Don't Try To "Pull An Instagram." Here's Why … - <AUTHOR> http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/2012/04/14/dont-try-to-pull-an-instagram-heres-why/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BothSidesOfTheTable+%28Both+Sides+of+the+Table%29 <comment><USER2> Charlie Munger (Warren Buffett's partner) has kept a long-running list of psychological tendencies that commonly affect people's judgment. There's one item on this list that he's termed "Availability-Misweighing Tendency." In a nutshell, it's an observation that people tend to overweigh extra-vivid evidence, which (necessarily) means _under-weighing_ evidence that isn't so vivid.

In this case, the extra-vivid evidence is the Instagram acquisition. It's been analyzed, or at least covered, by every blog and news network I can think of. I'm sure it's clogging most of our Twitter feeds. I even have friends and relatives who know nothing about tech but want to talk about it. It doesn't get much more vivid than that. And even if it wasn't receiving so much coverage, a billion dollars is enough money to be vivid in-and-of itself.

The point is, if you're re-thinking your business strategy or personal goals based on this news, you should tread carefully. The remedy to overweighing extra-vivid evidence is to always make it a point to seek out other side of the story. So I agree with Mark when he encourages "all other companies to do the harder work of finding out what happens in the 99.9% case, which is what is often never written in the annals of the tech news media."

<comment><USER3> >Charlie Munger (Warren Buffett's partner) has kept a long-running list of psychological tendencies that commonly affect people's judgment. There's one item on this list that he's termed "Availability-Misweighing Tendency." In a nutshell, it's an observation that people tend to overweigh extra-vivid evidence, which (necessarily) means under-weighing evidence that isn't so vivid.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Availability_heuristic>

>a long-running list of psychological tendencies that commonly affect people's judgment.

These are usually called cognitive biases. Wikipedia has a long list, though Charlie's may be longer. (I haven't seen it.)

<comment><USER2> Wikipedia's list (<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases>) is indeed longer. Charlie claims to have about 100 models that he makes use of, but he's only published the ones he finds the most useful, and only a handful of those are cognitive biases.

<comment><USER4> A great book on the subject is Thinking Fast and Slow.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER5> The post is missing the most important point.

Instagram would not be worth $1B to Facebook if it has not raised a large round. Without the resources to fuel the expansion, build out the product, develop an application platform, invest in revenue team and so on Instagram would be in no position to threaten Facebook. As soon as the funding closed Facebook was suddenly facing a viable threat in mobile vs. just another resource-starved startup hanging onto dear life.

So it is pretty questionable to assume that Instagram itself "pulled an Instagram". They raised Series B because that was the deal that could happen first. Once it happened the environment changed and Facebook saw the need to take Instagram off the table.

If anything, the point is to avoid trying to pull "uncertain multi-step transactions". Use various strategic alternatives to create urgency / better terms for other alternatives, choose between the options you can get and focus on optimizing your immediate next step.

<comment><USER6> "As soon as the funding closed Facebook was suddenly facing a viable threat in mobile vs. just another resource-starved startup hanging onto dear life."

You are stating that like it's a fait accompli that the threat is real and a done deal as opposed to a mountain that they have to continue to climb and achieve with all sorts of things that could cause the dream (after $500m funding) to not even happen.

Perhaps it's the same bias on the part of Facebook that caused them to make this acquisition and overreact (possibly - and of course we'll never know the answer) to Instagram's funding.

And what about the fact that they waited until they were funded as opposed to having a system in place to identify the threat from "just another resource- starved startup hanging onto dear life" and getting involved before that?

<comment><USER7> One thing I haven't seen anyone mention is that, depending on the stock vs. cash split (I guess we'll see in the S-1 eventually), the acquisition not only knocks out a potentual competitor/keeps bigger competitors away from Instagram, gains a talented team and a cool product, but also acts as a pre- IPO liquidation event. Instagram now has at least ~10% of Facebook's 2011 revenue banked.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER8> A more detailed way of saying: "Taking too much VC money will close more doors than it opens, and you should know which ones are closing"

I'd assign weight 0 to 'interested acquirers' opinions. Until there is a deal on the table, there is no reason to risk running out of cash and being bought at fire sale prices.

</comment><comment><USER9> The economics of tech startups are really puzzling to me. What is the obsession with raising all of this money?

If your business is profitable then raising money shouldn't be a concern, especially if you have something just sitting in cyberspace with no real meatspace components bleeding cash. Really, what the hell is this kind of money even being spent on? Servers and staff cannot be that expensive, and few of these services I'm thinking of bother with advertising.

And if your business isn't profitable then why the hell is anybody investing in you?

Or is it more to do with capturing a share of the world's eyeballs and having an exit strategy of holding out for a strategic acquisition by a company unwilling to lose those eyeballs to a competitor, such that the amounts "raised" in these deals is more about establishing a stake in the final acquisition amount in exchange for giving the founders an immediate payoff?

</comment><comment><USER10> point is that instagram cashed it, and facebook nailed a competitor.

Bottom line: VC's are good for ultrapreneurs, but not for those entrepreneurs who want to take the risk of giving facebook a push from the side.

</comment><comment><USER11> My contention is Instagram already decided to sell to FB prior to the investement. However Mark, being the Zuckester he is, wanted to do the large majority of the deal using stocks only (that's gangster). Instagram raised money so the founders and team would have cash, and the investors get a chance to have more pre-IPO FB stock.

Note: Maybe this is what the post is about. I have not read t yet.

<comment><USER12> Totally, totally gangster.

(seriously, what?)</comment></comment>


Ask HN: Cycles of work-burnout and getting back in motion? - <AUTHOR>

I've recently spent the last month working intensely  on a side project that I've managed to complete the beginning part of and ship, and now find myself utterly burnt out and lacking motivation to touch it again.
I work full time as a developer so this meant a lot of working in the early and late hours of the day to get done, and found myself full of energy and fire while working on it but am now looking to reacquire that energy.
I imagine others have been in a similar situation, what do you do to regain your motivation/energy after an intense period of work? <comment><USER2> I had the same situation a couple months ago.My strategy was a little break outside town in a spa hotel,near the nature,geting all that work out of my head and enjoing the little things in life.To regain motivation in myself,I use inspirational articles,videos and a positive conversation with friends,family members or with your business partner.Try to avoid negative thoughts,keep thinking for work only when you're on it and when it's done,when it's over think of the ways to get yourself inspired,nobody knows what work beter for you exept yourself! If you're lacking motivational and inspiral stuff,find more articles in hardquotes.com ! Have a great day!</comment>


Show HN: Charting Latest 100 Ethereum Blocks (a.k.a. How I Wasted Today) - <AUTHOR> http://ethstatus.com/ <comment><AUTHOR> Just for fun, I wanted to chart some metrics on the last days worth of blocks, but things quickly got out of hand, so I settled on 100 blocks which is about 20 mins.

But I need some ideas on other stats or metrics I could track? \- I could breakdown `contracts deployed` into types e.g. erc20 etc</comment>


Ask HN: How do you manage your photos? - <AUTHOR>

I have wondered about this before, but as the recent father to a beautiful son, this had suddenly become very important - how do we manage family photos and videos? With various devices, it's easy to take hundreds of photos every day, some are treasures to be stored for a life time, some are quick "can you show me this mole on my back", a soy sauce etiquette for shopping, or out-of-focus and poor pictures.
How much time do we spend sorting through pictures? How brutally do we delete less than perfect photos? Where do we store them so that they are available in many years - right now iPhoto sucks them all in, but I don't trust that program one bit. And how would we store metadata about the pictures (not just dates, but perhaps short stories etc), in a format that will be available in the future?
How are others dealing with this? <comment><AUTHOR> (And also, how do you actually access the photos? I have thousands of photos on my harddrive, but I find it extremely rare to actually sit down and look through any of them)</comment>


Whose Fake News Gets a Pass? NYT Advocates Internet Censorship - <AUTHOR> http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/11/21/whose-fake-news-gets-pass-nyt-advocates-internet-censorship <comment><USER2> Ron Paul states it well:

[http://www.ronpaullibertyreport.com/archives/revealed-the- re...](http://www.ronpaullibertyreport.com/archives/revealed-the-real-fake- news-list)

</comment><comment><USER3> Follow the money.</comment>


Xerox Secures $24B for Hostile Takeover Bid of HP - <AUTHOR> https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2020/01/06/xerox-secures-24-billion-for-hostile-takeover-bid-of-hp/ <comment><USER2> What the? Crazy if they pull this off. When I was testing printers at Xerox in Wilsonville, Oregon some 1 years ago the benchmark for the consumer grade ones were the HP units. They never seemed to jam or fail. The Xerox ones weren't as good.</comment>


Security researcher MalwareTech pleads guilty - <AUTHOR> https://www.zdnet.com/article/security-researcher-malwaretech-pleads-guilty/ <comment><USER2> You can read Attachment A of the plea agreement to see an overview of the DOJ's case. It does not seem weak.

[https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wied.77855/...](https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wied.77855/gov.uscourts.wied.77855.124.0.pdf)

In particular: they have multiple sources who communicated directly with Hutchins about selling Kronos, and selling Kronos through his co-conspirator Vinnie. Those sources provided online chat transcripts. They also have a partial confession from Hutchins on the day of his arrest.

</comment><comment><USER3> I have a feeling this guilty plea is not actually a "guilty" plea, and more of "let's get it over with."

The guy has always called the charges "bullshit" and was asking for donations to keep up with legal costs.

This isn't how a legal system is supposed to work. You don't take a guilty plea because you run out of money.

<comment><USER4> > I have a feeling this guilty plea is not actually a "guilty" plea, and more > of "let's get it over with."

