Let's take a different look at this article. As a thought experiment, say I'm a non-hacker, enrolled in b-school, looking for a hacker. Now the suggestions:
1. enroll in an engineering school. oops. 2. study CS, or take relevant classes. Ok, I can take relevant classes. half-oops. 3. go to all classes to see the real hackers. Real hackers aren't going to be in "introduction to programming." oops. 4. hang out with admirable hackers. Icebreakers anyone? oops.
Your post presumes a lot of favorable conditions which do not apply to many people your article is addressed to; the problem is left unsolved. It looks like a rather gaping problem, so why not address it? A matchmaking service!
I was told of an annual entrepreneurship program in Taiwan, where small teams of all hackers and all business folks apply via separate tracks. The winners then get matched together. It's quite an intriguing concept and definitely worth exploring further.
"Stay in touch with the potential cofounders you've already found."
I met my cofounder when we lived across from each other in college at the Arts Theme House. We just didn't know we were cofounders yet. At the time, I was a physics major - my cofounder knew that I had previously worked at a tech startup, but he had no idea that I was still into computers (I'm not sure I was, at the time), or that I'd done several major side projects. I knew him as a psych major who was a bit of an electronics whiz - I had no idea that he wanted to go into entrepreneurship or the Internet space. For that matter, I don't think he did either.
I didn't find out what he was doing until I went over to catch up with him at Homecoming. I knew that he'd been at a consulting firm (via FaceBook), but usually consultants go into big business instead of Web2.0 startups. Even then, I didn't join immediately - he had someone else picked out as a technical cofounder. It was only after the previous technical cofounder quit (for visa reasons) that I joined up with him.
Also - there's a common misconception that top-notch hackers spend all their time hacking. They spend a lot of time hacking, but most have other interests. For example, Guy Steele sings bass in choir and does swing dancing. Paul Graham writes essays and paints. One of the top hackers I knew at college was a CS/Theater double major. IMNSHO, these people often have better technical chops than the single-minded, socially awkward computer geek.
Arts Theme House:) Go Duke! Damn good points about hackers with more than just technical chops. Congrats on finding your cofounder, I'm guessing you've already got a live startup. If you want to link it, we'd love to check it out.
Actually, it was at Amherst. There must be multiple colleges with Arts Theme Houses ;-).
And we're not live yet, but we're close. Damn day job sucks up my time. We may have something (not our main idea, but potentially useful) up by tomorrow though, and hopefully our original site idea will follow soon afterwards...
I think throwing a parties or other social events for hackers would be more effective. This lets you all network and get to know each other, and brings together everyone from across the campus into one spot. You want to actually form a friendship and get to know someone before deciding to become cofounders. "Cofounder" isn't a position with a posting on a job board and an interview.
I agree that you should be friends before becoming cofounders. Cool idea. How could one find the hackers first, in order to let them know that there is such a event?
Post flyers, email the CS club, email the local Linux User Group, email the local freethought club. You should also have the events regularly and make sure you keep them fun so that word of the event permeates the community and the reputation is built up. You also really should be looking to have fun and socialize with geeks, not just find hackers by throwing a party for them. :)
1. enroll in an engineering school. oops. 2. study CS, or take relevant classes. Ok, I can take relevant classes. half-oops. 3. go to all classes to see the real hackers. Real hackers aren't going to be in "introduction to programming." oops. 4. hang out with admirable hackers. Icebreakers anyone? oops.
Your post presumes a lot of favorable conditions which do not apply to many people your article is addressed to; the problem is left unsolved. It looks like a rather gaping problem, so why not address it? A matchmaking service!
I was told of an annual entrepreneurship program in Taiwan, where small teams of all hackers and all business folks apply via separate tracks. The winners then get matched together. It's quite an intriguing concept and definitely worth exploring further.