3 ms·

What's the point of teaching people to program? Why is this a non-profit? Why not make this a for-profit entity? Does this have noble goals that aren't addresse

What's the point of teaching people to program? Why is this a non-profit? Why not make this a for-profit entity? Does this have noble goals that aren't addressed by a free and for-profit market? If so, what are those goals? Is this the best way to achieve those goals?

williamcotton 13y ago
crickets
- jacalata 13y ago
  Your questions made me think that any response would probably be met with comments like "well, what do you mean some people are 'disadvantaged'? Why don't they just study something useful and work hard? What do you mean 'deserve'? What do you mean 'under-represented'? As compared to what, some kind of ideal representation? What is this bleeding heart rubbish? Why don't you trust the market?' Dunno about everybody else, but it doesn't really seem a conversation worth having to me.
  - williamcotton 13y ago
    If the conversation isn't worth having then why are we even talking about non-profits at all? What's the point of having YC support a non-profit venture?
    - jacalata 13y ago
      Sorry, I wasn't clear. I don't think the conversation would be worth having with you because of the giant gap between your starting position and reality.
rdl 13y ago
You're potentially right that this could work as a for-profit entity too; it looks like they're going to provide their basic systems to companies or non-profits who want to replicate it. "Teach your non-technical employees the basics of code" would probably be a better team-building exercise at a company like HP than doing outdoor activities. As a non-profit, you could charge 5-10x the cost to run those courses, and then run the revenue back in to the non-profit school programs. There are also lots of profitable commercial companies serving the education market, so if they'd wanted to, this could have been set up as a commercial entrant. But being a non-profit makes it easier to get adoption in schools I think, and allows them to use volunteers, vs. expensive staff.

williamcotton 13y ago

crickets

jacalata 13y ago
Your questions made me think that any response would probably be met with comments like "well, what do you mean some people are 'disadvantaged'? Why don't they just study something useful and work hard? What do you mean 'deserve'? What do you mean 'under-represented'? As compared to what, some kind of ideal representation? What is this bleeding heart rubbish? Why don't you trust the market?' Dunno about everybody else, but it doesn't really seem a conversation worth having to me.
- williamcotton 13y ago
  If the conversation isn't worth having then why are we even talking about non-profits at all? What's the point of having YC support a non-profit venture?
  - jacalata 13y ago
    Sorry, I wasn't clear. I don't think the conversation would be worth having with you because of the giant gap between your starting position and reality.

rdl 13y ago

You're potentially right that this could work as a for-profit entity too; it looks like they're going to provide their basic systems to companies or non-profits who want to replicate it. "Teach your non-technical employees the basics of code" would probably be a better team-building exercise at a company like HP than doing outdoor activities. As a non-profit, you could charge 5-10x the cost to run those courses, and then run the revenue back in to the non-profit school programs. There are also lots of profitable commercial companies serving the education market, so if they'd wanted to, this could have been set up as a commercial entrant. But being a non-profit makes it easier to get adoption in schools I think, and allows them to use volunteers, vs. expensive staff.