skysight-inc/HackerNews huggingface dataset:
It's not programming in a niche language that's limiting his options. It's assuming that he has to "be" a niche language developer and "focus" on one thing. Saying I am a Ruby developer in that sense is like saying I am a hammer carpenter. Good programmers learn new languages easily, and specialization is the wrong approach to apply here.
Well, you could do an opt-out service -- send an e-mail that says "click here if this isn't you"

Or use something a simple screenname for authentication (e.g. the e-mail is just for lost passwords, so if they don't provide a valid e-mail, it's their loss).

Or use something like OpenID or Passport (the identity provider might need to validate an e-mail address but you don't have to).

Or build a site that needs no authentication to begin with -- e.g. a search engine.
Zooomr - Conquering The World (From Japan)
Those "standard of living" comparisons are silly and misleading. It's better to just calculate your actual expenses (as others here have done). I'd much rather live off of $60k in SF than $28k in St Louis.
It means an economy based on "knowledge workers" rather than industrial age laborers.

"the second meaning, more frequently used, it refers to the use of knowledge to produce economic benefits."

"A key concept of this sector of economic activity is that knowledge and education (often referred to as "human capital") can be treated as:
- A business product, as educational and innovative intellectual products and services can be exported for a high value return.
- A productive asset"

Its a fallacy that all knowledge is free. Localized, and application specific knowledge, are definitely not freely available.
I'm surprised at some of the hasty comments here. Sure, the article is wrapped-up in obscure academic language, but the main points are valid.

Portal is not like any other FPS. (This is obviously true, if you know anything about Portal.) The main claim is that FPSs tend to be "masculine", in many ways, and that Portal is unlike FPSs in those ways.

1. In FPSs you have a gun that's meant for killing. In Portal you have a gun that doesn't inherently kill (but can be very powerful if used cunningly).

2. FPSs typically have military or monster themes. Not so Portal.

3. In FPSs you typically play a male character. When the lead is a female character she's super-hot and sexy and is meant for teenage guys to drool over. (Think Lara Croft.) Not so Portal, with a not-particularly-sexy female character, and she's not even on screen enough to drool over much.

4. In FPSs you typically shoot bullets. In Portal you shoot portals. (And here the author makes an admittedly lame joke: "Heehee the bullets are penises and the portals/holes are vaginas".)

5. In FPSs, the enemy typically wants to kill you. In Portal, the AI wants to emotionally manipulate you.

6. In FPSs, you kill the enemy. In Portal, you outsmart the AI.

7. In FPSs, you typically kill monsters/Nazis/terrorists. In Portal, you disable these cute little turrets by kicking them and knocking them over.

8. In FPSs, your sidekick is some guy who's your best buddy. In Portal it's an inanimate block.

What the author is trying to get across is that Portal is unlike any other FPS, which is indisputable. The author's take is that Portal takes the quintessential "masculine" videogame, the FPS, and makes it a little less "masculine". I don't think that's too controversial.
I don't understand what your big problem is with kratom. rms isn't linking to our site where it's sold and isn't spamming. He's just talking about what his favorite drug is. You can get it anywhere on the internet; it's not like we have a monopoly on it. It's in a discussion about drugs, and he's trying to factually inform people about another type of drug which he prefers, so it is appropriate. It's like you're spiteful about it for some unknown reason, modding down any post where the word kratom is mentioned, even as an aside. That's just childish. Grow up.
The analogy was meant to illustrate that the mere fact of using an automated tool to perform an action, doesn't change the legal liability of the person performing the action.

Using a SlutBut with the intent (intent is a critical element of entrapment and most crimes) to entrap someone is no different than chatting with the person personally, typing those chat lines manually. Using a tool changes nothing.

