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Ask HN: Is it worth it working on big ideas that will probably never succeed?

by izqui on 3/4/15, 4:55 PM with 5 comments

I believe there are some big problems that can be addressed with technology and big problems with technology itself (see internet centralization and spying)

I would love to try tackling those big problems, but I have the concern the public is not worried about it at all.

And it seems way easier to work and be successful working on the next Snapchat for puppies.

  • by jtfairbank on 3/4/15, 5:10 PM

    "The public" is not a good market. Find a small set of people who really need what you're thinking of, and grow from there.

    There are a lot of people working on cool tech for important problems. You just don't hear about them because its much easier to share the latest silly app with your friends.

  • by starstreak on 3/4/15, 5:24 PM

    With all due respect to Snapchat's users and their puppies - they're irrelevant. Successful businesses function in one of two ways: they either create a solution to a problem that bothers certain parties and sell that solution to them, or they create a problem and then "invent" a solution. Any real business on this planet is about supplying something that you know there's demand for. If you know for sure that you want to be a big-problem-solver, then go for it, you'll find your market as you go. Also, this might serve as an inspiration: http://www.technologyreview.com/magazine/2012/11/

  • by frabrunelle on 3/4/15, 7:53 PM

    > big problems that can be addressed with technology and big problems with technology itself (see internet centralization and spying)

    You might be interested in the SAFE Network (http://systemdocs.maidsafe.net/content/en/what_it_is/README....). It's not quite ready yet (but it's expected to launch this year, perhaps in the summer).

  • by blairbeckwith on 3/5/15, 12:03 AM

    Some people might tell you it's the only thing that is worth it. I'm paraphrasing here, but Fred Wilson just today said that the way to succeed is to work on things that nobody else things will succeed, and succeed.

  • by jkaykin on 3/4/15, 6:00 PM

    Why do you care what the public thinks? Don't work on things just because people want them, work on things because you care about them.