bmj1

With an API - I could actually do a ton of things with this, for example:

- Match up to my user base to handle the authentication of phone numbers

- Automatically invite the right people to specific calls

- Log attendance to calls back to my system - so we can build our own reports/handle no-shows

- Sync the recordings back to our storage for streaming by users later

Please build an API!

Reasons people still uses Google:

(Perception of) better results: until proven otherwise - why would you use an alternative/inferior SE - unless you value other things like privacy more than the content of the results - this doesn't apply to most people

Fast/it just works: give me a compelling reason to switch. "Privacy" really isn't enough for most people.

It's default: the default FF SE? The default homepage for a bunch of people? Default search in Chrome? Check. Check. Check

Network effect: Remember the expression "Nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM" (that might be too old for a lot of the readers here) - but the same thing applies - "nobody ever got in trouble for choosing Google"

> "The only counter point I can think of is that, for a certain chargeback/total charge ratio, it does seem Square could take the risk and absorb any funds deficit."

Would attract fraudsters if they took this approach. The law of unintended consequences unfortunately.

I have to disagree (perhaps unfashionably) with the author's sentiment and the comment below "I really like Square, but I always have this feeling that this company is going to be oe (sic) more paypal and with this story it´s confirmed."

- The customer service was pretty responsive and reasonably polite for a very fast growing company.

- The author notes he has paid Square hundreds of dollars in transactions fees so we can guestimate he's done $13k+ of revenue through Square (based on $400 fees & 3% average fee), $180 was hardly a critical amount for him

- What's the next best alternative, has anybody here experienced PayPal's customer service?

If you have to contact your host to make sure they are patching vulnerabilities - you are with the wrong host.

"FB playing with the vulnerability" - https://facebook.com/?-s

They really do have a sense of humour...

Many aspiring entrepreneurs seem to think there is such thing as a 'get rich quick' startup - when the reality is far from this (see http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3908088)

Additionally, films like the Social Network seem to propagate this myth/stereotype.

So great job Joel for hopefully helping to dispel some of these myths.

The author is right on the money. I've always written code as specified - just because it felt 'right' - but I could never pin down my arguments - the author captures my thoughts beautifully.

Particularly his points about reading other people's code & extending functionality - there are very few use-cases where it makes sense to omit semi-colons, end-tags, etc - and if you aren't sure - yours isn't one of those use-cases.

If they opened up an API for this you could have a lot of fun: - P2P payments - Add as friend on FB/follow on Twitter - See friends in common/shared network

Interesting article - but I don't think the author should be so certain of his conclusions.

Just because people take longer to solve the 'difficult' candle problem with financial incentives, does not mean they take longer to solve ALL 'difficult' problems when offered financial incentives...