skysight-inc/HackerNews huggingface dataset:
The number of users on Slashdot is quite transparent, given that you can see the growth in user ID numbers over time. It doesn't seem to support your position.

I'm also rather disappointed to see the stereotype "we hate everything" characterisation of Slashdot from a couple of posters here. That's like saying HN is just full of college kids who think making a social web app with geolocation and a REST API is going to turn them into gazillionaires when they pivot to something useful (after all, the idea doesn't matter, it's the people who count) and then get acquired by Facebook for the GDP of a small country.

Obviously there really are quite a few young, delusional people on HN, but I don't think most of us spend time here because of those people. Obviously there really are quite a few very negative/selfish people on Slashdot, but I don't think most of us who spend time there do it because of those people, either.

Incidentally, as I write this, Slashdot's home page is full of topics that might have been (and in several cases have been) popular on HN as well: several articles on new technologies, several popular science articles, commentary on issues like piracy and privacy, and so on. There are some decent comments in the related discussions, too.

That all said, I don't go to Slashdot as much as I used to. Partly that's because they keep messing around with (and often breaking) the basic design and functionality of the site. Partly it's because a lot of the stories are old news by the time they get past the editors, and they've already hit the front pages of HN, relevant subreddits, etc. Partly it's because the discussions are too big for a simple chronological ordering to really work and the system for filtering by moderation score doesn't seem to help much. All of these things make the site more frustrating than it used to be, and I suspect if Slashdot is indeed on the way out there will be plenty of places to point fingers.

But please can we not descend to the level of "Oh, those people on {other site} are just {arbitrary negative stereotype}". Such generalisations can be levelled at any popular forum site on the Web, and they're about as useful in each case.
The Russians just announced that they have a huge amount of quality diamonds on their territory in some site that they haven't started exploiting yet.

To profit they basically have to ape De Beers and create a huge demand in Europe or Asia (I think diamond engagement rings are that big only in the USA)
I'm a terrible musician, but I love this idea.
If you aren't growing, you're dying. This is especially true in business where there is generally attrition to contend for.

Acquiring a business is generally only done when the expectation of future revenues is greater than the purchase price, but if the business is dying, the key is to maximize the revenue out of it so as to prolong the inevitable, and squeeze as much money out of it as they can.
Sort of like If This Then That but with a wider range of uses, right? Sounds interesting. Also, I don't get the last bit - How would you know if a user is honestly updating the request or not?
Ok a couple more ideas; sorry to post so many :-(

A turn signal that produces the turn signal ticking sound really loudly outside your car so the person in front of you is aware you want to turn.

Sell sterilized tape worms for weight loss. It seems like a great way to lose weight but I'd be freaked out by the though of them reproducing inside of me. If a tape worm harmlessly died after a few month I'd be up for it, especially if the alternative were surgery or diabetes.

A device that can detect the sound of glass breaking and notify the police. You could put them in neighborhoods everywhere.
One nice thing is that the instructor is Martin Odersky (who created the language).
How to use Twitter Bootstrap on an ASP.Net website
How to use Twitter Bootstrap on an ASP.Net website
To me, the fact that "literally" and "figuratively" are accepted as synonyms, proves the power of anarchy in daily life.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literally

A quote:

1 : in a literal sense or manner : actually <took the remark literally> <was literally insane>

2 : in effect : virtually <will literally turn the world upside down to combat cruelty or injustice — Norman Cousins>
4chan offering 'pass' to bypass captcha. $20/year
Don't think this can be profitable in any way. What would you do with the dead tree books?
This post is not typical of the CoffeeScript community, and the flame-fest that provoked it is not typical of the JavaScript community. Amusing outliers at best.
What is the difference b/w 'programming a game' & 'programming a game engine'?
And how are they used intercangebly? What different technologies are employed in the two cases?
JDataView: A unique way to read a binary file in Javascript
FWIW, I know first hand that their rate card CPM's would start around $30 and go over $100 for their 'Immersion' unit.
This should have pointed to the original author:

http://michaelochurch.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/what-is-spagh...

