I really enjoyed watching Notch program and I'm sure he enjoyed it too, but he doesn't work like that all the time or Minecraft would be out of beta. There are bugs and glitches and loads of other little things. I love Minecraft but it's frustrating, for example, that minecarts get stuck to each other when going e/w but not n/s. It's a non-trivial bug.

From watching him code and also reading about how to change the height limits in Minecraft it appears to me that he may slip into some questionable coding practices at times. I've not read the code but it left me wondering why isn't there a single global height variable, never hard code numbers! I watched him copy and paste chunks of code and then manually change variables, often missing some and then having to go back. Again, not a good idea if you don't want to introduce bugs unless you're coding for fun. Cut and paste should really be disabled on programmer's machines!

Not that I'm criticizing, I've done the same thing. But proof of concepts are far easier than finished products, even unpolished finished products.

It's fun to play with a new concept. But most of the time it's not so fun to put in the effort to polish it or keep a tight code base. In fact it's downright laborious.

Just off the top of my head when you sit down and really have to code instead of coding for fun there's time, boredom, mental effort, lines of code, language limitations, testing methods, deployment, project management and on and on that are all resources to be managed. And if you do it for yourself there's also the constant doubt nagging you.

Are you doing the right thing?

So while the glib soundbites are fun, they're very misleading, lets sniff a little reality.

If you are a programmer, it can be tough to push stuff over the finish line.

Adding the dull login system or the annoying signup page, both trivial and so mundane, are usually much harder than implementing that tricky calculation.

I do think that doing something like that challenge is an excellent way to remind yourself why you got into coding in the first place. The joy of coding. But let's not confuse it with writing a new SaaS app.

There is a difference between making something amazing and something that sells. Both are inspiring. Talented programmers can build incredible things, but that doesn't mean they will make money. Businesses can makes lots of money without necessarily being all that beautiful or elegant. The Lean approach is more about business than craft, right? The goal is different.

I agree.

Your main goal is either to build software or to build a business. If you care about software craftsmanship, then your focus will be on elegant code, test coverage, etc. If you care about business craftsmanship, then your focus will be on the customer, revenue, etc.

But you still want to make sure that time is spent on the right thing. It adds no value to "go to town" for a week or two on features that nobody cares about, no matter how quickly you build them.

That's all the Lean Startup philosophy is saying: don't waste time building something that nobody cares about.

But the OP is right: it can be used as an excuse to not get anything done!

Another point I'd like to raise - If you're not introducing any new technology (just a new platform), then creating a new website or app is like starting a 'people movement.' You are actually aiming to change the culture and the way people interact with each other. When you're doing this, great programming, clear UI/UX, and a smooth functioning website are extremely important. At the same time, building the 'movement' requires passionate, charismatic, and outspoken business co-founders that can inspire others with their presence, writing, and speaking.

Absolute genuis, @rohitkumar. Thinking back to the famous Betamax vs VHS tape technology, it wasn't the best tech that won, it was the easiest to implement. Websites/platforms are the same: the winners will be have the most elegant front facing solutions (graphics, ease of use, marketing/promotion as you note) not necessarily the most elegant back end or process solution.

Time is a very precious resource. The lean strategy is especially important for lone hacker as you have only so much time. Another big factor is energy level and attention. You don't want 12 hour hacking day for a long time or burnout is the norm.