4 ms·

Unlike AirBnb and Uber, a co-working location is usually used for weeks, months, or even longer. There's little stopping the participants from cutting SpareCha

by bjt 11y ago

Unlike AirBnb and Uber, a co-working location is usually used for weeks, months, or even longer. There's little stopping the participants from cutting SpareChair/Desktime/whoever out of the loop, once they've built up some trust. That being said, I've thought more than once about getting a slightly bigger house than I need so I can share some space with other remote folks.

codezero 11y ago
In the last office hours, someone asked about something similar, they were building a ride sharing app in Africa, and because of how it worked, it was likely that drivers and riders would end up paired regularly. They asked how to make it so they don't get pulled out of the loop and kevin suggested adding valuable services/features that make it worth while for both parties to keep using the service. thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9785941 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9785941
blazespin 11y ago
Boring. The point is to hop from place to place and network with new people.
- illumen 11y ago
  Boring. The point is to work.
  - LunaSea 11y ago
    What ?! Working are you crazy ? That's super unproductive ! I've heard that at Fluber they were also trying the 3 hour work week which is of course much better than the 40 hours working week. \s
    - lmm 11y ago
      I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss that idea. How much actually useful work did you get done this week? If you didn't have to put on a performance of being at your desk for 40 hours, but were able to do 3 hours of really high-quality work, would you end up more or less productive?
      - LunaSea 11y ago
        I think you forgot the \s. In any case, yes, absolutely less productive. The time you need to communicate with other people in your team probably already amounts to at least 3 hours in your week. Not counting the time you need to build back your mental context of the task you are working on. Why you were stuck last time ...etc. I understand the feeling that people have that there should be a more relaxed schedule and restrictions on the location you are working from but in the end I'm unconvinced that it improves productivity. No saying that you should work 80 hour weeks and be be stressed out of your mind but the reverse is not true either.
mkolodny 11y ago
I think the biggest benefit AirBNB has over Craigslist / dealing with someone directly is insurance. Before AirBNB existed, I'd use the vacation/temporary section of Craigslist. I'd go stay at someone's place, and hope that I wasn't going to be kicked out, and lose the rest of the money I gave them for my stay. It was worse for the people subletting - if I damaged their place, they had almost no recourse. While it's possible that enough trust can build up over time to where people would go around SpareChair, I doubt it will be a problem for them. Even if friends of friends were to co-work at my place, I'd feel a lot more comfortable if they were insured.
egypturnash 11y ago
I kinda want to say, if you're worried about this being a likely thing that might happen, own it. Have a section of the site where you talk about enduring relationships accreted on your service. If two people end up married because they first met on your workplace-sharing site, is it really a net loss if they stopped cutting you in on a hookup fee? Or if they go on to form the next Google? Or even if they just become friends? Sure, you don't get any more money from them. But you just made two people's lives a little more interesting. That's worth something if your balance sheet includes more than just money. I mean, don't advertise that as one of the main features if the focus is "finding interesting places to work outside your home". But something this intimate definitely has a "meet interesting new people" aspect to it.

by bjt 11y ago

codezero 11y ago

In the last office hours, someone asked about something similar, they were building a ride sharing app in Africa, and because of how it worked, it was likely that drivers and riders would end up paired regularly. They asked how to make it so they don't get pulled out of the loop and kevin suggested adding valuable services/features that make it worth while for both parties to keep using the service. thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9785941 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9785941

blazespin 11y ago

Boring. The point is to hop from place to place and network with new people.

illumen 11y ago
Boring. The point is to work.
- LunaSea 11y ago
  What ?! Working are you crazy ? That's super unproductive ! I've heard that at Fluber they were also trying the 3 hour work week which is of course much better than the 40 hours working week. \s
  - lmm 11y ago
    I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss that idea. How much actually useful work did you get done this week? If you didn't have to put on a performance of being at your desk for 40 hours, but were able to do 3 hours of really high-quality work, would you end up more or less productive?
    - LunaSea 11y ago
      I think you forgot the \s. In any case, yes, absolutely less productive. The time you need to communicate with other people in your team probably already amounts to at least 3 hours in your week. Not counting the time you need to build back your mental context of the task you are working on. Why you were stuck last time ...etc. I understand the feeling that people have that there should be a more relaxed schedule and restrictions on the location you are working from but in the end I'm unconvinced that it improves productivity. No saying that you should work 80 hour weeks and be be stressed out of your mind but the reverse is not true either.

mkolodny 11y ago

I think the biggest benefit AirBNB has over Craigslist / dealing with someone directly is insurance. Before AirBNB existed, I'd use the vacation/temporary section of Craigslist. I'd go stay at someone's place, and hope that I wasn't going to be kicked out, and lose the rest of the money I gave them for my stay. It was worse for the people subletting - if I damaged their place, they had almost no recourse. While it's possible that enough trust can build up over time to where people would go around SpareChair, I doubt it will be a problem for them. Even if friends of friends were to co-work at my place, I'd feel a lot more comfortable if they were insured.

egypturnash 11y ago

I kinda want to say, if you're worried about this being a likely thing that might happen, own it. Have a section of the site where you talk about enduring relationships accreted on your service. If two people end up married because they first met on your workplace-sharing site, is it really a net loss if they stopped cutting you in on a hookup fee? Or if they go on to form the next Google? Or even if they just become friends? Sure, you don't get any more money from them. But you just made two people's lives a little more interesting. That's worth something if your balance sheet includes more than just money. I mean, don't advertise that as one of the main features if the focus is "finding interesting places to work outside your home". But something this intimate definitely has a "meet interesting new people" aspect to it.