The most successful personal projects are those whose main objective is to solve our own problems. It is impossible to lose by doing this. Because by solving our own problems, at least, we make our lives easier.

The world of technology is often struggling with the passive resistance of its players. They are often called 'trolls'. They are recognized by their words marked by doubts and negativity. When a programmer wants to venture into business, he often faces poorly informed reviews from these trolls.

Laravel web framework founder Taylor Otwell suggests not relying on these disengaged critics. He recalls that more than half of the comments read on the internet about his projects were negative: "There is no market for this product", "There is a better way to solve this problem", etc.

Otwell stresses that we cannot loose by developing a solution to the problems that make our lives difficult on a daily basis. Even if nobody would use our solution, we will have effectively solved our problems. However, it is very likely that thousands of people will experience the same problematic situations as we do.

For Otwell, it is a 'silent majority' of programmers who want to make their lives easier who have adopted its solutions. The fact remains that trolls populating tech sites like Reddit can be frustrating. In general, their opinions are to be taken lightly because they are not invested in the situation.

Sources

Advice for Tech Entrepreneurs | from Laravel founder Taylor Otwell (2min51sec)

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