skysight-inc/HackerNews huggingface dataset:
Ask HN: Block based cloud storage application. Promising - or not?
I've built a fairly complete prototype of a block-level virtual disk backed by commodity cloud storage.
It provides robust, efficient, zero-maintenance offsite storage ie. it delivers data security.

It works by implementing a massive virtual disk volume (up to 256 Terabytes) formatted with the platform filesystem-of-choice - NTFS/Windows only at this stage.

Block updates are encrypted and compressed on the fly then marshalled and snapshotted before exporting to Amazon S3 (but could be any cloud storage provider).

From the users perspective, they've just added a massive internal hard disk accessible via the standard fileystem access API's and tools.
One way of thinking about it is as a cloud-backed-TrueCrypt but with full-volume versioning, thin provisioning and compression added.

Its primary benefits are:

* data security (offsite vs local, cloud storage robustness vs hard disk robustness)

* the ability to map and manage storage capacity many orders of magnitude larger than the local storage capacity of the installation platform ie. 100's of Terabytes of storage available on a tablet.

* it offers a transparent cloud storage gateway - users can leverage of cloud storage via the familiar storage disk model

As opposed to the folder/file representation implemented by the the webdav/fuse offerings, the block-based model retains all of the native filesystem attributes associated with the users files are retained (permissions, encryption, compression) as well as other filesystem metadata (journalling, quotas etc).

Bandwidth and storage overheads are surprisingly low: An empty 256 terabyte NTFS volume still requires a 600mb filesystem metadata overhead, yet that formatted volume can be represented using just 150kb of bandwidth/cloud storage initially while subsequent snapshots to the same volume only incur ~40kb each.

So it can readily and efficently perform regular fine-grained snapshots on user's data, consuming bandwidth and storage in the same ballpark as file-based technologies.

So that's what it does - here's where I am at the moment:

When I first started on it (quite some time back), my initial thoughts were to release it as a pro-sumer product or as a freemium service.

What I have come to realise is that even though tools like DropBox and ZumoDrive are not focused primarily on data security (ie. they deliver sharing and collaboration), the level of mindshare these services enjoy makes marketing any sort of cloud storage offering an uphill task, especially for a startup.

So I have had cause to stop and re-evaluate whether I should push on or drop it.

Consequently, I'm after feedback:

Is this approach/technology/product promising or a dog?

Are the benefits of full-fidelity data compelling enough to differentiate it?

Is it just a solution looking for a problem?
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The Story of Jailbait
It's quite common. If you're a C corp you just sell us some stock. If you're an LLC we help you convert to a C.
This is pretty cool. I could never (under)stand how sugary most American yogurts are (Stonyfield farms being the lone exception). My significant other, a U.K expat, has long been a fan of plain greek yogurt. It is really good. The chobani fruit mixes taste great as well - pineapple being a personal favorite.
I'm not sure what the difference is between something that would make one better informed and something being a better source of information.
That brings up an interesting hypothetical. In an alternate universe, maybe the Diaspora founders applied to YC and got $20,000 (4 founders), which is double what they asked for on Diaspora. With 3 months, seed money, a lot of mentorship and advice about solving a problem and finding a market, and exposure to other startups going through the same process, where would they be now?
I could have done a lot better with that $200k :(
As amusing as I find all this, can you imagine what would happen if one of these took off? I had enough trouble several years ago convincing my boss that we really did need to get a copy of Satan... can you imagine trying to even fill out a PO to order 1000 licenses of Brainfuck with the optional TrollScript extension?
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No, you're supposed to read the comment you're responding to in the context in which it was written. Did you bother to read the linked article before you responding?

