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Python for commercial desktop software? | jmount: I would guess one reason there is little Python desktop software is that the user interface components available to Python are not that great (unless you call-out to something like QT http://qt.nokia.com/products ). For a real horror-story (that happened to be in Python, but Python was not the biggest cause) do read "Dreaming in Code" http://www.dreamingincode.com/ . Plus there are the usual set of cynics who say there is no longer a need for desktop software (I strongly disagree with that). |
Python for commercial desktop software? | lygaret: In terms of desktop software, I know that the Dropbox client for OS X at least is a python application. There's a bunch of layers of platform specific wrapping, but python's definitely in there. |
Python for commercial desktop software? | fragmede: Look at javascript heavy websites. True, they aren't (usually) giving away the source for their backend, but javascript, even obfuscated, is 'source', and relatively easy to reverse-engineer.py2exe and py2app do a reasonable job of packaging up your python program into .exe/.app for desktop software. With a toolkit such as QT, though PyQT is non-free, professional looking applications are achievable. PySide, Nokia's LGPL Python QT binding does not have Windows or OS X on their official roadmap, so unless you're willing/able to do the port yourself, I would not count on it. (http://www.pyside.org/roadmap/)For C++, Visual Studio comes in an Express edition that is free, which can (somewhat) be used with QT, and these days, QT is LGPL, which means no licensing costs.If there is really a need for this to be desktop software, and I don't know your product, so lets assume there is. Cross-platform desktop apps is a special niche, and assuming you lack the resources to do ports for each OS, I'd go with C++ and QT.Python is also not an all-or-nothing choice. There are some professional applications that use Python at some point in the process. Avid Media Composer (professional video editing suite) has a python2X.dll in their C:\Program Files directory, though I don't know what it gets used for.Between the two larger platforms, OS X and Windows (assuming those are the 'cross' platforms you are talking about), QT does a fine job of working on both systems, but the two platforms DO have different idioms that I feel a platform specific port is the only way to do a good job on. |
open standards for mail storage? | Scott_MacGregor: Email messages are stored in open human readable text on the email server, unless they are encrypted.An Administrator on a Microsoft server with the proper permission level can open the mail directory on the server and see all of the user directories inside. Then simply open the directory and see all of the email message files. Since they are plain text they can be opened with a text editor such as WordPad and easily read.Linux is the same.I am not sure if XOBNI crawls the user mailbox on the email server. More likely, it is getting the information it needs from the Outlook .pst file that is on the user’s client machine. The .pst file is a little database just for Outlook to use.I went to a Microsoft Office developers brunch a while back (good food) and I think I remember they said that they were opening a lot of their Office products to developers so they could make apps to tie in to them.Here is link to the MSN Developers Network that might help you:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx |
Python for commercial desktop software? | samdk: Ars Technica had an article a while ago on how to deploy standalone Python applications written using PyQt: http://arstechnica.com/open-source/guides/2009/03/how-to-dep...That's probably your best bet for cross-platform Python applications if you need a GUI. |
Best way to bring a hardware idea to production? | rapatapat: here's a good video for info: http://www.fastcompany.tv/video/a-look-how-china-changing-ho...depending on what your product is, of course alibaba.com is always a good way to start contacting manufacturers. |
Python for commercial desktop software? | chipsy: Python has a relatively heavy footprint for deployment, and cross-platform toolkits add to that - it could be somewhere between 5 and 20 megabytes depending on exactly how many dependencies you've got. |
Python for commercial desktop software? | CyberFonic: openERP is written in Python and widely used. As far as I know there is some Python used in Gimp and Blender.For commercial desktop software, Windows is still the major market. Cross-platform development costs are far greater than the value of the small increase in target market size. |
Still using thesixtyone? | dfwarden: I hadn't heard about it before the redesign and started using it based on the initial "user uproar" post on HN.That said, there are a lot of interface quirks that still need to be worked out, specifically in the area of "doing something and getting back to the stream you were listening to" - so many times I go into my profile and am not sure how to go back to the "mood" or whatever I was listening to. There are also a few times when I want to force the slideshow stuff to start again but it doesn't.I haven't seen the previous design but the non-visual design (making an MMO out of discovering new music) is quite good. |
A martial art for a programmer | st4lz: Doesn't matter if you start with python or scheme, but the next one makes you understand more and gets closer to mastery. |
A martial art for a programmer | christonog: I think any martial art is beneficial as the very nature forces you to stop thinking about programming. I've personally chosen Muay Thai as it puts special emphasis on physical conditioning, and I tend to work best not stressing (or thinking about) how I'm going to get my day's exercise. |
A martial art for a programmer | sambeau: I thought you had typed "Marital Art"……my bad. Moving on. |
