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Show HN: A debate website - MVP
4 points by sammville on Jan 6, 2011 | hide | past | favorite | 12 comments
Hey guys it would be wonderful if you could review my new website at idebate.me. It is a debate website and built it because this niche is quite empty and wanted place where i can thrash out topics with others. The development of the full version was stopped after reading about building a minimum viable product. This is the MVP and if people are interested in the space i would upload the remaining features.

Check it out and review it.



Much like veb's experience, I went to check it out and couldn't even view a debate without signing in. I proceeded to close the page. I enjoy debate websites, and I used to frequent essembly before it died. But, I'd like to be able to casually browse the ongoing discussions there without having to sign in.


You can view the debates now without regsitering


would work on that immedaitely


Clicky: http://idebate.me

I clicked on one of the debates, to see how it was... but got prompted to sign in. Can I not just, look at it? What if the argument was so good, that I just had to reply?

Also, the place is horribly bare... that will turn a lot of people off.


I am working on making the debate viewable for unregistered users. It is just an MVP but would try to populate it. What features would you like to see?


Done!! you can now view the debates


Awesome. Much better. Just one question, what's up with the Yes I agree, Nah!, I don't agree? Surely just a "Post opinion" is a better aspect?


Interesting, not long ago I was in search of such a site and thought about building my own. Eventually I found this site (basically the same as your site from what I can deduce), which I've found isn't great (mostly because of lack of participation though): http://www.convinceme.net/. How will you distinguish yourself?

Seems to be a good start though. I understand it's a MVP, but with the design of the site currently I don't know where my eyes are supposed to go on the debate page. What's the main focus? Where should it be?


I like convinceme.net but the traffic on compete.com is horrible. I hope it could do better and I think it deserves better attentions.

I personally don't get the quora hype, but I would understand if Convinceme get more popular


I would try and add a bigger twist to standard x vs y poll to separate yourself. The basic concept has been done many times before, without massive success.

USvsTHEM (http://usvsthem.com) is a site that I co-created - and still very early alpha; but adds a twist that centers a debate around people and their network of support. There is no browse-able stream yet, as the alpha release was meant to test the social utility.

Good Luck!


USvsTHEM also allows you to send and receive debate challenges with Twitter, which is a neat convenience.


why do I need to register to vote? Why can't I just upvote. (At least provide facebbok/ twitter login. There is tremendous inertia before I go through any new sign ups)




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