a vaguely similar space (lightweight virtualization). But as a coder, I could never for the life of me figure out what Koding is for. Apparently the Koding team doesn't know either. It's a bunch of (admittedly cool) tech features thrown in a box and shaken up a bit. Now the team is scratching their heads about what it is they've built, trying to justify their investment money. Koding is a fine example of a "sitcom" startup in YC parlance [1]: social virtualized viral cloud coding, just because. So that's my analysis. If anyone from the Koding team reads this, here's my advice: Stop. Take a machete to 80% of the product. Figure out what it is that you're great at, and that people really, really want. Then you won't need to be making silly goggle videos or tragic blog posts like this one. [1] http://paulgraham.com/startupideas.html http://paulgraham.com/startupideas.html

babarock 13y ago
I know what I'm going to use it for. I work on an open source project and I've just submitted a patch. Tomorrow, I'm travelling to go spend a week with my parents, away from home. I don't plan on taking my laptop with me, but I want to follow up on my patch. Reviews are probably going to ask for minor changes. Basically, I can see myself using something like this when I'm on the move. I'm not a big fan of dragging my laptop with me everywhere I go...
- inetsee 13y ago
  I'm confused. If you don't have your laptop with you, how are you going to access Koding?
  - recursive 13y ago
    Via a web browser on a different computer.
- derekp7 13y ago
  So how is this different from either having a copy of your git repository on your phone (which you can mount on your parent's computer), or accessing your own home server remotely (or an EC2 micro/free tier server instance)?
  - recursive 13y ago
    It's different from having a repo on your phone because you don't have to install git to use it. It's different from your own remote server because you don't need to set one up.
mrtksn 13y ago
actually, according to the founder's speech(in turkish) koding is more about social project management than a IDE on the cloud, just because. they hope to make money from selling servers.
ripter 13y ago
I just watched their "Koding in 2 Minutes Video" and the only thing I know is that they have VMs. And the terminal is an app.
- leeolayvar 13y ago
  Hi, i'm the koding user (not staffer) who made the video/docs :) The video wasn't intended to be a pitch. It was intended for users who are new to Koding, and to quickly gloss over the features of Koding so users can get there bearings on where to go for what. I really dislike the docs being linked to, as everyone here seems to think that the docs are: A: Official (understandable, but nevertheless the docs have been made by users) B: A sales pitch. I wanted to make the docs because the Koding Team had very little to no documentation, and i've spent a year answering some very common problems in the Koding Activity Feed. The koding docs have helped quite a few users i think, and i'm proud of them. They aren't a sales pitch to try and buy you. I never intended for that, and i'm sorry they have been posted to HN as such :/
leeolayvar 13y ago
I can understand your confusion on "what koding is", that is probably partially my fault. I'm the author of the docs/videos (a koding user, not staff), who is obviously a bit passionate about the platform. I know i had no trouble "Getting" Koding, but that is because remote development is something i've been using/toying with for three or four years now. Originally it was heavy SSH, and focusing on trying to create VIM IDEs and improve a terminal oriented workflow so that it can all work through SSH, but eventually i learned about some of these Online Dev Environments. I used Cloud9 for about a year, before switching to Koding about a year ago. The point being, i've wanted this remote-environment concept for such a long time, it sort of comes naturally to me. I imagine if you're very used to working locally, you have a hard time seeing the advantages of using a remote platform. I can understand, it's a very new tech, and it's not the next coming of Christ or anything. I got a bit overzealous with the "unlimited possibilities" line lol, but i have made an issue on the matter and plan on rewording that. With all that said, i do strongly disagree that "Apparently the Koding team doesn't know either.". You're taking a beta product, with an obviously large list of features that aren't implemented, and saying that the devs don't know what the product is good for. It obviously has a roadmap, both with visible and non-visible features planned, so i think the devs have a good idea where they are headed with it. It's not perfect of course, but online development is quite new. After being a user of many of these platforms, i chose Koding, so obviously i feel it's "the best". I am obviously biased because i have picked this platform as my platform of choice, but with the warning i hope you won't hold this against me. Anyway, you can read my other posts which talk about how my docs project, and especially my "2 minute Koding" video, are not pitches to use Koding. They are for Koding users mostly, people who have already decided on the platform. These are things i, as a user, wanted to give to the community and hopefully foster an environment that i want to feel. Communities are what you make of them, and i am trying my part. I respect your opinion nonetheless, and i'm sure the devs are taking what you say to heart. I hope i can improve the Overview as well, based on the feedback. :)
- Justsignedup 13y ago
  So is the goal to spin up remote development machines and do something via ssh?

