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Ask HN: How do you come up with interesting new projects?

5 points by jwwest ↗ HN
Like many of you, I'm a hacker and I code for fun and as a way to relax.

Recently I've been having trouble coming up with ideas for neat stuff to work on. I've tried to create products in the past, but since I have a full time job + freelance clients, this creates a massive amount of stress and demotivation after a while. I think it's time for me to focus on projects that I find "fun" rather than pressuring myself to make money with.

I could start an open source project, but most of those are never used. Perhaps I could join an existing open source project, but that leads to new kinds of stress.

I'd like to hear from you on how you generate new ideas to have 'fun' working on projects. If you have a project that you'd like to team up on, I'd love to hear about it too.

10 comments

[ 3.1 ms ] story [ 43.3 ms ] thread
ColinWright
http://www.projecteuler.net - short problems, variable in difficulty, range of skills required.

  > If you have a project that you'd like to
  > team up on, I'd love to hear about it too.
What are your skills?
Mz
You could be the umpteenth person to offer to help me flesh out an MVP for a Rogue-like game intended as a simulation for educating people about my lifestyle approach to health issues. None of the others ever got back to me. I never hassled them about it. So no stress, okay?

Alternately, you can do something in the "teach losers (like Mz) to code" space so I can try to figure it out my damn self.

Best of luck.

noahc
Is there any particular reason any of the other online tutorials, books, etc haven't worked for you?
Mz
Partly, I was too sick to actively pursue it. Partly, I don't know enough code to use a "sandbox" approach to playing with it, which is how I got started on HTML. I tried looking at some things that were suggested to me and nothing clicked. I imagine I will give it another go at some point, like after I get off the street.
noahc
Learn x the hard way takes a very sandbox approach. Dont expect it to just click, just keep pushing until it makes sense.
Mz
Thanks. I will keep it in mind.
snambi
Seems like you are working hard. Getting new ideas are very easy. Here is how I do it.

1. Meet a lot of people. People of different background, age, language etc. 2. Take time off from work everyday and go to totally unrelated places like zoo.

Usually ideas are nothing but solutions to problems you face or someone you know faces. The idea is to get closer to the problem. The more activities you do, you the more problems you will place. The more variety of people you meet, you will realize each one has their own problems.

btw, what kind of problems are you looking for? technical, enterprise, social?

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ryantinker
One thing I've noticed is that I'm really creative whenever I'm learning a new programming language or technology. I usually also spend time talking to people and listening to what they complain about -- this is a really good way to find a real-world problem that you can solve with your "interesting new project."