I've always seen YC as a place that's not based on rigid requirements. There may be a trend, but what I've learned is that history does not always dictate what the next best thing will be based on. Just because he's not a hacker doesn't immediately give him a disadvantage.

YC is also a place to get feedback, constructive or just plain encouraging. Negative comments about someone's profile is pretty bad in YC, let alone in common decency.

What you read on the internet is never a good indication of who someone really is.

Good luck to all the applicants!

Since we're talking about jdileo's profile, here's a question: why apply for something like YC? Yeah, I totally get that YC isn't about the cash. But still, couldn't you buy way more connections and press than the YC companies get?

Alternatively, you could take like $500k to Demo Day and sink $100k each into five of the YC companies as an angel.

I just don't get why someone who had built that big of a company at 25 would go for YC. What am I missing?

No, you can't really buy the connections and press that YC companies get. You can buy mediocre connections and press, but YC companies get a lot of good access to good connections, and the press they get (many good links and discussion from established websites) is better than you can buy, certainly better than you can buy for ~$15,000

If you're a YC founder with the capital to do angel investing, you will probably get a substantially higher quality deal flow than someone just walking around with half a million to invest.

Being that you're addressing this question to me, thought I would answer.

YC's value extends FAR beyond the minimal dollar amount it gives each startup. If you really don't get that, you simply haven't been paying attention. SAD.

Whoa, dude...relax. I know you're on edge waiting for the results, but damn :)

If you read my comment above, you'll see where I said: Yeah, I totally get that YC isn't about the cash.

My point was that YC is worth far more than the cash it invests. But I still don't get why someone who had built a company worth millions and taken millions out of it would go back to the YC model. YC has always struck me as being more for single college-aged founders with no track record than for older, more established entrepreneurs with plenty of money to fund their future startups.

1. Per my profile, which you have read, I am a technology novice.

2. Any successful business owner will tell you that the biggest question need answered when entering a new verical is "what is it I don't know that I don't know".

Enter YC at average 6% give, worth every penny!