skysight-inc/HackerNews huggingface dataset:
Having written enough on both to know them reasonably well (4 gold medals on SO, Top Writer on Quora), I like Quora much better as a platform. The community design is much better on Quora, I think the UI is more appealing, and I don't have to worry about insane moderators nuking valuable content because it doesn't fit their personal agendas for the site.

My only real objection to Quora is that they make it so hard to share content. I think the walled garden thing is just wrong; I (and many other Top Writers) haven't been shy about telling them that, either. I hope they will eventually come around.
I hope that's a troll "review". Actually is not a review at all, the guy didn't even used it or barely argued anything.

This shouldn't be in the front page...

And the arguments:

Non-ergonomic, wrist problems in a day. -> Not really, have been using non-ergonomic for years, ergonomic ones never fit me well

The left Alt key is between x and z, way too left. This means, you can't press it with a thumb curl. -> All keyboards I've seen are this way, including those others in the article

Space-hogging space bar. -> I always loved huge space bars, way more comfortable to type. I tend to type with both of my thumbs resting on it (I love this one: http://bit.ly/12TTRI4)

No multimedia keys. -> Yes there is multimedia keys, hidden in a very clever way IMO

No other app launch keys. -> Who wants crap CALC and WWW buttons on the keyboard anyway?
This works for an overcommitted load, but the parent talks about a leak. In this case, you'll eventually exhaust swap.
> I think the problem really arose because he said foreign accent. So if it was someone American with an incredibly thick and hard-to-understand accent that would be fine?

How many native-born US citizens with regional accents this strong are in a position to start a technology startup? I grew up in the Bible Belt and I find this inconceivable.
When they identified the first blurred images of the suspects' faces they put out the images hoping people could help identify the faces they were interested in. I assume they're saying that with better technology they'd be able to instantly identify those faces, instead of relying on putting them up on TV (where the suspects can see them and know they're on to them). So it wouldn't have prevented the attack, but it theoretically would have made the identification easier, and the arrests faster/less deadly I suppose.
Don't worry about it, PG, you just had a run-in with the looking-for-reasons-to-be-offended patrol. I actually thought this would happen when I read the post, but I also understood what you mean. It's a fairly benign point if we're honest and give you the benefit of the doubt: communication is important for a startup. Heavy accents are a barrier to effective communication.

I speak a foreign language that I learned later in life, so I speak it with an ugly American accent. People sometimes have trouble understanding me when I speak, and even though I know all the words native speakers use, I know I'm missing the subtleties and undercurrents in language. We take these things for granted in our native language, but understanding the associations with common phrases and subtle connotations of words takes many years to learn. Many native speakers miss these subtleties from time to time.

I would never (at my current skill level) try to start a company where I'd have to rely on my foreign language skill. I'm fluent in the language, but nowhere close to native skill. I wouldn't trust myself to explain a product - especially a technical product - in a clear and convincing manner.

"Offending people is a necessary and healthy act. Every time you say something that's offensive to another person, you just caused a discussion. You just forced them to have to think." Louis C.K.
A tribute to the good ol' Gantt chart
This is the only backlit keyboard WASD makes. I'm also pretty sure it's the only one with multimedia keys set up that way.
I've heard that argument too, but so does Rosewill and there are definitely some quality issues there; that's certainly up for debate though. Some might also call Filco overpriced, but I've certainly never heard that about a WASD board.
Well, if the accent makes one hard to understand, it's no longer irrelevant.
the cognitive performance between rich and poor was the same in the sample they looked at (using their specific test). we know that is not true in general -- richer people are smarter on average.
>American with an incredibly thick and hard-to-understand accent

Is there an example of this that can be pointed out? A nearly unintelligible American accent held by someone working in technology who is trying their best to be understood?

It's exceedingly easy to find an example in people who are speaking English as a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th language, and isn't a reflection of their worth as a person, but a sign that they may have a problem in the English speaking startup world.
I was under the impression that BCD was commonly used in calculators. I know that my HP 48 used BCD and was able to address 4 bit nibbles.
Maybe not in realtime, but they could store all the images and maybe have software presort faces by similarity. Then if they became interested in a specific person, they could input more training images and sift through the set of similar ones.

They might find hundreds of pictures of you with timestamps and locations.

(This is all speculation; I haven't written image recognition software myself.)
'I Have a Dream' - Martin Luther King Jr. (audio only): http://fora.tv/1963/08/28/I_Have_a_Dream_Martin_Luther_King_...
This happens way too often... The page is served over http and asks you to install it's addon. The addon is not verified. The addon is downloaded from "http://convergence.io/releases/firefox/convergence-current.x....

What's the point of providing such service if anyone capturing your internet traffic can change it in flight to a "return True" equivalent?