A martial art for a programmer | Confusion: Though not entirely an answer to the question: I've never found any aspect of my martial art of choice (jiu-jitsu) particularly beneficial to my life as a software developer. At most, I think practicing sports helps to keep a healthy body as the counterpart to a healthy mind. In general, I think there are principles of martial arts that can serve as adequate analogies to principles in software engineering (know your tools, be aware of your enemies, use the path of the least resistance, practice makes perfect, it pays to broaden your skills, ...) but knowledge and understanding of those principles is not bound to actually practicing them. |
A martial art for a programmer | yummyfajitas: I'd recommend Eskrima/Kali (Philipino martial arts) if you can find a teacher near you. Eskrima builds strong and flexible wrists in a way that most other arts don't.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rckWVZl_GsAAnother reason I prefer Philipino martial arts to Japanese arts is that the latter tends to be rigid and emphasize gatekeeping. When I studied Kendo, the attitude was "level up before we let you spar". In contrast, I got my ass whooped one month into Eskrima. (Obviously this is also highly dependent on the teacher.) |
A martial art for a programmer | scorpioxy: Karate(shotokan) made me more disciplined and taught me to endure pain. That comes in handy in dealing with a dumb boss, a nagging client, or any of the overall suck-y conditions we work with everyday.Also, sparring amazingly taught me to control my thoughts to achieve a certain goal. So it helps when chasing bugs to clear your mind and organize your thoughts.Sadly, i don't practice anymore. |
A martial art for a programmer | mml: Taekwondo. Lacks mystical energy crap, and is practical. |
A martial art for a programmer | robg: I wouldn't have made it through grad school without Shotokan Karate (http://www.ska.org/). It helps that they're non-profit, so you know you're learning and not just paying for belts. Plus, they have very intense "Special trainings" around the country at different points in the year. They're a great organization.While it's easy for some to dismiss "mystical" aspects, look at the real world applications. If you suffer from "pressure" that could be a moderate form of anxiety. A great combat to the parasympathetic response? Breathing.Watch what happens when you get punched in the gut. Your immediate, initially uncontrollable desire is to blindly fight like hell or turn and run. Keeping a calm head takes practice to overcome the rush of hormones. Breathing slows the heart and tempers the response. It's the same reason elite athletes, especially runners, know the power of proper breathing.I tend to think many mystical aspects had some physiological root that then got adulterated over time. Breathing as the route to relaxation is first on my list. |
A martial art for a programmer | sgdesign: I would say Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. You can make good progress very quickly, it's a lot of fun, can be very demanding physically (but doesn't always have to) and is called "chess on the mat" which should appeal to a programmer's analytical minds.
Plus, there's a ton of BJJ ressources on the net and the community is very active. |
A martial art for a programmer | nazgulnarsil: doesn't matter as long as there is sparring. martial arts without sparring is a dance class. martial arts with sparring is an unmissable experience. |
A martial art for a programmer | jeromec: Growing up we watched tons of martial art related shows because they "looked cool", but while my brothers took some courses I never did (I was teaching myself BASIC). Being older and seeing life a bit differently I see martial arts differently as well. I stumbled across a new show where I was surprised to see childhood action-hero Steven Seagal as a real sheriff. It's a good example to me of the real, rather than tv side, of martial arts, and I'd probably study Aikido if I got into something. Check this out: http://www.aetv.com/steven-seagal-lawman/video/?bcpid=468810... |
A martial art for a programmer | Fook: Have a look at Wing Chun Kung Fu. Amazingly complicated and deep. Every move is defence and attack at the same time using minimum energy, quite relevant nowadays. |
A martial art for a programmer | praptak: Depends on what kind of programmer you are. If you do a lot of concurrent programming in C++ then chainsaw fencing should be right for you. An advanced Lisp programmer can practice blasting opponents with pure Chi energy. |
A martial art for a programmer | oscardelben: For me personally martial arts helps to build a character which in turn may help you grow as a programmer, but that's an effect of growing as a person. I practice sanda which is similar to muai thai but there are many other arts which focus more on the inner side, and you can gain a lot of concentration and peace by practicing them, which in turns could help you as a programmer when you have to deal with difficult tasks. |
A martial art for a programmer | scott_s: I do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, some boxing and MMA. It's my main hobby and time sink after work. Our gym focuses a lot on conditioning and just good ol' grit. Being mentally broken from conditioning drills makes everything else not as bad. |
Rebranding decision | mseebach: First, an important question: why do you want to change your brand? What's not communicated properly?A three-letter domain is quite rare these days, and that could give you some distinction. Also, digital media is quite bland, and that puts some pressure on the execution to make you stand out. On the other hand, you'll need some kind of story to put behind "ten" to make it memorable, IMHO.In conclusion, it's all about execution :) |
A martial art for a programmer | dzlobin: Not a martial art exactly but I would say fencing without a doubt. It's like physical chess |
A martial art for a programmer | starkfist: When I was in school I was lucky enough to find a place that offered a mix of wing chun, kali, muay thai, and moves from arts like silat. This was before the MMA/BJJ craze so there was not much "grappling" at the time. I could not find a similar school in the Bay Area so I went to Fairtex. I don't think it developed any skills directly related to programming, but it was a lot of fun. |
A martial art for a programmer | stummjr: I think Aikido is a very good option, not only to programmers, but to all the people. It's a martial art which is meant to preserve the integrity of both players. Both mental and body health are the main concerns of this martial art. |