by aegiso 13y ago

babarock 13y ago

I know what I'm going to use it for. I work on an open source project and I've just submitted a patch. Tomorrow, I'm travelling to go spend a week with my parents, away from home. I don't plan on taking my laptop with me, but I want to follow up on my patch. Reviews are probably going to ask for minor changes. Basically, I can see myself using something like this when I'm on the move. I'm not a big fan of dragging my laptop with me everywhere I go...

inetsee 13y ago
I'm confused. If you don't have your laptop with you, how are you going to access Koding?
- recursive 13y ago
  Via a web browser on a different computer.
derekp7 13y ago
So how is this different from either having a copy of your git repository on your phone (which you can mount on your parent's computer), or accessing your own home server remotely (or an EC2 micro/free tier server instance)?
- recursive 13y ago
  It's different from having a repo on your phone because you don't have to install git to use it. It's different from your own remote server because you don't need to set one up.

mrtksn 13y ago

actually, according to the founder's speech(in turkish) koding is more about social project management than a IDE on the cloud, just because. they hope to make money from selling servers.

ripter 13y ago

I just watched their "Koding in 2 Minutes Video" and the only thing I know is that they have VMs. And the terminal is an app.

leeolayvar 13y ago
Hi, i'm the koding user (not staffer) who made the video/docs :) The video wasn't intended to be a pitch. It was intended for users who are new to Koding, and to quickly gloss over the features of Koding so users can get there bearings on where to go for what. I really dislike the docs being linked to, as everyone here seems to think that the docs are: A: Official (understandable, but nevertheless the docs have been made by users) B: A sales pitch. I wanted to make the docs because the Koding Team had very little to no documentation, and i've spent a year answering some very common problems in the Koding Activity Feed. The koding docs have helped quite a few users i think, and i'm proud of them. They aren't a sales pitch to try and buy you. I never intended for that, and i'm sorry they have been posted to HN as such :/

leeolayvar 13y ago

I can understand your confusion on "what koding is", that is probably partially my fault. I'm the author of the docs/videos (a koding user, not staff), who is obviously a bit passionate about the platform. I know i had no trouble "Getting" Koding, but that is because remote development is something i've been using/toying with for three or four years now. Originally it was heavy SSH, and focusing on trying to create VIM IDEs and improve a terminal oriented workflow so that it can all work through SSH, but eventually i learned about some of these Online Dev Environments. I used Cloud9 for about a year, before switching to Koding about a year ago. The point being, i've wanted this remote-environment concept for such a long time, it sort of comes naturally to me. I imagine if you're very used to working locally, you have a hard time seeing the advantages of using a remote platform. I can understand, it's a very new tech, and it's not the next coming of Christ or anything. I got a bit overzealous with the "unlimited possibilities" line lol, but i have made an issue on the matter and plan on rewording that. With all that said, i do strongly disagree that "Apparently the Koding team doesn't know either.". You're taking a beta product, with an obviously large list of features that aren't implemented, and saying that the devs don't know what the product is good for. It obviously has a roadmap, both with visible and non-visible features planned, so i think the devs have a good idea where they are headed with it. It's not perfect of course, but online development is quite new. After being a user of many of these platforms, i chose Koding, so obviously i feel it's "the best". I am obviously biased because i have picked this platform as my platform of choice, but with the warning i hope you won't hold this against me. Anyway, you can read my other posts which talk about how my docs project, and especially my "2 minute Koding" video, are not pitches to use Koding. They are for Koding users mostly, people who have already decided on the platform. These are things i, as a user, wanted to give to the community and hopefully foster an environment that i want to feel. Communities are what you make of them, and i am trying my part. I respect your opinion nonetheless, and i'm sure the devs are taking what you say to heart. I hope i can improve the Overview as well, based on the feedback. :)

Justsignedup 13y ago
So is the goal to spin up remote development machines and do something via ssh?