Re:RIP software hackathons. Long live the hardware hackathon
by boscillator on Wednesday June 10, 2026 @08:58AM
(#48475633)
> A bad design with a good presentation is doomed eventually. A good design with a bad presentation is doomed immediately.
- Akin's 20th law of spacecraft design
I always really enjoyed making a slick presentation. It was a lot of fun figuring out how to scope the hardest problem you are sure you can finish in 24hr while still having time to polish your presentation and make the app look good. I find picking a problem that lets you put a big map on the screen helps with the latter.
Re:RIP software hackathons. Long live the hardware hackathon
by inigyou on Wednesday June 10, 2026 @11:56AM
(#48478269)
Aren't most hackathons pseudo-startup pitching competitions? At the very least, they've always been about established companies trying to extract value from newcomers.
I always really enjoyed making a slick presentation. It was a lot of fun figuring out how to scope the hardest problem you are sure you can finish in 24hr while still having time to polish your presentation and make the app look good. I find picking a problem that lets you put a big map on the screen helps with the latter.