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What language do you think in? | jk4930: If the problem requires science, I think in English because most of my relevant university education and R&D was/is in English and thus most of the terminology I know. If it's business-related, I think most the time in German. I draw causal diagrams and sketch in Haskellesque pseudo code. |
What language do you think in? | justin_vanw: Am I the only one who doesn't think in any language at all? I just see little flashes and sort of feel ideas. I realize this is a very sucky explanation, but I've never heard it described. When I think about a program it is again a combination of images and feeling how a given algorithm I am designing w... |
How do you fire a startup employee? | ionfish: Why do you need to be funny? What's wrong with an honest, clear explanation that you need to fire him, and the reasons why?Getting fired isn't (generally) a funny thing, and if you're an employer you should probably be considering the well-being of your employees (even if they're about to become ex-employees),... |
Is version control worth learning early on? | Ixiaus: VCS all the way, make that your priority. Matter of fact, I use VCS for more than just my program source code; I use it personal documents, files, etc...Subversion is my preferred tool, others seem to like the GIT/Bazaar/Mercurial bandwagon too though. |
What language do you think in? | caffeine: Depends what I'm looking at.If I'm looking at a website, I think in SQL (cf. dude I can write SO in like 4 minutes ;)If I'm looking at stats/ML stuff, I try to think in pictures (usually of probability densities being transformed in various ways), and sometimes slip into "pseudomath," which is basically Engli... |
How do you fire a startup employee? | philwelch: "Your programming skills are OK, but when it comes to delivering, you scored a blank. Apparently you've never shipped software before and seem to be more of a "software processes" zealot than a hacker. You'll probably do alright at a larger firm where you have a better chance to develop but you don't really ... |
What language do you think in? | tmikew: I used to think in terms of methods and data structures, say about 5 years ago. I was thinking bottom up. I learned (slowly) that I could not sufficiently communicate to the business folks what was happening. Their eyes would just glaze over. They also rejected 90% of my work by the time they got to see it. We ... |
How do you fire a startup employee? | mbrubeck: Do it in person if possible, not by email. It's harder but it's more respectful of the fact that this is an important decision. And it's too easy to misinterpret tone in email. |
What language do you think in? | warp: Probably pseudo-code which resembles whichever language I most recently used to solve a similar problem.As a really low-level example, previously when I needed to make a comma separated list of items I would do something like this:$result = "";
$sep = "";
for ($items as $key => $val)
{
$result .= $sep." ".$val;... |
What language do you think in? | tzury: i try not to think. |
How do you fire a startup employee? | pclark: wow, firing via email. Man the hell up and take him aside, look him in the eye and explain the situation.You're a startup founder - lead from the front. |
What language do you think in? | thaumaturgy: Huh. I'm surprised by the responses on this.I think in "flow". It's hard to describe, but it's not entirely visual -- it isn't like a flow chart in my head. Instead I get an idea of what I want a particular thing to do, and then I "feel" how it gets there, kind of like I'm mentally bouncing through a pinba... |
What language do you think in? | dfranke: Depending on the problem domain: either C, mentally compiling into pseudo-ASM, or a sort of blend of Haskell and math notation. |
What language do you think in? | tdonia: on thinking in code: after doing a rather intense data integration/normalization/clean up project for many hours ending around 5 am or so, i had to take a shower before catching a nap. upon turning on the shower, my tired mind took a minute to organize/process the physical actions required to put myself into t... |
What language do you think in? | jules: I usually think in math or visually about a programming problem. When thinking about a person I usually think in the language that person speaks. |
What language do you think in? | polos: Often I let my brain work out the problem, and simply wait until it's finished.For example, last night I awoke about 5 times, every single time with a new solution to a current problem.But before that, I always try to really relax in the evening, for some hour, preferably in nature (and nothing beats the sea). |
What language do you think in? | clistctrl: I think in the language i'm currently working on |
What language do you think in? | eldenbishop: Interesting. I'm surprised to hear people can effectively think about code in a language at all. Code is an abstraction of an essentially physical process (the computer doing things) so it seems rather odd to think about the problem at one level removed. I don't think in language generally unless I am inte... |
What language do you think in? | bballant: I think in messy pictures. Strangely, the pictures are as poorly drawn in my sloppy style as they are on the page. For example, a loop is an ugly circle with a downward facing arrow on the right side and it looks just like something I would have drawn. Object stuff tends to look UML-like and functional stu... |
What language do you think in? | nir: Sinclair BASIC forever! ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclair_BASIC ) |