The irony of this post is that it could have been about a third of the length and seems to have been subject to a fair amount of entropy and spaghetti-fication itself.
Amazing that a company of this stature and size doesn't have proper security in place. They deserved to get fired.
Apple "reinvents" fragmentation.
I admittedly don't know a lot about Smalltalk - I was aware Ruby's (and every other language's) object oriented ideas were invented originally with Smalltalk, but I didn't know it had a block/closure syntax also.

In this post I wanted to go back as far in time as I could :)
I guess it would be a lot like stack overflow. The user who requested the notification would have to confirm the answer is correct.
LOL, I had roughly the same experience. I'd already moved onto Digg (before it was went downhill) and then to Reddit. But if I'm looking for more serious (if sometimes negative) technology conversation, this right here is the epicenter.
It would have to be more complicated than that, because it's not just a question of whether SS will "be around," but whether it might still exist but in a degraded form (e.g. lower payments, narrower eligibility).
Any chance for some invites? I'd love to try.
If you all think this is a horrible breach of security, keep in mind that voicemail systems usually let you keep guessing forever. (And usually let you in with a spoofed caller-id number, but that's slightly less trivial)

If you want to try to break into your voicemail (or speed up guessing of PINs for the website), use one of the 20 most commonly-used PINs on either of these pages. One list even has 6-digit pins. Happy hacking!

http://www.datagenetics.com/blog/september32012/index.html http://wiki.docdroppers.org/index.php?title=Breaking_into_ce... http://amitay.us/blog/files/most_common_iphone_passcodes.php https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:w8orMsrdbScJ:...
Evioo combines eCommerce, prescription glasses, & healthcare
> First of all the observation that most method only care about a single block.

Except when they don't, but if you can't build multi-block methods (or methods on blocks) because it looks like shit, you don't think about them. It's a form of blub, nothing more. There are numerous multi-block methods, Ruby's syntactic limitations just makes them unwieldy and thus avoided. Just as Python's or Java's syntactic limitations make higher-order methods unwieldy and thus avoided.

> By having custom syntax for "method that takes a single block" you get a certain simplicity that makes methods look like built-in keywords

Smalltalk stands in stark disproval of this assertion.

> It does make multi-block methods look ugly, but frankly, I think they look ugly in any language.

Eh?

aCondition ifTrue: [ "true block" ] ifFalse: [ "false block" ]

[ "some code" ]
ensure: [ "recovery code" ]

[ someObject aMessage ]
on: aSignal
do: [:sig | "action" ]

I don't think that looks ugly.

> Compared to JavaScript/Perl/Python-lambas, Ruby's blocks don't introduce another scope.

They do, if you define a variable within the block it'll be local to the block. Ruby 1.9 even allowed shadowing variables from the parent method (which isn't possible in 1.8)

> "self" [...] still refer to the method's scope

So does it with the vast majority of languages. Certainly does in Python. Javascript behaves strangely with its somewhat-dynamically-scoped-but-not-really `this` but it's a peculiarity of JS, not Ruby.

> and "return" still refer to the method's scope (I'm not sure what this type of scope is called)

It's a non-local return, not really a scope.
As an experiment in human limits, great. As a sustainable and effective way of running your business, absolutely terrible. Keep in mind the following (assuming you are a normal human being and do not have special powers, like Jack Dorsey):
1. The human mind can only maintain sustained focus at the highest levels for a limited amount of time each day, which is why in a typical work day, performance drops significantly after 3PM.

2. When tired or exhausted, your mind will default to system 1 thinking (using Nobel winner Kahneman's description for fast, intuitive, emotional and automatic decision-making process because it requires less energy; from his book Thinking Fast, and Slow) which is normally bad for start-ups that require intense focus and deep insight.