Rebranding decision | Mz: If those are the only two options on the table, I would go with ten.tld and do a promotional campaign around the idea of it being "A perfect ten" (on a scale of one to ten) kind of thing. Of course, you haven't said what you are doing currently, why you are wanting to rebrand...etc. So please realize that answer is probably only as good as the data it is based on, which is not much. |
A martial art for a programmer | peterwwillis: i have no idea how martial arts would help my programming other than some kind of meditation-centric art (shaolin?). i do arnis/eskrima, which are philipino martial arts. the hand to hand is similar to muay thai but a little more focus on defense like locks. the stick fighting is neat because your reflexes improve and you learn how to move (good for sparring). i imagine most weapons classes would be good to sharpen your hand-eye coordination. |
A martial art for a programmer | Mentat_Enki: Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. Practical and Powerful. Great lineage. Check it out. |
A martial art for a programmer | eraad: Ignore everything, go with Brazilian Jiujitsu. Saying BJJ doesn´t work in real life is like saying Ruby doesn't scale.If you want to become a killer machine, learn BJJ, box, wrestling and muay-thai and stop programming. If you want to get fit and exercise your mind and body, train BJJ.There are plenty of gyms in the US with great black belts. Look for Alliance, Gracie Barra, Paragon, Brotherhood. |
A martial art for a programmer | ryanelkins: I study Krav Maga. I prefer a practical self defense oriented approach. It is the system developed by and taught to the Israeli military. Moves are generally very simple (important so you can be effective without years of training). The problem with pretty much all other martial arts everyone is mentioning is that they have morphed to work ideally in a competitive environment. Sure, knowing just about any martial art will give you a huge advantage against someone who isn't skilled but there are alot of things people just don't train for with BJJ, Tae Kwon Do, etc.For example, one of the first things we learned is defending yourself from various holds and chokes. The first move, after securing your throat or loosening their grip is generally to hit them in the balls. This is one example of something most martial arts won't teach you because that's generally "against the rules", however, in a self defense scenario, there are no rules (there are however laws that you may break so keep that in mind).You really want to avoid going to the ground if at all possible. It just makes you more vulnerable if anyone else decides to jump in and you never know what you're rolling around on. Besides, what are you going to do, put someone in a submission until help arrives? A really effective way to break a hold is to grab their pinky and twist it in a direction it doesn't want to go. If they don't let go just move on to new fingers. Also, feel free to bite them. Hard. You can also pull hair, gouge eyes, fishhook, etc. It's great to know how to defend yourself on the ground, but you want to be on the ground as little as possible as it can be a dangerous place because your opponent is probably not playing under the same rules you are.If you want more of a philosophy then it's probably not right for you. This is pretty much just about winning fights when it matters the most. |
Psychology research on value perception of different pricing models? | mikecane: I seriously suggest reading "Predictably Irrational," which goes into the psychology of pricing and the behavior of buyers in very surprising ways. |
Psychology research on value perception of different pricing models? | mseebach: I can't point to any research, but it seems the bias lately is "keep it simple", which would point to your second option.You can add a simple "expiring credit" function like Skype has (if your account is untouched for a year, they tell you to begin using it, however little, or lose it) to keep your books sane, and a service to transfer money out for e.g. a $10 fee. |
A martial art for a programmer | jff: I used to do kendo and loved it. I tried taking a kung fu course for a phys. ed. requirement at college and hated it.Martial arts are not some magical thing you do; this isn't anime, people. They're just highly refined methods of bringing the hurt to someone.Kendo was very good exercise; the time we did 1,200 suburi for the new year (100 per month) was quite the workout. I regret dropping it due to schedule problems. However much I enjoyed it, though, I don't really think it conferred any special advantages to me as an engineer compared to any other form of exercise. |
A martial art for a programmer | a-priori: I've studied a couple martial arts in various amounts: Judo, Kendo, Tae Kwon Do, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. All are interesting in their own ways, but I recommend Judo and BJJ... or Kendo if you need to vent by beating people with sticks :)In fact, I would say to try Judo and see what you like about it. If you like the throwing, then stick with Judo. If you like the grappling (which unfortunately, sport Judo mostly lacks these days...) then switch to BJJ. |
A martial art for a programmer | edw519: I prefer training for martial arts over martial arts themselves.I do dands (Hindu pushups) and bethaks (Hindu squats) almost every day.Want to build character? Do 500 bethaks. Your quads will be screaming, begging you to stop at 200, 300, even 400. But you keep going. Because you know that as soon as you stop, you gave up too easily. But once you finish, you can do anything. Eerily similar to starting a software business. |
Psychology research on value perception of different pricing models? | iamelgringo: You're looking for a field called Behavioral Economics. There's a lot of research that's being done in this area right now. Dan Ariely's book, "Predictably Irrational" is a great introduction, and he was a good bibliography for further reading as well. |
