4 ms·

If you're set on local collaborators I guess that's as good an idea as any. But let me make one suggestion which is to not be so fixated on your area. Yes, i

If you're set on local collaborators I guess that's as good an idea as any. But let me make one suggestion which is to not be so fixated on your area. Yes, it's great to have local collaborators but it's hardly necessary. There are plenty of tools that allow collaborators to work together no matter where they are. The most famous example I can think of is David Heinemeier Hansson. He worked as a partner in Chicago based 37Signals even though he lived in Denmark up until a few years ago. The truth is, whether someone's in another part of your rural community or in Denmark the collaboration itself shouldn't be that different (using tools like Skype, IM and even 37Signals' set of collaborative tools)

jacquesm 17y ago
The fact is though, even YC insists on its applicants to move to where ever YC is located. There is a big advantage in working together when you are face to face. A purely virtual idea you might get off the ground when you are spread out, but even then the feeling of 'working together' when you really are together is a different one. Maybe it's just because I'm old or maybe it is because my experiences with collaborating remotely are a mixed bag (currently working with people in Panama). It should not theoretically be necessary but I do find there is a huge difference in practice.
- TomOfTTB 17y ago
  YC requires that because they have a whole program that is designed around educating entrepreneurs. They all have to be in that location so they can meet the local VC community, attend the get togethers, etc... I don't think everyone being together has all that much to do with it (though I obviously could be wrong) The bottom line is there's nothing you can do in person that you can't do with a Skype connection and a whiteboard program. Moreover as someone whose both worked with local programmers and worked with long distance ones I didn't find much of a difference. I'd almost always IM anyway regardless of whether the person was up the hall or in Prague
  - jacquesm 17y ago
    I find it depends very much on the people. With some people it works great, with others it really doesn't work. And for plenty of situations there is a middle ground somewhere where you work 'apart' for a while and then meet up for a bit and so on on some periodic schedule.

jacquesm 17y ago

The fact is though, even YC insists on its applicants to move to where ever YC is located. There is a big advantage in working together when you are face to face. A purely virtual idea you might get off the ground when you are spread out, but even then the feeling of 'working together' when you really are together is a different one. Maybe it's just because I'm old or maybe it is because my experiences with collaborating remotely are a mixed bag (currently working with people in Panama). It should not theoretically be necessary but I do find there is a huge difference in practice.

TomOfTTB 17y ago
YC requires that because they have a whole program that is designed around educating entrepreneurs. They all have to be in that location so they can meet the local VC community, attend the get togethers, etc... I don't think everyone being together has all that much to do with it (though I obviously could be wrong) The bottom line is there's nothing you can do in person that you can't do with a Skype connection and a whiteboard program. Moreover as someone whose both worked with local programmers and worked with long distance ones I didn't find much of a difference. I'd almost always IM anyway regardless of whether the person was up the hall or in Prague
- jacquesm 17y ago
  I find it depends very much on the people. With some people it works great, with others it really doesn't work. And for plenty of situations there is a middle ground somewhere where you work 'apart' for a while and then meet up for a bit and so on on some periodic schedule.