6 ms·

Last day to apply to YC Hacks

76 points by katm 12y ago

nicklovescode 12y ago
Thanks for the reminder! I was planning to apply, but other things got in the way and I would have forgotten.
personjerry 12y ago
What will the hacks be judged on?
- brk 12y ago
  Everything? ;)
- aashaykumar92 12y ago
  The idea and how well it's executed (functionality and design of end product)
brk 12y ago
Thanks for the reminder. I threw in an application just to see what happens.
Jemaclus 12y ago
I've never really done a hackathon before. What's the gist of it? Do you just show up and work on whatever you want for the duration, then present it at the end? Or is there a theme revealed at the beginning?
- calbear81 12y ago
  It depends on the hackathon. This one is open ended but a lot of them have themes. Basically you show up and start working and then at the end there's usually a judging/demo process. Sometimes you'll want to join a team which can be prearranged or you just hover around until you find a like-minded group.
- katm 12y ago
  There's no theme for YC Hacks. We're leaving it open. You can build whatever you want.
  - xur17 12y ago
    Should we have teams in mind, or just plan to form one when we get there?
    - katm 12y ago
      You can do it either way. We'll make it possible for attendees to get in touch with one another beforehand if they'd like to try forming a team in advance.
ericabiz 12y ago
Question for the hackathon organizers: Do you want attendees to come in with a completely new concept that they haven't worked on before? And, if it's okay to have worked on it previously, how far along is "too far along" for this hackathon? Thanks!
ely-s 12y ago
I want to join, but I don't have a group. If anyone wants to be in a group with me, you can add me with eli0s"at"live.com.
- jeffasinger 12y ago
  If I were you, I'd add a little bit about why someone should want to be in a group with you, maybe what skills you have.
  - ely-s 12y ago
    Thanks for the suggestion. I am a full-stack web application developer. Here are the technologies I have experience with. Python Django, Flask, Bottle Ruby Sinatra, Rails JavaScript Node.js, jQuery, Backbone, Express PHP Jade/sass/less/CoffeeScript
    - username223 12y ago
      > I am a full-stack web application developer. More like "full steaming pile wrangler." You can apparently deal with template engines and ORMs in a few languages, which is moderately useful.
      - davidw 12y ago
        That kind of snark is best suited for other sites. We try to support one another here, where possible.
- ghobs91 12y ago
  I just applied and put your email :) You can find me at ghobrial.andrew at gmail.
  - ely-s 12y ago
    cool
ihuman 12y ago
Can someone explain the appeal of an invite-only hackathon? I don't understand what makes it "better" to one that anyone can apply to go to.
- selectout 12y ago
  I don't think anyone is saying this is better because it's invite-only. I think it's invite-only so they can keep the total # manageable and make sure all the participants are going to be actual builders instead of wasting others time.
- nwenzel 12y ago
  Basic things: are there enough chairs, are they compliant with maximum occupancy restrictions of the building, are there enough snacks. Less basic things: No on said YC Hacks way of getting people in the door is better. It's just the way they're choosing to handle it. YC seems to want to expand the community and this looks like a pretty good way to do it. Despite the very high bar of getting accepted into the YC program, I don't think YC is trying to be "exclusive" based on excluding people. 90% or more of what pg, sama, and the YC partners tell YC companies can be found online.
joslin01 12y ago
I can't wait for this! I hope I'm accepted.
hc5 12y ago
We're currently in PDT not PST.
alok-g 12y ago
Any idea of what tools, platforms and services will be available?
wlue 12y ago
Aw man, is there any way to still apply? I had the form filled out in my browser, and I was waiting for a friend to fill out his application, but I ended up forgetting to submit the form before 12:00am PST.
sbuccini 12y ago
So stoked for this. It's a great community to be involved in. Looking forward to seeing everyone there (conditional on my acceptance, that is)
Jd 12y ago
I like how it says "tonight" but there is no day either on the post or on the thread. Looks like people are posting more than 24hrs ago though, which makes me think the day has already past...