Disclosure IANAL
If you've got better things to do (like working on your startup), but want a satisfying 'pick up put down' diversion, Portal's the best thing you could probably pick.
It depends:

That guy's more likely to get a job where they need a Ruby developer. Maybe I'm more likely to get a job when they need someone to do X Y and Z and they think they'd like to use Ruby, but use other languages for other things, too.
The Year in Ideas (2007)
"Using a SlutBut with the intent (intent is a critical element of entrapment and most crimes) to entrap someone is no different than chatting with the person personally"

What the government actually _does_ determines whether there was entrapment, not their intent. See http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&... and http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&....

In the first case, the government assisted in a crime where the intent to break the law was clearly already present. And the judgement in the second case again makes clear that entrapment relies on there being no prior evidence of criminal intent: "If the result of the governmental activity is to "implant in the mind of an innocent person the disposition to commit the alleged offense and induce its commission . . .," Sorrells, supra, at 442, the defendant is protected by the defense of entrapment".

It would presumably come down to whether SlutBut offered illegal content, or whether it was requested of it.
I majored in Math as an undergrad and the best books by far (at least, from a Mathematician's point of view) are those in the "Springer Undergraduate Mathematics Series":
http://www.springer.com/west/home/new+%26+forthcoming+titles...

All of the comments here seem to be of the form "I'd like to learn Math". However, it's a pretty huge subject! The topics to study really depend on the programming task. The best introductory book on University style Mathematics from the above range is:
http://www.springer.com/west/home/math/analysis?SGWID=4-1004...

I've spent most of my years coding solver libraries in C++. I am interested mainly in solving Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations, which require a good knowledge of numerical integration techniques. The prerequesites include Real Analysis, Linear Algebra (for the matrix solvers) and Numerical Analysis, for instance.

The best way that I've found to learn a new mathematical topic (or indeed a new programming language) is to give myself a really cool project which requires knowledge of it and then figure out a solution. I used to read Math books on the bus into University, but you just don't get the same level of knowledge that you would if you were making a fun bit of software that needed it.

A great example here is to program your own 3D engine, without using a 3D API! There is no way you would be able to compete with DirectX or OpenGL for quality, but the underlying mathematical knowledge of the graphics pipeline will give you a much better understanding of how the "big" APIs work. It's also great fun too!
"2. I didn't sleep."

"3. I've forgotten 95% of it."

These two are related. I graduated with a similar GPA, but I never once pulled an all-nighter. I also remember most of it, at least at a conceptual level, if not down to the fine details.

The problem is that students get brainwashed into thinking that grades are the goal, when in fact grades are supposed to be a measure of the real goal, which is learning. I think the English have a good idea with their "gap year." If Americans started doing that, I think it would help a lot of people get perspective on what their actual goals are.
I don't think so. I find writing for a web audience makes me work harder. I know I'll get busted quickly and publicly if I say something mistaken. And I also know that I have to work harder to keep people's attention than I would in print, because they have a lot of other options a click away.

When you're writing an article for The New Yorker, you can give it a self-indulgently artsy title and begin with a few paragraphs of clever run-up. On the web you have to call things what they are and get straight to the point.

Also, more people get to publish online. Everyone who wants to publishes, and the good stuff floats to the top. In the old model, only people who pleased editors got to publish. That excluded a lot of people who had interesting things to say.
"... and you kids get off my lawn!"
I guess I'm not disagreeing with you, just pointing out that when you don't have money, its much more difficult (maybe near impossible for some people) to find out/concentrate on what else you want out of life. Whereas if money is not an issue, you can spend everyday doing what makes you happy.
I would contend that the subset of people who would actually read literature were it not for the internet is minuscule. I'm sure that in the absence of the internet, most people would find equally inane things to do rather than read literature.
With a different number of surfaces, for example?
+1