No? Didn't think so.
I don't disagree with you, I just think that YC is all about young energetic people willing to put the effort in, so pitching a 2 days old idea with passion is kind of showing off some energy !
Release the option key before clicking?
Historic patent reform bill clears Congress
If it weren't for the generous free tier, you'd never say that. File storage is something people pay good money for, even when it doesn't have magic sync and sharing
time for a programmer keyboard layout?
"ASERTNIOL" in the middle line would be good for several langs
I hope this doesn't turn into a Grouponesque company and get slammed for cashing out while not being profitable.
Here's mine - http://dudmail.com (a disposable email / email anonymiser site)

It ended up taking significantly longer than a weekend, but it's just about done =)

Hopefully I'll be doing a HN - Review my site/checkout my weekend project shortly...
Its not an argument, its a state of mind in keeping your information that you value safe.

Im saying, as things get more secure you can start to move your information there (as i said with email, dropbox or your own servers). Use the online medium that matches your documents safety requirements.

If your a security guru then out of all those your own servers that you harden yourself would probably be the most secure. For non security guru's maybe email or dropbox do a better job.

No one ever said dont make it more secure, but as the sophistication of the security methods goes up over time so will the sophistication of the crackers/hackers. This means your judgement not matter how much better security gets will always play a apart.

Im stating that you shouldnt rely on others for security. Whether dropbox, or a clone. Stating that dropbox as a vendor cant be trusted isnt a valid as it will apply to all the clones. Bottom line you should take responsibility of your own files. Any new system that tries to be more secure will "most probably" still have security issues with it anyway.
Probably better off. The thing is, it's a lot easier to set up a Kickstarter post than apply to YC -- at least, imho, in emotional risk.
Here's the Bill.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.1249:

Looks like there IS prior art. There's a LOT but I wish it was written in a simpler manner.

102. Conditions for patentability; novelty
‘‘(a) NOVELTY; PRIOR ART.—A person shall be enti-
tled to a patent unless—
‘‘(1) the claimed invention was patented, de-
scribed in a printed publication, or in public use, on
sale, or otherwise available to the public before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention; or
‘‘(2) the claimed invention was described in a
patent issued under section 151, or in an application
for patent published or deemed published under sec-
tion 122(b), in which the patent or application, as
the case may be, names another inventor and was
effectively filed before the effective filing date of the
claimed invention.
‘‘(b) EXCEPTIONS.—
‘‘(1) DISCLOSURES MADE 1 YEAR OR LESS BE-
FORE THE EFFECTIVE FILING DATE OF THE
CLAIMED INVENTION.—A disclosure made 1 year or
less before the effective filing date of a claimed in-
vention shall not be prior art to the claimed inven-
tion under subsection (a)(1) if—
VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:20 Jun 28, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1249.PCS H1249
jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS6
HR 1249 PCS
‘‘(A) the disclosure was made by the inven-
tor or joint inventor or by another who obtained
the subject matter disclosed directly or indi-
rectly from the inventor or a joint inventor; or
‘‘(B) the subject matter disclosed had, be-
fore such disclosure, been publicly disclosed by
the inventor or a joint inventor or another who
obtained the subject matter disclosed directly or
indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor.
‘‘(2) DISCLOSURES APPEARING IN APPLICA-
TIONS AND PATENTS.—A disclosure shall not be
prior art to a claimed invention under subsection
(a)(2) if—
‘‘(A) the subject matter disclosed was ob-
tained directly or indirectly from the inventor or
a joint inventor;
‘‘(B) the subject matter disclosed had, be-
fore such subject matter was effectively filed
under subsection (a)(2), been publicly disclosed
by the inventor or a joint inventor or another
who obtained the subject matter disclosed di-
rectly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint
inventor; or
‘‘(C) the subject matter disclosed and the
claimed invention, not later than the effective
VerDate Mar 15 2010 22:20 Jun 28, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1249.PCS H1249
jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS7
HR 1249 PCS
1 filing date of the claimed invention, were owned
2 by the same person or subject to an obligation
3 of assignment to the same person.