76 points by katm 12y ago

nicklovescode 12y ago

Thanks for the reminder! I was planning to apply, but other things got in the way and I would have forgotten.

personjerry 12y ago

What will the hacks be judged on?

brk 12y ago
Everything? ;)
aashaykumar92 12y ago
The idea and how well it's executed (functionality and design of end product)

brk 12y ago

Thanks for the reminder. I threw in an application just to see what happens.

Jemaclus 12y ago

I've never really done a hackathon before. What's the gist of it? Do you just show up and work on whatever you want for the duration, then present it at the end? Or is there a theme revealed at the beginning?

calbear81 12y ago
It depends on the hackathon. This one is open ended but a lot of them have themes. Basically you show up and start working and then at the end there's usually a judging/demo process. Sometimes you'll want to join a team which can be prearranged or you just hover around until you find a like-minded group.
katm 12y ago
There's no theme for YC Hacks. We're leaving it open. You can build whatever you want.
- xur17 12y ago
  Should we have teams in mind, or just plan to form one when we get there?
  - katm 12y ago
    You can do it either way. We'll make it possible for attendees to get in touch with one another beforehand if they'd like to try forming a team in advance.

ericabiz 12y ago

Question for the hackathon organizers: Do you want attendees to come in with a completely new concept that they haven't worked on before? And, if it's okay to have worked on it previously, how far along is "too far along" for this hackathon? Thanks!

ely-s 12y ago

I want to join, but I don't have a group. If anyone wants to be in a group with me, you can add me with eli0s"at"live.com.

jeffasinger 12y ago
If I were you, I'd add a little bit about why someone should want to be in a group with you, maybe what skills you have.
- ely-s 12y ago
  Thanks for the suggestion. I am a full-stack web application developer. Here are the technologies I have experience with. Python Django, Flask, Bottle Ruby Sinatra, Rails JavaScript Node.js, jQuery, Backbone, Express PHP Jade/sass/less/CoffeeScript
  - username223 12y ago
    > I am a full-stack web application developer. More like "full steaming pile wrangler." You can apparently deal with template engines and ORMs in a few languages, which is moderately useful.
    - davidw 12y ago
      That kind of snark is best suited for other sites. We try to support one another here, where possible.
ghobs91 12y ago
I just applied and put your email :) You can find me at ghobrial.andrew at gmail.
- ely-s 12y ago
  cool

ihuman 12y ago

Can someone explain the appeal of an invite-only hackathon? I don't understand what makes it "better" to one that anyone can apply to go to.

selectout 12y ago
I don't think anyone is saying this is better because it's invite-only. I think it's invite-only so they can keep the total # manageable and make sure all the participants are going to be actual builders instead of wasting others time.
nwenzel 12y ago
Basic things: are there enough chairs, are they compliant with maximum occupancy restrictions of the building, are there enough snacks. Less basic things: No on said YC Hacks way of getting people in the door is better. It's just the way they're choosing to handle it. YC seems to want to expand the community and this looks like a pretty good way to do it. Despite the very high bar of getting accepted into the YC program, I don't think YC is trying to be "exclusive" based on excluding people. 90% or more of what pg, sama, and the YC partners tell YC companies can be found online.

joslin01 12y ago

I can't wait for this! I hope I'm accepted.

hc5 12y ago

We're currently in PDT not PST.

alok-g 12y ago

Any idea of what tools, platforms and services will be available?

wlue 12y ago

Aw man, is there any way to still apply? I had the form filled out in my browser, and I was waiting for a friend to fill out his application, but I ended up forgetting to submit the form before 12:00am PST.

sbuccini 12y ago

So stoked for this. It's a great community to be involved in. Looking forward to seeing everyone there (conditional on my acceptance, that is)

Jd 12y ago

I like how it says "tonight" but there is no day either on the post or on the thread. Looks like people are posting more than 24hrs ago though, which makes me think the day has already past...