skysight-inc/HackerNews huggingface dataset:
People who want an untraceable, universally recognised store of value?

You might as well ask who's dumb enough to steal gold.

And yes, I know that the value of diamonds is largely artificial. However, the current situation is, and is likely to remain for some time, that people think diamonds are valuable, and will trade them for actual money at a reasonably consistent exchange rate, anywhere in the world, no questions asked.

There's quite an interesting story in this whole system, actually. Diamonds have become a kind of underground currency in some circles. Unlike gold, they're not metallic, so can be transported safely by air. Unlike paintings (another other major money laundering commodity), they're small and not delicate. One could write an interesting analysis of the dynamics of such a self-supporting, consensual-illusion-becomes-reality of the diamond trade. It really is proof that if something is needed, people will make it.

Yes, it's carbon that has been compressed a bit. So what? The romans used salt as a currency! The point is, as of today, diamonds are an excellent currency to be paid in, especially if you have something to hide.
Not to be too much of a nit picker: this is the anniversary of the proposal. The real working WWW came in 1991. OTOH TBL and CERN think this is the anniversary, so who am I to say.
New Car Registrations in Europe: -18.3% in February 2009
Angels open door to cash: Y Combinator gives young tech entrepreneurs their wings
having done mobile engineering, i can tell you that storing the data in key/value pairs is much easier and elegant solution then using a database, where you don't need the power of relational data.
Both android, iphone, and windows mobile, provide some kind of database management (sql lite), which I think tends to be an overkill.

Doing SQL queries, and storing/retrieving data from a relational database is like an mental interrupt. You have to switch from object thinking, to relational, plus all the little details that you have to handle by using sql conecctions, it becomes almost too much work.

By the time you get to start doing queiries, i am done writing the app with key/value pair already.

Now, you can say that the server side is different than a mobile client. Sure, for many large websites relational data seems to be a must, but for small sites, they really don't look that much different form mobile client. key/value pairs might be just good enough.

And you just can't beat the simplicity of key/value pair systems. just as simple like using a hashtable.

I think there is nothing wrong with striving for simplicity. Plus with databases you have to deal with pool connections, prepared statements (to prevent SQL injections attacks), and much more.

Here are two pseudo-examples.

PreparedStatment statement = new PreparedStatment ("SELECT * FROM CUTSTOMERS_TABLE WHERE CUSTOMER.ID = ? ")
statment.replaceValues("john");
ResultSet rs SQLQuery.execute();

while (rs.hasNext() {
get your data here
}

With a key value pair.

Customer = (Customer)CustomerData.get("John");
xmlbuilder.py
Patents explained for Start Ups
A sinking feeling
Looking at the FAQ, it seem to imply that "Hackers" position are non-equity members.

"You will be working your butt off for very little money, and there is no guarantee that even if you are a great programmer that the company you are working with will succeed, or that if it does that there will be a long-term opportunity for you."

However, I do think that its definitely a great opportunity for a student who is looking for a more than usual summer internship.
He fails to mention that TokyoCabinet already supports ordering of the kv pairs through a function you provide to compare two keys.

If you want to iterate over all foos ordered by some property they have you just structure the keys so they are ordered properly and then jump to the first value.
Although FanSnap has a lot more result filtering functionalities, and a more in depth visual ticket system, which are all wonderful, their crappy interface makes me uncomfortable. I think a big area most ticket aggregators are missing out on, and that TicketStumbler is assumedly working on, is user notification when a band/team/etc. of interest is playing locally. I hate having to hear about these things from friends or by stumbling upon a band's Myspace only to find out they're playing in town tonight.
ChaCha tried something like this and failed before converting to their SMS service.
"A downside is that the compiler won't warn you if you break some constraint that invalidates the model of whatever the map is meant to represent. For example, if you remove a value from the map necessary for a certain computation (Clojure maps are immutable, but dissoc'ing away a critical piece of data leads to the same problem)."

