Problem: I’ve found it hard/impossible to stay consistent on my side projects over the years with a pretty demanding full-time job and now kids. When the job picks up, it’s too easy to drop the side project for a day, which becomes a week, which becomes months. It’s also been somewhat demotivating to build alone on the side because you only have so much time and projects take so long. In college it was easier to find people to work with. Now, not so much.
Solution: I think it’ll be easier to stay motivated and consistent on projects when working with someone else. Enter Guild Origin: Post an idea you want to build or are building. Then if anyone is interested in the project, they’ll reach out and you can work on it together - it’s that simple! I’ve added a basic streak feature to help stay consistent and will continue adding features that incentivize consistency.
I know there are already several sites for finding startup cofounders, and I wanted to create something more laid back. Sometimes it doesn’t need to be a startup - it can just be a cool idea you want to build to learn a new skill or make the world better. Maybe it evolves into something more and maybe you just use it yourself - that’s totally fine!
TIA for any feedback or thoughts on my first side project “MVP”. Here’s to building awesome projects together!
elpocko•8mo ago
quelup•8mo ago
> If I wanted to find people to work with, I'd go where those people are: one of the many more or less specialized social networks
Curious about this - do you have an example? If I want to build a site related to music and am looking for someone to build with on the technical side, are you saying you'd find a developer on a music forum? I think it depends on goals here.
> I wouldn't sign up to some empty website with one active user, which is the site's anonymous owner, who also happens to be a self-promoter on HN
Wait - isn't this the point of Show HN? You sound upset but I'm not even selling anything, just sharing what I built since as you said this is currently an "empty website" :) didn't realize anonymity was an issue..I'll have to see if this is a general concern.
Please refer to the Show HN guidance when commenting:
"Be respectful. Anyone sharing work is making a contribution, however modest.
Ask questions out of curiosity. Don't cross-examine.
Instead of "you're doing it wrong", suggest alternatives. When someone is learning, help them learn more.
When something isn't good, you needn't pretend that it is, but don't be gratuitously negative."
This is a free site I'm building in my free time so be gentle :)
elpocko•8mo ago
>If I want to build a site related to music and am looking for someone to build with on the technical side, are you saying you'd find a developer on a music forum?
I'm gonna find a developer on an actual active social network where you can find developers, not on an empty site with no users. You don't have to take this personally, it's just the reality of things. You're up against reddit, LinkedIn, X, and countless other social networks. No one is gonna use yours unless you have something unique to offer that no one else has.
quelup•8mo ago
I'm so confused. Tbh this is my first Show HN post so if I broke some rule, by all means let me know. But isn't the point of Show HN to show what you built? Lol what am I doing wrong?
> not on an empty site with no users
I know my site is empty, it's an MVP I just brought to a state where I feel comfortable sharing. If the feedback here is to "get more users so your site isn't empty", I totally agree. Hence the post.
elpocko•8mo ago
You made this post not because you wanted to share something interesting; you made it because you want users. But your forum website has no value proposition, so you won't get any users. Anyone could create and host that kind of site now, for any topic and they could do it for free. No one does though for obvious reasons. I'm sorry if that offends you.
quelup•8mo ago
> Anyone could create and host that kind of site now, for any topic and they could do it for free. No one does though for obvious reasons.
You're implying that any site that could be created and isn't, is because they're all bad ideas. I disagree. It might be in this case, but the idea that you shouldn't test ideas is wrong.
elpocko•8mo ago
Show HN is for interesting things. "I made this forum about 'projects' and now I want users." is not interesting. There is nothing to discuss here. Post something that isn't about you for a change.
quelup•8mo ago
quelup•8mo ago
Thanks, that's useful feedback. My thought here is that it'd be easier to find partners on a purpose-driven site dedicated to side projects than posting "who wants to work on X" on linkedIn or similar where contacts may not be devs or people interested in side projects. I see your point too - I think the best way to see is to do a little more promotion, see if it's useful to people, and throw it away if not (or keep it as a keepsake for myself). Let me know if you have any other thoughts here though.
quelup•8mo ago
elpocko•8mo ago
I'm not just being a dick here; mostly a dick, but also realistic.
quelup•8mo ago
Might be true, don't know until we test, get feedback, iterate, etc.
> mostly a dick
On that I'll agree ;) realistic part is relative - you're also just guessing what 'people' want and assume everyone is like you. Based on the above assertion I hope not. Time may prove you right or wrong - no harm in testing an idea.