skysight-inc/HackerNews huggingface dataset:
I was thinking about this myself, and I'm having fun imagining an ongoing argument at Google:

M: I just don't know. 10% seems high.

A: But it's a great service, and developers will pay for the convenience.

B: M's right, 5% would be a better rate; we're not planning to force people to use it and if it's too high they'll just go somewhere else. 5% might even be too high.

M: I'll think about it.

A: But you've been thinking about it for weeks! We can't release until we agree on a number. And I still...

[all are interrupted by video of Apple announcing their 30% policy with mandatory participation]

[pause as they pick their jaws up off the floor]

M: Ten. Go.
Check this out: http://www.google.com/search?q=single+packet+authorization
Problem at line 1 character 6: Move 'var' declarations to the top of the function.

I do prefer having all my vars at the top of the function, loop vars are an exception though.
I use Python at work, and since I do I tend to not use it at home on my personal projects. That makes sure there's no conflict of interest with my employer. It also keeps me sane so that I don't get into a rut with my ideas.

These days I'm going with C and Lua. For example, I'm starting this project:

http://edifying.tv/

For fun with Lua and wxWidgets, and my latest websites are all Mongrel2 and Lua based with:

http://tir.mongrel2.org/

But, for teaching total beginners to programming I'm finding Python is the best so far.
You've reinvented port knocking. Use SPA instead: http://www.google.com/search?q=single+packet+authorization
What (niche) markets are not serviced by sophisticated online marketplaces?
It seems like there are many niche markets that do not yet have a sophisticated online marketplace developed for them.

For example, it was only recently that Flippa.com emerged (from SitePoint marketplace) as a marketplace catered specifically to the needs of website buyers and sellers.

My question for HNers is this: What markets are in the greatest need of a new, sophisticated marketplace?

Some examples I have considered:

- coin and stamp collecting

- artisanal foods (e.g. cheeses)

- baby products

Thanks!
You will be truly ANON, if you Install TOR and set preferences to delete all the cookies with each browser instance.
Any port not listed in the link below, or listed as "Unassigned", would be fair game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_TCP_and_UDP_port_number...
Your description screams "I'm doing it wrong."

Simple advice since you need results: Have your bosses hire an experienced Rails hacker for 1-2 days to come in and pair with you until you're over the initial learning curve. Any of the large shops (including my old one, Hashrocket) should provide this service for you if you insist on it. Won't cost more than a couple thousand bucks at most, less if you find an independent willing to be nice with you.

I wouldn't want to be a complete Rails noob right now -- the first steps up that learning curve are brutal. However, once you have it down there's still nothing else that comes close to the productivity you get.

In fact, I'm going to tweet a link to this in case people that follow me want to volunteer to help you.
As for the edit/compile/deploy/run cycle in Java web app development, the Play Framework pretty much reduces that to just edit/refresh. It's really amazing.

I've done two projects with Play and both development cycles are extremely fast.
Do get back to us in about 6 months to let us know how your merchant account is performing in regard to chargebacks. In my experience, we never win with our merchant bank, yet almost always win with PayPal.
I believe that's the point. I can imagine though there are instances where it is easier to code up a better algorithmic solution in higher level languages than it would be in C. Lazy data fetches would be a prime example. Obviously, it can be done in C like any Turing complete language. However, it's easier in something higher level.
"how to pay off the debt" -> "the next generation"

You've already figured it out, sadly.
The problem is Netflix can't offer their content to Apple customers at $13, and everyone else $10. Apple using their position to remove those options you say consumers have.
I feel for you... creating a better paradigm is a compelling problem but also can be a seductive trap.

It's hard to have new paradigm without compelling "front end" - either a powerful tool or some really simple example code.

Another thought; software development is plagued by a set of "typical problems". Another way to present a new paradigm would be to show a few problems with a discussion of how your approach would get around them.

The world is full of powerful languages. Their problem is that they give you a bigger cannon to shoot yourself in the foot with after a point.

If you want to create a truly "amazing new paradigm", show ways that you would either untangle an existing mess or ways you'd prevent that mess from happening.
US based B2B business/Franchisor seeking Angel or VC
My company is seeking an angel or VC who may be interested in investing in an online B2B company that delivers construction leads to subcontractors through a virtual project board. We are based out of the U.S. and have been operating for over 2 years, growing into 8 states in the southeast already. We are launching FTC approved franchises this month and need funding to grow sales and franchise marketing efforts. Anyone have a suggestion or referral?? www.elitepronet.com
And if you actually GO to Somalia you'll find that there are many places that are NOT doing fine.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/5455525432/
Right. The question is not whether or not there eist quantum effects in the brain, but whether they have any effect at all. Right now, there are only theories: no empirical data exists to prove or disprove the theory.
The problem I have with that argument, though, is that I already gave Apple $630 for my iPad, specifically because I can read Kindle books on it. I'd really like to be able to continue reading my Kindle books on it, and I really don't give a damn if Apple thinks they're somehow entitled to a cut of Amazon's sales for that.