Edit: tried https... come on, they're not even trying: "The certificate is only valid for the following names: whispersystems.org , www.whispersystems.org"
Now that all of these perspectives have come together, the implications for how we think about poverty – and design programs for people impacted by it – are enormous.

So you mean it might be a bad idea to endlessly complicate the tax code and setup massive, complex bureaucracies all in the name of helping the poor? There's a chance they might not have the cognitive bandwidth to traverse these boondoggles designed to help them?

Simplicity will liberate as many or more people from poverty as generosity.
"Isn't that bad" and "Yahoo Answers" in the same sentence probably explains why.

It's like saying dollar-store dog food isn't that bad...compared to malaria.
I also find that poverty detrimentally affects people's self-esteem and confidence. It's hard to avoid seeing income as a societal judgement of your value or ability (even though it really isn't).

I've seen this in my family: if people are laid off or struggling financially, it is just incredibly destructive. Losing a job had more impact on my relatives' happiness than getting a divorce. When I called my family I could tell they still hadn't gotten hired without having to ask. Their voice was depressed and they were frustrated with even the littlest things. It is heartbreaking to witness the effects of poverty in people you love.

I know when I was quite poor in college, thinking about money made my chest tighten and my eyes get hot. I knew I couldn't pay for a fourth year. If the slightest thing went wrong, I was just fucked. There was terrible anxiety, and simmering fury, that wasn't alleviated for years.
> These are not allowed to work, need to live in provided (usually very bad) residences, their children are not allowed to go to school, etc.

What's the point of taking in an asylum-seeker only to treat them like crap?

Yay! We've saved them from torture or death in their home country, but instead we'll just make sure to keep them uneducated and in below the poverty line?
Who said the tech companies don't want to cooperate with the government?

Every CEO in this Country wants to be invited to one of those dinners with Obama, where Steve Jobs and Zuckerberg and the Google people sat at a table with the man himself.

Every CEO in this Country dreams of being influential in Congress, getting invited to discuss serious issues, getting special State-level protections for their businesses in China, Russia, elsewhere....

Companies won't go to "war" against government surveillance, all they want is better guarantees that their cooperation will not be leaked and in case its leaked, they want the government to take the blame, just like Apple, Google and others have done after the NSA leaks, they pose as victims of a strong government, when in reality they're partners.
Shapeways: A small empire incubating more small empires
I don't know about the cat detector, but Picasa seems able to identify people in photos pretty well, despite varying positions and lighting conditions.

It creeps me out.

Granted, they are working with the much smaller set of people I know rather than the whole populace. But technology only gets better.
Since you are from a Java background maybe you should stay with it.

Explaining why your options are just PHP or JSP might help.
Actual article:

http://www.sciencemagazinedigital.org/sciencemagazine/30_aug...

Posting this does not necessarily convey agreement.
Anyone who thinks a Filco is overpriced should just buy a Leopold.

Other than the stabilizer, they're almost the same keyboard by the same designer. :B
Glass: Googling Yourself Takes on a Whole New Meaning
I don't get the obsession with making web APIs for raw data that is publicly accessible and small enough to fit in a single file.
oom_adj is depreciated, use oom_score_adj instead.

https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/filesystems/proc.tx...
A basic statistics course should be required for a college degree.
It is authorized. They have published this and encourage people to use it. The main goal was, from what I could tell, to get popular writers to stop bitching about their interface all the time.
You're missing the point. Many capable engineers, who could have led, were dismissed simply because they were engineers.
I use the same and think it's pretty good. My only gripe is that the slots for where the cover/light connect aren't very sturdy. I have young kids who have bent the cover back many times and because the plastic is so thin at that point, the slots have cracked. You now have to jiggle the kindle around to get the light to turn on since the connection isn't good.
Her employer tipped off the FBI after seeing suspicious searches show up in their logs. Not Google.

Yes, that's what I said in my comment, that's what it says in the link you just posted, that's what it says in the link I posted, and that is the story you are telling me now as some sort of correction.

It's not hysteria to say that they got their house searched as a result of a Google search, or as the ultimate result of the actions of a private corporation; those are facts we apparently agree on, facts that every single media report on the incident agreed on, AFAIK. Its the consensus view.
A thick southern accent is far easier for Americans to understand than a thick foreign accent. I've never heard a native English speaker that I had a hard time understanding.
Fight for your homeland, don't just run away and pass off your problems to others.

Also encourage Americans to stop their drone-crazed, war-hungry, spy-happy, immigration-positive President (or at least to change his mind).

War should be used when there are serious threats. Lately, the USA and Europe have been using war to overthrow the powerful so that mass culture can take over.

This is culturally akin to forcibly installing a McDonald's on every street corner.
Indeed, the author seems to be clearly ignorant of that, be it willingly or otherwise:

> My guess is the de facto interception technique of the future will involve targeting users’ endpoints (phone, computer, tablet, whatever) instead of trying to intercept communications in transit.