Soooooo we can still defensively publish yes?
I disagree. I think the most pressing issue facing computer science right now is how to express and exploit parallelism in a way that most programmers can benefit in most applications that they write. The expression part of that problem is languages and compilers. The exploitation part of that problem is compilers and systems.

Anyway, it sounds like when you say "computer science" you mean what most of us call "theoretical computer science." You're free to define words however you want, but you should expect confusion when you try to communicate with other people using those words.

Theoretical computer science is still actively researched. You seem pretty confident that not much is going on, but do you keep up with their conferences and journals?
Not everyone is on a netbook these days. Even when I use my old sony-tr I much prefer the status bar to another window. I configure it to go away after 15 seconds after finishing, and there is a "mini" mode as well if you're on a crippled machine.
Don't armchair, go do. Start a project, get funded/self fund, and prove you can do better.
Which is another way of saying, messing with people is a respectable interview tactic--see how they react to a little nudge.
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I believe that is in line with their findings. Since Japanese has more syllables than any other tested language (where nearly every other letter is a vowel) it would make sense that a faster rate of unknown syllables flying by would result in the perception of faster speech.

It's interesting that while the Japanese have such a focus on efficiency, their spoken and written language is potentially more contrary to this value than any other language out there.
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This doesn't seem like a totally unfair valuation to me.
Sure. But that doesn't change the fact that Amazon tried to weasel out of charging the same sales tax as every other retailer who sells books in California; that they were going to try and get legally guaranteed special treatment by promoting a state referendum (as other corporations have also done); and that they abruptly screwed over their 10,000 affiliates in the state.
Someone (definitely not me) should make a GCTA version of this where the 'codons' map to the 8 opcodes.

Then you can execute any DNA string ;)
Fair point about the UN, but I think that isn't actually the methodology behind the mortality estimates. That's just an overview of different ways the UN gives for estimating mortality, but it doesn't actually provide any information on which of these (if any) the UN is using for each of the actual mortality statistics they list.
> We took our $400 travel reimbursement check from YC and
> used that as seed capital for Grouper

I once returned a book to Amazon. If I used that money to fund a startup, it'd be rather disingenuous to call that Amazon-funded. Makes for a good headline though.

That aside, it sounds like a fantastic idea.
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But aren't most patent trolls also "little guys"?
I think you're mistaken. The title of the article is
"The Tricks Investors Use Against Founders". I'm a founder, working on attracting Private equity from investors, and trying to make sure I don't get tricked. I think that this advice is for me!
环保融雪剂
Wouldn't Sequoia be more like Roc-A-Fella or Def Jam or something?
Ironically, the fact that he is armchair quarterbacking is exactly why he hasn't $200k to prove he can do better with.
Interesting piece.

However, this isn't an either/or bubble situation. The 2000 implosion was a disaster, but that doesn't mean that anything with slightly improved metrics is safe. You can create mad revenue when you're spending $1.00 to make $0.50 like Groupon is doing.
The Duke Nukem Forever of social networks?
8 billion is a lot of future profits.
Thanks for the answer. I think that if it turns out to be too expensive, people will find alternatives. Maybe people who already use it and think that the development cost in order to migrate is too high will suck it up, but new customers will just go to other providers.
There are a lot of misconceptions, so some examples may help.

EXAMPLE 1

X comes up with an idea at time 0. X starts working to reduce the idea to practice.

At time 4, Y comes up with a similar idea, and also starts reducing to practice.

At time 10, Y gets it all working, writes up and files a patent application.

At time 15, X gets it all working (poorly), writes up and files a patent application.

Under first to file, Y wins. Under first to invent, Y is presumed to be the one deserving the patent, but X can initiate an "interference", which is an administrative procedure in the patent office to determine who has the earlier priority date. If X can prove that is him, he wins.

To prove this, X has to be able to show that there is some time before time 4 where X had conceived of the idea and had been continuously working diligently to reduce it to practice from then until time 15.

Proving this can be difficult and expensive. It depends on how good X was at keeping accurate, verifiable records.