Yes, Apple does bear the cost of maintaining the app store, but my sympathy for them on that point is rather limited considering that they're the ones who insist everything must go through the app store.

I can see both sides of the argument, but I still think Apple is being unreasonable. Really, I think this is the same as network neutrality -- just because Apple provides a platform doesn't mean they're entitled to a cut of every sale on it any more than it means Time Warner is entitled to a cut of Apple's sales every time I rent a movie through the iTunes store. Apple already got my money off the hardware (not to mention the other apps I've bought) and Time Warner's already getting my monthly subscription fees.

Now, if you want to argue that 30% is reasonable if Apple is doing the content hosting and other stuff, sure. 30% just to process a convenient payment? No fucking way.
Volumes, sure, but those volumes need to specialize and, to a certain extent, stand alone. In other words, don't just put "to be continued" at the end of a chapter; find a logical place to segment your work.
It depends upon what you are marketing.
Quite impossible, since TCP ports don't go past 65535. :)
Apple is far behind Android when you look at annual growth. Let's not cherry-pick stats.
You'll hear back on April 7, either way. If you get a question on your app, that means they're atleast mildly interested, but it could still go either way. It's all very opaque and for a good reason: Once you submit the app, go back to building your product/company, don't worry about the result. Since you're going to do your startup ANYWAY, right!?!

On April 7, we'll invite the groups that seem most promising to meet us in Mountain View during April 23-28. We'll reimburse up to $600 per group for travel expenses[1]

[1] http://ycombinator.com/apply.html
"APL is a mistake, carried through to perfection. It is the language of the future for the programming techniques of the past: it creates a new generation of coding bums."

Interesting discussion of why Dijkstra hated APL so much: http://www.mail-archive.com/chat@jsoftware.com/msg00137.html
Your web presence is really very splattered and doesn't tell me in 15 seconds that you understand the pain I'm going through and how you will go about doing that.

Websites don't work really well for niche services. Your best approach is to identify companies that need your services and then plan a campaign to get into said customer via cold calling, targeted networking and possibly even advertising.

Instead of talking about technology, talk about solutions and your personal approach to solving problems. Sell us on you first, then present a list of things you've accomplished. You want to communicate in broad enough strokes to encompass your capabilities, talents and experience generally and make a strong impression on the visitor.

If you're an individual, make your site about that - do not pretend to be a firm unless you have access to capital, partners and sources of qualified people and a reliable hiring channel.

If you have previous customers, tap them to make introductions and stay in touch with them. Most of my customers started as brief 2 and 3 week engagements that usually spanned 18 months of billable work over several years. Learn to negotiate or at least setup your next deal with a customer while delivering the first.

Another element I shouldn't neglect: if you have a repeatable practice or service, find something of high value to the customer and offer it for free or at your cost. "Assessment", "Risk Analysis", something that leverages your expertise and provides you with an opening to the customer at low risk for them and potentially high gain for everyone.

I used this for years with very high success to get started with customers; presenting a comprehensive report as an a la carte menu of solutions and opportunities.
What about Plume/Touiteur?

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.levelup.touiteur&#...
Exactly. Those of you who think the world is fair or based on merit need to read "Power: Why Some People Have It - And Others Don't" by Jeffrey Pfeffer.

The world isn't fair. This is true whether you're in academia or industry, and accepting this fact isn't a bad thing, nor does it mean you've given in to the dark side. As retube points out, if you don't play the game you're conceding before you even start.
Why not Bruce Wayne?
Live-blogging from Intel: President Obama Talks Education and Technology
90,000 was an exaggeration. The point stands though.
Show HN: DotSauce Domain Club
I've just launched the DotSauce Domain Club, a membership website for domain name investors of all experience levels.

The main selling point of premium membership is in being able to purchase a monthly allotment of quality .com domains for just $19 each. Members can then resell these domains for considerable profit. Details on this offering probably need to be more prominent in my copy.

I'm eager to hear any suggestions and field any questions from the HN community. Specifically, I would like to know how I can make this endeavor a success. Also, do I need to publish the entire inventory for all to view?

Launch Announcement: http://www.dotsauce.com/2011/02/17/introducing-dotsauce-domain-club/

Features and Pricing: http://www.dotsauce.com/signup

Thank you in advance for your feedback.
Probably not, since actually took the design down. I wouldn't be surprised to see it show up on the pirate bay though. Interesting times lie ahead.
> GitHub is great about supporting students if they just ask.