finding a cofounder or two | vibhavs: I haven't used any of these following sites, but they may be of use to you:http://cofoundr.com/http://www.partnerup.com/http://collabfinder.com/ (more designer focused) |
finding a cofounder or two | icey: I have heard of people having luck with this:http://cofoundr.com/user/loginThat being said, it seems valley-centric and I personally have not had any luck with it in the past. |
How do you fire a startup employee? | lsc: be gentile, but firm.Don't lie to him, but don't be an asshole or act like it's all his fault. The valley is very small. Like it or not, this guy will be the face of your company for some time to come. You will almost certainly work with someone else who knows that person in the future.Personally, when I ha... |
What language do you think in? | pavelludiq: i think in terms of paradigms(mostly FP) in general, and not in a specific languages. |
What language do you think in? | abecedarius: I want to have many different ways to think about problems, all linked up with ways to slide between them. (That's a big theme in SICP, the Feynman lectures, Doug Hofstadter, and Minsky's _Society of Mind_.) The languages that come up the most when I think programming thoughts: Haskell/ML (types, pattern m... |
I'm about to write a business plan. Where should I start? | rms: Send me an email and I can send you some resources. Also note that it's probably a better idea to write a slide deck than a business plan -- in Silicon Valley anyways, a deck is universally preferred. |
How do you fire a startup employee? | igrekel: I agree with lot of posters but there is one point I haven't seen addressed so far: do you expect this to be a surprise for him? If not, you've probably done something wrong. Were your expectations made clear to him?Since I have had to fire someone in the past (not a pleasant experience even if it went well), ... |
finding a cofounder or two | JayNeely: Mashable has an article listing several social networks for entrepreneurs. You may want to check some Quantcast stats to see which sites have the highest traffic from your geographic area.http://mashable.com/2009/03/12/entrepreneur-networks/I'd also take a look at tech / entrepreneurship / startup -related gr... |
I'm about to write a business plan. Where should I start? | pclark: http://venturehacks.com - read up on "the deck" and, well, the entire site. |
AdBlocker Software | darien: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=803165 |
If I mod a GPLv3 webapp and host it must I release source? | icey: I am not a lawyer, nor am I deeply versed in the nuances of GPL.That being said, I believe the intention of the Affero clause was to close the loophole in the GPL which allowed companies to keep their products closed source as they never actually provided the software to their customers . |
If I mod a GPLv3 webapp and host it must I release source? | wmf: IANAL but your understanding is correct. |
I'm about to write a business plan. Where should I start? | edw519: http://www.amazon.com/One-Page-Proposal-Business-Pitch-Persu... |
AdBlocker Software | falava: Is this a clever way to get karma? |
I'm about to write a business plan. Where should I start? | jasonlbaptiste: Put together an awesome slide deck for investors.For yourself? Put together something that's more of an execution plan, than a "business plan". Cut out the bullshit speak most think they need to write for b-plans. No one else besides your team should be the target audience. 10 pages MAX. Main focus... |
What language do you think in? | CraigBuchek: My pseudo-code looks a lot like a mix of Python and Ruby. One thing I like about Python is the forced indentation, which allows skipping any closing braces or "end"s. But Ruby tends to be closer to the way I think of OOP, and is closer to English.I've also been known to write out in mostly English sentence... |
finding a cofounder or two | dpnewman: http://thefunded.com |
How do you fire a startup employee? | zaph0d: Okay, thanks everyone for the wonderful advice. I have decided to tell him in person when he comes to the office again.I will not judge him and I will clearly tell him that he has not performed to my expectations. And no, I don't think it's going to be a surprise to him; I have given him ample ways to figure ou... |
How do you fire a startup employee? | budala123: Hacking sucks, BTW. You guys are always looking for grade A slaves and peons to fill these roles. But hey, you are the "Big Idea" people, the rest of us are little helots. Try walking a mile in the slave's shoes for a while, maybe you won't be so harsh. Here's a suggestion: maybe out-source to Bangalore? It'... |
Correct Abstract Verbalisation for Bachelor Thesis? | RiderOfGiraffes: Hi Erik,At a guess you've used Google translate or something similar, and although I can have a guess at most of the meanings, it's really unclear what you're trying to say. Google translate is very bad at translating long and complex sentences.I have a suggestion. Use really, really short and simple... |
Correct Abstract Verbalisation for Bachelor Thesis? | erikb85: Hi RiderOfGiraffes,thanks for your harsh critique. No I didn't use any translater but my own mind. ;)
If you still want to help me, please tell me, what exactly did you understand until now. Maybe this way I am able to see, where I have to start changing things.best regardsErikB
PS: hehe, I can understand all ... |
I'm about to write a business plan. Where should I start? | pedalpete: I like to start with an introduction of what you are going to accomplish. No more than one page, hopefully only 1/2 page.