On what basis did you form this opinion? Presumably more than just the say-so of the accused.

> This isn't how a legal system is supposed to work. You don't take a guilty > plea because you run out of money.

But that's not how it works. You have a right to be represented by an attorney. That's why the state and federal governments maintain a system of talented-if-overworked public defenders.

<comment><USER2> Hutchins was represented by a whole team of lawyers including Marcia Hofmann, whose name is on the plea agreement. He did not rely on a public defender.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER5> A few friends and myself chipped in some money for his legal defense, taking hin at his word when he said he was innocent.

Lesson learned, I suppose.

</comment><comment><AUTHOR> In any case, this sends a clear message that attending US cybersecurity conferences are now a huge risk for foreigners, which means there's a opportunity for either European or Canadian versions of these conferences or create a alternative to them. Been saying this for years and it's no different here.

<comment><USER6> You heard about when FBI tips various national EU police and together they go and arrest the hacker on EU territory, right?

One example:

> _Five individuals have been arrested as part of an investigation into two > major ransomware families - CTB-Locker and Cerber - that spread across > Europe and the U.S. in recent years. All suspects were arrested in Romania, > Europol announced Wednesday, as six properties were searched as part of a > major global police operation involving the FBI and the UK National Crime > Agency, as well as Romanian and Dutch investigators._

</comment></comment><comment> ga-vu Prison is supposed to be a punishment for people to reform their lifes.

This guy was already on the good path already. I hope he gets a suspended sentence.</comment>


LocalStack – A fully functional local AWS cloud stack - <AUTHOR> https://github.com/atlassian/localstack <comment><USER2> Huh. One of the biggest 'drawbacks' of using AWS as a production platform is that making your development environment look like production is hard.

Having to deploy to test is cumbersome and having a cost associated with each test can definitely introduce some sort of 'stress' and encourage people to not test incrementally.

I wonder if this changes that. Having services like S3, Lambda and SQS available locally sounds super interesting.

I will definitely keep an eye on this. One other thing I would like to see is CloudFront, which can be very hard to start with due to its opaqueness. Having to wait 20+ minutes between configuration changes is very demotivating.

<comment><USER3> > your development environment look like production is hard.

The hard part is the cost IMHO

</comment></comment><comment><USER4> Really impressive. Although the title sounds a bit misleading, it's only mocking stuff from what I can see (which makes sense).

I know there's some actual open source reimplementations of bits of the AWS products, such as S3. Might be worth integrating into it.

<comment><USER5> "Minio" as a drop in local replacement for s3 has been great for local development. Small Golang binary.

<comment><USER6> Minio is awesome, I use it in production to store many TBs of data and never had any issues. The clustering functionality could use some additional work (or I just havn't understood it right) and it would be nice to be able to generate multiple keys/users.

<comment><USER7> Out of curiosity how have you found the performance of clustered Minio? I've been checking out Riak S2 but the simplicity of Minio is attractive. Thanks!

<comment><USER8> I don't think Minio is clustered.

<comment><USER7> They have a "distributed" setup: [http://docs.minio.io/docs/distributed-minio- quickstart-guide](http://docs.minio.io/docs/distributed-minio-quickstart- guide)

<comment><USER8> Ah. I stand corrected. I'm leery of their consistency model in that mode, but could just be that I haven't dug into it far enough to make sense out of it.

<comment><USER9> > I'm leery of their consistency model in that mode

Amazon S3 is eventually consistent, so is this really any worse?

<comment><USER8> For authorization/authentication policy updates it isn't.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER10> Another option along the same lines:

[https://github.com/eucalyptus/eucalyptus](https://github.com/eucalyptus/eucalyptus)

</comment><comment><USER11> Interestingly, that Atlassian co-publishes this on GitHub, keeping the main development on BitBucket.

<comment><USER12> GitHub has become the defacto standard place for open source. I've heard it said that if you care about contributors or users of open source, you should publish to GitHub even if that's not where you develop it. I guess Atlassian have realised this too...

<comment><USER13> I understand what you're saying and unfortunately it's true but it's also silly because Gitlab, Bitbucket and others can use Open Auth APIs to make contribution easier. I for example use Google Auth on Gitlab but Github didn't have that back when I signed up. If they did I would have used it there too.

<comment><USER12> I guess GitHub got mindshare early and then became the entrenched option. So its less about technical merits than not, although anecdotally, while GitHub has its flaws, in many ways I prefer its UX to that of GitLab and Bitbucket. For example, Bitbucket's overview page isn't very useful to me at all and yet its the default repo page.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER14> Am I missing the documentation somewhere? I see directions for setup and installation but nothing about what's supported for each mock. Obviously they haven't rebuilt all the service from scratch to run on my local machine, so what can I do here? If I create an S3 bucket will the API return that bucket in my next ListBuckets call? If so, is that persistent? Etc.

</comment><comment><USER15> My concern with relying on things like these for testing is they're not supported by AWS, so behaviours can easily diverge without you realising.

I think we've got a lot of mileage in the past out of just mocking request/responses when testing AWS interactions. The only time we've ever used a pseudo-service was when testing against the dynamoDB JAR they provide with the SDK.

<comment><USER16> That is my first concern as well but testing and bug counts are not an all-or- nothing thing. If something like this can reduce bug counts in a complicated distributed system while reducing costs vs testing against "the real thing" it still may very well be worth it.

<comment><USER17> Yup. There's nothing to stop some to have a lot of local iterations for speed, and then later when you are satisfied, have the test run on real AWS.

Would save some money too.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER18> I've tried localstack once a few months ago to mock SQS and found it really slow to boot, had a pretty high memory footprint, crashed very often (was running inside their official docker container I recall), and lacked documentation.

If you just need to mock SQS, I recommend using elasticmq. I've used it for a few months now and haven't had any problems at all so far.

[https://github.com/adamw/elasticmq/blob/master/README.md](https://github.com/adamw/elasticmq/blob/master/README.md) [https://hub.docker.com/r/expert360/elasticmq/](https://hub.docker.com/r/expert360/elasticmq/)

</comment><comment><USER19> This is something I hadn't really thought about before. Aside from this, how have AWS devs done local development (have they?).

<comment><USER20> Same way as any other API really, mocking and/or real dry run calls where supported (which is most of the API in AWS' case).

Then a staging version of the real environment for final testing.

<comment><USER21> Dry run calls for AWS just check IAM permissions according to docs. Am I missing some sort of dry run feature?

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER22> Looks interesting, so far we've been using elasticmq[1] (SQS) and s3rver[2] (S3) to do e2e integration testing on local and staging. We spin them up using azk[3].

[1] [https://github.com/adamw/elasticmq](https://github.com/adamw/elasticmq) [2] [https://github.com/jamhall/s3rver](https://github.com/jamhall/s3rver) [3] [http://www.azk.io/](http://www.azk.io/)

</comment><comment><USER23> Has anyone figured out how to create lambdas? I can't seem to create one via the CLI because I don't have the correct IAM role setup?

<comment><USER24> Thank you for confirming the accuracy of the AWS Lambda test model.

</comment></comment><comment><USER25> This looks excellent, I used moto to do some unit testing of a Python application and was wondering if anything existed to make unit testing other codebases easier. There's always the risk of diversion from AWS resources but I think it's a small risk, generally AWS seems to stay fairly consistent for legacy when new features are introduced.

</comment><comment><USER26> AWS supports an official DynamoDBLocal. I wish they supported local implementations of their other services as well.

</comment><comment><USER27> I applaud everyone using such deep testing!

</comment><comment><USER28> Could this be used for learning AWS instead of starting the clock on the free year of AWS?

<comment><USER29> If you want to learn the ins and outs of AWS i would recommend using the real thing. You can always create a new account when you have something in production and want to take advantage of free-tier pricing.

</comment></comment><comment><USER30> Why are we calling this "local" and not a "private cloud"?

<comment><USER31> Did you read the page linked to?

Or: Because it's not a "private cloud".</comment></comment>


The Peanut Solution (2010) - <AUTHOR> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/magazine/05Plumpy-t.html

<comment> digital-rubber Being allergic to nuts, in particular peanuts, i wonder if this could or would raise the number of allergic (children/people) there. When perhaps else they would have not eaten peanuts.

Peanuts are weird.</comment>


Ec2 On-Demand vs Reserved Pricing (graph included) - <AUTHOR> http://edwin.io/ec2-reserved-vs-on-demand-pricing

<comment><USER2> Here's something interesting about the pricing structure: if you get a spot instance, and bid like $5/hr max for it, you won't get overbid for it, and your hourly cost is going to be far less than outright buying the reserve instance itself if you need it longterm.

<comment><USER3> _you won't get overbid for it_

... unless the people who bought reserved instances for disaster recovery decide to start using them. If one company's disaster recovery plans kick in, it's quite likely that many other companies' disaster recovery plans will kick in at the same time -- and spot instances will suddenly become very scarce as they are reallocated to the people who paid to reserve them.

</comment></comment><comment><USER4> This graph is very confusing. On the X-axis are dates, and on the Y-axis are some unspecified numbers, perhaps price.

<comment><AUTHOR> X-axis = dates (Jan 1st - Dec 31st)

Y-axis = price

<comment><USER4> So all the On-Demand instances were free on Jan 10, and have been getting more expensive linearly since then? I doubt it.

<comment><AUTHOR> If you zoom in to see Jan 10th 2010 you will see the following prices

<http://twitpic.com/1m6vxi>

<comment><USER5> So x-axis is actually days of usage, not absolute dates

<comment><AUTHOR> Correct day 1 to day 365.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER6> I realize that many here need to plan for extremely bursty or massively scalable setups, but for 99% of applications AWS seems lousy in terms of SLA and overpriced for what you get.

