I didn't think of that. I went to feature requests and saw lots of requests for search, so assumed there wasn't an easy way to search. But, I'll give it a whirl. Thanks.
This was validating: on self-financing, on being cheap/don't like to spend, outsourcing, holding off on getting incorporated. Yes - will definitely tell yc about it. Thanks.
More funding does not mean they can execute. I learned that lesson at Oracle, where a team 5x larger and in competition with mine claimed they could do everything and the kitchen sink. But because they could not focus, their developers got new directives every week their code was very buggy. My team's code was focused but it worked and we had better credibility with the salespeople and customers. If you make noise, you will need to respond to it, and may get distracted. So, I'd stick to your original plan -- to launch in a week - in the grand scheme of things I don't know if being a week later makes a huge difference in winning the war (not the battle). If I remember correctly, google was not the first search engine created. BTW, congrats on being so close to public beta. :)
I hate to be a ditto-head, but I couldn't agree more. If they have bigger teams and more money, that almost always means you have the advantage. The only way you can lose is if you panic and make bad decisions. Plan your climb and climb your plan.
My brother just came back from the Hoffman Institute - an intensive 9 day seminar where they address how to have genuine and connected communications - picking up on patterns, and in a group therapy setting, reworking those patterns so you are reconnected... http://www.hoffmaninstitute.org/
Perhaps include a field where an inquirer puts a price range of what they are willing to spend (including tax and shipping) would be helpful for you to select something a gift that the person inquiring can afford.
Thanks for the suggestion. You know, we've gone back and forth on offering a variety of more structured forms. In this case, it probably does make sense.
Hey, thanks for the advice. I got one email from someone who recognized me who said, "Are you on crack cocaine?" but he's a lawyer.
Including my friends' votes, the tally is 7 Positives and 5 Negatives. The developer is from Europe, so the longest he can stay here on a travel visa is 3 months for education and training purposes. And, by law, I can't pay him.
According to several people, I need a technical cofounder. The startup is a risk, time is money - and I have a solid working relationship with this guy. His willingness to come out here from Europe is a huge vote of confidence, so I'm veering towards yes.
I appreciate everyone's stories suggestions for the kinds of details that need to be worked out. If for some reason things go south, I'll repost here with lessons learned. Thanks again for the input.