Especially a user like Palish who has been around long enough to read rms' comments;-)
Ireland becomes the first country in the world to ban the incandescent lightbulb
Like watching season 4 of The Girls Next Door?
Rent usually includes wireless internet around here.
How much money do you need before you can be happy? (or find out how to be happy)
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/02/world_first_aus.php
Gandi is by far my favorite registrar. I started moving my domains away from GoDaddy and to Gandi after CNET did interviews with several registrars to find out which were the most friendly to free speech: http://www.news.com/2100-1025_3-6155614.html
Creative interpretation of supply and demand
Australia passed a law first but Ireland is putting it into practice much faster. They're not for sale in Ireland by 2009 and gone in Australia by 2012.
Almost everyone using this site is in that position, or at least can get there with a few months work, whether they know it or not. The exception, of course, are those folks who have a family to support. But if you're single and a nerd, you could do 6 months worth of contract work, and live for a couple of years on the proceeds, if you live frugally.

I've done it a few times, and I don't even have a college degree worth speaking of (community college, but that doesn't count). In fact, I've just come off of two years of doing so--Virtualmin, Inc. has recently become profitable enough to pay me a nice salary, but I lived for the first year completely without a salary, and the second on about $1000/month. I'd saved up for a year before knowing I'd be quitting contracting and working full-time on something cool. I did the same for my first company--decided I wanted to start a company, worked for six more months at my old position and then quit with about one year of runway in the bank.

The "basic needs" bar is actually much lower than most Americans think it is. You don't need cable, you don't need a $75/month cell phone plan, and you don't need a McMansion or a sweet apartment in the swish part of town. Hell, you probably don't even need a car, though I've considered living in a van and traveling the country (which really cuts down on rent--campgrounds run $6-$20/night, with discounted weekly rates)...I might even still do that at some point.

You don't have to be a millionaire to have the luxury to live your life as you choose. Sure, it's nice to know you never have to go get a real job again. But, if you live below your means, no matter what those means are, you're in a very flexible position.
I just found a room in a house in SF -- $900 covers utilities, internet, furnishings and rent. It's in the Mission, a well liked neighborhood.

An overlooked part of SF life is people who are sick of living in a city. They want to go to bed at a reasonable hour, know their neighbours and feel like a handshake can close a deal. I've never had to submit a credit report to a landlord.

However, most of my computer/finance friends (late twenties) have not had the same experience -- because of the company they keep. Do not hang out with other posh kids the time! They aren't much involved with the City and know little but the bars.

As far as a car goes, definitely don't bring one with you. On the few occasions when you need to drive, you can rent a car for a few hours (one service is called ZipCar, there are others) and then be done with it.

Food in SF is good -- as good as any city in the States, and some items (wines, of course, but also bread and cheeses and chipotles) have international renown.
Neither, if possible. What are you trying to do?

But definitely not Java. I guess that leaves Flash.
Agreed, definitely find a roommate situation on Craigslist. The process of going around from place to place meeting possible roommates is also a great way to make friends, including friends of a romantic nature, and to get a better feel for the city and how to get around in it.

As for leaving the car at home... I mostly disagree. It's good to get out of the city and go hiking or whatever. You need a car for that.

Most of all, yes, come to SF. Where else can you find things like this: http://superhappydevhouse.org/ ? You won't regret it. Post here again if you are looking for more advice.
As for compensation, I think everybody who comes to the Bay Area gets somewhat screwed in their first job here. Once you get a foothold here and start making contacts, you can easily find something that pays more.
I had never seen so many access points as when I was in San Francisco. You might even get lucky and find a default password WRT-54G that will let you wirelessly flash the firmware.
Did I say that? No I did not and my point still stands and is not me being elitist. To become a good programmer takes time and for this guy to taking over the coding from a programmer when he has no knowledge is gonna take a long time. first he has to learn how to program, then get expereince with the lanuage and then hack someone elses code.
How to be productive during boring meetings?
What productive tasks can you achieve when forced to sit through a boring meeting? Things that can be done in an environment with continual audible distractions and occasional interruptions needing your attention.

