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Ask HN: Non-tech professionals on HN?

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Re: Ask HN: Non-tech professionals on HN?

#211

Post by james_in_the_uk »

slyn wrote: post #60
james_in_the_uk wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the state of the restaurant management software scene? Any scope for an open source restaurant management system? Could be a good side-hustle. Edit: Just googled and found TastyIgniter. https://github.com/tastyigniter/TastyIgniter Don't underestimate the value of someone who knows code AND has worked in the industry in helping clients implement tech like this. You could make a good consultant!

There’s a zillion services for pretty much anything you could possibly want to do in a restaurant, some decent and most not. I think it’s a difficult space to compete in because there are so many different options in both big obvious services (Point of Sale, online ordering providers, staff scheduling services, etc) and relatively niche services (Review aggregators, QR menu management, waitlist tech, etc.) that it’s…

Well I don't mean to be condescending but please let me say: Don't be afraid to put a value on your knowledge and ability to bring together experience across different domains. People who can create efficient process, and develop and train staff, are good to have around.

Re: Ask HN: Non-tech professionals on HN?

#212

Post by MilStdJunkie »

I'm a Content Architect and sometimes content developer working with several dozen (hundred? I have lost track) over-engineered aerospace and mil-std specifications. Technical Publications software has been a garbage fire since I entered the workplace (at least), and I hope that, at the end of my career, I can look back and say I helped some.

I wouldn't call this high tech. Most of the time I'm working with very primitive IT environments, trying to introduce little bits of technology as strategically as I can. Other times I'm trying to bring in tools for dealing with other data formats. Half of the day is just training people on stuff you dev types might take for granted (i.e., regex).

HN keeps me abreast of the latest movements of the content software stack. It's what clued me in to Asciidoc a few years back. For whatever reason HN seems to have built an insanely good commenter culture. How they've avoided brigading with such an open system I have no idea.

Re: Ask HN: Non-tech professionals on HN?

#213

Post by auxym »

I'm a mechanical engineer by trade, but like many others here, have been a "computer geek" since a very young age. We had dialup internet and a 486 running DOS at home in the early 90s when I was around 8 or so, which wasn't very common. I learned python by myself at around 14 /15, in part because I wanted it to do my boring, repetitive math homework for me. I started reading Slashdot around that time. I was also very interested in mechanical things, built a tabletop trebuchet, working on small engine machines (minibike, old snowmobile which I bought by working by working retail at min wage) and eventually chose mechanical engineering as a career path over CS, for no very specific reason (it's tough asking 18 year olds to make a career choice). I kept kept reading Slashdot and toying with computers and eventually migrated to HN with many others around the time of the redesign and acquisition.

Today I have a job I actually love as a mechanical research engineer, which is varied and lets me program and play with electronics from time to time. I still program in my free time, though it's getting scarce these days (as a father to a 2 year old). That works pretty well as a job/hobby combination as programming requires no space and is pretty much free, which isn't really the case of, say, machining robot parts (have access to a lathe and CNC mills at work).

I did try working as a developer for a year ("DevOps" for an accounting software company) but was pretty unhappy and quickly started looking to move back into ME. However, I'd be lying if I said reading about the astronomical total comp numbers that are casually thrown around HN didn't make me question my career choice sometimes.

Re: Ask HN: Non-tech professionals on HN?

#215

Post by gadders »

exolymph wrote: post #156
cbfrench wrote: post #137

Anglican priest here. (I would guess the only one?) IIRC, I ended up here during one of my sporadic attempts to teach myself to code for fun. I stuck around for the diverse and interesting content plus the thoughtful and sane discussions. I don’t participate that much, but I always enjoy reading the comments on here.

But far from the only Christian! God bless you Father (apologies if that's not what an Anglican priest is called)

Vicar? But that might be just a UK thing.

Re: Ask HN: Non-tech professionals on HN?

#216

Post by 71a54xd »

solmanac wrote: post #209
71a54xd wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey there, I've been working on something similar except with gourmet mushrooms. Curious if I could ask some questions about your process sometime?

Sure no problem!

Where could I email you? Doesn't look like there's contact info in your bio :(

Re: Ask HN: Non-tech professionals on HN?

#217

Post by dgoodell »

MichaelMoser123 wrote: post #141
dgoodell wrote: post #118

I’m an engineer at NASA working with nuclear space power systems. I ignore most of the more trite software / internet / money making bullshit. Some of that stuff is legit but most of it feels like “advances in advertising technology” or media delivery. I’m old enough to remember the earlier days of the internet and it’s sort difficult to admire the people that worked hard and made a lot of money turning it into what…

sounds like a very cool job. Can you tell us more about your work at Nasa?

I’m involved in the development of the free piston Stirling engines for space power production. Ideally, we would like to replace the current solid-state thermoelectric energy conversion system used on the MMRTG and its precursors with a piston engine energy conversion device. This has the potential to increase the conversion efficiency from 6% to 25-40%. This would allow us to use less plutonium 238 so we could either produce more electricity or use less plutonium and do more deep space missions, since the plutonium is in limited supply.

I’m also involved with the much more preliminary work into a fission power for nuclear electric propulsion, which is a much more difficult problem.

I could speak a lot about this stuff. If anyone really wants to talk, email is in my profile.

Re: Ask HN: Non-tech professionals on HN?

#218

Post by MichaelMoser123 »

dgoodell wrote: post #217
MichaelMoser123 wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

sounds like a very cool job. Can you tell us more about your work at Nasa?

I’m involved in the development of the free piston Stirling engines for space power production. Ideally, we would like to replace the current solid-state thermoelectric energy conversion system used on the MMRTG and its precursors with a piston engine energy conversion device. This has the potential to increase the conversion efficiency from 6% to 25-40%. This would allow us to use less plutonium 238 so we could eith…

Fascinating, I thought that the ion engine powering Deep Space 1 was already powered by a nuclear cell, am I wrong? Is your nuclear electric propulsion project connected to an ion engine, or is that something different?

Re: Ask HN: Non-tech professionals on HN?

#219

Post by 3guk »

midasuni wrote: post #38
3guk wrote: post #18

I work predominantly in Event Production - I love to read anything tech related and occasionally some of the links posted here contribute to more creative solutions in my day job.

Has business picked back up now post shutdowns? Just dine my first major event in the U.K. for two years, the riggers seem happy enough that jobs are starting again.

Busier than ever to be honest with you - with the added difficultly that a lot of our regular freelancers have either left the industry or are being snapped up quicker than we can book people.

I guess it will no doubt be chaos for another few months as the industry gets back to it's feet.

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