Accept that the human mind works very well in matters requiring problem solving skills and creative deliberation for 4-5 hours, the other 4-5 hours leave for less intense duties (responding to routine email, basic accounting, staff meetings, exercise, playing with the kids, etc.). To push your mental focus so hard will render you a complete zombie by nighttime and your significant other will leave you, make no doubt about it, because it would be like talking to a wall that just nods and blinks. I know, been there, done that, both as the zombie and on the receiving end of a zombie.

Simply put, 16 hour work days will destroy your family and wreck havoc on your creative process. Although it may be great for those engaged in routine debugging that is almost automated and rythmic, I simply don't see this approach to work as useful for anybody in a position requiring problem solving or creative focus.
Eventually the horse will die of old age. And if it hasn't procreated by then, you're left without horses.

Not all businesses will have a way of replacing a user base that is dropping off that isn't lower ROI than putting the money elsewhere.

If that's the case, then you extract the revenue that's left, but you don't reinvest much of that revenue - you might keep the horse while it's still doing useful work, but you're not building a new stable or hiring new stable boy in expectation of growth.
I'm waiting for a beta invite for more than a month, I hope this hints of a upcoming release? The competition (http://jetstrap.com/) is not waiting...
There aren't many messages more effective than "X has just tagged you in a photo" to drive a user back to a site.
Internet filter for things I don't want to know yet. If I miss the Formula 1, I'd rather not know the result until I watch it. Currently this means not listening to the radio, watching the news or going to any non-geek online news.

I'd like to have something like AdBlock, but it blocks on key-phrases that are F1 related (Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button etc)

The key-phrases come from a wiki. The censored bits of sites could show adverts instead (to make some money)

The wiki could hold all the options, different sports key-phrases (football, soccor, rugby .... you know, almost anything ... Dr Who, Eastenders (for those of us who iPlayer a lot of things)
Take a look at http://www.fullcontact.com
Photo sharing is the top reason people use social networks. I don't think there's a close second.
I think his idea would need to be more flexible than what ifttt allows you to be.
I thought of something similar for game releases, particularly indie games. Didn't want to have to trawl through a bunch of sites to find updates for the.

Also, there was something posted a while back that did music albums, but I think the guy was shutting it down/open sourcing it.

Either way, glad to see I'm not alone.
HR and Recruitment software for high turnover, low skill companies like call centers.

Implement a number of systems like patio11's appointment reminder, CRM and helpdesk type software for communication, something to handle all paperwork electronically, posting adverts, information gathering etc etc.

Basically, a family friend used to run the HR and recruitment department for a huge call center, she headed a staff of 10+ people that all day advertised for positions, looked through application forms, gave aptitude tests, did phone interviews, arranged face to face interviews, did the paperwork to get them hired, did inductions and put them into training, and thats just hiring and doesnt include liasing with payroll and firing etc.

I told her about that idea, she mentioned it to her boss (basically the guy that looked after the entire call center) and he apprently loved the idea. Problem is, while i could do the techy bit, i'm lacking other things to be able to make it happen so its on the back burner for now.
Here Comes Team Building
i definitely upvote this! We have been hesitating on what we did. We're going to make something ourselves are happy with in next version. I will keep sharing. stay tuned
no idea why out of stock. OK -- take this idea to next level. Why dont develop a wifi ready button (everyone that buys the button need to pair it with their wifi) - probably cost of <$5,000 (kickstarter?) and have a simple web page like your router admin has that you can choose different pizza vendors, then work directly with pizzerias in the hood to offer them additional channel of sale! that would be my take.
That depends on your point of view. The environment will outlive you by a significant margin and since the planet itself enables all life and everything on it then it could be argued to be the closest thing to a 'god' that we have.
Collectively purchase/own items. For instance, baxter[programmable android] came out yesterday/today, and you would like to try it out, but the price point of 22k is too much. A group of people, say 22, can collectively purchase it and rotate the usage of baxter amongst themselves.
Regarding idea no. 2. You realize that putting electronics inside a microwave isn't as simple as that, right? http://i.imgur.com/OFEg9.gif
I wonder if http://HelloFax.com (and HelloSign.com) is working on this? Seems like that would be a perfect fit for them.
This is actually a compelling idea—I've been kicking around a similar idea for a while, where you'd like to buy something (e.g. a 2TB SATA drive) but only when it goes on sale below a certain price threshold. The problem is: what's the business model (i.e. where does the money come from)?
On the same vein, someone could write software allowing individuals or organizations to set up a remote print-and-pickup service.