One feature of clojure that's worth pointing out is the idea of a validator on a reference type. The reference types are boxes that can only be changed in thread-safe ways. For example, a ref is a container that can only be modified inside of a transaction. You could write:

(def obj (ref {:foo 3 :bar :5} :validator validate-my-model)

That creates a ref that hold a map with two keys, foo and bar. It also will call the function "validate-my-model" whenever you try to modify the map. validate-my-model is a function that takes the new-state as an argument, and throws an exception or returns false if the new state is not acceptable. Let's say the definition of validate-my-model looks like:

(defn validate-my-model [new-state]
(assert (map? new-state))
(assert (int? (new-state :bar)))
(assert (int? (new-state :foo)))
(assert (not (= 0 (new-state :bar))
(assert (> (new-state :bar) (new-state :foo))
true)

Now if you want to modify/update that object (for example, to remove the key :foo from the object), you would do
(dosync
(alter obj #(dissoc % :foo)))

Before that change is committed, the validator function is run. In this case, your change would throw an exception because the of line
(int? (new-state :foo))

(new-state :foo) returns nil, and (assert (int? nil) will throw an exception.

Vars, refs and agents now support this (and maybe atoms but I'm not sure). I've found the technique extremely powerful. I use it all over my code. What's also nice is that it serves as a form of testing. I know that all of my models have the correct types and relationships, because it's not possible to change the objects without calling the validator.
Oh 哪个 please!

I disagree with Chinese characters being difficult, at least the part about learning all the characters. There is a methodical approach to learning all the character (there are up to 3000 needed as the article states). I've been using http://smart.fm/ because they took this approach and wrapped it up in a neat flash app.

So while it takes years to master all the nuances of writing and speaking Chinese, I find that reading and understanding it takes less time.
Its funny because i just deactivated my Facebook account. That was my #1 timesink. Now i still have HN but it's a pretty cool timesink.
I remember a commercial Usenet service around the mid 80's. Before that you had to have a friend at .com hooked into ARPANet. It wasnt hard to do, but it wasn't open to the average Joe. Unfortunately the fees at the commercial company were too high and it lasted only a year. $5/hour or so were pretty low for the time, but still too high for casual use.
Mea culpa on the viruses. I myself will often point out how silly it is to stick an English word in the middle of a foreign language and decorate it with the language's plural suffix. It's particularly trendy do that in Eastern Europe, where I'm from. And as you say it is an attempt to sound more educated, however the ironic thing is that it just makes you look like you don't speak either English or your native tongue correctly.

Or in my case neither English nor Latin, thanks for correcting me.
You know, I read things like this and don't believe that it actually happens this way. At the very least, it can't possibly be this way in companies/organizations whose primary purpose is to develop things. Right? RIGHT?
The three I's of startup blogging
The idea of unifying the interface of apis is pretty good IMHO, but I have to say something about this bit
"(about objects and abstract data types) No existing user code can do anything useful
with your instances."
I don't think that's actually true in the case of haskell Abstract Data Types. I mean, sure, the existing code base can't do anything magic with the types, but at least declaring "deriving Typeable, Data" allows you to make some magic.
Bah! There are plenty of people who think they have insight into a particular market when they release their product. Some of those people show "insight" in hindsight, but what about the others? Were they less insightful?

If twitter2.com takes off: you look like a genius; but if it flops, you just lacked insight?
http://sonicliving.com does this. Full disclosure: I'm friends with the founder + most of the team.
"Now, if someone wants to prove the contrary, feel free to give me a bunch of money I wasn't expecting."

Sorry, you're just not that lucky!
Source of HN
I have read in many comments people recommending to read source whenever somebody ask question about the working of HN. But where is the source?
What would be harder is producing code of this sort that does not contain repetition within itself or producing a library function which would output the entire source-code of an executable.

For the latter, I suspect you'd need: Ruby, A special C compiler, or Assembler
This sucks, hard. They've been 2% + 20c for years, and now they'll be identical to PayPal's usury.