You can get premium colocation for a 1U or 2U server for $200 a month, ie. $2400 per year.

This premium colocation comes with phone and email support for most basic Linux and networking tasks, 100% network and power uptime guarantees, etc.

AWS does not offer much support unless you pay more, and as we have seen in the past, they do have outages.

A server from Aberdeeninc.com (price for 1 server without negotiation or shopping around), far superior to an xlarge, is about $3100 including shipping (Stirling 169 1U, 2x 5504 CPUs (8 cores), 24GB RAM, 2x 500GB Seagate 32MB cache).

Meanwhile an xlarge RS will cost almost $4k per year.

So, over 3 years: AWS xlarge: $12K

Premium colo + 1U server: $7200 plus $3100 = $10.3K .

And that is for just one instance.

I would be very interested in hearing real-world testing results of what an AWS compute unit actually ends up being comparable to vs. a relatively modern CPU like the quad core Opterons and Xeons.

<comment><AUTHOR> The colo setup requires an up front cost and a commitment to the hardware. With AWS it's less about finding an exact hardware match and more about managing resources.

There are pros and cons to each. I've worked in the hosting/colo space for many years. I think there's a time in a companies infrastructure and scaling needs where being able to customize your hardware and software is the right decision. I see a hybrid future, actually it's already here.

AWS Pros: I can fail over to another datacenter pretty quickly (depends on how you manage your infrastructure). With colo, that's not possible without more cost.

I can quickly spin up or down instances as needed (based on traffic patterns). To have a standby server or servers at a colo = $$$ , or maybe have the dedicated server provider boot up a few of their dedicated servers ?

s3 (tons of storage) - If you've built-out clustered storage systems, you know how expensive (hardware/management) that can be.

Ping,Pipe,Power - They've been managing data centers for many years and have the experience to keep the lights on.

AWS Cons:

Needs better support.

Price: They're priced above a usual VPS, but you need to consider the flexibility they provide.(API,ZONES)

I think for startups aws/slicehost/linode can work.</comment></comment>


Blackberry Keyone Review: Part Productivity, Part Nostalgia - <AUTHOR> https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/4/15439018/new-blackberry-keyone-review-2017-phone-keyboard <comment><USER3> > _It was in about the third hour of using the new BlackBerry KeyOne, > available for preorder now for $549 unlocked, that I started to question my > longtime preference for touchscreen keyboards._

I'm surprised it took that long. Bret Victor explained it best:

 _I call this technology Pictures Under Glass. Pictures Under Glass sacrifice all the tactile richness of working with our hands, offering instead a hokey visual facade. Is that so bad, to dump the tactile for the visual?_

 _Try this: close your eyes and tie your shoelaces. No problem at all, right? Now, how well do you think you could tie your shoes if your arm was asleep? Or even if your fingers were numb? When working with our hands, touch does the driving, and vision helps out from the back seat._

 _Pictures Under Glass is an interaction paradigm of permanent numbness. It 's a Novocaine drip to the wrist. It denies our hands what they do best. And yet, it's the star player in every Vision Of The Future._

[http://worrydream.com/ABriefRantOnTheFutureOfInteractionDesi...](http://worrydream.com/ABriefRantOnTheFutureOfInteractionDesign/)

I really hope this is the start of a trend

<comment><USER4> >Try this: close your eyes and tie your shoelaces. No problem at all, right? Now, how well do you think you could tie your shoes if your arm was asleep? Or even if your fingers were numb? When working with our hands, touch does the driving, and vision helps out from the back seat.

I think this is an awful analogy. I can type just as fast on my touchscreen no problem without looking. The problem with having physical keyboards on a phone is space. You're taking up a solid 1/4th of the weight and bulk of a phone with something that is entirely dedicated to the single purpose of entering text. On top of that keyboards are a vector for dust and moisture to enter, making the phone less durable. There's a reason iPhone is the single greatest selling electronic device in history, and RIM is circling the drain. People want slim, sexy, lightweight touch phones. Not bricks with keyboards.

<comment><USER5> > People want slim, sexy, lightweight touch phones. Not bricks with keyboards.

I'm 'People' and I don't want that.

<comment><USER6> You're "person". Sure, I'm being pedantic, but when you take a look at the overall market, the "people" being referenced, they do indeed want that.

<comment><USER7> Unfortunately I think you're right and not sure why you're downvoted.

<comment><USER5> Just upvoted him, he's allowed his opinion, even though it conflicts with mine.

I may be a 'person' and not 'people', but imagine if we all had to drive the same car, or live in the same type of houses, just because the majority preferred it that way...

If there is enough of us who want something different that making or providing that thing is viable, then we should be allowed to have it, and have no-one criticise us for that choice. It is after all supposed to be a free world.

<comment><USER7> Agreed. I use incredibly obscure programming languages, devices, hobby spoken languages, games...in almost everything I do outside the norm, not because I'm trying to be different, but that's what I like. The parent comment is just saying the market (most people) have spoken and we're not it. Just like I doubt you're an avid Java fan on HN (you might be, but I doubt it). The market has spoken on that and Taylor Swift...etc.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER8> Like the article says: its for a certain niche of people who just get stuff done. I have owned iPhones(6+, SE), Blackberry (9700, Z3, now DTEK60), several Android devices. None of them hold a candle to the 9700 for getting work done. For play its hopeless, but for email, spreadsheets, reviewing docs, it was brilliant because of one single hardware device - the optical mouse 'pad'. I dont understand why other devices cant do something like this (other than patent protection). Life is some much easier when one can navigate quickly without smudging the work, obscuring the work. There is a reason there is a whole bunch of folks out there that like the IBM/Lenovo trackpoint nub (I hate it but others love it). These devices allow a certain style of working that can be productive beyond belief.

But history shows us the spoils dont go to the 'best' as far as consumer devices go. They go to the flashiest, most convenient, lowest resistance (lowest common denominator), that gets enough of everything right to be easy for masses.

iPhones get it right for everything just works and 3 year olds can figure it out. Android is a whole lot better but appeals to the engineer in people - <USER2> year olds less so. Blackberry is for getting work done or those who communicate in written form far more than anything else. I hope the KeyONE (i like the name because its not boring like 6, 7 or childish like Galaxy, Moto) is a success. Plan to get one near end of the year because i need to break the habit of wishing for progress by buying a new phone phone every 6 months!

For the curious why did i give up on Apple and go back to Blackberry. because iOS would not allow me to set size of system fonts. App vendors decided that everything should be in unreadable 8pt so for a long sighted person that made most apps unusable as my eyes got worse over last year (Im 50+) from programming and aging.

End of rant.

<comment><USER9> I am really drooling over the OLED iPhone which will supposedly release around the end of the year, but truth be told, I have some reservations for iOS and not being able to change the font size is one of them. I am very tempted by the much better battery life of the Plus iPhones because I am sick of having to optimize my battery usage on my Androids, plus iPhones are objectively quicker at single tasks... but some of the lack of customization is making me hesitate. (Though I do admit, if Apple introduces a dark theme -- and I am 90% sure they will, based on rumours/leaks -- that will seal the deal for me and I'll absolutely get the OLED iPhone.)

As for getting work done on the go, I seriously think a MacBook (the original one from 2015, with the 12" screen) is a much better deal. I can't understand people who need to text 24/7, even if it's for work. And if you really do need to text so much, can't a small laptop like the MacBook or a tablet with a good BT keyboard do a better job? If you're a business person you're already carrying some kind of briefcase or a laptop bag anyway. So if you're on a train, in a car or a bus and if you're not the driver, why not just pull out a laptop or a BT keyboard for a tablet and get your work done even faster?

</comment></comment><comment><USER10> "The KeyOne is a phone for a very specific person, one that longs for the days when the BlackBerry Bold was the most important device in the office and the majority of business communications happened over email."

Do communications happen over something else now for many/most businesses? Yes, for SOME businesses the majority of business communications happen over something else, but I'm under the impression that for MOST businesses email is still holds the majority of communications still. Am I wrong on that?

<comment><USER11> Professional bloggers often seem out of touch with the rest of the world. They seem to think everybody starts their day out with an hour at Starbucks drinking $5 cups of coffee and replying to tweets, then heads out to the gym to take selfies for an hour before lunch.

<comment><USER12> Where do you live that a coffee costs $5? Around here a grande at starbucks costs $2, and even the fanciest of the fancy drinks costs less than $5.

Is your local starbucks charging you 10 bucks for a flat white or something?

<comment><USER13> Just checked transactions on my credit card. Most of my Starbucks purchases are five dollars and some odd cents. Seems like he nailed it. I'm in Atlanta.

<comment><USER14> I guess it's not just for single coffee. Either couple of them or sandwiches/croissants.

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER15> I long for the days where I could look at my phone, click a few times and put the phone back down again. rather than fingerpeck and frustratingly try to hit backspace to correct a word but instead of backspace you hit either enter or the mic button.

<comment><USER9> Me too, but I've lost hope. Companies are only interested in selling the next big hit and consumer needs take a back seat 99% of the time.

Plus, natural language processing (talking to your phone) is still in its infancy. Google's voice dictation is alright but makes mistakes often enough to be unusable for me.

</comment></comment><comment><USER16> I'd buy a phone with a keyboard in a heartbeat, but BlackBerry has these awkwardly shaped keys that never feel right.

I miss the old HTC keyboards, like on my G1 and G2.

<comment><USER17> God's I miss the G1. That popout keyboard was amazing.

<comment><USER16> Same. Although the G2 was even nicer, in that the keys were bigger, but you lost the dedicated number row.

I'd honestly be okay with a slab style phone, that's wider than normal, but still fits in the hand, so I can have a solid keyboard.

