Business Ideas list (from ycombinator)

This list has been around a while, but a good number of items still stand true. Some of the things I’d still like to see done correctly are

-item #21- displace intuit quickbooks. They charge too much, and are lazy because they don’t have competition. Oh and I hate using their bloated software. How tough could it be to build a simple small business accounting system?

-item #22 – build a hybrid between excel and access. I’ve thought this for a long time, there needs to be a newer version of access for large sets of data (no 2gb limit), and a simple set of tools for throwing a UI on top of a database. Integrate that all into a portable, standardized file, like the old MDE’s were. Then also make it useful like excel, with formulas and such. This list specifically mentions making it browser based, but I’d actually like to see it do both – a desktop enabled data file that can then be run online as well. Being a .Net guy, I’d love to see some built-in scripting capabilities that utilize .Net, but that’s probably the wrong choice for portability reasons (unless we stay a Windows based tool.. which access and excel already are, so….)

see http://ycombinator.com/ideas.html (Link is now outdated, seeking new link. For now, they have published a new list for 2020 with 13 ideas (appropriate for 2020) at this link: https://blog.ycombinator.com/13-startup-ideas/ )

Of course I have a few I’d add to that list as well. Unlike ycombinator, I’m not secure enough to go blab them here. but let’s try a couple for fun

-A global online reputation system – why prove your worthiness on every platform you use. Example: my stack overflow rating is over 1000, not awesome but pretty good. but when I log into a new forum, i’m a nothing. What if each of these sites/services were to be able to aware categories reputation points that you could take with you other places. Include fun things like badges etc.

-A similar type of rep system, but utilized in customer support scenarios. When I call my internet provider, they could route my support call based on a rating that shows I’m a guru in networking, and neither I nor they need to waste time telling me how to reboot a router. They save money on eliminating uncessary support, and the customer may even survive the experience without suffering extreme infuriation.

HTML5 Cross-domain communication

I hadn’t realized until reading this article that html5 has baked in a way to allow a hosting webpage to receive messages from a page contains in a child iframe. This is normally not allowed in modern browsers due to the potential for big ol security problems, but this html5 method has security measures in place that prevent it being abused. Nice stuff.

http://stevehanov.ca/blog/index.php?id=109

 

StartSSL no longer free

I’ve been using the StartSSL service on a couple websites for a number of years, and enjoyed being able to utilize a free SSL cert that actually works with most of the browsers out there. After receiving notice that one of my certs was expiring soon, I went back to the site and went through the process of renewing it. Except this time, instead of getting my rewned cert, I instead got an email that the free certs are not allowed for commercial use (ie, ecommerce). Even though everything on their website indicates it is fine to use them this way, and I’d had no problem using them for some time on my commercial sites. Instead, theyre now steering me to use their “Class 2” cert which is a paid option.

So, don’t bother signing up with these guys if you need an ssl cert for your website. You might “luck out” and get a free one, but next year they’ll likely suddenly remember that you’re not supposed to be using it for what it is intended.

Guess I’ll go shopping and see who’s gouging me the least these days for a silly SSL cert…