On top of that, they got rid of the fee waiving for AdWords spenders.
What's so special about RNA? What if our genetic code was bits and bytes on a computer? Would a computer be alive, or the artificial being that it created? If so, then a genetic algorithm already meets your definition of life.
Be careful not to confuse common entrepreneurism with tech start-ups. The vast majority of business startups are landscaping and snow-plow services or dry cleaning store-fronts ;-)
Ask HN: Feedback on my twitter app - hashlike
What is PhoneGap?
Unity is getting more and more traction as a browser 3D/Game engine plugin. Checkout their cool demos : http://unity3d.com/gallery/live-demos/shadows
This is nowhere near as good as the leechblock plugin for Firefox, which does the same thing but does not require that you visit a special URL.
I used to think virii was correct, but being a writer I developed the habit of obsessing over the meaning of words. So one day while writing a piece I happened to mention 'virii', well lets just say one day after my deadline I knew the method of pluralizing neutral second diminutive latin words... which basically is, you don't.

And thank the holy stars I was friends with my editor, cause he covered my ass many times. Although I produced the best work, so I guess it was in his own, and our bosses, best interest that he cover a slip up from the boss.
The Firefox extension LeechBlock is a much more effective tool, mostly because it is somewhat harder to circumvent and has more options: http://www.proginosko.com/leechblock.html

I use it extensively for time-based lockouts.
Better still, refer them to an HR drone instead of actually telling them face to face. That way you can hope their ire is directed at an amorphous initiative to cut costs.
Please don't start fights about politics.
How to Make Money Betting on American Idol Winners
This is one interesting take - gives one a reason to actually watch, like fantasy football
Suggestions for Tiny Educational Reforms
Poll: Would you sell your websites design?  | Startup Idea |
Would you sell your websites design? Figured each website has a design which is a product that someone would potentially like to buy.
Yes, I would sell any of my designs
Yes, but only my previous designs
Maybe, depending on price
No, not willing to sell any of my designs.
Most of this is so obvious that it's not done at software companies, except for one, awards. A soon as a company gets large enough to have an HR dept., out come the awards. Then they have an all hands meeting to explain the huge new motivator. Then a monthly meeting with speeches and a few $25 Visa gift cards.

Here's what I do. If someone does a good job, give something to his team, a movie, lunch, something like that. If an individual does a really good job, give him/her an on the spot bonus, no ceremony or publicity.

The morale booster is success of he team, project, company. Of course I speak of companies that I would want to work for. I have no idea what happens at banks and insurance companies.
Here's another good resource for those learning Chinese:

http://nciku.com/

I would hope that no-one in this generally highly intelligent community is delusional enough to think that learning Chinese isn't going to be a good investment in their future, especially anyone under 30.
I was a founder in last year's program. Even though the web site does not mention it, the DreamIt founders encourage founders to give the hackers some equity as part of the compensation.
How is the headline misleading? It says 'traders' not 'stock traders' specifically.
Not giving hackers equity on a vesting schedule from the start doesn't seem right.
It is a neural network though, isn't it?
Great story, and also gave me a flash of insight: when considering people to work with, "Would I plan a bank heist with this person?" isn't a half bad question to ask. It implies complete trust both in the person and their ability to perform.

(Or maybe I'm just goofy...when I can't put my finger on what's causing me to hesitate about a person or situation, off-the-wall questions/scenarios usually help me figure out what's really bothering me.)
A variant on that...promise new hires large bonuses or options packages. Once they're hired, stall your new employees until they've accomplished what you needed them for, then downsize them.
I wasn't trolling, I voted for the guy (and fully did anticipate the reactionary karma downvotes) but I think it was a legitimate criticism of him that he's never had to run anything bigger than a senate office and I think it's showing here.

I don't think anyone would argue that he's done a good job across the board of picking people since it usually takes the press one or two weeks to find major gaps in their resumes.
Huh? You're completely wrong. How did this entry get 4 points?!

