I see the "why now" aspect as adding a level of consideration as to opportunity cost -- why should I spend my time on building "something people want" vs. anything else? It's much more relevant in terms of the solution/product being developed.
The ideal scenario is one where the answer to the "why now" question makes pulling the trigger on building the "something" worthwhile, and avichal makes note of some of those, such as Foursquare.
That said, "why now" is not as important as building something people want. It simply contributes to the conditions about whether or not it's a worthwhile endeavor.
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I see the "why now" aspect as adding a level of consideration as to opportunity cost -- why should I spend my time on building "something people want" vs. anything else? It's much more relevant in terms of the solution/product being developed.
The ideal scenario is one where the answer to the "why now" question makes pulling the trigger on building the "something" worthwhile, and avichal makes note of some of those, such as Foursquare.
That said, "why now" is not as important as building something people want. It simply contributes to the conditions about whether or not it's a worthwhile endeavor.