On Replacing Imgur
The Reddit userbase has actually been steadily pulling away from Imgur and towards Reddit's own image hosting. If I recall correctly, Reddit users get upset when you start to monetize their toys and gadget which is why they've become steadily disillusioned with Imgur.
That said, Imgur is pretty entrenched with the Reddit userbase. Despite their problems with it, it's just so damn functional. The users and comments don't really bother me as they aren't in the way. Do you even need an account to host a picture?
In other words, the reason they're essentially a monopoly is because they're damn good at what they do. Reddit's own hosting is only being switched to because it's even more convenient.
Not to dissuade you. If you truly think you could create something that is actually superior to imgur and that people really want to use (read that again) then you should be fine. But you cannot just think "Well if I add these super cool features that no one really wants but I like". I've seen countless people think that adding X feature differentiates them from their competitor, and while it might, no one gives a damn.
Are the comments and users really a problem for Imgur users? Does it need to be even more simplistic?
Personally, I don't think so. But if you've got chatter from Redditors and Imgur boys and girls saying so, then it's a good sign (and you should not listen to me). Just be careful you're not projecting your own beliefs onto the market.
On Coding
The reason there is never a consensus in those threads is because every situation is different. Vigilante probably doesn't need to learn code (if he doesn't know it), because he's got the capital and his time would better be spent managing coders than spending a year learning.
Now, from the little I know about you, I would suggest learning how to code. You don't have the money to hire someone, and since you're 19, you probably don't have much else going for you anyway (IE: There's no point bringing in a tech cofounder if you aren't a whiz at the business-end). Don't take that as an insult, it just means you're probably short on an experience.
For your first business, you're probably going to have to get your hands dirty anyway. Hit up CodeAcademy and start learning the basic stuff, and then pick up the language you need. It's going to be a long and grueling haul.
On the upside, even if your site tanks, you'll have picked up a good bit of experience! That'll come in handy for your next venture.
On Your Target Market
Reddit is a beast. You have over two hundred million users. But that means it'll be a nightmare to get most of them onboard. If I recall, Imgur was built when Reddit was still relatively new. It was the wild west, and a bit of gumption, skill, and honesty got you pretty far. Now, you'll need a bit more than that.
Your other options are to target specific niches within Reddit (subreddits and groups). Or a different site entirely. Something that you can tailor your message/outreach specifically to and interact with the users. They'll give you a basic userbase and you can grow from there.
The Reddit userbase has actually been steadily pulling away from Imgur and towards Reddit's own image hosting. If I recall correctly, Reddit users get upset when you start to monetize their toys and gadget which is why they've become steadily disillusioned with Imgur.
That said, Imgur is pretty entrenched with the Reddit userbase. Despite their problems with it, it's just so damn functional. The users and comments don't really bother me as they aren't in the way. Do you even need an account to host a picture?
In other words, the reason they're essentially a monopoly is because they're damn good at what they do. Reddit's own hosting is only being switched to because it's even more convenient.
Not to dissuade you. If you truly think you could create something that is actually superior to imgur and that people really want to use (read that again) then you should be fine. But you cannot just think "Well if I add these super cool features that no one really wants but I like". I've seen countless people think that adding X feature differentiates them from their competitor, and while it might, no one gives a damn.
Are the comments and users really a problem for Imgur users? Does it need to be even more simplistic?
Personally, I don't think so. But if you've got chatter from Redditors and Imgur boys and girls saying so, then it's a good sign (and you should not listen to me). Just be careful you're not projecting your own beliefs onto the market.
On Coding
The reason there is never a consensus in those threads is because every situation is different. Vigilante probably doesn't need to learn code (if he doesn't know it), because he's got the capital and his time would better be spent managing coders than spending a year learning.
Now, from the little I know about you, I would suggest learning how to code. You don't have the money to hire someone, and since you're 19, you probably don't have much else going for you anyway (IE: There's no point bringing in a tech cofounder if you aren't a whiz at the business-end). Don't take that as an insult, it just means you're probably short on an experience.
For your first business, you're probably going to have to get your hands dirty anyway. Hit up CodeAcademy and start learning the basic stuff, and then pick up the language you need. It's going to be a long and grueling haul.
On the upside, even if your site tanks, you'll have picked up a good bit of experience! That'll come in handy for your next venture.
On Your Target Market
Reddit is a beast. You have over two hundred million users. But that means it'll be a nightmare to get most of them onboard. If I recall, Imgur was built when Reddit was still relatively new. It was the wild west, and a bit of gumption, skill, and honesty got you pretty far. Now, you'll need a bit more than that.
Your other options are to target specific niches within Reddit (subreddits and groups). Or a different site entirely. Something that you can tailor your message/outreach specifically to and interact with the users. They'll give you a basic userbase and you can grow from there.