I've read that they give out private repositories for school projects, but they haven't replied to a request I've opened 2 or 3 days ago. I got a paid account because I needed the repository today.
PayPal doesn't require you to offer them as a payment option though if you want to be installable on the tablet with ~75% market share though, so you can get a merchant account with a ~20% fee instead.
Seems to be full at the moment. I signed up and they said, no room for beta testers at the moment, but they'll tell me when there are openings.
It's all fun and games until someone famous gets caught watching porn.
On the contrary, how would most people know if it weren't for those tweets? Granted, we were also emailed, but this seems like good sense.
It is, essentially, legal advice about housing law & debt with some practical help in finding temporary emergency housing.
why does the TechCrunch story get upvoted more than the original source?
I'm down cgrusden@divergentsoftware.com
You're right in that the front page now is very different from page of 2006. You have to explore now and work a little harder to find the good communities.

But when you do, you'll find that it is just as it was in 2006, maybe even a little better.
My question to you; is consuming content in a device that is not "dull, stodgy" worth 30% overcharge for life?
The parent comment makes no mention of any terms beyond the 30%.

I agree that there seem to be some questionable terms (especially involving the most favored nation clause) but the 30% fee itself is simply not highway robbery.

There are two roads to your customer on an iPhone. One is nicely paved with trees planted and maintained for maximum appearance, and if you take this road you're charged 30%. The other road is a path in the forest where maybe you need to chop down some trees as you go, but there is no 30% fee. There are no robbers in any of these options, one just happens to include a toll booth and you can decide if the nice view and comfortable ride is worth paying the toll.
I completely agree, I don't get it at all. Also, when will those kids get off my lawn?
Groupme And Foursquare Allow You To Create Texting Groups With Friends Nearby
While some of the discussion can be quite distracting, others can be quite productive. For example, if you're a web design person, you'll probably learn something from http://www.reddit.com/r/web_design
If you are not logged in to Posterous, you would get this bar. I think it's a recent change.
Right. Now when Apple gives in and drops the fee to 15%, everyone will relax, even though if they'd asked for 15% initially, they would have gotten much the same reaction they're getting now. It's a brilliant strategy.
Simple encrypted password storage (GnuPG and Python)
> Can one have buyers regret from something that is free?

Sure, if you feel you were misled, and now you have to spend time to ditch the account before they bill you.

Remember what Tyler Durden says: "the things you own ... end up owning you".
Make Reddit a meaningful/useful/productive experience requires some work and some self control.

When I realized that I was wasting a lot of time on useless things on Reddit, I removed most of the default sub-reddits from my profile (Pics, WTF, funny, etc), and added dramatically smaller subreddits (AndroidDev, Seattle, Parkour).

Now my experience is useful and tailored extensively to my interests, and I don't waste time looking at funny pictures of cats.

The default setup in Reddit is based around appealing to what a large number of users want - entertainment.
This is a really crappy way for Twitter to have handled this as far as their users are concerned. Somebody over at reddit posted a screencap of an email that Twitter's apparently sending out to users of these apps, and it largely screamed of FUD to me:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/fo203/twidroyd_susp...

There are also indications that it's not just UberTwitter and Twidroyd, but all of UberMedia's apps that have been blocked. Almost makes me think that the FUD aspect may have been intended.

EDIT:

Looks like at least some of their properties, like EchoFon have survived.

I still don't like Twitter hanging end users out to dry like this, though.
Apple gearing up for major product launch as early as next week
It's a bit strange comparing Chrome's releases with the others. Firefox had many more pestering minor updates in that time, which are comparable to Chrome's, only Firefox labeled them differently. Safari also had major changes between version numbers.

To get an accurate picture the diffs between updates should be compared, Chrome made version numbers meaningless.
...because they can make money by selling your privacy.
http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/erb/rdoc/classes/ERB.h...
Because, contrary to the posturing that happens on the site, people still prefer to read a gossip rag instead of actually see what's happened?
Just like Wave, NaCl is an inspiring but highly technical innovation that Google started trying to attract community interest in while it was still on the drawing board. Mozilla and others have already turned their noses up at it. What Google needs to do is finish the thing quietly, build something spectacular with it, get lots of people using it, and then casually slip into the conversation that other browsers are welcome to use it.. if, you know, they want to.. (then shrug nonchalently).
Chrome did not "break" rounded corners, they are various cases in which they arent perfect, but every time someone makes this argument they just point to "search the chrome bug tracker" as opposed to giving a specific breakage

They have decided not to support h.264 at a time when every developer had to already have implemented a fallback anyway, again its not broken.
Why does that seem sleazy?
Good question. Some subset of the population is willing (wants?) to share such personal information (credit card transactions, etc).