A martial art for a programmer | bjelkeman-again: I went back to classic karate after a really long brake, Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate, and it is really making a big difference to my life. Goju-Ryu is quite physical in the training, which means that most training passes give you a really good workout.There are a number of things which I find particularly beneficial to my work (I am not programmer as such, but a founder of an internet services startup), some fairly obvious:- It is great to be forced to use another part of the brain regularly, my body may be tired but my head is less tired after each training pass, it is like an energy injection- I am physically much fitter now, 15 months after I started, this may be obvious, but it makes a big difference to how much work I can do and how well I feel- my wife tells me I don't stall or give up so easily anymore when I have more work to do, particularly stuff at home- I am forced to leave work on training days (I work from home) and not stay and, ineffectively, trying to get more done. I feel like I am more effective, despite the hours that go to training and commuting back and forth to the dojo- I have no back problems or issues with circulation in my legs anymore, I tend to spend a lot of time sitting working, this is greatMy club and the particular style I practise doesn't put much emphasis on competition (it is actually discouraged) which means that there is a really helpful, non-macho, atmosphere at the dojo. Everybody is very helpful and the training really becomes about self improvement rather than trying to be better than the others. It helps that we have some really excellent trainers as well. The head of the club is well respected internationally for his work. http://www.iogkf.se/ |
Psychology research on value perception of different pricing models? | durana: I've never priced a product or service myself, but thinking about the roll over credit model from the consumer perspective I see a potential problem. If a subscriber's usage never exceeds the monthly minimum, then that subscriber is going to roll over credits every month and accumulate credits they will never use. The value of those rolled over credits that will never be used will highlight to the subscriber how much money they have paid for credits they didn't use. No one likes to know they are wasting money by paying for more than they need.I don't know what your service is, so I can't reason about how subscribers would use it from month to month, but I would think you could control the amount of roll over credits accumulated by setting the monthly minimum low enough that most subscribers go over it and use accumulated credits. |
A martial art for a programmer | dylanz: Wing Chun. Shortest attacks from point A to point B. Get the issue over with fast. No fancy kicks or meta moves. You train in what you wear everyday. It also has an amazing history. Unlike Karate which has hard movements, like most forms of Gung Fu, it all revolves around flowing, snapping and potential energy.Beautiful, but pragmatic. |
Why do we still follow the 'Folder' metaphor? | fragmede: http://wiki.github.com/marook/tagfs/demoIt needs to have its corners rounded and rough edges smoothed out if you were looking for an easy solution, but it's there. |
Looking for cofounders, I'll pay the bills | mschaecher: I'm curious, and I bet others are as well, as to what your skill set is and what skills you are looking for in a co-founder? |
Why do we still follow the 'Folder' metaphor? | telemachos: Well, in a way, doesn't Apple's Spotlight provide a kind of tag/search based file system?For what it's worth, my answer to your actual question is that for a large number of people and cases, the folder metaphor works well. You have individual items (files, pictures, songs, etc.) which belong in one bin. When you want that item, you open that bin. It's a real-life scenario that we all make use of every day (consider a refrigerator or a drawer with clothing, for example)I'm not saying it's perfect, and certainly it would often be better or easier to be able to say "show me all the files that are (1) in Ruby and (2) have a certain method name" rather than "show me all the files in this bin." But folders are not too complex and cover a lot of essential cases. |
A martial art for a programmer | wushupork: I think any martial arts taken seriously is good for you. You realize that mastery comes w/ only years of practice and don't develop that short sightedness of thinking you will hit a homerun on your first time (competing). My martial arts training has tempered my own patience. If I get impatient as to why I am not getting something already, I go back to what I tell my own students: If you haven't done it a 1000 times yet, it's ok that it's not great yet, don't be frustrated. Practice practice practice. |
A martial art for a programmer | barmstrong: As others have mentioned BJJ because...
1. A weaker opponent can take down a much stronger/bigger one using leverage and his mind
2. It's comparable to chess or a mental sportFor a striking example of #1 see this video where Royce Gracie (6'1" 180 lbs) defeats Legendary Sumo Grand Champion Akebono (6'8" 486 lbs) using BJJ. I can't imagine that being possible with any other style of martial arts.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POJ2T023M4I |
A martial art for a programmer | lmkg: If you're not concerned with practicality at all, Capoiera is worth a look. It's a much slower martial art (especially Angola), and tends to focus more on prediction and setting the other player up. How movements flow into each other is a significant consideration as well. I wouldn't ever use it in a fight. But it's more approachable as a casual interest. |
A martial art for a programmer | ivan_ah: I really like this thread for its information content about different styles. I have a few general comments:- The school/teacher is much more important than the style. Make sure you find a teacher than is not profit oriented or arrogant. Signs of a bad teacher: has his face on the wall, has his name on the school, won't talk to you when you visit, tolerates bad attitude amongst his students.- Martial-arts is essentially applied classical mechanics. Leverage, angle, distance, bone structure, hip turning... make sure people explain this to you instead of talking about tigers, praying mantii or age old traditions.- practice horse stance on your own: it's the shit !