For example, every campus would hugely benefit from a service where students could just email a document to a specific address (smith.hall.printer@mycollege.com), have 5 cents a page automatically charged to their account, and pick up their assignment on their way to class to hand it in.

Students used to running around residence looking for someone with a printer, or sprinting to the library with a USB stick would be all over the service. Someone just needs to write a simple application that connects the dots and market it to campuses.

----

Reply From: smith.hall.printer@mycollege.com

Your document has been printed and 25 cents charged to your account.
The $22K price is for an incomplete system. The two missing pieces (hands and base) sound pretty integral to the system as well. What is the point of listing a price of a useless configuration?
> Sell sterilized tape worms for weight loss. It seems like a great way to lose weight but I'd be freaked out by the though of them reproducing inside of me. If a tape worm harmlessly died ...

The tapeworms might not cooperate:

http://gizmodo.com/5910770/brain-tapeworms-are-real-and-they...

http://www.inquisitr.com/240780/brain-tapeworms-are-a-terrif...

I personally don't want tapeworms in my brain -- there's already enough junk living up there.
Nice. Press button to get pizza delivered instantly by automatic drone. Very nice.
That being said, I'm not certain whether there's any way to avoid causality violation if the hypothetical FTL travel results entirely from within relativity itself. (Geroch's argument, as I understand it, is based entirely on combining two different theoretical structures.)
I'm surprised 'literally' was ever expected to mean 'exactly'. People write fiction all the time. 'As written' doesn't imply fidelity to reality to me, at all.
"Besides with programs such as GotoMyPC you don't need a Windows device to run your Windows applications. They'll run just fine on a less expensive Android tablet or an iPad. And, of course, you can always use a cloud-based office suite like Google Docs on pretty much any device."

...you do need a Windows device to use GotoMyPC. You need a Windows device to go to.
Testing is also super key! Great tips
The problem with this is that if you rely on the system and there is an error in the map (the curve is not marked) you have a big problem. If you don't rely on the data and drive carefully there is no point anymore :) A possible solution would be to detect the curve radius with a camera, but it has it's own problems. You never have 100% accurate data.
Are you interested in spreading knowledge, or are you interested in karma?

If the former, why do you give a shit?
A service which makes detailed and complete digital records of everything you have, then disposes of the physical originals.

Dystopian version: It's done by a lot of hazmat-suited folks, possibly robots, and you and your family are included in "everything you have".
Back when I used to visit Slashdot, it'd be more like a pageview every 5 minutes. The core audience used to be extremely dedicated. I wouldn't be surprised if their pages per visit number is still abnormally high.
Culture hacking, reloaded
Lattice Theory for Programmers and Non Computer Scientists
Yes! I actually ended up in both places yesterday before seeing this comment, never thought I'd seriously consider Haskell, but now I start to understand why so many people like it.
Towards Intelligent Cloud Diagnostics: Well Researched Software Marvel
Thoughtful article. Well done.
Made the same mistake on a banking project 10 years ago (with domino). The project in question was a project tracking database.

For accounting type problems use a relational database. For document driven items - e.g. a resume database - nosql works great. For a hybrid pick your battles... or use both.
Love the reversible design -wish USB had gone that way.
Submit new startups
This looks to be a really good class. I watched part of the first lecture today and it really is more about functional programming then Scala.
Slashdot allows users to pay some amount of money to "subscribe" for some minimal benifits. I doubt they make much on that though.
The upcoming Bad Piggies game gets a stunning launch trailer from Rovio
So far I'm liking the way the course material is structured. In the first week Martin is guiding you through call-by-name and call-by-value in the lamda calculus, but without its syntactic peculiarities and without really mentioning lamda calculus more than once in passing. I think this is a good idea, because lambda seems to raise defense mechanisms in students who are seeing it for the first time. Sneaky.