Something similar to the Peek: [https://i2.wp.com/www.amitbhawani.com/blog/wp- content/upload...](https://i2.wp.com/www.amitbhawani.com/blog/wp- content/uploads/2010/03/Get-Peek-Email-India.jpg)

<comment><USER18> Reminds me that Samsung have been offering a keyboard cover of sorts for their recent high end models.

[http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/mobile- accessories/phones/g...](http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/mobile- accessories/phones/galaxy-s8-plus-keyboard-cover--black-ej-cg955bbegww/)

Apparently it is not simply a passive device, but one the firmware is aware of when placed above the screen, as the screen actually shrink to account for the area covered by the keyboard.

Edit: That said, i can't help feel the world lost something when the leading light in phone design moved from Europe to USA, and in the process turning every phone into a flat piece of glass.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER5> I am a die-hard proper keyboard fan, and I've been waiting for the KeyONE since it was first announced as the Mercury.

All my phones have had keyboards, the last two being the Droid4 and the Blackberry Q5.

I've never been a touchscreen keyboard fan, my fingers are too fat and my nails too long - at speed, the only thing I ever type on them is total gibberish.

I don't care if the KeyONE is underspecced or if the 'media' people don't like it. As long as it runs a mainstream operating system, and the keyboard is at least on par with previous blackberry keyboards - I'll be happy.

However, at $499 the sim-free price _is_ a bit on the high side :(

<comment><USER19> > I am a die-hard proper keyboard fan, and I've been waiting for the KeyONE > since it was first announced as the Mercury.

Mercury sounds like a far better name than KeyONE. KeyONE sounds tacky, not like a corporate executive's phone.

Curious why they changed it. It should be well known as the keyboard device without having to mention 'key' in the name.

<comment><USER5> Yeah Mercury (and then Rome) were good names for it. KeyONE just... sucks. :(

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER20> I'm certainly late to the party, but i think i have the last blackberry device I'll ever own in my pocket.

The hardware itself is excellent, I own a priv, and it's literally been driven over.

They have since outsourced their best feature, IMO (now using Chinese manufacturing).

They claim to have the most secure devices on the market, but i haven't had an Android update since February.

Perhaps most egregiously, they shared their BIS private key with the RCMP.

So, they don't care about security, privacy, and now build quality.

I'll buy something else.

<comment><USER21> If your talking about the Priv, then :

Updates: It still gets consistent security updates, as recently as last month.

Build Quality: They already outsourced this a while ago, while maintaining high build quality. (The Priv was designed, but not assembled, by BlackBerry. This KeyOne is also designed, but not manufactured, by BlackBerry). Chinese manufacturing isn't inherently bad -- MacBooks and iPhones get made in China too.

I understand and agree with your concern about the BIS private key, but in terms of execution, BlackBerry really has done as good job with these recent phones.

<comment><USER20> Updates: I don't know what to tell you. I am running patch version February 5 2017 (While being fully updated).

The Priv was the last device to be assembled by Blackberry. The first device to not be assembled by blackberry was the next phone (DTek50)

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER22> I do miss blackberry keyboards. $549, though, doesn't seem very competitive. Maybe that's just a list price, and actual pricing will be more in line with phones that have similar specs (other than the keyboard) ?

<comment><USER19> That price sounds pretty normal considering the offering... phones are expensive these days and this isn't a low end device, nor a low end target market (corporate office workers).

<comment><USER22> A Motorola G5 Plus has the same CPU, same storage, but more RAM, 1920x1080 vs 1620x1080 display, etc.

It's substantially lower in price, at $229.99

I'm no phone expert, but the premium for the keyboard plus a slightly larger battery seems off to me.

<comment><USER23> I won't disagree that the KeyOne seems expensive. What never seems to get brought up in any conversation that compares the price of devices is the included and future software updates.

I don't know what exactly BlackBerry has committed to in terms of security updates, but if buy this phone and I get very timely security updates for the next 2+ years, that has a lot of value to me.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER24> owner of a blackberry priv here.

I can't write without the keyboard anymore.

the phone is garbage. but just being able to do ctrl+a, ctrl+c, ctrl+v is already enough to make up for all the other bs.

sadly, my next phone will probably be another dumb keyboardless one because the key selection and lack of customization are just not worth having a huge phablet for me.

if it had a tab key. and maybe esc. or heck if it were barelly usable when you select another soft keyboard (e.g. hackers keyboard) then I'd use it even if the form size was a full tablet! but it will completely quit working if you select anything other than the bb soft keyboard. which as you can imagine, is pure shit.

oh, and every update they make it worse. in typical blackberry lack of touch with reality. the last one was that backspace suddenly becomes delete!!! imagine you carefully place the cursor after the second word of a paragraph. hold delete to erase them. and after they are gone, it start deleting the rest of you painfully typed text! and most android apps dont have ctrl+z capabilities.

<comment> yjftsjthsd-h If you're on Android, install Hacker's Keyboard. All the keys, soft keyboard.

<comment><USER18> Anysoftkeyboard is perhaps also an option.

[https://anysoftkeyboard.github.io/](https://anysoftkeyboard.github.io/)

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER25> I'm looking forward to this indiegogo Moto Z add-on--hopefully it won't be too thick. I kept my Droid 4 for as long as I could...this seems almost as good.

[https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/keyboard-mod-a- physical-k...](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/keyboard-mod-a-physical- keyboard-for-the-moto-z#/)

</comment><comment><USER26> I love BlackBerry. I bought a Passport just for kicks and have never put a SIM in it. I just like it. I'll probably buy one of these too and just sit it on the desk.

<comment><USER20> OS 10 Devices don't support TLS 1.2

Hope you don't want to be PCI compliant.

<comment><USER20> Don't know why i am being downvoted, i guess ill have to elaborate.

The Blackberry Hub in OS 10 does not support TLS 1.2 for email, without a BES policy.

You need a BES server to use TLS 1.2.

I know several Passport owners that basically use them for paper weights as well, because BlackBerry doesnt care.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER27> I have a 6" phablet and I often travel with my "huge" bluetooth keyboard. With connectbot, tmux and vim I have a decent environment for small programming tasks. I can't code without my keyboard. IMHO the strength of Blackberry was its keyboards. When BB has started producing keyboard-less phones, it has killed itself.

<comment><USER28> They killed themselves when they dragged their feet when the iPhone came along and developed an ecosystem, and went with BB10.

</comment></comment><comment><USER29> I currently use a bb passport, and look forward to using a KeyOne... when my passport is totally obsolete or broken.

<comment><USER30> Same here, just with Classic. Sadly it's becoming obsolete pretty quick (Android 4.3 runtime…).

<comment><USER5> It's an uphill struggle getting Google Play on BB10 devices, and then Messenger and Facebook. I've done it a few times - every time I rebuild my Q5, but it's starting to get really annoying.

<comment><USER30> I use this for Google Play (and other related Google things) – [http://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-10-os-f269/cobalts-o...](http://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-10-os-f269/cobalts- official-google-apps-landing-page-965257/)

Never got Mesenger or FB app to work, though. I just use m.facebook.com in a browser.

<comment><USER5> The version of Messenger which works is:

      com.facebook.orca-126.96.36.199.14-8972666-minAPI14.apk

You'll find it on APK sites (or, I have a copy)

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER31> I loved my first blackberry, I think it was the 6710. From there it has all been downhill with possible exception of the Classic. BBRY freaked out when Apple figured out what consumer users want and took over the market. As long as BBRY tries to go head-to-head with Apple / Samsung, they are going to fail.

<comment><USER11> Are they going head to head with Apple and Samsung? Like they definitely tried that, but this device seems to be moving back to catering to the business person who isn't playing games on their phone or watching videos.

</comment></comment><comment><USER32> I've had a Blackberry Classic for 2 years now, and I get a lot of flack from friends and family for it... The same people that have their OS lock up constantly, can't hold a charge for a whole day, and get a new phone every year due to planned/unplanned obsolescence.

<comment><USER9> People love to bash those who aren't in their "club"; you probably are aware it's nothing personal but an instinctive social reaction. I still wouldn't tolerate it however.

</comment></comment><comment><USER33> Does GPG work in the hub?

</comment><comment><USER34> Wheres the headphone jack?

<comment><USER35> It looks to be on the top at the left side</comment></comment>


Show HN:Share funny, crazy, and weird everyday experiences - <AUTHOR> http://www.bakarbox.com/

<comment><AUTHOR> Hi All, Introducing to you bakarbox.com where people can share their funny, crazy, and weird experiences ( what we call as "bakar" ).

Filled with features

Voting, Commenting, taggings, profile etc..

please have a look into and it will be great to have your suggestions/ feedbacks (weird ones too).

Clearly its not aimed for any business/startup purpose or something like that but purely for fun and experience sharing.

i know its much similiar to many other websites But i tried to make it clean and since it's my first attempt so love to hear what you feel about it.

Love to listen what more it can be?</comment>


Streaming news network Cheddar acquired by Altice USA for $200M - <AUTHOR> https://www.axios.com/cheddar-altice-usa-acquisition-streaming-news-e82390b6-49f6-4b54-94b5-a7adc0b06f35.html <comment><USER2> Ouch. Wish Cheddar would just go off the air it is that bad.</comment>


A Semester Worth of Introductory Linear Algebra in 14 Sections and 16 Pages - <AUTHOR> https://mathvault.ca/linear-algebra-summary/ <comment><USER2> Web page asked for email but never sent the ebook. Scam?</comment>


How Angry Birds really took off: 200m minutes a day spent playing it - <AUTHOR> http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/how-angry-birds-really-took-off-200m-minutes-a-day-spent-playing-it-20110208-1akt5.html

<comment><USER2> I kind of wonder how that guy who made Crush The Castle feels about the success of Angry Birds. Provided my timeframe isn't off, CtC was out and got a lot of play and downloads (on the iPhone) a good year and a half before angry birds even showed up.