The data is still stored in the hands of tech companies, and as such outside the realm of control of the owners of the data. The article writer would do well to realize that it's not about national security, terrorists, or China -- but instead it's about control.
What Founders Need To Know About Accredited Crowdfunding
It isn't just because they are greedy and want lots of money

Certainly not in the current airline environment. Even with a perfectly loaded plane, they only make a little money, and you can't plan for a perfectly loaded plane with any kind of confidence without double-booking.
A friend of mine sent me this video just yesterday, showing the feed from a FPV quadcopter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrVLh6r8hd8&feature=player_de...

Because it wasn't clear to me at first, I'll just point out that the pilot for this thing is using a VR headset similar to Oculus Rift, and the video is sent back to him over wifi. Supposedly the range is on the order of a mile or so.

I didn't even realize this was a feasible thing already! Looking into it, you can get these things for only $1500 or so. And so suddenly I've just realized, 10 or 20 years from now, it's not just the police who will be flying these things around. Why not buy one to use for your own neighborhood watch, right?

Hell, I'd love the chance to fly one of these around just for fun.
> People like to generalize a lot.

Especially the mainstream media (MSM)...
Malcolm in the Middle.
o.o thanks to this comment I just bought one!
Don't look at the "Family Values" lobby, they get lip service but no serious favorable actions in return for their votes. One reason they're fading away (the main other one is that Carter's attacks on their schools are a distant memory).

The concept of the applying the lessons of the 2nd Amendment lobby was extensively discussed here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6185138

Here's the contents of my top comment, which I think frames the concept well:

"Until we have specific, actual, real privacy atrocities I can't see this effort getting the traction of any of the groups you've specified. Labor had company towns and less but still specifically abusive employers, with plenty of specific people maimed or killed in unsafe workplaces or labor actions. Environmentalists had deformed children from Japanese industrial mercury dumping, and, oh, the Cuyahoga River catching on fire. Gun grabbers have killed, maimed, or otherwise grossly abused thousands of people and that continues to this day.

"What specific incidents, with victims most will empathize with, can the privacy effort point to?"
The Internet is filled with every type of person with many different motivations. Many of those people have a different motivation than "understanding" you. They are people that get social currency from signaling that they are anti-racist, they are people that monetize outrage, they are people for who arguing is a bloodsport, they are self-avowed trolls. Why bother? The people who make the attempt to understand you will treat what you say charitably, they are self-selecting. The rest you can ignore.
Ejabberd is not an epoll-driven web server, which is what the quotes from facebook people said they wrote in erlang.
Why does it need to be a single photo? Mandate that when you get your passport/driving license theres a face scan. Wouldn't be amazing tech and could be introduced fairly easily.
Am I the only one who feels that it's ridiculous PG even had to make this post? I mean the original story was such a bag of hot air and insinuation.

It's objectively better for entrepreneurs to communicate as clearly as possible. That's the whole point of the message.

Good grief, people there's real bigotry out there that needs defeating. If anyone has spare energy for baseless accusations, we could sure use a few extra hands over on more productive ground.
It's not that we're upset about the keyboard, or at least, it's not that I am.

I'm upset that, despite the incredibly vibrant community around interesting mechanical keyboards (ergo or not), Jeff Atwood came to "save us" all from the shitty keyboards we weren't using, without taking 30 seconds to actually look around.

From coding horror:

I'm just happy to live in a world where the first truly great mechanical keyboard finally exists now, in exactly the form it needed to, with every detail just so, and I can type this very post on it.

To some of us, especially members of communities like GeekHack[1], that's a massive insult.

[1]: http://geekhack.org/
Some IPOs Aim for Small Investors
I worked in Dubai and that is not correct. It is not a major issue, but Dubai currently has tightened on visa requirements for Syrians and is next to impossible for Qatar also, which would have been another alternative. I am moving again to Dubai next month for a two year stint. If you know anyone in Dubai that can push for you to get a visa, make it your first choice. At least it will give you time to make your next move.
See the articles linked from my comment elsewhere in this thread.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6302719
It's not just pitching; it's also listening.

Some of the most obstinate, unimpressed-by-reality founders I've known have had thick accents.
* The only approach that doesn't make things worse is to simply ignore those people. *

I appreciate your overall sentiment, but I respectfully disagree with this point. I think founders need to consider whether or not their critics matter. In other words, will a critic's derogatory statements affect your business and reputation?

For example, if PG were to ignore a New York Times reporter, there's a big risk that the reporter could have created an even more negative story that had a lot of traction because of the newspaper's cachet. Was talking to the reporter a perfect solution in this case? No, I don't think so.