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/2830/picture32s.png
"Some of those people show "insight" in hindsight, but what about the others? Were they less insightful?"

Well obviously?

"If twitter2.com takes off: you look like a genius; but if it flops, you just lacked insight?"

Sure, more than you lacked "hard work" or "luck".

I was presenting "twitter2.com" as an extreme example. Of course, it will never succeed. We can recognise that because it takes just a minimal amount of insight to predict it. What I'm trying to demonstrate, through this contrived example, is that luck won't save you if you worked hard on something dumb.

Insight! Decisions! What to do, what to make! These are key; why bother arguing?

The question presumes that there are just two factors to success: hard work and luck. I'm trying to say that there is at least one more critically important factor, which I loosely labelled "insight", with a disclaimer no less! I don't see why this is controversial, it seems self-evident.
It's a proof of concept, and a darn good one, graceful degradation is unneeded.
I thought it was an objective criticism but I'll gladly delete it if you think otherwise.
My how the time has passed. I remember when the Internet was just crawling around on overcrowded dial-up connections and AOL chat rooms. Now it's all grown up.
> it's why he maintains hundreds of Made For AdSense sites

But doesn't Google know who the owner of each AdSense site is? Eventually, they have to send him a check, after all. And if someone owns a lot of these AdSense sites, doesn't this raise any flags?
Yahoo’s Fire Eagle Soars Onto Facebook, Firefox
I find this approach really exciting. The fact that it builds into existing communication channels is very very cool, and the idea of a scalable real-time service is powerful especially for mobile. I like the idea of more services embedding directly into my core communication -- chat, phone, email.
I've been using this for a little while. It's pretty cool, although I always find it humorous that questions about Python (the language) get categorized as 'reptile', but then actually get routed to someone who knows about the language after all.
When the raid story first broke here I wrote this comment in that thread...

"More to the point, the Obama administration could have the worst vetting team in the world and they'd still be smart enough to ask the FBI if they had any active investigations on the appointee. It's too rudimentary a step to skip."

I'm still sure the vetting team checked specifically into Mr. Kundra but I have to admit this makes them look a tad incompetent. They may not be the worst vetting team but the fact that the President seemingly didn't know this was coming does not reflect well on them or the Administration.

(In my original comment I assumed the vetting team knew this raid was comming but disregarded it because there were no direct ties to Kundra)
As an "Innovator" applicant that was not my interpretation: if you don't have a full team they're willing to assist you in rounding it out; discussion of fair equity would be between the original founder and the new members.
I think most people don't consider artists are superior, but everybody tends to ask these questions. I think it's more a need to fit people into categories.
I say leave it and allow the voting system to work.
Interestingly, I've watched very similar symptoms happen to web services that grew organically but then attempted a 2.0 release. It's like they feel they never launched, so they need a big release to come out and impress everyone.

So they make all the same mistakes -and at the same time- ignore their existing product and users.
'time', and typing. The graph bars are my right index finger while I count in my head. I should probably patent that before it gets out. Wait, I just published. I'm screwed.
Exactly. It just isn't an Artificial Neural Network ;-) After all, though rats are super disgusting, they were created by Nature.
Sorting a very central topic in computer science, I think it is important to explore it in the point of view of key value stores without the need of reinventing relational dbs.
It does appear that he may have one of the worst vetting teams around; their capability for failure has been shocking.
This is an excellent point. I suppose I was just thinking about the natural world (on planet Earth). Indeed, replicating information, RNA or not, would be a form of "life", provided it was persisted. I think persistence here is the key. A genetic algorithm would be life as you say, provided I think that its states could be saved into a database or the like. Self-replicating, persisted information in some kind of definable form or shape is life, roughly I would think. So, sure, a GA counts provided you persist it someplace. Naturally occurring crystals in a cave would too for that matter. And if the physicist Lee Smolin is right, the universe could be a replicating entity as well, making new universes via black holes or similar mechanisms (see his book, "Life of the Cosmos").
These would be amazing if they shipped with a WREL (Wireless Resonant Energy Link) device to charge them, however I believe a simple multi-mini-usb 2.0 dock would suffice, however wouldn't be as useful.