The only MAJOR difference was the primary game mechanic; the projectile. CtC used a two tap mechanism where you launched balls from a trebuchet, it was all about timing. One tap to drop the weight, a second tap to release the ball. Progress through the game, you get three balls (yellow birds). Progress further, get bombs (black birds).

Suddenly, this Angry Birds game comes out, and the most noticeable difference is that it's cuter, and uses a slingshot instead of a trebuchet. A quick google search of the two brings up "Crush the Castle, Angry Birds set in midevil times".

<comment><USER3> Artillery games go back a long, long way:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artillery_game>

Anyone who grew up with DOS probably remembers Gorillas.BAS and Scorched Earth. These new games aren't much different.

In fact, aiming a projectile at a target is probably the oldest game in human history:

[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870377970457607...](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703779704576074222543274268.html)

<comment><USER4> Crush The Castle and Angry Birds are distinctive from those games, and similar to each other, in that the structure to be destroyed is governed by physics, which affects gameplay through domino-like knock-on effects.

However, I think there are several apart from Crush the Castle, particularly as flash games, predating the iPhone. Physics-based games have become commonplace.

It would be interesting to know why Angry Birds won though. I would guess it's mostly the characters and presentation. i.e. design. Counts for a lot, perhaps especially considering that it's a consumer product, and for the iPhone. The gamplay mechanic slingshot vs. two-tap may have had an effect, by being simpler, and, as always marketing, timing (more iPhones had been sold) and luck. It would be interesting to know, but I can't see _how_ you'd know.

<comment><USER5> Angry Birds used an input based gesture that was unlike the mouse, and really took advantage of the touchscreen gesture capabilities of the device AND intuition of its user.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER6> It's fascinating to see the balance the game's origin finds between inspiration, perspiration and calculation. It seems, to many I'm sure, that the game was a happy fluke that some company stumbled upon like the Beverly Hillbillies.

Rovio made a strong calculated and risky move with the game which has payed off 100 fold (more than that most likely.)

It is inspiring to see how masterfully the plan and move was made, like watching a perfect move in Chess, or a well timed play in any sport.

Great read.

</comment><comment><USER7> What is so compelling about Angry Birds, you think? I completed the levels in the Lite version, and then switched to other games like Demolish or Cat Physics. I just don't get it why someone would play AB again and again... doesn't it get boring after some time?

<comment><USER8> 1 -- It's perfect for casual play. I have a _long_ commute that involves a subway, a high speed train, and a taxi. I can play it for 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes. As a counterexample, another favorite game of mine is 'Tilt To Live', but I can't just play it any time, anywhere, because I need a 10 minute block of time before I start the level (technically I could pause it mid game and come back later, but realistically I unpause and die). But with Angry Birds, I can.

2 -- The 3-star system. You can beat the level trivially, but depending on the level it is somewhere between moderately challenging to kick me in the pants hard to get 3 stars on a level.

3 -- It's funny. the birds, the pigs, the sounds they make, the way stuff crashes. I still snicker after countless hours played.

tl;dr - it's a near perfect combination of casual-play, challenge, and hilarity

</comment></comment><comment><USER5> Let the 95 year reign of Angry Birds begin!</comment>


Can you really create a useful app in just 54 Hours at a #Startup Weekend event? - <AUTHOR> http://gregmeyer.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/how-to-go-from-eating-pizza-to-building-a-disruptive-startup-in-just-54-hours/

<comment><USER2> Hey Greg - didn't you submit this just 5 hours ago?

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2652020></comment>


I now pronounce you monetized: a YouTube video case study - <AUTHOR> http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-now-pronounce-you-monetized-youtube.html <comment><USER2> What is missing is the monetization available to the people in the video...I enjoyed it more on mute.

<comment><USER3> I had a similar thought. A bride and groom upload a video resulting in 10 million views... and someone else who wrote a song a year ago makes money off of it.

Clearly the copyright of the songwriter should be respected, but it seems to me the real value was the video itself. I know essentially nothing of copyright law, isn't there something covering "derivative works"? Would that have any application here?

Further, does knowingly leaving this 'infringing' video up and pulling revenue from it give some sort of implicit acceptance to the next person to use the song without permission?

</comment></comment><comment><USER4> I wish they could give a dollar amount. I'm sure they do, too.

</comment><comment><USER5> When you start talking about yourself, you are bragging and a bit of an arrogant looser. Let others praise your youtube monetization google!</comment>


Twiddla does EtherPad - <AUTHOR> http://www.twiddla.com/Blog/twiddla-does-etherpad.html <comment><USER2> Twiddla looks nice! The etherpad menu seems to be disabled for me though..and I cant even see the "play " button. Could you share information like the approx size of your customer base, and typical use-cases of your service?

EDIT: My bad- hadnt noticed 'Browse' button to enable Etherpad menu.(Replay is missing though!) I was not able to open Hacker news on Twiddla, though some other sites are going through!</comment>


Colour footage of London in 1927 - <AUTHOR> http://vimeo.com/7638752

<comment><USER2> Thanks so much for that! This is the world my mother grew up in, and I now feel I have a much more detailed mental picture of it.

</comment><comment><USER3> Two things stuck out to me:

1) How similar everyone dresses

2) How clean everything looks

<comment><USER4> 3) How even back then streets could be crowded and congested

4) How many people wearing hats

<comment><USER5> Yes the whole use of hats and there demiss is a interesting one. I suspect a corilation with mens hair styles and having a hair style becomming fashion in the England. The whole decline of manufacturing perhaps also played a part and with that work health and safty - cleaner working enviroments.

Probabably numerous factors but I would say music-fashion-trends played a big part, thinking beatles and then the rockabilly era on this one.</comment></comment></comment>


China's Jade Rabbit Moon rover sends back first photos - <AUTHOR> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25393826

<comment><USER2> So, in the video, there's footage from mission control. It looks like there's video of the lander... landing? Is that simulated footage spliced in there for some reason?

<comment><USER3> It does say "computer animation" in the audio.

<comment><USER2> Oh! I watched it muted. Derp.</comment></comment></comment>


Who is the Australian woman arrested for her Facebook post? - <AUTHOR> https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12567495/australian-woman-arrested-facebook-post-lockdown-coronavirus-protest/ <comment><USER2> I love the idiot politician likening enforcement of basic health and safety laws as being nazi Germany, and then said laws shouldn't allow arresting of pregnant women.

</comment><comment><USER3> I love how the couple act and argue like 7 year old kids; crying, saying they didn't know it was wrong, and bargaining for forgiveness and a lesser punishment. Welcome to adulthood! There's a term for the way how late 20-somethings nowadays still act as kids, combined with childhood education awarding undeserved "stars", I wonder how much that's contributed to the rise of Karen-like behaviour in society.</comment>


Ask HN: Why is life worth living? - <AUTHOR> Day after day after day after day forever... what's the point? :/ How do you all do it? <comment><USER3> Some might say to reproduce, reduce suffering in other beings, create, work, enjoy, and/or maximize entropy.

It's whatever reason you want it to or it simply just is. Pondering on it doesn't help live it well; in fact, usually the opposite.

It's a gift. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. I count innumerable reasons for gratitude even though I:

\- can't work (just got SSDI after a 10 year Byzantine odyssey)

\- can't have friends

\- have no money

\- live in a van

\- to save bullet-points: also ADHD, mild Asperger's, treatement-resistant depression (tried 14 medications), sleep apnea, insomnia, high blood pressure, tachycardia, undiagnosed connective tissue disorder, stutter, hunch-back, osteoarthritis, overweight/skinny extremities, a torn shoulder, plantar fasciitis, gradual neurological decline (I can't code or focus anymore), and failing vision (ARMD runs in my family).

\- And TMJ, vestibular schwannoma, or vascular stenosis because all I can think about is the pain in my ear, neck, throat, and head while the ER CT radiologist said "it's nothing" while my ear rings, feels like a spike is in my head, and I hear my pulse constantly.

^ These aren't complaints, per se, but facts for perspective.

Life is suffering. Make the best of the available opportunities in the now with as much grace as one can muster. Fuck biology and existential uncertainty, and just squeeze the juice of life because it'll all be over in a flash anyhow. Why not have a good time for as long and as often as possible? Fuck it.

I would things, jump in the deep end, get the fuck out of your comfort-zone, and give fewest fucks short of going Jim Morrison. Don't die in retirement in front of a TV or be like a modern human staring at glowing screens waiting by the phone for outrage news or social media approval. Be a source of making or doing something, anything. Be cool with mistakes and imperfections, they give it character. Learn a new skill. Make your bed. Do something.

PS: Stay away from uppers, downers, and booze. Btw, Missing a dose of mirtazapine felt exactly like a hangover, so it seems plausible that depression is only deepened by ab/use of some substances. Instead, Maslow's hierarchy focus: exercise, sleep, diet, light, etc.

<comment><USER4> Wow so insightful you should be a philosopher

</comment></comment><comment><USER5> For me, life is worth living because of joyful moments with family/friends, day-to-day pleasures like eating good food, and working on interesting projects.

If you feel like you're having trouble doing it, you may be depressed or have some other issue that's causing feelings of hopelessness. Some hormone imbalances and nutrient deficiencies can cause that.

Everyone's reasons for living are different and specific. I would urge you to see a therapist who specializes in depression. I know the initial hurdle is high for some people, but if you feel like you have nothing to lose, why not try it?

