I started working full time after completing undergrad a year ago, and am working on side projects more to learn than for entrepreneurship. They have been a great low cost way to continue my undergraduate math + cs education.
I certainly wouldn't mind if a project really took off and allowed me to work on it full time, but I understand that I would have to make a significant commitment (time + money) to really have any of them gain traction. Just look at http://signal.am . It is absolutely begging for someone with more UI/UX skill than I personally have -- but it has been priceless in advancing my personal skill set (outside UI/UX).
I don't have any UX training (Econ major, myself), but I recommend making bigger stories take up more space, like TechMeme does. I do like how you de-emphasized related stories, because they make TechMeme kind of noisy. I also miss the pictures TechMeme puts next to most stories. In general, it is a little bland, as you seem to realize. Then again, HN is bland and I don't have a problem with it.
The story ranking and discovery is good, though. Seems on par with TechMeme, which is impressive.
I found it with a Facebook ad. Are you advertising it a little just to see if it takes off, or what?
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I am in a similar situation.
I started working full time after completing undergrad a year ago, and am working on side projects more to learn than for entrepreneurship. They have been a great low cost way to continue my undergraduate math + cs education.
I certainly wouldn't mind if a project really took off and allowed me to work on it full time, but I understand that I would have to make a significant commitment (time + money) to really have any of them gain traction. Just look at http://signal.am . It is absolutely begging for someone with more UI/UX skill than I personally have -- but it has been priceless in advancing my personal skill set (outside UI/UX).
I don't have any UX training (Econ major, myself), but I recommend making bigger stories take up more space, like TechMeme does. I do like how you de-emphasized related stories, because they make TechMeme kind of noisy. I also miss the pictures TechMeme puts next to most stories. In general, it is a little bland, as you seem to realize. Then again, HN is bland and I don't have a problem with it.
The story ranking and discovery is good, though. Seems on par with TechMeme, which is impressive.
I found it with a Facebook ad. Are you advertising it a little just to see if it takes off, or what?
Anyways, good job and good luck.