http://images.google.ca/images?q=horse+stance- I highly recommend wing chun kung fu. You learn a few basic moves and then you can combine them like lego pieces. Check out these doods controlling the space in front of them in a RELAXED manner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFuqC6CTKV8 |
Why do we still follow the 'Folder' metaphor? | jmonegro: Windows 7's Libraries address this exact problem. |
A martial art for a programmer | neonscribe: Jim Brown in "One Down, Two To Go" (1982):"I may not know kung fu, but I'm an expert in gun fu."http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086051/quotes |
A martial art for a programmer | kingkongreveng_: No offense, but this is kind of a dumb question. A martial art is not much different from any other sport, programmer or not. Play tennis, box, what's the difference?My two cents on which martial art to pick is boxing or one of the kickboxing varieties. The "east asian" martial arts schools in your American strip mall practically never emphasize that fighting is 90% physical fitness and strength, and so I regard them as a bit of a joke. Rare is the taekwondo student who'd last three rounds against a golden gloves guy.I mean, you see fat people coming out of these karate classes. There's very rarely such a thing at a muay thai or boxing gym that actually fields fighters. When I was boxing it wasn't rare for guys to puke.I suppose nerds want to think fighting is this cerebral thing where all these advanced skills with funny japanese names make the difference. Sorry, it's mostly being able to hit hard and keep doing it a lot for minutes. |
What are you working on tonight? | mgz: Working on multiplayer Minesweeper, web-based: http://sweepminer.com |
Why do we still follow the 'Folder' metaphor? | ElliotH: The problem is this needs to be an change throughout an operating system or it doesn't work.I know there have been userspace file system projects for Linux systems that have attempted the tagging system, but none have really become mainstream. Gnome seems to be going in the direction of time-pased file sorting which is another non-folder oriented way of thinking.On the Apple side I think they really want their users to be searching in preference to tagging.Microsoft had a go with Windows 7, but obviously they want users to be able to upgrade their old operating system making it impractical to make it a global default.But the other thing to consider is 'Cloud' computing, a lot of online services (eg Google's) use tagging rather than a folder modal. This means if software moves more online/browser based we'll see tag-based systems emerge naturally.Edit: Fixed some typos |
Why do we still follow the 'Folder' metaphor? | noss: I'm a big fan of tags, and I would argue that we are giving up the folder metaphor, it is just happening online first (tags was a big part of "web 2.0" sites, gmail's labels, using google to find files based on keywords, etc).The location where files are stored is where tags are a bit awkward. The folders are clear there. It's easy with folders to copy a picture from an SD card to my hard drive. From hd to a network mount.The alternative would be to have magical tags, so everything you gave the 'hd' tag to, it would be stored on your hd.In fact, the whole concept of adding a storage device to the system is strange with tags. Mount a 1Tb network share and automatic indexing starts? A standardized format for storing tag-information? What about computers that just change files directly without updating the tags? What about incompatible formats?I wonder if applications could do a better job at tagging up files they create compared to the approach (in apple spotlight) to have search engine plugins that can find tags based on file content (mp3 id data, jpeg exif data,...).If applications were more tag-aware, they could at least allow you to browse your files by tags instead of by folders. |
A martial art for a programmer | keefe: I studied karate for years. I would recommend finding something with a strong heritage to traditional martial arts - this is more important than style, you should be able to trace the lineage of your teachers back to someone notable. http://www.amazon.com/Moving-Zen-Journey-Bushido-Warrior/dp/... this is a nice book regarding this topic. I personally would recommend tai chi or karate over kendo. imho, kendo is not exactly practical these days, it tends to be a bit stuffy for me and in most karate schools you will get weapons training after you advance far enough. |
Why do we still follow the 'Folder' metaphor? | keefe: I see it as a totally different model. I don't particularly want my files to be stored by tags. I keep a very organized repository of all my stuff. If I want music I go to media/music if I want code I'm working on I'll go to code/projects or stuff I'm not I'll go to code/legacyprojects etc. Directory structures have hierarchy, traditional tag systems do not. |
Why do we still follow the 'Folder' metaphor? | radu_floricica: I think some file systems at least aren't as incompatible with this idea as one would think. In linux (all fs?) one has hard-links, which pretty much decouple the file from its location. And from what I remember in earlier FATs, you have different mechanisms for file management and location management (File Allocation Tables for file management, and special directory files over it).As to why there is no application to take advantage of it... maybe because it requires too much mind-bending. Most people stay as far away as possible from hard links. When you delete a file you want it deleted, not just "not here anymore". |
A martial art for a programmer | peterbe: All of you Kung Fu people should come and join http://kungfupeople.com
Built (Django, Python) by a programmer and a technical project manager. |
Is it me or does NBC simply not get the whole online thing? | chancho: Oh they get it alright: it's a threat. If you're watching it online you're not watching ads run by your local NBC affiliate. The network affiliate business model is a dying model, but it's not going down without a fight. |
A martial art for a programmer | zwadia: Aikido surely... for when you build something compelling, you can deflect VCs as they come at you and make it look like their fault. |
Is it me or does NBC simply not get the whole online thing? | robbed: Yep. It's weird that this is the same company that owns part of Hulu. |