</comment><comment><USER6> Yes, sometimes we feel overwhelmed by what is happing in our life. But I can tell you that it's just temporary.

I've decided that there so much to be thankful about that it overpowers those things that I can't control and stress me. So every time I feel down I start to think about the countless items that people do to help me every day. They're just so many. And it makes me realize how thankful I am and how lucky I am.

You might want to talk to someone that can give you some better advice.

I put this here just in case. Take care!

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call 1-800-273-8255

</comment><comment><USER7> Dogs. Find a nearby shelter, volunteer there, be overwhelmed by the love you'll receive. You won't ask that question again.

</comment><comment><USER8> This question cannot be answered intellectually, analytically. If your nervous system is functioning well, the question won't even come up in your mind. Life is enjoyable, when there is no suffering.

</comment><comment><USER9> It's the opportunity we're given, to either create a meaningful life or not. I'm kind curious to see what happens during my lifetime. Also, drugs :)

</comment><comment><USER10> Life is a flicker of consciousness between two great silences. In that flicker (of 60-100 years) what matters is the journey not the destination. The journey depending on how narrow or wide you gaze is made up of decades,years, quarters, months, days, hours, minutes, seconds and so on. You pick the unit that makes sense to you depending on what you are optimizing for. Diff goals - or to borrow your word point - can be tied to different units. Personally when the going gets tough widen your gaze on life to see as far back as possible for all the good things that have happened to you despite you not believing they are good. To change your belief simply imagine a life worse than yours - a life of a parent in a war torn country and how they worry about their kid being harmed , or getting abused based into their sex or may be quadrapeligic or whatever thst you think is worse than you. You can find joy and /or satisfaction in helping others if what you do for yourself dosnt interest you. Go volunteer at hospice or soup kitchen etc. Sometimes we all need a temporary diversion to get perspective and detach from the daily mundane and/or meaningless. Those kinds of activities help. We are wired to take things for granted and some distancing from what we take granted for is a excellent way to bring back the appreciation for things thst we take for granted. In the end the point of life is to make it worthwhile but that's my perspective. The best I can say for you about the point of life is that it's personal and thst you have to find the poor for yourself. The good thing is you get to define it. The bad thing is you get to define it. Given that, perspective matters. Hope this helps.

Please ask for help if even if you think you don't need it. Take care.

</comment><comment><USER11> Because you matter, and that matters. Take it one day at a time because change is easy once you start so you have to do whatever it takes to just get started on doing something positive. Keeping a streak ends up being a better way to make habits stick — ask Seinfeld.

Make it a great day.

</comment><comment><USER12> It's worth living when you find joy or purpose. One big thing is not to base your self worth on others' opinion. This includes ideas you may have that are formed on societal expectations. What are some things you genuinely enjoy or think you may enjoy?

</comment><comment><USER13> Life is a gift. We can appreciate it or not. But it's the only one we get.

</comment><comment><USER14> > How do you all do it?

One day at a time, without thinking too much about the future or the past, where most of the problems usually are.

> What's the point

Some find the point of life in the physical world, through their job, travel or some other activities, other need more spiritual food, whether it's philosophy or religion. Personally, I need both or after a while I feel out of balance.

Those questions are old as the world, so don't despair, you're not alone, and there are answers out there.

</comment><comment><USER15> Because of this: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYfNvmF0Bqw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYfNvmF0Bqw)

</comment><comment><USER16> You should concentrate on the current pleasurables - you enjoy what you're eating, drinking, lurking on HN, etc... so why not continue doing these while you can?

Take a look at some volume of air near you - would you rather be that particular emptiness? (not quite empty, but you get the point - and you can also pick some block of vacuum...). So basically the choice is - <USER2> living or become a block of vacuum.

</comment><comment><USER17> On why questions:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp4dpeJVDxs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp4dpeJVDxs)

On what is the reason to continue living: To be in harmony with nature.

<comment><USER4> And to conduct a virtuous life....

</comment></comment><comment><USER18> It isn't worth not living

</comment><comment><USER4> Life is worth living if you live in USA that's a gift in itself.It is also worth it for your family if you have one.

</comment><comment><USER19> you should watch this: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paterson_(film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paterson_\(film\))

</comment><comment><USER20> You can spend your time bringing happiness to yourself. Seems good.

</comment><comment><USER21> Because it is the best option? Maybe evolution?

</comment><comment><USER22> When talking about worth in the capitalist sense, the human body is worth over half a million dollars. That is a lot of value to society. But I suppose you mean in the philosophical sense.

I suggest reading from the great philosophers: [https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/life- meaning/](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/life-meaning/)</comment>


Natural Nuclear Fission Reactor - <AUTHOR> http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_nuclear_fission_reactor <comment><USER2> I had heard about the natural reactor before, but this Wikipedia article was my first exposure to the hypothesis that the Moon originated from an explosion in a natural fission reactor.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_nuclear_fission_reacto...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_nuclear_fission_reactor#Origin_of_the_Moon_hypothesis)

<comment><USER3> How could such a reactor explode? I thought you need pretty high pressure to get a chain reaction for an explosion.

<comment><USER4> Explosion isn't the real difficulty imho. Even if there was an explosion sufficient to loft a moon's worth of material into space, how did it obtain sufficient orbital velocity to stay in space?

An explosion big enough to crack the planet into two chunks is one thing, the series of carefully timed explosions necessary to start those chunks spinning nicely around each other is totally different.

<comment><USER5> If earth was already spinning, then an explosion that splits earth's core into two chunks would end up with those chunks orbiting round eachother.

The resulting spin of each chunk can depend on the location of the explosion in the pre-explosion earth.

</comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER6> I wonder to what extent mutations produced by the radiation from this reactor accelerated the evolution of life.

<comment><USER7> Most background radiation comes from Potassium and Radon: I'm not sure how much of an impact this one reactor might have had.

<comment><USER6> If there were an "optimal" amount of radiation for evolution at particular stages, you could imagine that this reactor, which offers a spectrum of radiation from "really bad" to "optimal" to "background" (depending on distance) would be useful. Lifeforms at the optimal distance from the reactor would evolve at a greater rate.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER8> Origin of the Moon hypothesis section is awesome.

</comment><comment><USER9> I read about this years ago and my first thought was, are there any lifeforms using this power in some way?

The radiosynthesis fungi seem to do so, haha

<comment><USER10> Oklo was critical 1.7B years ago. Definitely no fungi.</comment></comment>


Ask HN: Help Me, I'm Lost - <AUTHOR> Hey HN, I'm not very good at explaining things so bear with me. I'm posting this on hn because i don't utilize any other means to communicate with internet strangers.
To begin with, i'm a 19yo male(ultra ambitious). I recently scored a job as Junior developer in a 5yo startup.I'm considered above average- with respect to intellect- by most people I've met(and i 'was' really happy with that). My nature is very similar to a water droplet present in a void(lol). Recently i've been felling very uneasy when i get into thinking about myself with respect to the whole human tribe i.e. how do/should i fit in. This habit of mine, although i'm not able to pinpoint the event of inception, afaict can be traced back to the period when i changed cities due to some financial problems my family was facing. I lost touch with most of the things i grew up with. I used to learn things very quickly, i'm also very good presenter. Whatever i try to learn something new i get distracted very easily. I think I'm not able to distinguish between my wants and needs. To be more simple i always feel like i've just opened my eyes in a dream - blurry and no control. I've lost clarity. .Love you all. ~general_Greyface
P.S if you think that i'm not clear enough, then just lol. <comment><USER2> Don't worry about having things figured out at 19. Keep on keeping on, do good by others, never stop learning, and much will shape itself. I just turned twice your age and only recently have I found what I most want to work on for the world. Enjoy this wild ride we call life my dude!

</comment><comment><USER3> I like to make lists when I'm stuck. Make a list of the things you need to do to get to where you want to be. Break the list into smaller and smaller pieces. Keep breaking it down until the first thing is something you can easily do and check off the list.

If I have 100 things to do then I try to do the first 10 and then plan to take a break. Sometimes after the first 10 I'll just keep going and get a lot more done than I thought I could.

</comment><comment><USER4> Get off social media, get to bed early and actually rest, limit caffeine and junk food, take up a meditation routine and inquire about the source of all these "I" thoughts (literally, "where does this thought originate" or even simpler - "who am I?")</comment>


Ask HN: Should I get an MS in CS? - <AUTHOR> Sorry for yet another question about getting a MS in CS question, but I did a search through old posts and I think my question is unique-ish.
I got a degree in Hebrew Literature in College, I taught myself how to program and I've been working at a pretty decent startup in the Seattle area for 3 years now. I have some decent projects on Github. I have some decent chops, I'm pretty much full stack, and I've been working through an Algorithms and Data Structures book (Sedgewick's) on my own and really getting into it. It made me wonder if I should go back to school and get an MS.
My company is doing well, but I think I'd like to branch out technically after I'm done there, and try new things other than Web/Mobile CRUD. Embedded looks interesting, and I've built a DSL compiler in JavaScript, so learning more about compilers would be fun.
I'm also worried that my status as a really good Engineer won't transfer between companies. It took me a good year to convince people at my current company that I could do much more than work on the front-end.
The University of Washington is, supposedly, a really good CS school. They offer a professional Masters degree. Will this solidify my status as a good Engineer? Is this something I need or should I continue to learn on my own and trust that good people will recognize my work? <comment><USER2> I would say, it depends, for me the answer was "I really hope yes". I just started the MS CS in Georgia Tech (100% online, 7,000$ total cost, not per year, ranked 9 in US)

I didn't study Hebrew literature academically (although I like reading in Hebrew...) but my undergraduate degree in CS is from such an unknown college that I don't see how it differs from your degree in terms of job finding powers.