Then a SWOT.
Then a SlideDeck (I use Prezi.com).I wouldn't go down the road of a proper 'business plan' unless you are going to a bank for a loan. You won't follow it, and you won't up d... |
What are your favorite / least favorite site layout styles? | ScottWhigham: Hmmm - I don't know that I have a particular style that I like; I'm more of a, "When I see what I {like | dislike}, I know it immediately." That probably doesn't help.For our site, we went with the fixed width layout and I'm happy. For more link-driven/based sites (a la reddit/hn/digg), I prefer a full sc... |
I'm about to write a business plan. Where should I start? | foulmouthboy: Start here: http://www.quickmba.com/entre/bplan/
The rest of the site is a very good general business reference, complete with recommended reading. I used it while I was completing my MBA and found it to be a good high to medium level reflection of what I learned. |
I'm about to write a business plan. Where should I start? | NEPatriot: How you write the plan depends greatly on the intended audience. But any way you look at it the notion of writing the 50 page business plan is over.Instead of writing this 50 page monstrosity your focus should be on the product/users.Below is the best place I've found regarding business plans.
The new busine... |
Correct Abstract Verbalisation for Bachelor Thesis? | alain94040: Learning a new language is always tough."heads a big step"???"selling tickets in any way"???"create a Germany wide web portal""there was created a tool""aiming this goal""a good measuring"PS: I don't think this is relevant to HN. |
I'm about to write a business plan. Where should I start? | replicatorblog: Sequoia provides a nice playbook for how to craft a business plan.http://www.sequoiacap.com/ideasGuy Kawasaki's tips are also usefulhttp://blog.guykawasaki.com/2005/12/the_102030_rule.htmlFWIW I created a plan using these guidelines and had some decent success. 90% of it is just common sense. How will y... |
What are your favorite / least favorite site layout styles? | ankeshk: Design depends on your target audience.1. Page WidthIf your target audience is tech un-savvy folks - go with a narrow screen width. 780 pixels. If its folks keep up with technology, go with 960 pixels.If you're designing for cellphones, reduce your width accordingly.2. Column widthReadability tests have show... |
What are your favorite / least favorite site layout styles? | odvious: I like sites that mix liquid width style and fixed width (centered) content. I vary my site's width with how much content there will be and try to balance the whitespace out with the amount of text/content, usually between 800 and 950 pixels wide.As for landing page, I think it should highlight whatever is th... |
Why not Flex? | n8agrin: Flash has its place, for sure but it has many short comings when developing an entire web-based app.As far as I know, the answer to these questions is no for Flash based sites:1) Can it be indexed by most search engines?2) Is the text always selectable, & copy and paste-able?3) Does the structure of the Flash ... |
Why not Flex? | puredemo: Do you use jQuery for your ajax? That should resolve many of the cross-browser issues. |
Why not Flex? | amoffat: in my humble opinion, flex is like polishing a turd. premature optimization. |
Why not Flex? | lhorie: What put me off was that mxlmc was really slow (10-seconds-to-compile-a-hello-world kind of slow). Also, I find that debugging HTML/CSS/JS stack is really easy with Firebug et al, whereas debugging swf's isn't quite a walk in the park.With that being said, every development environment will have its warts. If y... |
Why not Flex? | nostrademons: It's user-hostile.Flex code runs inside a sandbox element, much like Java applets. It doesn't feel native to the browser - the Flex app can change things only within its own little canvas. (Okay, there's ExternalInterface as well, but then you're back to writing JavaScript and DOM manipulations.) It's ... |
Why not Flex? | daleharvey: 1. There are a million small disadvantages to using proprietary plugins, it is not "the internet", google can read flash, but not well, you dont have firebug, your site cannot be scraped, these may not all affect you, but there are lots lots more.2. The flash plugin sucks on most browsers, its a slow unreac... |
How do you fire a startup employee? | ismarc: Did he have a salary or associated pay for any of the work? Have you sat down and explained things to him yet (ie, how he is performing compared to what you were expecting)? If you haven't told him, he may have just misunderstood the primary focus. If he's been working for potential of equity only, let him r... |
Has anyone tried the p90x exercise program? | brk: Haven't tried it, but I have a NIB Bowflex if you want to get in shape ;) |
Has anyone tried the p90x exercise program? | oman121: I have a number of friends who have tried the program and rave about it. One of them lost around 15 lbs over the summer. |
Why not Flex? | amoffat: wow this community is friendly. i'll keep my opinions to myself from now on. peace. |
Why not Flex? | butterfi: Why not HTML/CSS/JS?You can use it for web, widgets, iPhone/Android Apps. It's free, has a low barrier to entry, is easy to update, and has extensive documentation, both free and commercial.I'm not saying that Flex doesn't have it merits, but as a long time web/flash developer, I'm finding myself using Flash/... |
