Ask HN: How do you come up with new project ideas?
I mostly target web-related projects. But, with any project, how do you all come up with ideas for them?
Back when I mostly did desktop applications, I would write applications for simple things that I enjoyed - countless IRC clients, IM clients, etc. With my web projects I find it harder to do that because I always apply to "could this potentially become popular" or "this has been done before" mentalities to them. So, as a result I just find myself scouring the internet every day, reading as many blogs and staying as up to date on bleeding edge things as I can. I keep my eyes peeled for potential statements made in blogs or on websites that might make me think something could be a great idea. I feel like I do this because when I end up making things that solely benefit me, I just end up making countless pastebins or blogs or IRC channel loggers.
So, how do you all decide what your next project will be? Do you do what I do and read the entire internet looking for a sign? Do you just make things you truly enjoy and hope maybe one day if it gets exposure it can gain traction and grow?
Back when I mostly did desktop applications, I would write applications for simple things that I enjoyed - countless IRC clients, IM clients, etc. With my web projects I find it harder to do that because I always apply to "could this potentially become popular" or "this has been done before" mentalities to them. So, as a result I just find myself scouring the internet every day, reading as many blogs and staying as up to date on bleeding edge things as I can. I keep my eyes peeled for potential statements made in blogs or on websites that might make me think something could be a great idea. I feel like I do this because when I end up making things that solely benefit me, I just end up making countless pastebins or blogs or IRC channel loggers.
So, how do you all decide what your next project will be? Do you do what I do and read the entire internet looking for a sign? Do you just make things you truly enjoy and hope maybe one day if it gets exposure it can gain traction and grow?