I also feel that although I might be highly regarded in my current job, it will not transfer easily.

So an MSc in CS from GT for me is some sort of a level up if you will, making my first degree Kosher.

But the real reason I do it is because I feel I need it for the learning, I took some coursera courses here and there, and even finished some, but the fact you pay (although not much) for the courses at GT, makes you more committed.

Bottom line, if you can afford to keep a full time job (or have enough savings to do it full time) then I would say go for it.

It will make a difference in your career options, especially in the "big" names like Google etc...

Having an MS is not a silver bullet, but it definitely won't hurt. There were times perhaps that I heard people say that they would avoid hiring MS CS students with no work experience. But times have hanged, MS in CS is no longer pure theoretical, the programs really make you a better programmer in my very humble opinion. And you have the experience as the basis, the MS CS is just a cherry on top.

</comment><comment><USER3> What's your long term career goals? You really need to nail this down and figure it out. Don't make it about the next 20 years but more along the lines of 5-10 years.

Where does an MS in CS fit in that vision?

If you're capable and its not too much sacrifice (ie. single, no kids, etc.) than doing it is really about opportunity cost. If you want to build a startup, the time is better spent on that. If you intend to continue as an employee and move up the ranks, it's maybe worthwhile but depends on your goals again (you already have a degree).

It looks like the MS might give you a great confidence boost in your own place in the industry (since you think you are lacking). Maybe find a way to get that without going through a full MS program.

Doing it part time is also a great idea.

Also, you will solidify your position as an engineer by doing what engineers do and that is building stuff. In your case, you might be better off spending that time contributing to high profile open source projects and continuing to show your skills via github. Whatever gaps you feel you have, find ways to fill it. Lots of great people in the industry that don't have your typical CS background. We are an industry that favors actual output.

<comment><AUTHOR> I'm not sure what my career goals are. I know I want to get much better at my craft and I want to make sure I don't have any gaps in my education. I'm worried that, since I'm self taught, I don't know what I don't know and that a Masters can expose and fix holes in my knowledge.

</comment></comment><comment><USER4> I've taken two Coursera courses taught by UW faculty- Wetherall's _Networks_ and Grossman's _Programming Languages_. I am impressed with both as educators.

As far as if you should pursue a CS degree, well it seems to me that someone who studies literature is likely to have an inclination toward a scholarly approach to learning. If so, such a person might find pursuing a degree enjoyable and earning one to be rewarding in and of itself. Practical benefits would be gravy for someone who enjoys Sedgewick...who also has courses on Coursera.

And when I mention Coursera, I'm talking about the free stuff not the new program with Georgia Tech. It might be a middle ground. In the end, an engineer is deemed good based on their design not what hangs on their vanity wall. Half are below average.

Good luck.

</comment><comment><USER5> I have a Master's degree in CS from UW's Professional Master's program. I also had an undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering from a different school in the east coast.

I recommend you get a Master's degree from UW for 2 reasons: 1\. You'll learn a lot. I certainly did. You'll meet smart, driven engineers from other tech companies in Seattle. UW's program is challenging and will push you as long as you're engaged. 2\. Depending on how you branch out in your career, employers may prefer someone with a hard science background, or at least will give them an edge when hiring. If you have taken an OS course, you'll be that much better an engineer anyway along with being able to put it on your resume.

</comment><comment><USER6> IMHO... Word of Mouth solidifies you as a good engineer. Of the top 4 or 5 technical people I know, none has an MS in CS. (One didn't finish college) The degree matters less and less over time.

There are other good reasons to get a Masters. To improve the formalness of your knowledge. To learn about things outside your domain of expertise. To force yourself to learn things you wouldn't want to on your own. To meet other smart people. (UW is good for that) To learn theory and find out what's going on in CS research.

But none of these certify you as a great engineer nearly as much as another great engineer saying, "I'll vouch for them"

</comment><comment><USER7> Some (reputed) schools also offer part-time CS degrees that you can work at your own pace while continuing to work.

Besides the online GT Degree already mentioned by another comment,

Tufts has a part-time masters too [1]

So does Stanford Honors Co-op program [2]

They are both probably more expensive than Georgia Tech Online MS CS.

[1] [http://www.cs.tufts.edu/Master-of-Science-in-Computer- Scienc...](http://www.cs.tufts.edu/Master-of-Science-in-Computer-Science- Degree/part-time-masters-degree-program-in-computer-science.html)

[2] [https://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/gradadmissions/programs/...](https://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/gradadmissions/programs/honors)

</comment><comment> bulte-rs I.M.O. Go for it! Just to it part-time.</comment>


GreyCoder: How To Be Private Online - <AUTHOR> http://www.greycoder.com?r=h

<comment><USER2> Good introductions for beginners. This overview was useful: [http://www.greycoder.com/recommended-products-and- services/](http://www.greycoder.com/recommended-products-and-services/)</comment>


Luciano Pavarotti's Secret to Online Success - <AUTHOR> http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/luciano-pavarottis-secret-for-online-success/

<comment><AUTHOR> Some singers want the audience to love them. I love the audience. -Luciano Pavarotti

<comment><USER2> Great post and the quote perfectly sums it up.</comment></comment>


What do Stanford CS PhD students think of their PhD program? [pdf] - <AUTHOR> https://archive.org/download/phd_student_survey_summary_report_0a5c/phd_student_survey_summary_report_0a5c.pdf <comment><USER2> Philip Guo's "The Ph.D Grind: A Ph.D Student Memoir" is an amazingly well- written and sage chronicle of getting a Ph.D at Stanford from 2006-2012.

[http://www.pgbovine.net/PhD-memoir/pguo-PhD- grind.pdf](http://www.pgbovine.net/PhD-memoir/pguo-PhD-grind.pdf)

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4179982](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4179982)

<comment><USER3> thanks! AMA.

(no guarantees that i'll be able to answer via text, though; maybe i'll make a video later. been trying to minimize my computering time off-hours due to increasing wrist pains ... PSA: take care of your wrists, everyone!)

<comment><USER4> Thanks so much for writing this memoir! It is absolutely brilliant. Considering you had a somewhat unconventional PhD with your independent projects, what was the main role of your advisor? How do you make the most of such a situation to extract knowledge out of professors who may not have an incentive to be directly involved in your project to the usual degree?

<comment><USER3> thanks! that's a hard problem! i frame it in terms of critical path: [http://pgbovine.net/critical-path.htm](http://pgbovine.net/critical-path.htm)

if you can't get on someone's critical path, then you have to make it very easy for them to help you with very little time commitment. e.g.,: [http://pgbovine.net/how-to-ask-for-help.htm](http://pgbovine.net/how-to-ask- for-help.htm)

<comment><USER4> That makes a lot of sense, thanks!

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER5> I was grad council president at that Harvard physics department a couple of years ago, and I helped organize a similar survey.

My first impression here is that things aren't too bad. Some people are commenting, for example, about projectors not having enough cables --- obviously a nuisance, but if those are the issues the department is having, great. (Obvious, easy solution and a relatively small problem to begin with)

Second, I don't really think this is a particularly comprehensive survey. I'm surprised there weren't more pointed questions about job intentions (academia vs industry vs not sure), feeling respected by those around you, the prevalence and (separately) severity of the racism, sexism, and general harassment, etc. Not a single question about teaching, nor a question about actions they'd like to see taken. Relatively few culture questions outside of "do you feel like a community" (something like that).

At Harvard physics, there were more pressing concerns regarding sexism, racism, the quality of the required courses, and professional development. The department did reciprocate and make great changes to the required courses, but deeper biases make the other categories much more difficult to tackle.

I have been helping a lot of students deal with considering industry, as in a physics department it's looked down upon to just be considering industry, let alone pursue it. Or, even if not explicitly looked down upon, it's definitely the culture and general feel, and many students and postdocs prefer to discuss it in private. (I did an internship at Waymo last summer, so people are especially keen on asking me about transitioning to industry)

The survey results are unfortunately not public, so I can't share them. Kudos to the group of students or administrators that put together this data! I'd love to hear what they learned from it and changed as a result of it.

</comment><comment><USER6> I did a Master in CS, worked as a developer for 5 years, then went back to do a Ph.D. I stayed with it for a year before deciding it was not for me, and went back to SW development.

My key reasons for not continuing with the Ph.D.:

\- Many problems you study are chosen because you will be able to publish something, not necessarily because they need to be studied.

\- You don't need to be a (Ph.D.)student to learn - you can work and still learn

\- A Ph.D. in itself doesn't make you smart

\- Narrow problems vs broad problems - I prefer to work on something where all parts need to be good enough, vs on finding the best possible solution to a very narrow problem.

\- Having worked before starting the Ph.D., I could compare working in industry vs studying for a Ph.D., and I realized it was very stimulating in industry.

\- Much better pay for 5 years

I've written more on why here: [https://henrikwarne.com/2016/03/07/ph-d-or- professional-prog...](https://henrikwarne.com/2016/03/07/ph-d-or-professional- programmer/)

<comment><USER7> This is exactly what I wanted to know, thanks.

As someone with a CS master's I almost wish there was an alternate PhD path where you didn't have to do research, like a Masters++ program. There were many classes I never got to take for my degree, like in category theory or AI or distributed databases.

Some of the PhDs in this thread have said they tried $BigTechCo and found it boring, but to me that just means you were working at the wrong company or on the wrong project.

I feel like my master's equipped me to be able to read and study theoretical computer science at a high level, that the PhD program would be a strain on me and my family without much reward.