Here is one strategy from pp. 51-2 of Csikzentmihalyi's book on Flow: "Heinz Maier-Leibnitz, the famous German experimental physicist ... provides an intriguing example of how one can take control of a boring situation and turn it into a mildly enjoyable one. ... To alleviate [the burden of sitting through boring conferences] he invented a private activity that provides just enough challenges for him not to be completely bored during a dull lecture, but is so automated that it leaves enough attention free so that if something interesting is being said, it will register in his awareness. ... Whenever a speaker begins to get tedious, he starts to tap [his fingers in a regular pattern] ... there are 888 combinations one can move through without repeating the same pattern... Professor Maier-Leibnitz found an interesting use for it: as a way of measuring the length of trains of thought...Suppose a thought ... occurs in his consciousness while he is tapping during a boring lecture. He immediately shifts attention to his fingers, and registers the fact that he is at the 300th tap of the second series; then in the same split second he returns to the train of thought. [When the train of thought is complete, he calculates how far the series of tapping progressed while he was thinking.]"
kris went to a few classes at the junior college around here and i met him once and talked to him about tech and what not. he's very committed and passionate about zooomr but is head lost as to what to do.

smugmug is profitable by targeting the pro/prosumer market. flickr is sustainable by piggybacking on yahoo aimed towards the casual/prosumer market. then sprinkled in between all this is the handful of big companies that want to get in.

so with limited funding and just with a lot of moxie, he's trying to cement himself in between. i asked if he wanted to be acquired in order to survive but he just chuckled and said he'll be going at it alone until the time is right.

so kudos for finding a place in japan, who in reality are very into web development and fanatical about photography.
I would be curious if you got it from a doctor or the internet, etc. Send me an email if you get a chance.
If the energy saving light bulbs are so much better, why don't people use them voluntarily? Something doesn't add up?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kegel_exercise
It depends on how much time you devote to it...but the nice thing about that book is that each chapter's exercises are broken up into "Warmup exercises", "Homework exercises", "Exam questions", and "Research problems". It's still well worth working through it though - the authors are shockingly competent.
They cost more. Also, fluorescent light is unpleasantly cold, and some fluorescent bulbs take a few moments to start up when the power is turned on.

I disagree with these regulations. The kind of lighting you use in your house greatly effects what it feels like. It's a very personal thing for the government to interfere with-- like banning certain styles of clothing because they're wasteful. Why not just tax incandescent bulbs till they cost more than fluorescents?
The universe isn't infinite. If that'd be the case, there'd be infinite matter, and therefore infinite gravity, and we'd all be reduced to black hole singularities :-)
Because the incandescent bulbs are cheaper in the store, and most people in the aisles of Wal-Mart don't spontaneously calculate their long term energy costs.
ErlyWeb vs. Ruby on Rails EC2 Performance Showdown
I loved rails until I tried to implement something non-trivial in it and realized it was just absolute crap. I suspect it is this way because it came out of the minds of designers rather than programmers...and DHH's attitude is "F You" so it will never improve... but maybe I'm just spoiled having used WebObjects.

I ended up writing my own web app platform in about 3 months-- custom language, integrated persistence engine and http-server, no-thought-required concurrency... so I'm happy now. I'm just kinda surprised that more people haven't done this.

If you don't have the time to do your own solution, use Erlyweb (which is hampered by being "Rails for erlang") or WebObjects (which is hampered by running on Java).

Anyway, I expect that the outperformance of Erlyweb compared to rails will be more dramatic-- in excess of 10 to 1, when running a more complex application, and even higher when running on a multicore cpu.
It'll be funny to watch the black market for incandescent light bulbs emerge in Ireland and Australia.
Typical, government will stick a gun in people's face just to make them be "politically correct". Nevermind the consequences (or the chicks who will no longer hatch because the heat source that powers the incubators is no longer around... or the farmer who goes out of business because he can't afford to buy thousands of new incubators... etc.)

