Git is certainly capable of this, but I don't think that makes a service like Penflip that focuses specifically on collaborative writing superfluous.
I like to code and I like to write, but I'd be much more likely to put a Rails app on Github than, say, a short story on which I'd like to collaborate. It's not that Github can't be used as an effective tool for collaborative writing, but rather, that it isn't really the place for it.
I have a lot better chance of social interaction around code on Github versus writing because the primary social object on Github is code.
There is no question that good writing exists on Github and that it shines for particular forms of writing, but the dearth of writers to coders there seems to signify that a service like Penflip has a market that could be better served.
Love this. Actually working on something similar ('GitHub for storytellers') as my first Rails project. I have to learn a lot more to get mine even presentable, though.
So bummed I couldn't make it in. Love that the talks are always live-streamed, but there's something about being in a room with a bunch of awesome individuals. Maybe next year.
This is likely true for those of us who have already become accustomed to typing using QWERTY, but there are many who are just learning or have yet to learn to type, most notably children.
If at some point an input method that is faster and more efficient than QWERTY gains real traction and is taught or exposed to our youth, I'd expect a shift away from what's become convention.
This is by no means something that will just happen overnight, but I'd be a little saddened if in the last years of my life, QWERTY remains as the dominant method of text input. It's certainly a good solution, but no where near an optimal one.
Swype was acquired by Nuance. Nuance has quite the portfolio for input entry whether it be by speech or typing.
Reinventing text entry/editing is something I've always wanted to do/see done. Wish there were more solutions that weren't based off of QWERTY, though. I realize it's been the standard since the typewriter, but if we really want to see huge gains in speed and efficiency, we should shift away from it.
It's not about the money, but the people you meet. Quite frankly, I often feel lost navigating the territory of starting my own business even with the support of cofounders I trust and respect.
To be able to get advice from the caliber of YC's network as well as be around teams that are trying to do things that others deem "crazy" or "destined to fail" is an enlightening experience you can't just get anywhere. There's so much I don't know. YC is a great way to bridge some of my many ignorances. Certainly not the only way, though.
I'm not suggesting that wannapreneurs should just blindly shoot off a half-baked idea to every incubator and just sit on their asses waiting for someone to dump money in their laps. Are there people like that? Sure. But setting a little time aside from working on your startup to apply to a once-in-a-lifetime experience that can only help your chances of success is, I think, a justifiable use of time.
Thanks for the advice. As an n-time YC reject where n currently equals 1, I totally agree it's a great way to think about your startup and an excellent exercise in communication.
I'd imagine n is going to get larger over time for us before we can prove ourselves worthy, but we'll keep applying. In retrospect, I think it'll be fun to look back at all our applications and see what progress we've made and how our idea changes over time. If anything, we'll have a clear message by then. ;-)
Fair point. I think what interested me about the article was that both Facebook and Twitter were mentioned equally (8 times each) during last year's Super Bowl commercials. I agree that Twitter is the social platform traditional media has the most affinity towards, so in that respect, the results are to be expected.
Here are some stats on Super Bowl mentions that might be of interest to you:
I second this. Good read. Another article that might be of interest is this NYT article that cites several former HP/Palm employees making the case that webOS was inherently flawed software.
The primary issue with webOS, according to Paul Mercer, was that it "was ahead of its time in trying to build a phone software platform using Web technology, and we just weren’t able to execute such an ambitious and breakthrough design."
It's intriguing to note that tomorrow RIM will officially unveil BB10 and its first line of BB10 handsets — another phone software platform built using Web technology that is, in many respects, the heir of webOS.
The multibillion dollar question: has web technology finally reached the point that a phone platform built using it can be executed successfully head-to-head with iOS and Android?
Agree wholeheartedly. webOS was solid software begging for hardware to match. It's a testament to how much webOS was loved that users would tolerate using the original Pre. I remember many swapping it out multiple times due to hardware defects. Still have my original one for nostalgia's sake. Cute little phone with an OS to die for.
Same here. webOS was my first love in mobile computing. Although I've become a huge proponent of iOS, I still think webOS does some things better than any other mobile OS and I believe it had a profound impact on the nascent trajectories of both iOS and Android.
Most of the key webOS team members were actually picked up by Google when Palm was being acquired by HP, most notably UX design guru Matias Duarte. He is to mobile software what Jony Ive is to mobile hardware. He was responsible for Helio's OS, Danger, webOS, and Android Gingerbread and beyond. Plus, you gotta love a guy who's primary goal is "to make people smile."
I'd also be very interested in such a course. Law in general is way down there on the list of things that interest me, but I'd rather be readily equipped with such knowledge than blissfully ignorant.
Although not specifically related to patent law, I'd really like to know more about choosing the right lawyer/firm for one's startup.
There's so little I know that I feel I should know. I think you'll find a lot of HNers that would be interested in such a course.