A martial art for a programmer | coryl: My vote is for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Gi or No Gi), Boxing, or Kickboxing (Muay thai).I think BJJ will especially appeal to the nerd in you, I'm not sure why, but it does. The awesome thing about BJJ is you don't need to be very athletic to be good. Its also a very practical art and you'll get to spar everyday. In terms of self development, BJJ will crush your soul and teach you what your ego is all about. The BJJ journey is just a rewarding and frustrating as the startup journey, and you'll never stop learning new techniques and things about yourself. Good luck |
Is it me or does NBC simply not get the whole online thing? | aphistic: I found the whole online coverage of these Olympics completely frustrating. I'd be willing to pay some kind of "online access" fee to allow me to watch the live coverage online because I spend most of my time in a room on my computer without a TV. Early on I tried to find somewhere I could watch the live broadcast from my area but came up empty. I agree, either NBC doesn't "get it" or they're actively trying to frustrate people like me. |
Is it me or does NBC simply not get the whole online thing? | shhhhhh: shhhhh. http://p2p4u.net/watch/13014/1/watch-canada-vs.-usa.htmlPS: GO USA! |
Is it me or does NBC simply not get the whole online thing? | thaumaturgy: This has been a soapbox subject for me for a while.I actually like the Olympics. I'd love to have it on in the background while working, I'd love to see most of the events, and I enjoy watching a bunch of people get together in one place, from around the world, and compete at the highest levels. It's great.But I'm not about to subscribe to cable tv for it. I can't stand most of what passes for entertainment on television, I don't want to pay for it, I don't want it in my home. Nor do I want to limit myself only to NBC's coverage of the event, with their moronic and vapid commentators and waste-of-time interviews.Unfortunately, the various countries are limiting viewership only to their own country, which I think runs pretty starkly against the spirit of the Olympics. |
A martial art for a programmer | elblanco: Doesn't really matter. Pick a few that interest you and try them out for a month. Try at least two different schools for each style. Saying Tien Shan Pai sucks and Liu He Ba Fa rocks, makes no sense. It's just whatever works for you. I know a guy that was absolutely in love with Hsing Yi Quan, had studied it for 20 years. I found it intolerably boring. Tang Lang on the other hand was a blast.A lot of it depends on the vibe of the school as well. That's why I say try a couple.If you want to ground and pound, and that's what gets you off, try a bit of some grappling styles. BJJ is ok, but depending on where you live there's probably some modern style schools you can give a go at also (usually some combo of Muay Thai and some kind of grappling).If you want to enjoy something with a long history, and steep yourself in the culture, try some kind of Kung Fu style. I find Chinese styles exercise different parts of the brain I don't use as much for engineering and actually can be very relaxing. Most of it is highly impractical in a modern setting, but it's like studying painting or calligraphy or some such.If you want to be tightly disciplined, Japanese styles, with their strict emphasis on form, ceremony and procedure can be highly enjoyable. I liked my brief study of Shotokan for just that reason, it allowed me to turn off the self-discipline for a bit and let something else take charge.If you want something you can maybe take to high levels of sport and competition, Tae Kwon Do is probably the place to go. There are a bajillion TKD places around, so choose wisely. Lots of them will be belt-mills selling personal fitness more than the Olympic sport. Try to find a school with lots of Korean students.But there are others, off the beaten path you can try and have fun with too like Escrima or Capoeira. |
What happened to Tweba? | evanrmurphy: Timeline for context:1/12/09 - TechCrunch has article on Tweebay becoming Tweba (http://techcrunch.com/2009/01/12/startup-tip-dont-pick-a-nam...)5/4/09 - Tweba featured on Digg (http://digg.com/tech_news/Tweba_com_Tweba_allows_you_to_buy_...)5/8/09 - Tweba is selected Microsoft Startup of the Day (http://www.microsoftstartupzone.com/Blogs/Microspark-BizSpar...)7/26/09 - Date of Tweba's most recent tweet (http://twitter.com/Tweba)Now - http://www.tweba.com apparently gone without a trace! |
A martial art for a programmer | dnsworks: Have you considered the Scottish martial art? It's called Fuh Kyou.(Yes, I deserve every down-mod I get for that) |
Is it me or does NBC simply not get the whole online thing? | benologist: Nobody really understands anything but us. It's one of the best parts of being us. |
A martial art for a programmer | ieure: Just like it's important to learn multiple languages to be a well-rounded programmer, you should train in multiple styles of martial arts to become a well-rounded fighter.I recommend kickboxing for learning fundamentals of open-hand stand up fighting, Sambo or BJJ for ground fighting, and Filipino martial arts (Kali/Arnis/Eskrima) for weapons and to tie it all together. Wing Chun fits in nicely as well, and JKD is worth your time too.I echo the sentiments of the people who say it's less about the style than the teacher. A good teacher will expose you to outside concepts. A good teacher will teach you to be practical and not flashy. I strongly recommend you focus on practicality. Always ask yourself, "how will this actually help me if I have to defend myself?" I've seen practitioners of certain styles get completely taken down because they were not taught to be practical - nothing to do with the style per se, but they didn't have good teachers. In particular, I recall a Tae Kwan Do fighter try to use spinning kicks while sparring. As soon as he started to turn his back, his opponent simply stepped forward and kicked him in the balls from behind.Value practicality over all else. |
Is it me or does NBC simply not get the whole online thing? | stinkytaco: It's not you. They don't get it. |
A martial art for a programmer | xenonite: I really like Modern Arnis (10yrs). Repeating patterns everywhere, and soo much variations. The drills have logic, and I assume that programmers can vary their movements much better, as programming values flexibility. |