Edit: I found a place where the web-based quiz mechanism used by Coursera gave me some troubles. In lecture 1.4 there is an exercise to implement functions and(x,y) and or(x,y) but using neither || nor &&. While I was able to compile and run functions that produce correct truth-tables in my Eclipse environment, the web-based form appears to be fairly tempermental with what it will accept. (Equivalent functions modulo only formatting differences made the difference between "incorrect" and "correct".) I managed to proceed by asking myself whether my function was as simple as possible: no newlines, simplest possible expression, no superfluous characters such as {}
Warp drive may be more feasible than thought, scientists say
I think its a significant statement that changes to Twitter's look is being announced on the today programme, as opposed to Techchrunch or similar. Twitter is now well and truly used by the general population, and looking at its strategy from a tech or Silicon Valley coloured glasses wont work.

Look at it either way: its jumped the shark, or jumped (crossed) the chasm. But jumped it surely has.
If going into interaction details, i would prefer to work face to face as communication would become a problem. And in-house designer would be more than $500, i guess...
I think you need to reread your own articles. They don't necessarily agree with your conclusion. Yes, they were all cleared of "wrong-doing" but all of them mention the fact their data is still suspect because of the things you mentioned. In essence, my interpretation is that they didn't necessarily do anything wrong in the legal sense, they just didn't present good science.

And that's the whole point. How can they say that there was no tampering when everyone admits the "record keeping wasn't very good"?

They cannot produce research records from 10 to 12 years ago? Why not? Why would they throw such stuff out? Wouldn't they present all their research data when they submit to peer review? If not, why not?

Your articles mentioned that they did in fact hide their data, deleted emails to prevent going public. Why? If you look around you can find articles where they not only did not present their data for review, they actively prevented people they didn't like from getting access to it. Even after publishing in scientific journals. That's not good science.

Of course they should have been more public with their data, that's the whole point. But saying that, well, those guys over there were bad about it is not an excuse for them to use to refuse to present their data.

So, we can all agree that the findings are suspect because the data appears to be lost and/or incomplete. So I guess we just take their word for it then? I'm not a scientist but that's not how I've understood how science works. If an independent party, or even one that disagrees with them, is unable to recreate their findings then the whole thing is suspect and should be redone. By someone else.

But, this is global warming, where neither side is willing to agree to disagree. It's either you're a true believer or you are not, there's no room for discussion otherwise.

EDIT: typo
I see Kickstarter as more of a service to get well established businesses to focus on difficult, specialist, low margin projects, particularly computer games. Most of these design-focused hardware projects ring alarm bells in my head.
Such a site already exists, or will soon (for every sport): http://sportsrecruitsllc.com/
Very interesting.
Looks like some oldschool video game developers got into Apple webdev team.

About the last paragraph, we (Adinpsz) tried the PNG compression technique for JS demomaking (actually it's even a self-loading PNG-HTML ;)).
You can learn more here with the JsExe tool: http://creativejs.com/2012/06/jsexe-javascript-compressor/
And see it in action here: http://pouet.net/prod.php?which=59071 (http://adinpsz.org/online/fabrik/)

But HTTP compression should be better anyway for "real world" usecases?
I have to try Haxe, but I can't help but wonder, it's been around for a while, how come it didn't get more traction? I assume I'll have to try and find out.

I was a flash developer way back (2003), I hear you.
If they are generating $20m/yr in revenue doesn't a $20m purchase seem a bit low? How did they agree on $20m?
Well, yes. That's the point. In a month's time, they might be snowed, but until then, they're kicking their heels. If they get the timing right, they can be dealing with the shipping for scanbox while waiting for Lifx to get funded.