Although I do daydream about being independently wealthy and getting a master's in mathematics just for fun

<comment><USER6> Thanks! I had (and have) the same feeling of missing some classes. That's why I was very happy when MOOCs appeared a few years ago. I've taken several courses there, for example on algorithms, databases and SW security. I've reviewed the courses on my blog: [https://henrikwarne.com/tag/coursera/](https://henrikwarne.com/tag/coursera/) and [https://henrikwarne.com/2011/12/18/introduction-to- databases...](https://henrikwarne.com/2011/12/18/introduction-to-databases-on- line-learning-done-well/)

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER7> This doesn't answer the question I fundamentally want to know: do they think it was worth it?

In my CS master's programs profs often warned against the PhD, said companies wouldn't hire you, that they'd view you as "too smart" and potentially be bored by everyday work.

Not true for certain disciplines (AI, e.g.) but I don't think every CS PhD is walking out the door with 300K/year offers hitting them in the face.

<comment><USER8> I don't think Google has ever turned away an applicant for being "too smart".

That being said, five years in a PhD is probably not as good for your career as five years' experience at $BigNameTech. PhD is probably more fun, though.

<comment><USER9> I have many friends in PhD programs, including CalTech, Stanford, and Berkeley, pursuing CS, Genetics, Biomededical Engineering, and EE.

To characterize their program is "fun" is a gross mischaracterization, and demonstrates a serious misunderstanding of the rigors involved in any technical/science/engineering PhD pursuit.

PhD programs are hard. They're often lonely. They're frustrating. They're tedious. And there's a tremendous amount of pressure. And it's academia: highly bureaucratic and political and often unfair.

Unless you possess a serious passion for the subject, you're unlikely to survive.

On the other hand, my friends getting the PhDs in subjects such as education (Stanford) and conservation biology (Mississippi State) have described it as the highlight of their life. After their first two years, they're basically getting paid to do whatever they want. They audit classes. Apply to grants. Travel. And they write.

<comment><USER8> The irony of this reply is that I did do a PhD, in pure math at a top 10 school, and while I might describe it as hard, lonely, frustrating, tedious, and high pressure, I would also describe it as having been fun. Certainly more fun than my current job at $BigNameTech.

Thanks for the lecture about my Serious Misunderstanding, though.

<comment><USER10> Do you regret doing your PhD in math? Reason I ask is that I thought about going to grad school for math but decided against it. It just seemed like it would be postponing the inevitable of finding a job that had little to do with my "passion". I definitely see the appeal of doing a PhD in a field with better industry employment prospects (e.g. AI in CS if you're into that), but less so for fields like pure math that aren't as employable outside of academia. I'm curious if you felt the experience was worth it, though

<comment><USER11> I did a PhD in math and if I were to do things again, I'd do applied math because I think I enjoy applied math at least as much as pure math (this is _not_ true of everyone) while also having it have more obvious job prospects. I did pure math in part because I was told it was easier to go pure->applied than applied->pure. I still think that is true and was a not an unreasonable way to choose what to study. I fundamentally had a very good time in my PhD (I would absolutely describe it as fun, though that would only be part of the picture) and learned a ton and now am transitioning to applied math in exactly the manner that I had been told would be possible (though I feel like I did this more by luck than by it being systematically possible).

</comment></comment></comment></comment></comment></comment><comment><USER12> I am still intrigued by the idea of a CS PHD but I stopped after my Master's. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of finding an advisor you mesh well with.

</comment><comment><USER13> Hah, I actually used Klee doing a CS Masters at Georgia Tech. Small world.

[https://klee.github.io/publications/](https://klee.github.io/publications/)

Edit: And most of the bugs seem to be gone now ;)

<comment><USER14> Is Klee something like LaTeX ? What is it actually ?

<comment><USER15> No, it looks like a symbolic execution-based software testing framework. Here is a link to the paper that started the project: [http://llvm.org/pubs/2008-12-OSDI- KLEE.html](http://llvm.org/pubs/2008-12-OSDI-KLEE.html).

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER16> Noticed the year 2015 has several unique distributions. Curious what the insights are.

<comment><USER17> CS PhD student (not at Stanford) here. Based on the survey timing, 2015 respondents were in their 3rd year when answering this survey. I have personally heard and read that 3rd year is a hard year for many PhD students (and the experiences of my peers and I largely bear this out), so the dissatisfaction here tracks with that idea.

There are many possible explanations:

1\. Most people have their master's degree by third year. There's a sense of "if you're going to drop out, now is the time to do it." If you're miserable in your program but hate quitting stuff, third year might be the year that finally breaks you.

2\. Coursework is largely over by 3rd year, and a student should be doing research close to full time. This can be a hard transition. Granted, most Stanford students probably have substantial research experience coming in, but even that is not the same as doing (often very unstructured) research all day every day.

3\. The "honeymoon" is over. You're no longer a young student, and pressure is growing to publish, know your area, network, and so on. At the same time you're still quite junior, so you know you're probably not very good at any of these things yet. This can be a frustrating combination. Kind of like adolescence. Also, if you've been unlucky with conference reviewing, you may have a stack of 2-4 papers that have been rejected at least once or twice, and you despair of ever doing anything externally recognized as useful. In the other direction, some of your peers now have half a dozen accepted papers at good conferences, and you feel inferior (never mind that these are small sample sizes, and peer review is noisy).

So some self-selection occurs in the third year, and the group that sticks around to year four is usually smaller and happier (and, of course, some happier fourth years used to be miserable third years).

<comment><USER16> Thanks! This is definitely making sense to me. I'll bookmark this and hope they do another survey next year (and share). Looking forward to the comparison of year 2016 next year.

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER18> I recently emailed somebody a few quotes from Freeman Dyson on the PhD system, which I include below. I can track down the sources when I'm back in my office, although anybody can find them easily enough. Dyson is not obscure.

"I'm very proud of not having a Ph.D. I think the Ph.D. system is an abomination. It was invented as a system for educating German professors in the 19th century, and it works well under those conditions. It's good for a very small number of people who are going to spend their lives being professors. But it has become now a kind of union card that you have to have in order to have a job, whether it's being a professor or other things, and it's quite inappropriate for that. It forces people to waste years and years of their lives sort of pretending to do research for which they're not at all well-suited. In the end, they have this piece of paper which says they're qualified, but it really doesn't mean anything. The Ph.D. takes far too long and discourages women from becoming scientists, which I consider a great tragedy. So I have opposed it all my life without any success at all."

From a different interview:

"Well, I think it actually is very destructive. I'm now retired, but when I was a professor here [Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton], my real job was to be a psychiatric nurse. There were all these young people who came to the institute, and my job was to be there so they could cry on my shoulder and tell me what a hard time they were having. And it was a very tough situation for these young people. They come here. They have one or two years and they're supposed to do something brilliant. They're under terrible pressure — not from us, but from them.

So, actually, I've had three of them who I would say were just casualties who I'm responsible for. One of them killed himself, and two of them ended up in mental institutions. And I should've been able to take care of them, but I didn't. I blame the Ph.D. system for these tragedies. And it really does destroy people. If they weren't under that kind of pressure, they could all have been happy people doing useful stuff. Anyhow, so that's my diatribe. But I really have seen that happen.

And also, of course, it wastes a tremendous amount of time — especially for women, it's particularly badly timed.

If they're doing a Ph.D., they have a conflict between raising a family or finishing the degree, which is just at the worst time — between the ages of 25 to 30 or whatever it is. It ruins the five years of their lives.

And I see the difference in the business world. My daughter happens to be a businesswoman, so I meet a lot of her young friends.

The life there is so much easier for women. They start a company when they're 20; they go bust when they're 22. [Laughs] Meanwhile, they have a kid, and nobody condemns them for going bust. If you're in the business world, that's what's expected: You should go bust and then start again on something else. So it's a much more relaxed kind of a culture. It's also competitive, but not in such a vicious way. I think the academic world is actually much more destructive of young people.

[The Ph.D. system] was designed for a job in academics. And it works really well if you really want to be an academic, and the system actually works quite well. So for people who have the gift and like to go spend their lives as scholars, it's fine. But the trouble is that it's become a kind of a meal ticket — you can't get a job if you don't have a Ph.D. So all sorts of people go into it who are quite unsuited to it. [...]

Anyway, so, I'm happy that I've raised six kids, and not one of them is a Ph.D."

<comment> a-dub CS and engineering PhDs seem to fall into a kinda weird category of "industrial" PhDs where it seems more people go in from the get-go with no interest in staying in academia. I think some CS/engr programs actually have built-in expectations of doing internships with industry, which seems _really_ backwards to me.

<comment><USER19> > I think some CS/engr programs actually have built-in expectations of doing > internships with industry, which seems really backwards to me

Why do you think this is backwards? Industry often has more resources for research than academia does, so doing an industrial internship is usually a way to supercharge your research and get better data and try more things.

How is that backwards?

</comment></comment></comment><comment><USER20> I much prefer divergent stacked bar charts for likert/1-5 ratings, rather than these side-by-side bar charts. It's really hard to compare the distributions. Even a box plot would be better, I think.

</comment><comment><USER21> On a different note, it would be interesting to know how many respondents opted for the eGift card for completing the survey. And if the responses deviated a lot when the data is pivoted with that variable.

</comment><comment><USER22> Looking at the qual exam charts, and then looking at the qual requirements for stanford cs online, I just think: "some people have all the luck"

</comment><comment><USER23> Curious. Stanford sounds like it needs to bring in adjunct ML faculty from industry to serve as academic advisors. Also their weed out "breadth" classes sound dumb, most would hate the program.

</comment><comment><USER24> No racial profile but there is a section about racism in the CS Department. LOL

<comment><USER25> "Comments should get more civil and substantive, not less, as a topic gets more divisive."

[https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html](https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html)</comment></comment>