But having been a reporter and worked with journalists as a public relations professional, I've seen clients achieve much better outcomes by making themselves available for comment. It gives the clients an opportunity to shape how others perceive them, particularly in times of crisis.
This is completely tangential and I'm not sure if this is off-topic enough to be considered breaking the rules, but you are by far my favorite commenter on HN, and perhaps even the internet. Every post you write is a joy to read, and I know that when I see a comment by "tokenadult" I am in for an informative and thorough break-down of the subject matter. Thank you, and please keep posting.
LOL. That may not be a coincidence.

I hear that the VCs are flummoxed -- they have pots of money but they are not finding good prospects. The latest fad is to sprinkle little amounts of money around and hope they can pluck a promising seedling.

The important point is that there are VCs out there willing to write little 5 and 6 figure checks, for the hope of a real deal in the future. That has attracted professional deal makers, and this career looks especially attractive to people with weak technical chops for this industry but fancy they can make up for it with schmoozing.

Deal makers have a chicken and egg problem. They cannot get non-small checks without eggs in the basket. They cannot show any person with real money the eggs in the basket without promising future non-small checks to the future chicks. And sometimes people with money decide to not write the big checks until they see pretty chicks. Oops.

You were an egg. The deal maker here cajoled you to rolled into their basket with small amounts of money. And you were never given enough money to crack out of your shell.

I would point out that the deal maker is not screwing you over on purpose. But they may be telling you wildly overoptimistic things, while they are scrambling to see if any of a dozen different people will write a real check. When they refuse to explain, it is because they do not want to own up to making promises which they were not sure they could deliver.

As for Los Angeles, I may not have the best ear to the ground, but it does not sound like a top 5 location for recruiting tech talent. (I know you moved there, but the point still stands.) I would guess that those are third string deal makers who happen to believe they can rub elbows with unsophisticated money in the Hollywood area. (If they were really good, they would in SF Bay, Boston, Austin, NY, where the real VC connections can be found.)
Apple, at 34%, is almost as big as Google, at 89%.
I'm lucky enough to still own and use what I've always held as the perfect keyboard---the OmniKey Ultra. Bought it new. It has never needed repair although it could stand a good cleaning---every now and then I clean the worst off with a paintbrush full of Fantastic :) I like its layout to the point of not liking any other. F1-F12 are in a double column at the left of the keyboard. SF1-SF12 are across the top. The cursor keys are in their own grid as are the number keys. The control key is where it belongs above the shift key on the left and to the right of the space bar otherwise. The alt keys are on the extreme right and left of the bottom row. It is heavier than the Atwood. The keys response and sound are very similar to the IBM keyboards---stiff and loud. I've been a touch typist since the early '60s and this is the keyboard for me. In order to balance my review, it is a little bit difficult for me to find the home keys since I suffer from diabetic neuropathy in my hands; been thinking about using some Sugru to provide a bit more feedback. But that is my only quibble. Oh and the fact that they are no longer manufactured <sigh/>
Reminds me of https://workflowy.com/
I mow my lawn with a manual push mower, I don't own a smartphone and I still prefer paper books. Our society is moving towards a constantly-connected life, but I'll go out on a limb and say it's good for the soul to get away from electronics completely every so often. That's why I'll (probably) never give up paper books.
Guess it's time for dazzle paint to become a trendy new fashion statement. (Example: http://cvdazzle.com/).

Someone like Lady Gaga is basically untrackable if she's wearing any of her usual ununsual outfits.
would love to see a self hosted ginko. It used to be that there was a lot of self hosted project, now everyone wants to keep you data... I wonder if the trend will change again.
I recommend Kernighan & Pike's _The Practice of Programming_.

(I haven't read the other two because wherever I dipped in it was familiar. That's mostly true of the above too, but it got a chance because hey, Kernighan and Pike.)
Road Trippin'Cartoon
this could go so wrong if someone figured out how to intercept and change the packets to make the receiver do something else
What I Learned From My First Freelance Gig — Reuben Ingber
The cold truth about learning another language is that you will not learn much when you are not living in a community(country) that speaks that language.

I started learning English when I moved to the U.S. three years ago but I speak better than those who spent 10 years learning English in my home country.
In Brazil, it is illegal to share Internet connection with neighbours, the fine is about US$ 4000.
Article from Brazilian newspaper "Share internet with neighbors can generate fine of up to R$ 8000": http://bit.do/illegal-to-share-internet-connection

"According to the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel), wireless networks can not exceed the perimeter of the residence of the subscriber and the signal can not be sold, regardless of whether or not to generate profit."
This is an epidemiological observation, and those rarely indicate a particular mechanism. Even with giant populations and teams of scientists we have only tentative and shifting theories for why, for example, Americans are fatter than Europeans.

Controlled studies of startup founders are not practical.