I've wondered if startup school / yc applications shouldn't have a nominal fee to offset non-serious applications – maybe $10. i.e. nothing that would put a serious damper on folks that really wanted to apply, but enough to keep folks from saying, "What do I have to lose, I'm only wasting the time of the folks evaluating applications..."

Just the mere act of taking a payment increases workload in weird ways(tax/negotiations with venues etc.). Also, you could charge a penny and it'll flip the switch in some people's minds that YC owes them something.

So let's say YC delays the announcement by a day...no matter how good the vast majority of folks are, there will be those whining about how they paid and didn't get what was promised and sigh were ripped off. It's a hassle YC can probably live without.

I think it's a great idea, but I'm guessing pg might not want to do the work involving billing, even if it's really easy.

Simple solution: have a charity handle the billing and generate a pass-code. I'm sure that someone at the EFF could be persuaded to create a custom page that would generate tens of thousands in donations per year.

(This ignores that there are a couple YC companies that can handle billing stuff.)

Well, I RSVPed "not coming" after I got the invite, and I do remember reading something about a waiting list. So I assumed that someone will take my place.

And it's not like I knew that couldn't go. Of course I tried to go, but it just didn't work out at the end.

It is indeed a bummer that there wasn't some sort of waiting list. I am pretty interested, but also happy to catch bits on Justin.TV. In person would have been better.

A serious benefit of living in the Bay Area, however, is that it is certainly easier to attend regional events and network.

Someone suggested some sort of fee, I don't think that is right, but rather RSVP by a certain time and leaving the option open for last minute attendance by those not accepted would be good.

Ohwell, there is always next year.