benjaminsull

>That assumption is that you have something to learn from the market that you don't already know.

In the Lean Startup book, Eric Ries defines a startup as "a human institution designed to create a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty". "That you have something to learn from the market that you don't already know" isn't an assumption, it's a premise. If you already know about the market, then you aren't facing conditions of extreme uncertainty and you aren't, by Ries' definition, involved in a startup.

Lean startup doesn't claim to be the solution to every business' problems in the world. It's a solution that works really well when you're dealing with a lot of unknowns. One way that entrepreneurs deal with unknowns is by speculating and acting on assumptions, which often turn out to be wrong resulting in waste. Ries argues that this excessive waste is avoidable by taking a more scientific approach: identify your assumptions, validate them through measurement, adjust your product/strategy according to results, and let that process of validated learning pave a clear path for your business through the shadowy unknowns.

The privacy policy states the password is sent by one way encryption. That suggests it shouldnt be (easily) decryptable.

Regarding MD5/salts, the author says "for starters" and "at least" and directs the suggestion specifically to the owners of the website. To say he is "suggesting people use MD5 and salts" isnt very accurate.

>he's scared to make drastic changes to the UX specifically

a/b test