EXAMPLE 2

X comes up with the idea at time 0. X starts working on reduction to practice.

Y comes up with the idea at time 4. Y starts reduction to practice.

At time 6, X takes time off to work on something else (maybe he needed money to pay for a sick kid or something, so had to take a regular job for a while). He gets back to working on the invention at time 8.

Y files his application at time 10. X files at 15. Y wins under both first to file and first to invent, because X lost his priority date of time 0 when he stopped working. His new priority date is time 6. Since Y was working diligently from time 4 to filing, Y's priority date is 4.

EXAMPLE 3

Same as example 2, except X files at time 10, Y files at time 15.

X wins under first to file. Y wins (after an interference) under first to invent. Note that in this example the guy who thought of the idea first loses under first to invent and wins under first to file.

The take away here is that under first to invent, the patent doesn't necessarily go to the first person to think of the idea, or to the first person to reduce it to practice. The advantage goes to the person who spent the longest time working on it in their last continuous period of diligent work before filing, so it can have a lot to do with what other things are going on the inventors life...and to make use of that advantage the person better have good documentation.

First to file is likely to "right" at least as often as first to invent, with a much smaller burden on everyone involved (and remember, this only even becomes an issue when you have two or more inventors with overlapping claims).
non-fat foods allow Americans to maintain these larger serving sizes while keeping the calorie density low enough that they don't become obese.

It's not working...
More about $400 going to insiders...
Apparently Zuckerberg donated to Diaspora, so they must not be quite out of money yet.

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/05/zuckerberg-interview/
My sister makes yogurt herself in a crock pot (?). Haven't tried it myself, but she says it's super simple, all she does is puts in a few ounces of fresh yogurt along with a bunch of milk and lets it sit there while the cultures do their thing.
Corroborated by the fact that the biggest backers of this were all the big companies that can afford to spend $ trying to patent _anything_, while the little inventor may have to wait for a loan to come through, etc.

Additionally, clearly Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy is out of touch with the tech boom.

"...we could unleash the genius of our country and put our entrepreneur class to work and create jobs. It can let us compete with the rest of the world."

Oh, really, it's the entrepreneurs who are out of work right now? My, the HN crowd must be very desperate, then.
/sarcasm
beautiful! 12 minutes :

>,[[>,]]<[.<]

edit: of course it should be

>,[>,]<[.<]
The first time I'd heard of him was when Paul Graham called him a de facto cofounder:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1045781
Vodafone Xone - financial and technical help for promising US technologies
Facebook makes Snaptu the official mobile app
Didn't the reddit team get accepted without an idea? I mean, in your terms their idea hadn't even be thought of yet.

It's about the people, not the idea.
I guess you already did that, but just in case : did you try kickstarter ? Maybe you can use it as an iron lung as well ?
> Which is another way of saying, messing with people is a respectable interview tactic

I don't think so. Rather it's that technology jobs (and others, surely) often confront frustrating, confounding, and even downright impossible tasks. The ability to identify a situation as impossible or otherwise -- to drill down to the point of conflict -- is prized, as well as the ability to keep it together mentally and keep plugging away.
Juicing Secrets
Just goes to show how much pushing a real idea out the door can actually cost - there are plenty of people out there burning this kind of cash and going broke, and never even getting the sort of media coverage these guys got.

edit: and I'm not saying they should have/could have done any better with the money they received. I donated to their kickstarter, and I don't feel like it was wasted.
What do twitter's revenue / profit numbers look like? Are they profitable at this point?
You are leaving out simple urlencoded data sent with GET and POST. I'd say that is a huge chunk of what's parsed by scripts. Also XML and JSON are, at the bottom of it all, text, with (perhaps) type metadata.
Finally a decision was made. The decisional process is too slow, this is why Java in 2011 still misses those features that languages like C# already support since years.
Google Maps founder Lars Rasmussen talks start-ups and his Google Wave failure
'Back to the Future' Nike MAG to hit EBay, fight Parkinson's disease
No, the worst CEOs are the ones who turned companies with huge potential into companies that no one has heard anything interesting from in a while. You know, like the guys listed in the article.