I believe this would be the key problem with this technology for classrooms and such. Small children aren't going to remember to plug these back in, and I'm unsure if teenagers would even remember to plug these back in, so I would love to see a wireless charger for these. I mean even if it's simply one of the touch-charging pads and not the longer distance WREL.

Also things like battery life would be nice to know. I mean do these things last as long as an iPod's play time, or do they last like 15 minutes?

One thing I'd love for these is if they were capable of parallel processing. It appears they just pass information off to each other, and then the one device does its own task. I'd like it if you could stick 3 together and run a program that 1 alone can't. I mean with WREL power these could compete with PCs, with the right software, because the more power you need you simply stick more blocks together.

I mean you want portability, then stick a couple together and you've got a PDA. Need a bigger display, well stick another four together or have an external display you can click multiple siftables into to get a full screen. Need more power? Stick an extra row under the four and still use the existing screen. Going on a road trip with some friends, but still need a laptop? Well if everyone has a couple of siftables each, then stick 16/32 together with an external display and boot up ubuntu or XP! I hope the technology goes this way, but I have my doubts.

Edit: The laptop example would be perfect, each persons siftable carries their own data. Yet when you click a bunch together you can all carry different accounts on a laptop and do your own thing, and when you're done you take your siftables back with your modified data.
From a quick google, it looks like the 80GB model starts at $2400. Hard to call that competitive with SSDs, except soley on performance.

Should be very interesting for "dream machine" desktops once you can boot from one.
I would argue that the vetting team should have discovered this right away. But it was responsible of him to suspend him and reevaluate his decisions. There is also the possibility that this was simply a political attack to discredit the Obama administration. God knows politics are a messy messy game.
Just to clarify, I was i no way criticizing your choice to not use mozart-oz. I took the opportunity to give a reference to the mozart-oz as a language used outside the context of book.
Future web / love sounds
Not sure what that means. I'm in Atlanta and noticing a startup community here. I've nothing to compare it to, but I do note at least two exits (JungleDisk and FireThorn) recently, so somebody's making bank.
I didn't take it as such, and I hope it didn't come across like I was getting irritated/defensive.

While I have your attention, do you have any other interesting links/references for it? Outside of CTM and its companion wiki, I've seen it mentioned on the c2 wiki (http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?OzLanguage http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?MozartProgrammingSystem http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?MultiParadigmProgrammingLanguage , etc.), but I haven't run across it otherwise. That might just be the places & niches I frequent, though.

It looks like there's a FreeBSD port of Mozart, FWIW (http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/ports.cgi?query=mozart&stype=...), though !i386 is flagged as broken.
Seems to be broken in Chrome.
Change "map" to "list" and you've got a pretty good description of CLOS.

And I find that mature CLOS code doesn't tend to look very much like "traditional" (C++/Java?) OO code at all.
for certain people, the "artiste" is a superior human being

Ha. Yeah, those people are confused young women and other artists.

Someone who belongs to a special caste.

Most other people (parents, employers, non-confused women) do consider artists to belong to a special caste: the financially destitute, irresponsible "untouchable" caste.

Spoken from experience as an artist.

To answer the OP, I say programmer when asked by most people, "artist" when asked by confused young women.
Please don't start fights about meta-politics.

</sarcasm>
hmmmm
My startup did not really hit a dead end... but I am afraid of that it's me who hitted a dead end.
Twitmatic Lets You Channel Surf Videos From Twitter
IPhone 3.0 to Get MMS, Tethering, and Finally... Copy and Paste?
Doesn't work for me:

http://screencast.com/t/gWyJToSTl