I sometimes try to look for process improvements & optimizations. It allows you to use some of those problem solving CS skills even if the actual day to day work is mundane
Ask HN: Are you working on interesting technical problems?
41–50 of 441 posts
Re: Ask HN: Are you working on interesting technical problems?
#42Academics: just take an interesting problem that you can generate potential solutions for, but if you can't, just pick the next problem. Business: here is a continuous stream of problems, most of them are boring, some of them are hard, but you have to solve them all regardless.
That's tenured academics. A lot of academics are still struggling to make a name for themselves, which means more like: pick an interesting problem. If it gets any attention whatsoever, work on it and its variations for years. Maybe drill down into increasingly niche subsets of that problem. If at some point it appears there is no solution, make one up and defend it anyway, or add unrealistic constraints that will never be generally applicable, then promote the hell out of whatever you've got.
Re: Ask HN: Are you working on interesting technical problems?
#43We are developing a matter compiler. We are working on designing molecular Lego to assemble them into new catalysts, therapeutic compounds, atomically precise membranes and sensors for proteins and small molecules. The goal is to make molecules that can do everything that proteins can do and that can be designed by human beings with computer assistance. We've developed a programming environment with a custom compiler and Common Lisp implementation for designing these molecules. We are looking for programmers with chemistry experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X69_42Mj-g
Re: Ask HN: Are you working on interesting technical problems?
#44I suppose perhaps you can try and write a library or SaaS service that you find interesting? Or join a company that does?
Re: Ask HN: Are you working on interesting technical problems?
#45I'm a consultant, currently helping a bank move to the cloud, creating the base infrastructure needed to allow a few projects to get started. It can be slow at times, as you still need to connect back to the bank, but the challenges are very interesting, and getting closer to having a production load running out there is rewarding.
Re: Ask HN: Are you working on interesting technical problems?
#46[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Are you working on interesting technical problems?
#47Wow, a surprising number of responses agreeing with boredom... I'll share a different point of view.
I've been running DNSFilter for 3 years. We're (still) facing interesting texhnical challenges - ranging from BGP community strings being used to balance a global anycast network, to handling volumes of time series data [1], to designing a golang daemon to ssl sign incoming requests on the fly for domains we won't know ahead of time, to figuring out new ways to pass data in DNS, and support cutting edge standards like DNS over TLS, DNS over HTTPS.
I was just saying to my wife the other day how ridiculous it is that most things we do are technically challenging, and you have to think outside the box how to get it done -- while I was implementing a block page for user agents which requires a 19 step process to determine the user's DNS Agent ID, and display the right logo on the block page ;)
Some might dismiss these challenges due to our use (abuse) of DNS for purposes it was not intended for. Fair. Also, welcome to the real world, and we're solving problems are customers are asking for... and just figuring out interesting ways to get the job done.
1: https://blog.dnsfilter.com/3-billion-time-series-data-points...
Re: Ask HN: Are you working on interesting technical problems?
#48I’ve worked a lot on networked multiplayer games on the gameplay implementation side of things. Lots of fun and interesting challenges in terms of latency hiding, client side prediction and keeping everything in sync. Game development in general let’s you dabble in lots of different areas and gameplay in particular can cross disciplines. Obviously it also comes with a bunch of downsides in terms of pay and working conditions.
Now I’m working at a startup making a collaborative VR modelling tool which applies all the same problems to a more ‘serious’ end.
Both still have a fair share of plumbing work as well. But that can be a welcome relief. I find solving hard problems (particularly under pressure) can become obsessive and make it hard to be present with my family and sleep!
Re: Ask HN: Are you working on interesting technical problems?
#49We are developing a matter compiler. We are working on designing molecular Lego to assemble them into new catalysts, therapeutic compounds, atomically precise membranes and sensors for proteins and small molecules. The goal is to make molecules that can do everything that proteins can do and that can be designed by human beings with computer assistance. We've developed a programming environment with a custom compiler…
I've been to your talk in Kraków on the European Lisp Symposium! I love what you're doing!
Do you have any updates on that water-filtering molecule you showed us then?
Re: Ask HN: Are you working on interesting technical problems?
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
How about doing some academic work? With the explosion of NGsequencing there's no shortage of data or data-magician positions, and there's many challenges with social impact
I admit that - given my life situation - I'm biased towards jobs that at least have a chance of also letting me put bread on the table ;). That said, I'm also having hard time separating academic work that helps things from that which just adds to the noise - grant-chasing, paper-generating studies. Any advice on that?
Any paper that generates or analyzes draft genomes is a waste of money.