A martial art for a programmer | FidelDahan: Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu. Fighting is without strikes, instead you have holds, locks and chokes. You win by submitting your opponent, usually on the ground.It's like chess, but with your body. Combat is very close, but still not aggressive. Many technical and tactical aspects.Develops strength, endurance, balance, timing and a feeling for moving/rolling. Makes your body slick and flexible.And it makes you enjoy a better in sex.. seriously ;-) |
A martial art for a programmer | stpk4: Wow, a fellow Kendo-ka
yes i find that martial arts helps overall in all aspects of your life. |
Is it me or does NBC simply not get the whole online thing? | bugs: I don't think the olympics get it... granting exclusive rights for coverage of well everything. |
Does an index fund count as diversifying? | brk: Most online places charge about $10 per trade. So even if you're putting $200/mo in, you're losing 5% immediately. Best choice would be to save up for several months and do fewer trades.You really need to do better research, your statement that you don't want to learn about the stock market is a good way to guarantee that you never really make the kinds of returns you should. If there was a reliable, easy no-knowledge way to grow your investments, people would already be doing that.A better option may be to look at some money market accounts. We have accounts with Ford Motor Credit and GMAC (now Ally). Check out http://www.ally.com/money-market-account/index.html it's not going to be the highest possible return rate, but there are no fees for "investing" your money, the funds are liquid, and as you get to higher balances you can get better returns. This is where we keep our "accessible" funds (low 6 figures).Also, I'm not sure how much you're contributing to your 401K, but it may be worth bumping that up as well. You should probably at least be doing 10% of salary.High-yield CDs would also be something to look at.In short, for the dollars you're talking about, I would NOT consider anything that charged a transaction or maintenance fee, it would eat up any potential earnings. |
Rebranding decision | Scott_MacGregor: I like ten.tld. It seems more memorable and unique. Plus I could see the logo having a lot of first impression impact. |
Does an index fund count as diversifying? | tocomment: Maybe do half s&p 500 index fund and half vanguard bond fund. That way you're more diversified. |
Is it me or does NBC simply not get the whole online thing? | ja27: I feel the same way about ESPN 360. My ISP / cable provider doesn't pay them, so there's no way for me to get it. Even if I wanted to pay them myself, I can't. |
Best Place to Have Logo Designed? | kyro: 99 Designs and CrowdSpring are the two popular ones. I've seen really great logos designed by users of both services. |
An HN for biology/medicine/biotech? Would you want one? | stuntgoat: I want that and a stackoverflow for the same. Thanks! |
An HN for biology/medicine/biotech? Would you want one? | pierrefar: Count me in if you make it. Happy to help moderate too - contact details in my profile. |
Does an index fund count as diversifying? | bricestacey: No single fund is truly diversified. For example, the Vanguard Total Stock Market Fund offers stocks across all industries and includes growth and value companies from domestic and international, large, mid, and small-cap companies. That's pretty darn diverse, but it only covers stock. To really diversify, you may want to purchase a bond index as well.I use Vanguard. Vanguard has some of the lowest cost index funds. The only downside is they all have $3000 (or more) initial limits. Oh and there are generally no transaction costs with Vanguard, so you could do $100 a month via direct deposit and personally incur no fees. |
Does an index fund count as diversifying? | nickelplate: It is impossible to answer this question without knowing what kind of index fund you are investing in ("large, broad index fund" does not say much). For example, if you buy an S&P 500 index fund, you are not indexing the stock market. You're just indexing a bunch of blue-chip US stocks, and you don't have exposure to asset classes such as bonds, small cap equity or foreign equity.If you will need the money in 3-6 years you should not put it in the stock market. If you want to fund an early retirement then there are a lot more variables into this equation that you do not seem to take into consideration. What is "early"? How much money will you need into retirement? What other source of income besides savings will you have during retirement? Do you intend to raise a family? Etc. It is impossible for anyone to answer these questions for you. This is why you should learn about the stock market, and about personal investing in general, if you want to make informed decisions about making your money work for you.I very strongly suggest that you read "A Random Walk Down Wall Street" by Burton Malkiel. |
Is it me or does NBC simply not get the whole online thing? | Micand: In Canada, CTV offered access to both live video and recorded clips for these Olympics. On Windows, the service seemed to work seamlessly -- it did not prompt for cable providers, e-mail addresses, or any such thing. On Linux, the experience was less smooth. As the video relied on Silverlight, I had to install Moonlight. Through the first day or two of the Games, only the stable v2.0 was clearly offered on the Moonlight Web site, which did not support video from CTV or NBC (and which had the unfortunate habit of ballooning a freshly-launched Firefox to more than a gigabyte of memory usage). Later on, the v3.0 preview, which does support video, was prominently offered on the Moonlight site. Sadly, it performed poorly -- video ran at only about 5 FPS on my system, while consuming an entire CPU core.In contrast, CBC handled Canadian coverage of the Beijing Games in 2008. All their video was offered via Flash, which worked splendidly in Linux. Almost every event was viewable, often without commercials and commentators. I am saddened by this backward step. |
