Some use cases would be:
a. QA recording bugs instead of writing tedious instructions for repo, since you can use the inspector on the recording.
b. Developers making changes instantly showing it to multiple people.
c. Office food ordering - one person signed in, send the link around and people can pick their hard to pronounced Thai food.
d. Collaborative travel planning
e. Pair programming with an online editor of your choice
It's possible that because YC is now a recognized brand, it has access to lower-risk companies - i.e. those that have pretty much everything figured out. As such, that will increase their success because a. self-fulfilling prophesy of more leverage in the future by being associated with YC, b. they are already low risk to start with. IMO, they are the next Sequoia, not so much Google/Microsoft/IMB.
Contradictory, however, is these lower risk, already figured out, companies are not really in need of an incubator as much as some younger companies. Anyways, I'm really interested in seeing the next batch of YC companies and where they are going with that.
completely agree with your statement. long term zero economic profit theory should state though as they move up the spectrum / take less risk (new entrants in their own space will enter to fill the space they can't fill anymore and they will have a new type of brand (e.g. fb was exclusive for college kids and now it's to connect everyone. so naturally college kids want something their age bracket want to use and fb is struggling to get those kids to continue to think it's cool. but for fb it works bc they created the industry they expand into). problem with incubators as they move up the spectrum is do they think they're as good as the guys that have been doing it for a long time / are they going to be perceived as threats and no longer synergistic alliances.
Clever humor, a product of wit, mental sharpness which usually comes with the ability to make correlations quickly and creatively.
Mathematicians are trained to understand systems and manipulate it with the confines of certain rules - which is not unlike taking social system, beliefs, etc, and applying logic creatively and insightfully to create witty humor!
"Clever humor, a product of wit, mental sharpness which usually comes with the ability to make correlations quickly and creatively." - That's a good way to put it. Couldn't agree more!
Joining a big company has many benefits such as being able to see what leads to bureaucracy in order to avoid it, meet at least one awful manager so you will never be like that person, meet at least one amazing mentor and grow, and learn see beyond appearance to recognize truly skilled/smart people vs. overconfident fakers. I think many of these skills are necessary for building a successful company and the relationships formed at these companies are invaluable.
Personally I believe that no filter communication works best in conveying ideas clearly and directly. However, it only work if there's established trust and respect in the relationship. In addition, no filter doesn't mean be abrasive (like Linus). I've found that with some pretty competent people they can shutdown in those situations. Clear, honest, no fluff communication is essential, but it's also essential to keep the conversation about the work and not about the person.
A combination of appropriate encouragement, honest criticism, and healthy respect is needed to bring out the best in people.
A sample recording of us using it on Codeacademy http://www.sgrbx.io/#/play/sHMVrO1jg8
We are currently in beta, look forward to your feedback!