Why not Flex? | gte910h: First off, flex is not flash. Do not confuse the two. Flex is the fast, just works, flash is the pretty.Secondly, the reason webby people don't like it is that they can't scrape it, tie it in seamlessly, etc. The reason it may be a good idea for your business is that it is 1000x easier to whip out a consisten... |
Why not Flex? | mikeryan: Well first, you're writing a chat app.In this case Flex might be the right solution for you. Heavy back and forth, it dosn't really need to be indexed by browsers.You likely want some sort of combo with Flex and HTML.The border issue is kind of a non-starter and not really relevant for a broader discussion (B... |
Has anyone tried the p90x exercise program? | paulsingh: Yep, I've gone through a couple cycles of it -- it's pretty solid. It's going to take ~1hr of your day for those 90 days, but it's well worth the effort.You don't need any fancy equipment. A few dumbbells and the corner of a room will do just fine. |
Why not Flex? | kqr2: Is anybody using Flex for embedded systems? Any thoughts on that? |
Why not Flex? | kingsley_20: It's the texture. HTML/JS/CSS feels like paper. Flex/flash feel like plastic.Shoptalk looks great btw. You'll probably want to allow multi-selecting users - dragging them one by one can get tedious. |
Why not Flex? | cookiecaper: I have a client using Flex right now. They're having a desperately hard time finding anyone adequately qualified to perform the work, so availability of hackers is an important consideration.Also, everything else people have said. It uses a plugin, which slows things down and appears non-native. It's propr... |
Why not Flex? | dimarco: We're using Flex + ZendAMF(PHP) and development is enjoyable. Serializing PHP data types that are also native to Actionscript remove the need to parse JSON and XML. On the wire the data is binary, thus small(no XML tag tax) and fast.Flex's default widgets and classes are all easy to extend and customize. You n... |
Why not Flex? | javery: this comment is loading....... loading....... |
Has anyone tried the p90x exercise program? | rewind: The P90X program is amazing if you stick to the six-a-week workouts and are really strict about your diet. It will kick your ass in the beginning, so be ready for that. By the end, you will be enjoying the workouts that you dreaded when you started.There is no gimmick here: you have to work hard and diet hard (... |
Why not Flex? | RobKohr: Ajax is easy to use, and the dom is easy to manipulate using jquery. When yo create a site with plain html, it fits in perfectly with how the user expects the web to work.When you do this is flash, it is an application running in your browser. It is far from seemless, and is the equivalent of a java app. It is... |
Has anyone tried the p90x exercise program? | jakecarpenter: Does anyone know of an open-source alternative? I don't mean "lift up heavy shit until you get tired, don't eat bad food" either, I mean a tested, regimented, and focused system?I participated in the 911 Fitness Challenge http://www.911fitness.com/ a few years ago and it was particularly helpful to have ... |
Why not Flex? | peoplerock: BTW: V. classy operation at SmallTalkApp... wish I could have entered a suggestion via your "Feedback" button... without going through Bloomplex's "question handling". Makes it feel way less like I'm actually connected with developers of STA... taken away to "getsatisfaction.com ...As for the original topi... |
Why not Flex? | kingkongrevenge: I know it's not practical at the moment due to lack of deployment, but how does flex compare and contrast with silverlight/moonlight? |
How many of you have ereaders? | frossie: You seem to have posted this twice: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=803883 |
Why not Flex? | camwest: We're using the upcoming Flex 4 for a new project and I'd compare Flex to GWT but not something like jQuery. It definitely has its trade-offs and benefits. The state management and skinning system is first class and there are some great micro-application architectures being created in the Flex world.We have st... |
How many of you have ereaders? | joshuarr: Got a kindle. Not in love. Waiting for iTab. |
Why not Flex? | joeld42: I think you've answered your own question. Flex sounds like a good fit for your project. |
Why not Flex? | rgrove: Are there any screen readers that support Flex content?(that's not rhetorical; if anyone knows of one, I'd like to know) |
3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think? | YCW10: My main interest is combining the web with custom manufacturing technology to help people build anything they can imagine. I'm also interested in ideas usually discussed under the banner of "Web Meets World" "Internet of Things".In short I really like the internet and plastic. I'd like to combine those two thing... |
3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think? | moe: I like how you think beyond the usual social network web stuff. I also like how you identify problems in existing markets, sexy or not - way to go, imho. |
Is version control worth learning early on? | elai: Put your mercurial/git repo in your dropbox! Remote backups + versioning.What I've never understood is why version control systems cannot just detect if a file has been deleted automatically and remove it from the repo automatically. And link back up to it if it reappears? |