Even then, users want to curate the info to present their best foot forward. Think of checking in to a nice restaurant instead of Taco Bell on Foursquare. Or sharing an iTunes purchase instead of an embarrassing one on Blippy.

While sharing their browser history, it seems rare that users would share 100% of their history uncurated. As long as they have the option to selectively show their history, users would be OK with it.
Precisely correct.
Don't those same problems also exist for explicit updates?

I suppose it's a mitigating factor on the part of requiring user opt-in, should a problem occur, but that's (IMO) only a fortunate side-effect. It's like saying that walking is better than driving, because if you run into something you'll only bruise your shins.
I think that was a comment on your blog ! I bookmarked the comment as it was the first time I heard about this too. It was here : http://spencerfry.com/whats-a-non-programmer-to-do
According to Twitter, the measure was taken after months of warnings:

"[Twitter] had conversations with UberMedia, the developer of these applications, about policy violations since April 2010"

"[S]everal applications, including UberTwitter, twidroyd and UberCurrent, [...] have violated Twitter policies and trademarks in a variety of ways. These violations include, but aren’t limited to, a privacy issue with private Direct Messages longer than 140 characters, trademark infringement, and changing the content of users’ Tweets in order to make money."
I second this. My experience getting a PhD in grad-school (biochemistry) was a wonderful time in my life where I was surrounded by bright, helpful, passionate people. While I was in that lab I saw lots of people get nice academic jobs and other people get nice jobs in industry. Now I'm in a post-doc in a happy lab full of bright passionate people. I regularly see people around me get good academic jobs. It is not easy, and does require a lot of devotion, skill, and luck (what doesn't?) but no-one should read this article and think that everyone in science is miserable. It works out for some people and not for others... just like everything else.
To be fair, the TechCrunch story has more information than Twitter itself provided in their initial statement (with regards to the 'why' of the suspensions).

That said, I submitted the source page but it failed to reach the front page for some reason:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2236675
You got an email? from Twitter or UberMedia? I haven't received anything from either party except these tweets.

Edit: On second thought, I don't know what sort of personal communication standard I can hold UberMedia to. I don't think you actually need to register with them to use the client so they might not know who their users are to contact them. Well, apart from the 2.5 million twitter followers their account has.
Apologies to Arianna
That's going to conflict with their magical revolutionary marketing as a "whole new class of product"
It's not a matter of "can't"; it's a matter of "don't". My understanding is that scripts check a few places and move on. They're not AI-scripted human replacements that start scanning the entire Internet on all ports once they get an RST or a drop on 22.
I am just missing the connection between "making good products you like" to "making it cool to have all the money in the world". You paid for the device. Apple was (more than) suitably compensated. It should end there.

I personally think Netflix/Amazon/Spotify are doing science fiction too (every movie and song ever made, at your fingertips in a second!) and I would like them to survive too.
12 new file formats in the Google Docs Viewer
Only so much, and depending on the region you are in. Not all banking regulations are the same. Think outside the US.
Watson's strength seems to emerge from using multiple contextual clue to find related information (from a large database of known info). So it might be really good at targeted advertising.
It's almost as silly as shopping at retailers with high markup just to get 'airmiles'. I think it's insane, but "no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people"
It's concerned about the declaration of i within the loop's first term. Since JavaScript only has function-level scope, that variable leaks into the broader context, which can lead to unexpected behavior.
Cowen, Malthus and Watson
yeah I couldn't remember what it was called.

The reason we had it as a web page was because it was easier for the windows/putty crowd.
Thank you bitsai! Great source. Google's Python Class is also good.
My strategy for years has been to run SSH on port 22, visible only to hosts inside my local network via a firewall (iptables) rule. Connecting on port 22 is not allowed from the outside. SSH also listens on port 2222 and can be connected to from the outside, root logins are not permitted. Works great.
> Sure, everything's a trade of value if you define the term "trade of value" loosely enough.

Your initial argument rested on the (reasonable) assumption that people value lots of things in addition to money.

Do you really want to argue that people don't trade non-monetary value?

Or, does your "loosely" argument rest on how you think that I've twisted "of"?

You say "semantic" like it's meaningless....
Linkable:

http://www.kolena.org
Wouldn't it just be cool as heck if it turned out that this enabled "spooky action at a distance" ESP-type stuff under conscious control by the brain?

Heck, I'd settle for a just a built-in magnetometer or something so I didn't get lost.

(Sorry for the content-free post, I'm feeling slightly more whimsical than usual this Friday afternoon.)
what's an average person? The only way politics connects with the masses is through voting.