As CEOs go, it's not a failure until you lost big and you're not exceptionally bad without having made some really mindbogglingly stupid decisions. A nobody CEO in some garage running his insignificant ragtag shop into the ground just isn't the same as someone who gets handed the reins of a huge empire with endless opportunities and then manages to utterly kill it. This requires not only incompetence but also a very active role and great creativity in the destruction of something that had been great once.
"... it's a lot easier to set up a Kickstarter post than apply to YC..."

Perhaps. But let's not shortchange what an achievement having a blockbuster Kickstarter round really is. To get to $200,000 on Kickstarter, you have to work for it. You have to promote the hell out of yourself. You have to guerilla-market like a pro. The most successful Kickstarter projects -- the ones with the giant rounds of funding, well beyond their own targets -- have been the ones who got out there and drummed up interest, then brought the interest back to Kickstarter. (In contrast to the folks who simply sat back and expected interest to generate on Kickstarter).

It is a total myth that you can "set it and forget it" on Kickstarter, and that having a cool premise will rake in the donations on its own accord. It takes legitimate hustle.
A step towards sanity would be to bring other forms of copyright more in line with the 50 years for music.

What good does it do a song you wrote in 1960 to be copyrighted in 2060?
Groupthink: I think we should have a vote on if we're going to vote on when we're going to set a deadline for deciding on lambda syntax.
No word yet, but sadly, it can't be long now...
The 4 Step Formula Of The Elite Internet Marketing Guru's
Standing in a line at the airport. It's a near standstill
Yours is actually what inspired this. :) I thought "what a simple app" but at least he's trying to create change.
http://www.offensivest.com/books/

The most vulgar books released by Project Gutenberg, using the >120k offensiveness votes cast on The Online Slang Dictionary.
Another Manifesto: The Cult of Done
Trumps Apple's flying saucer design. :)
There are plenty of retailers who sell books to California residents without collecting sales tax. (And the other way around--I, in Washington, have bought books from California retailers who did not collect Washington sales tax).
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Rebranch - A debugging tool for replay bugs
I'm not on Lion, but I use an external keyboard with a 2008 MB and recently it's downright slow. So much that if I type after a long break it doesn't pick up on the keystrokes properly.

Is that what you mean by slow?
"unnecessary" is the key word here. sometimes (often?) it is necessary to take on investment.
My own move from Sr. SA-SRE to Sr. SWE changed nothing in terms of salary. Those are both "level 5" jobs, albeit from different "ladders": O5 to T5.

Incidentally, I later found out they were underpaying me by as much as 20% compared to other folks in my area at the same level. That might mean that my no-op ladder change was an anomaly.
Super interesting.
The take-home of this seems to me to be that the most expensive part is paying yourself. 100k for salaries for four people is the bulk of the expenses.
Not pay themselves.
"Mistakes will be made, but that's good because it means decisions are being made." -- Steve Jobs
I wondered if there is anything different about the second (view source) request that could be detected and a different response provided - but I don't think so after a quick look with WireShark.
I assume his donation is included in the kickstarter fund.
You have a point, stealing focus is utterly annoying and rarely acceptable, but that is not to say the window can not at least get to the foreground (without taking focus). In my case, new volume Finder windows are pop-unders that get lost on my messy desktop.
These guys are young, and got a taste of the limelight. But the sooner they realize they're not going to kill Facebook and move on, the better.
Seems like the wrong solution to the problem - maybe if there weren't so many ridiculous patents the patent office could handle patent applications in a timely fashion... people wouldn't waste time trying to patent "trivial consequence of nature number X" to start with like they currently do.
And then that would have been the first compiler. Thank God it existed.
Closer to the Hurd of social networks I'd say.