Does an index fund count as diversifying? | natrius: If your employer isn't matching that entire $10k, you should look into other retirement options.http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/the-worlds-easiest..."First, I would max out any 401(k) match that my company provides. Second, I’d max out the $5,000 for my Roth IRA. Third, I’d max out the rest of my 401(k), up to $15,000. Finally–if your employer doesn’t offer a 401(k), you’re not employed yet, or you still have money left over–I’d open a regular, taxable investment account and put money there in stocks, index funds, etc.Why max out your Roth before your 401(k)? Well, there’s a lot of dorky debate in the personal-finance world, but the basic reasons are taxes and tax policy: Assuming your career goes well, you’ll be in a higher tax bracket when you retire, meaning that you’d have to pay more taxes with a 401(k). Another common reason for the Roth is that tax rates are considered likely to increase. Remember: Your 401(k) money is taxed at the end, while Roth money is taxed right away and then grows tax-free." |
Does an index fund count as diversifying? | sivers: Please read this very tiny succinct powerful book: http://sivers.org/book/SmartestInvestmentBookI put my notes on that page, but the real book is really worth reading. It sums up the wisest advice about passive investing so well.Don't go with one fund. Do three:#1 = An index fund representative of the US stock market in its broadest terms. (Fidelity: FSTMX, Vanguard: VTSMX)#2 = An index fund representative of the international stock market in its broadest terms. (Fidelity FSIIX, Vanguard: VGTSX)#3 = An index fund representative of the US bond market in its broadest terms. (Fidelity: FBIDX, Vanguard: VBMFX)ASSET ALLOCATION:LOW RISK = 14% stocks, 6% int'l stocks, 80% bondsMEDIUM-LOW RISK = 28% stocks, 12% int'l stocks, 60% bondsMEDIUM-HIGH RISK = 42% stocks, 18% int'l stocks, 40% bondsHIGH RISK = 56% stocks, 24% int'l stocks, 20% bonds(NOTE: all stock-holdings are 70% domestic, 30% international. Only choice is how much are stocks and how much are bonds.) |
An HN for biology/medicine/biotech? Would you want one? | kcy: would definitely be interested and would be interested to help out. |
Buzzword for *.d directories? | swolchok: May I suggest the #linux channel on irc.freenode.net for questions like this? |
An HN for biology/medicine/biotech? Would you want one? | thisisnotmyname: Sounds like a great idea - I'd be happy to help out too if you need it. |
An HN for biology/medicine/biotech? Would you want one? | edge17: definitely a great idea |
Does an index fund count as diversifying? | elidourado: Broad index funds are great, but the big problem with them is that all your eggs are still in the "USA basket". Consider adding some foreign or emerging market funds, but also realize that it is impossible to diversify perfectly. |
Does an index fund count as diversifying? | iamelgringo: Someone double check my information on this, but I believe that you can take a 10,000 withdrawl penatly free for a first time home purchase. The distribution will still be taxed, but there is no penalty.ConsumerReports.org usually has a pretty good list of low load, no load index and mutual funds that they suggest. They are a non profit, and I'd been consistently pleased with their advice over the years. |
An HN for biology/medicine/biotech? Would you want one? | chanux: Though it's not one of my major interest I'd look like to hang around. But I got few friends who are well interested.Kudos |
An HN for biology/medicine/biotech? Would you want one? | ambiate: I'm a student of bioinformatics and I support this idea. Count me in. |
Does an index fund count as diversifying? | bryanalves: Thanks for the resources guys. It sounds like I need at least a couple of index funds to be adequately diversified, and the books that have been mentioned here have been mentioned in numerous other places that I've seen; time to give them a look and spend at least a little time learning.As for the people talking about not taking the time to learn, I understand that I'm not going to have crazy returns or anything like that. I just want an investment vehicle that will outperform basic savings accounts and such, and, hopefully, beat inflation.Also, as for people saying "don't put money in the stock market if you need it in 3-6 years." I certainly won't need it; I was more emphasizing that I want something sooner than 401k, and potentially would like to have it available that soon. The more realistic scenario is I use it as a gap retirement fund. I'm 26 now, and would be happy to retire in 25-30 years. This means I need 10-15 years of gap money before 401k becomes viable.Vanguard has been mentioned multiple times in this thread. I used to have a 401k with them, with a previous employer, but I didn't pay much attention to their offerings. For passively dumping small amounts of money into a small set of ETFs monthly, do they offer a superior service to some of the other online brokers that I mentioned? |
Best Place to Have Logo Designed? | holdenk: I've had ok luck with logodesigncreation . |
An HN for biology/medicine/biotech? Would you want one? | jdavid: sounds like it would work better in the midwest, where are you going to host it? |
Does an index fund count as diversifying? | RobGR: I don't think it is a good idea for a individual to put money in the stock market, whether as you are doing now (via your 401k) or through some other method.In theory, the stock market should be a place where companies can raise money to carry out enterprises that return more money to the stock holders. In order to be able to raise money from more people, rules are applied that make sure the powerful and rich don't rip off the weak; this is how the original stock markets, certain coffee houses in London and Amsterdam, fell upon the idea of only admitting members who agreed to record all of their transactions upon a chalk board on the wall, open for all to see.In the current reality, companies don't pay dividends, when you buy the stock the money you pay is not going to go to the company to fund any enterprise, and well connected people at Goldman Sachs employ "high frequency trading" which is essentially shill bidding in an open-outcry auction.The people who thought "high frequency trading" was OK are still in charge of the stock market; I'm not sure if they currently claim that is stopped or not, but it doesn't matter, the people who failed the test of allowing it in the first place are still in charge. Had they been selling cattle as a licensed auctioneer, and allowed that sort of thing to go on, they could go to jail.Other places to put your money could include government bonds; you might look at the inflation protected series of bonds. You could simply keep your money in an FDIC insured savings account. As long as you are thinking you might need the money in 3 to 6 years, anything else seems foolish. |
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