The OP built the React Native mobile app - not the entire platform / company. Some folks commenting like they built the company. Just a point of clarification.
That's awesome, and impressive you were able to build that. As an angel investor, my first question would be: how do you deal with financial fraud? Like users exploiting your app for money laundering via donations then spending... Any system that lets money get in and out is eventually used as a channel by launderers.
I'm curious whether you were able to build the app using backend APIs that were already built, or whether building this app created new requirements for those APIs?
HN isn't a judge of software; it's a place to learn and be curious. So people are often interested in projects that do a novel thing in a normal way, or a normal thing in a novel way. Eg, stories fascinate us because something was built by a very lean team, or a group with no money, or somebody who is an industry outsider, or a parapalegic, etc. Overcoming these limitations is a sort of 'hacking'.
Totally agree. Even if I'm a teen myself I never post my age unless someone asks explicitly. Saying your age is just trying to find excuses to justify a sub-par software imo (Not saying this project is sub-par)
There is a new trend in Silicon Valley of bragging about how young founders are, etc. along with the rather bizarre trend of bragging about dropping out of high school to "found a startup".
Many developers do this, and it's explicitly allowed under Apple's Developer Agreement (section 3.3.1).
Interpreted code may be downloaded to an Application but only so long as such code: (a) does not change the primary purpose of the Application by providing features or functionality that are inconsistent with the intended and advertised purpose of the Application (b) does not bypass signing, sandbox, or other security features of the OS; and (c) for Applications distributed on the App Store, does not create a store or storefront for other Applications.
The app store review guidelines (section 2.5.1) seem more narrow, but I think the above is what's enforced.
It is clear that you put a lot of effort into this, but I do not believe that a 17 year old is capable to realize what he is sacrificing for this or what his responsibilities are.
I do actually believe that zero teenagers should make banking apps or run non-profits.
It's the lowest cost time to take risks like that, and it's a hell of a lot more constructive than fighting in a world war like 17 y.o men of the past.
The OP built the React Native mobile app - not the entire platform / company. Some folks commenting like they built the company. Just a point of clarification.
Great work! Keep building OP!
The OP title seems a bit misleading notwithstanding this caveat.
That's awesome, and impressive you were able to build that. As an angel investor, my first question would be: how do you deal with financial fraud? Like users exploiting your app for money laundering via donations then spending... Any system that lets money get in and out is eventually used as a channel by launderers.
I am surprised you managed to get those entitlements at all!
Did it help to be a non-profit?
This is great!
I'm curious whether you were able to build the app using backend APIs that were already built, or whether building this app created new requirements for those APIs?
Was just looking at this the other day for personal reasons. Great work!
I really wish something like Hack Club existed while growing up, how empowering! great work.
Why does it matter how old is the author?
We should judge software by the quality, not by authors age.
HN isn't a judge of software; it's a place to learn and be curious. So people are often interested in projects that do a novel thing in a normal way, or a normal thing in a novel way. Eg, stories fascinate us because something was built by a very lean team, or a group with no money, or somebody who is an industry outsider, or a parapalegic, etc. Overcoming these limitations is a sort of 'hacking'.
Totally agree. Even if I'm a teen myself I never post my age unless someone asks explicitly. Saying your age is just trying to find excuses to justify a sub-par software imo (Not saying this project is sub-par)
There is a new trend in Silicon Valley of bragging about how young founders are, etc. along with the rather bizarre trend of bragging about dropping out of high school to "found a startup".
Always has been.
It is a deliberate advertisement to VCs to find "the next Mark Zuckerberg" which the entire point is that there is only one.
For every 1,000+ startups there is exactly only *one* exceptional founder.
It's quite remarkable that such a loosely quantified pool of startups (1000+) yields precisely one exceptional founder.
> I adopted the idea of “over the air updates” using Expo’s EAS update service.
Be careful with this. If Apple finds out for instance, your app will still be taken down.
Many developers do this, and it's explicitly allowed under Apple's Developer Agreement (section 3.3.1).
The app store review guidelines (section 2.5.1) seem more narrow, but I think the above is what's enforced.It is clear that you put a lot of effort into this, but I do not believe that a 17 year old is capable to realize what he is sacrificing for this or what his responsibilities are.
I do actually believe that zero teenagers should make banking apps or run non-profits.
The parent non-profit organization Hack Club isn't run by teenagers. https://hackclub.com/team/
oh my goodness, ofcourse they flag the op. holy reddit! so incredibly lame.
its the controvertial takes that bring readership...
There is a vouching system for comments that are flagged.
Click the date on the post, and if you have a button saying "vouch", click that.
> I do actually believe that zero teenagers should make banking apps or run non-profits.
That sounds like a lot of fun and should be a pretty social experience.
Also I'm going to assume his parents are proud, which should put his family at ease.
It's the lowest cost time to take risks like that, and it's a hell of a lot more constructive than fighting in a world war like 17 y.o men of the past.