3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think? | joez: I like your ideas. The back of the napkin math is a little excessive sometimes: I can do the math that if your averaging the same amount per user and your users increase by 10x, then your revenue does as well. I don't need to see what 100x would mean, or 500x.The excessive use of the handle YCW10 loses credibilit... |
3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think? | diN0bot: i like your style. very curious to know if this pans out for you.i'm looking for a co-founder, too. my current project may not overlap with your interests, but i recently showed off a neat diy CNC mill at Maker Faire. maybe the networking and idea exchange would be useful for both of us. i will shoot you some ... |
3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think? | npk: Great ideas. I'm particularly impressed with the term "web 3d". The PR will just roll in -- especially in "today's economy" -- press will love to discuss Americans who actually (1) make things and (2) sell those things.I've had a very nebulous idea that's been percolating in my mind: software designed for small ... |
3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think? | patio11: I am going to pull this out because I feel it might not get seen otherwise:http://www.slideshare.net/YCW10/cutbots-presentation-1946585Read this presentation. It is, far and away, the best pitch I have ever seen.I have sold to, approximately, these customers for the last 3 years. Once a little blog none of y... |
3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think? | terpua: I love your Joolme idea (great name, too). Teenage girls are an underserved market (online, at least) and I can see its potential. I have 2 sisters that used to buy costume jewelry all the time. Even as adults, they still do.The potential problem I see is the social aspect of trying on the jewelry physically an... |
how do people solve the 3 Google Code Jam problems in 25 minutes? | vmanor: Stupid me tried to start an hour before it ended, found out about it at 4:30 and didn't get home until 5:00. I don't really do these competitions so took me about 2 1/2 hours but still those guys are fast. Here are my thoughts on the problems:A) Trick was to reverse the problem. Instead of checking if differ... |
3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think? | alaskamiller: This is a great way to go about getting cofounders. Love it. Good luck. |
3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think? | callmeed: Here's the deal: I really like your ideas ... what bothers me, however, is that I can't tell much about you from this blog.It's curious that you're hiding your name (I guess if you're worried about losing your current job, that's understandable). A little more personal data (maybe even a picture) would be nic... |
3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think? | darien: Your cut-boxes idea is best. I would suggest removing the other two slideshows/presentations because I feel they weaken your overall pitch. Investors want to know you're focused, confident and dedicated to your idea. They wont necessarily get that impression if you're offering a download of your brain. But good... |
3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think? | tomsaffell: I'd find #3 more interesting if it were the 'Threadless Tees of Jewelry' |
Review my prototype - http://cluud.in - real time local search for SF | viksit: Oh and its pronounced "Clued in"! Cheers.
PS. Direct link: http://cluud.in |
Review my prototype - http://cluud.in - real time local search for SF | babyshake: PHP and mootools? Not into Django/jQuery? :) |
Review my prototype - http://cluud.in - real time local search for SF | timr: Neat. Where'd you get the location definitions? Yelp? |
Correct Abstract Verbalisation for Bachelor Thesis? | erikb85: with guidance from HN and friends I have changed a little bit. Hope this is better (but still does not feel good enough):"""The company ticket-web GmbH & Co. KG faces a big step in its evolution. The supplier of technical solutions for selling tickets in different kind of ways wants to create a Germany wide we... |
Looking for interested open source developers (Ajax IM) | endtwist: Clickable links:Ajax IM website: http://www.ajaxim.comAjax IM demo: http://www.ajaxim.net |
3 Ideas (with slides) for YC W10 - What do you think? | wensing: You have a comma out of place on slide #10. Just saying. :-) |
Is version control worth learning early on? | billclerico: i'd just write code. in fact, we used dropbox as our version control system for a month or so in the early days. you'll need to figure it out eventually, but get your bearings first. |
Post your OPMLs? What are your must-read sites? | BSeward: A snapshot of my subscriptions of the moment is at http://brianseward.com/feed-me.opmlI am constantly impressed by the curation of applications on http://www.creativeapplications.net/ . Their posts inspire me to imagine creative, engaging interfaces for my own projects. |
how do people solve the 3 Google Code Jam problems in 25 minutes? | manzyuk: I am curious, what languages did those of you who participated use for your solutions? I have seen Ruby and Haskell mentioned. I downloaded a few solutions of different participants at random, and they all were in C++. I used Common Lisp (and my own small library of utility functions and macros), and it was... |
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