5 ms·

Summer jobs at Parakey

21 points by blakeross 20y ago

python_kiss 20y ago
wow Blake Ross is actually on here. I hope you make a googolian dollars out of Parakey...you deserve it! :)
- blakeross 20y ago
  I love this site; it's about the only one I check daily. But I usually just lurk :)
rms 20y ago
Hey, props for being the only one trying to solve the usability problems inherent in today's computers.
epall 20y ago
By "others in this space" you're talking about Adobe Apollo and Microsoft WPF, right? Do you guys have an edge other than just having more apps at launch?
- blakeross 20y ago
  We're not referring to those platforms, actually. Neither has much to do with the core problems we're tackling, such as that people currently have to shuffle data between desktop and Web apps. Apollo sounds very similar, but it mostly solves the developer problem of "I have Web skills but want to create a desktop app." The additional UI affordances aside, it's still unclear to me how Apollo apps are worlds better than regular web apps from a user's perspective. We were actually referring to some smaller companies that have announced or launched recently, such as Slingshot. To be clear, I don't think the issue is having more apps, but having great apps. In our experience, luring users who can then lure developers is the best way to break the chicken-and-egg problem that any new platform faces. We also believe that building the apps and the platform concurrently yields a better platform.
pg 20y ago
Blake and Joe are nice guys; I would recommend this job to anyone. And if you do end up employee #3 of Parakey, you'll be in a pretty enviable position.
abossy 20y ago
This is an awesome opportunity. Too bad I already have a job for the summer. I would love the chance to work with these guys.
damien 20y ago
Sounds like a great opportunity to work with some well known hackers.
binarybana 20y ago
So parakey is on the application side of the fence when compared to those like YouOS... an interesting idea. "When people need to call their "computer friend" in 2007 to install a program, scan a document, burn a CD or show a picture to a friend, there is a problem." So is the main aim of parakey to give applications the ability to interface seamlessly with the web? Or is it more about the simplicity of web 2.0 design?
- rms 20y ago
  Imagine you are 50 years old and have never before used a computer. It is impossible to use without extensive training; someone of that age can't figure it out on their own. Making it intuitive is a design problem but it's not as impossible as you'd think. And while they're at it, Parakey is uniting the web and the desktop.
  - JMiao 20y ago
    Interesting. I have much respect for Blake and Joe's efforts with Parakey, so my question revolves around the sustainability of building a business around making computers easier to use -- there's GOT to be more to this! In other words, how critical is the problem of computer usability amongst 50 year olds when children today are being "organically" raised in basic computer literacy?
    - blakeross 20y ago
      Making computers easier to use is not our business model, so I'm not sure what it has to do with sustainability. And there's unique technology underpinning our efforts, of course. But I can't imagine what could be more central to a company than trying to create user satisfaction; why do we need more than that? Second, I was raised on computers. Just because I know how to use them doesn't mean I like using them. In fact, I generally find computers to be a pain in the ass. Finally, I suspect the problem of usability amongst 50 year olds is a very critical problem amongst 50 year olds :)
      - JMiao 20y ago

21 points by blakeross 20y ago

python_kiss 20y ago

wow Blake Ross is actually on here. I hope you make a googolian dollars out of Parakey...you deserve it! :)

blakeross 20y ago
I love this site; it's about the only one I check daily. But I usually just lurk :)

rms 20y ago

Hey, props for being the only one trying to solve the usability problems inherent in today's computers.

epall 20y ago

By "others in this space" you're talking about Adobe Apollo and Microsoft WPF, right? Do you guys have an edge other than just having more apps at launch?

blakeross 20y ago
We're not referring to those platforms, actually. Neither has much to do with the core problems we're tackling, such as that people currently have to shuffle data between desktop and Web apps. Apollo sounds very similar, but it mostly solves the developer problem of "I have Web skills but want to create a desktop app." The additional UI affordances aside, it's still unclear to me how Apollo apps are worlds better than regular web apps from a user's perspective. We were actually referring to some smaller companies that have announced or launched recently, such as Slingshot. To be clear, I don't think the issue is having more apps, but having great apps. In our experience, luring users who can then lure developers is the best way to break the chicken-and-egg problem that any new platform faces. We also believe that building the apps and the platform concurrently yields a better platform.

pg 20y ago

Blake and Joe are nice guys; I would recommend this job to anyone. And if you do end up employee #3 of Parakey, you'll be in a pretty enviable position.

abossy 20y ago

This is an awesome opportunity. Too bad I already have a job for the summer. I would love the chance to work with these guys.

damien 20y ago

Sounds like a great opportunity to work with some well known hackers.

binarybana 20y ago

So parakey is on the application side of the fence when compared to those like YouOS... an interesting idea. "When people need to call their "computer friend" in 2007 to install a program, scan a document, burn a CD or show a picture to a friend, there is a problem." So is the main aim of parakey to give applications the ability to interface seamlessly with the web? Or is it more about the simplicity of web 2.0 design?

rms 20y ago
Imagine you are 50 years old and have never before used a computer. It is impossible to use without extensive training; someone of that age can't figure it out on their own. Making it intuitive is a design problem but it's not as impossible as you'd think. And while they're at it, Parakey is uniting the web and the desktop.
- JMiao 20y ago
  Interesting. I have much respect for Blake and Joe's efforts with Parakey, so my question revolves around the sustainability of building a business around making computers easier to use -- there's GOT to be more to this! In other words, how critical is the problem of computer usability amongst 50 year olds when children today are being "organically" raised in basic computer literacy?
  - blakeross 20y ago
    Making computers easier to use is not our business model, so I'm not sure what it has to do with sustainability. And there's unique technology underpinning our efforts, of course. But I can't imagine what could be more central to a company than trying to create user satisfaction; why do we need more than that? Second, I was raised on computers. Just because I know how to use them doesn't mean I like using them. In fact, I generally find computers to be a pain in the ass. Finally, I suspect the problem of usability amongst 50 year olds is a very critical problem amongst 50 year olds :)
    - JMiao 20y ago