Ask HN: What is the most impactful thing you've built?

Article summary

The article asks what is the most impactful thing a person has built, with the author sharing their experience of building an internal application for a FX trading desk that handled billions in daily trades. The application was simple, using plain old CRUD on Java. The author is seeking to hear about other impactful projects that people have worked on. The discussion that follows shares various stories of impactful projects, including a weather station that helped save a child's life and a library enquiry system that served over 2,000 libraries.

Main themes

• impactful projects
• social value
• financial success
• problem-solving
• effort-to-effect ratio
• small-scale projects

What commenters say

• Some people believe that the most impactful work is not always measured by its financial success, but by its positive impact on society.
• Others argue that creating something that generates significant wealth can have a profound impact on many people's lives.
• The value of a project should not be solely determined by its financial metrics, but also by its ability to improve people's lives.
• The most impactful projects are often those that address specific needs or problems, regardless of their scale or financial return.
• The effort-to-effect ratio in computer projects can be huge, and sometimes the most rewarding work is on small-scale problems that have a significant impact on a few people.
• Some commenters disagree on what constitutes 'impact' and how it should be measured, with some emphasizing the importance of helping others and others focusing on financial success.
• The discussion highlights the diversity of opinions on what makes a project impactful, with some emphasizing social value and others emphasizing financial returns.
• Ultimately, the impact of a project depends on various factors, including its intended purpose, the needs it addresses, and the people it affects.