Government is a disease masquerading as its own cure.
I just hoped you would propose an easy solution for not getting stuck into the local maximums of happiness ;)
Not just a Nobel Laureate, this is Dorris Lessing we're talking about
here. I truly great writer who is still writing with a clarity we can
all be envious of at the age of 89. The full article is really worth reading: http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2223780,00.html

Techcrunch is only showing their own ignorance by misunderstanding her
position, maybe the internet really has made them dumb?
Of course, this ignores the mercury that is present in fluorescent bulbs, as well as the use cases for incandescent bulbs e.g. as heat lamps and in areas where lights are frequently turned on for short periods before being turned immediately off again (like in a stairwell). I agree with another comment that taxing is a better solution than outright banning, but I'm just not sure where I stand at all, because banning something that is clearly better in some scenarios just seems stupid.

As for the mercury issue, fluorescent light bulbs are much more difficult to dispose of safely. I was reading an article by the Sierra Club (an environmental group) which was arguing that if fluorescent light bulbs use 1/3 the energy of incandescents, and all of that energy is produced by burning coal, then the amount of mercury in the bulbs is approximately equal to the amount of coal saved over 5 years (I'm estimating here, but this was the general idea). Not exactly the most flattering numbers if you ask me.
I've become a much better sketch artist because of boring meetings over the years. I also spend the time going over the design of whatever system I'm currently working on, reading articles I've printed out, dreaming up cute domains to buy, and thinking about my own projects. Generally I'm pretty forceful when it comes to avoiding useless meetings though. I'll frequently skip them even when repeatedly prodded.
How to Get Good Offshore Developers
Strange that RTM's worm is ranked at number 1 with 10k - 100k of damages, whilst ILOVEYOU is number 2 with 5.5 - 8.7 billion. I wonder what their ranking criteria is.

Cliff Stoll tells a story in "The Cuckoo's Egg" about knocking on RTM's door whilst investigating this worm and having the door answered by RTM's room-mate. I've wondered for a couple of years if that was the first sighting of PG in the wild... ;-)
> Women studies are not among the "real" humanities

It can be, it just depends whether you base conclusions on a respectable level of evidence or non-falsifiable mumbo-jumbo. There's lots of bad work done in more established humanities as well. I'm often entertained by suggestions of such things as "modern techniques in history".
RailsVsDjango: Comparison of Development times
Why I moved from Ruby on Rails to Python/Django and back
Symfony/Rails/Django performance comparison
Catalyst vs Rails vs Django performance comparison
It's also worth noting that there are usually "common" and "preferred" shares. Between employees and investors, you can guess who gets which type, and which type gets paid first in an equity event.
A Brief Introduction to REST
Python/Ruby syntax discussion on Google groups
On the right track, but it might be even better to do a carbon tax rather than a tax targeting one product that is wasteful: it's CO2 that is associated with negative externalities, so the most direct approach is to internalize those externalities by levying a tax on carbon, rather than attacking wasteful users of electricity piecemeal through taxes or bans.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigou_Club
Doris Lessing: A hunger for books
Far more interesting than the Techcrunch article about it currently on the front page in my opinion.
Agreed. Fortunately I don't think they'll mind too much as the nation wide smoking ban was accepted with a kind of quiet inevitability.
For right or wrong if the ends are largely supported, people will put up with the means (given they are not too outrageous).

I am currently being illuminated by an energy saving bulb and although it does take a few seconds get going it is generating a positively warm glow.
Thank you for reminding this. I don't live according to or even agree with the Buddhist way of thinking, but I do respect it as one of the ways to be truly happy.
I'm sure where incandescent bulbs are necessary allowances will be made.
Smoking bans are a tricky one. There's clearly a negative externality, and it doesn't seem to be something the market is capable of dealing with (why are there never any non-smoking establishments?), so how else might things be made to work without a blanket ban (which, as a non-smoker, I have to admit I love) ?