Code School is a great company, and this web course will definitely help bring iPhone development to many users, rather than only ones with Mac's and Xcode.
That being said, I feel... Conflicted about a company, whose goal is to make profit, using Kickstarter as a way to raise money to build the course. When I was supporting up-and-comers on Kickstarter, it felt like I was helping the little guy be on the same level of the big corporations. But with this, I become worried that when companies don't have enough money, or don't want to deal with the risk of product development, they will make a Kickstarter, which has no real requirement for disclosure of where the money goes, or on actually delivering a product, and build a profit making service on the backs of their customers up front in exchange for the possibility of a coupon off the course.
I feel exactly the same way. I pay for Codeschool because I enjoy playing around with it, and would have assumed that my payments would be used to fund the development and advancement of their curriculum. To see this leaves me feeling soured on the whole thing.
It's a good thing nobody's forced to back it, then. ;)
I feel somewhat the same as you, but is this really different than the recent games explosion on KickStarter? Gamers help fund the development of the game (usually in return for a copy of the game and some trinkets) and then developer goes on to make profit from it.
Other products are much the same, with music and video being obvious ones that are similar, but even physical products that are being developed often go the same route.
There have been plenty of things that I would have donated to help bring to existence and paid for afterwards. Most of them will never be on KickStarter, but if they ever are, they'll get my backing.
I guess we just have to hope that emergent "forces" create some sort of balance that works. I don't think your sentiments are unusual and inasmuch as their widespread, they may act as a balancing force.
Do you have 20 grand lying around to buy a server farm of mac minis? ;)
In order to offer the course, they need to build the infrastructure ... and in order to build the infrastructure, one needs capital to even start on the venture. In the past, you would go to a venture capitalist to front the money. Kickstarter offers a way of doing that without the strings attached.
[+] [-] eggbrain|13 years ago|reply
That being said, I feel... Conflicted about a company, whose goal is to make profit, using Kickstarter as a way to raise money to build the course. When I was supporting up-and-comers on Kickstarter, it felt like I was helping the little guy be on the same level of the big corporations. But with this, I become worried that when companies don't have enough money, or don't want to deal with the risk of product development, they will make a Kickstarter, which has no real requirement for disclosure of where the money goes, or on actually delivering a product, and build a profit making service on the backs of their customers up front in exchange for the possibility of a coupon off the course.
[+] [-] nhangen|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] wccrawford|13 years ago|reply
I feel somewhat the same as you, but is this really different than the recent games explosion on KickStarter? Gamers help fund the development of the game (usually in return for a copy of the game and some trinkets) and then developer goes on to make profit from it.
Other products are much the same, with music and video being obvious ones that are similar, but even physical products that are being developed often go the same route.
There have been plenty of things that I would have donated to help bring to existence and paid for afterwards. Most of them will never be on KickStarter, but if they ever are, they'll get my backing.
The ones that I don't feel that way about, won't.
[+] [-] outofideas|13 years ago|reply
Moreover, it eliminates the idea-validation risk of developing something that no one wants.
I feel that they are very smart to use this.
[+] [-] netcan|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rsobers|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] CodeCube|13 years ago|reply
In order to offer the course, they need to build the infrastructure ... and in order to build the infrastructure, one needs capital to even start on the venture. In the past, you would go to a venture capitalist to front the money. Kickstarter offers a way of doing that without the strings attached.
I find no qualms with this usage of kickstarter
[+] [-] nicholassmith|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] wmboy|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tluyben2|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] iamyohann|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] cnp|13 years ago|reply