Learn Ruby(kickstarter.com) |
Learn Ruby(kickstarter.com) |
I have faith that this won't be funded.
Kickstart Update: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1397300529/railsapp/post...
Source Code: https://github.com/tokaido/tokaidoapp
Just from yesterday, "Treehouse gets $7M to bring learn-to-code programs to high schools". https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5520726
See the $50 pledge: The price will jump to $100 after the Kickstarter, so sign up now!"
Kickstarter project guidelines: Kickstarter cannot be used to fund e-commerce, business, and social networking websites or apps. (http://www.kickstarter.com/help/guidelines#prohibited)
No matter if you throw the "education" label on it, it's still a paid membership site. A business website.
Even if it were allowed, it's miscategorized. The "Open Software" category is to fund open source projects, not education efforts about open source software. I don't see that any of the software that would come out of this project would be released as open source.
Edit: Since you responded to my other comment - I'm not claiming that what they're doing is allowed by the rules, just responding to that particular point.
How about something more ambitious? Anyone want to crowd fund a small satellite or lunar rover for the Google Lunar Prize?
Codeacademy and Udemy has Ruby classes to grasp enough knowledge and cost less than this.
I'm all for more resources, but I don't see how this is filling a market gap.
Plus, Ruby is big in the CM/operations/deployment world given the popularity of both Puppet and Chef.
Why's (poignant) Guide to Ruby: http://mislav.uniqpath.com/poignant-guide/
Open source projects with the most tractions are either sponsored, or someone is writing open source code as part of a job they're paid for. (a few examples: Rails, node.js, Linux, Vagrant ....)
For projects where that's not an option, crowdfunding is a good alternative.
Most "involved" in open source are consumers. Crowdfunding allows for involvement and support at a different level, and is totally consistent with the open source ethos. Open source is about freedom, not money.
EDIT: indeed, the $50-backers description alerts of a rise to $100 after the kickstarter. That has to be a huge mistake on their part.
EDIT 2: I just received information from Tom Black that the software environment, along with the lessons, challenges, projects, will be free and open-source. What will be paid are subsequent, related screencasts and online classes.
Edit: As the responses indicate, the premium course is probably against Kickstarter's rules. I didn't mean to imply otherwise.
From the KS: "Launching a Kickstarter campaign is the best way I can think of to get the word out and see if there's real interest in this. I always try to focus my time and energy on things people want (easier said than done), and this campaign will help me figure that out. So if you want this to exist, cast your vote by pledging!"
I try to be civil and calm here but that is complete and utter bullshit. Kickstarter does not exist so people like this guy can get a few months rent while trying out his latest business venture.
Kickstarter shouldn't exist so some guy can raise money to sell 3d printers either, but that happens all the time.