I do some programming, but I am an academic working outside academia, rather than a programmer. I love keeping up to date on the tech world here, and I have learned many important things that have helped me over the years. But what really keeps me here is something else. It doesn't always prove to be true, but the site is generally a calmer, more educated conversation than what I find on other sites. I don't have as much interaction with other educated people as I would like in my daily life, so these interactions, even if on subjects that are not my core interests, are quite valuable to me.
Ask HN: What is the best thing you learnt or got out of Hacker News?
41–50 of 63 posts
Re: Ask HN: What is the best thing you learnt or got out of Hacker News?
#42This is as meta as it gets, but I learned what it sounds like when smart sounding, but closed minded people try to shut down an idea. Looking over all the old YC projects that ended up being wildly successful, but their HN threads were full of naysayers who are better at sounding smart on the internet than providing actual feedback. Learning to differentiate between that kind of poster and people who have genuine fee…
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Re: Ask HN: What is the best thing you learnt or got out of Hacker News?
#43If you're always disagreeing with everyone about everything , first check (and if necessary install) the CO2 detectors in your primary living space. If symptoms persist, talk to a mental health professional -- even if you're in a locale that doesn't value such things, this tends to be surprisingly affordable. And, in the end, also surprisingly helpful.
my friend, CO2 is a natural part of the atmosphere and is emitted from your mouth with every breath you take. Carbon monoxide (CO) is the dangerous gas that you are thinking of.
I think they actually did mean CO2/Carbon Dioxide. There can be issues with air quality in areas with poor ventilation.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best thing you learnt or got out of Hacker News?
#44This is as meta as it gets, but I learned what it sounds like when smart sounding, but closed minded people try to shut down an idea. Looking over all the old YC projects that ended up being wildly successful, but their HN threads were full of naysayers who are better at sounding smart on the internet than providing actual feedback. Learning to differentiate between that kind of poster and people who have genuine fee…
Yep. This is why HN comments (and the site as a whole) have a bad rep among some of the tech crowd, esp the derisive references to the “orange site.”
To be clear: it is a culture issue, not a moderation issue. dang does a fine job of moderating. The problem is that we allow the cheap takes and well-actually’s to both exist and be highly visible via upvotes.
I’m not sure HN at large really wants to fix this, unfortunately. It is pervasive and largely unchecked.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best thing you learnt or got out of Hacker News?
#45A few recommendations of truly good books about computer programming. That, or perhaps in general seeing work or prose of extremely skilled programmers, which lets one know, how much one still has to learn, avoiding ones own skill to plateau, because of thinking, that one already knows all there is to know.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best thing you learnt or got out of Hacker News?
#46Books recommendations, without a doubt.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best thing you learnt or got out of Hacker News?
#47It provides me with a sense of community that I lack in my life. I am driven by technology but not a lot of other people in my life are interested in these things. It's often providing me with "restore faith in humanity" experiences when I see exchanges in the comments where the worst impulses of humanity are expressed, and someone will respond with an eloquent and well articulated rebuttal to the insanity that socie…
I second this. Being a farmer with a huge interest in electronics and programming, I don't get to hang around like-minded people (generally, I barely to get to hang with people that have a decent grasp of their mother tongue, thus I just work and listen to podcasts and some audiobooks). The hn comment section and some of the blogs I read here make the tech world something tangible, rather than something only happenin…
As a programmer interested in (mechanized) farming, how does one get started? Are there crossover interest groups where people discuss automated farming?
Re: Ask HN: What is the best thing you learnt or got out of Hacker News?
#48That I could do a Ph.D. even though I am over 40. Then I went for it. No regrets.
Good for you!!
Was there a particular thread that discussed this?
Re: Ask HN: What is the best thing you learnt or got out of Hacker News?
#49If you're always disagreeing with everyone about everything , first check (and if necessary install) the CO2 detectors in your primary living space. If symptoms persist, talk to a mental health professional -- even if you're in a locale that doesn't value such things, this tends to be surprisingly affordable. And, in the end, also surprisingly helpful.
my friend, CO2 is a natural part of the atmosphere and is emitted from your mouth with every breath you take. Carbon monoxide (CO) is the dangerous gas that you are thinking of.
It's incredibly easy for CO2 levels to get to uncomfy levels in an enclosed living space such as my office at home with no central air and a closed door, especially in the heat of local summer where I will try very hard to not open the windows, or a shitty small meeting room at the overpriced coworking space. It's emitted from my mouth with every breath I take yeah that's exactly the problem. :(
It's definitely not as bad as carbon monoxide poisoning but it's also much easier to inflict on yourself at least to the point where it can make you drowsy and worsen your headaches.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best thing you learnt or got out of Hacker News?
#50If you're always disagreeing with everyone about everything , first check (and if necessary install) the CO2 detectors in your primary living space. If symptoms persist, talk to a mental health professional -- even if you're in a locale that doesn't value such things, this tends to be surprisingly affordable. And, in the end, also surprisingly helpful.
my friend, CO2 is a natural part of the atmosphere and is emitted from your mouth with every breath you take. Carbon monoxide (CO) is the dangerous gas that you are thinking of.
Yes, CO2 is perfectly natural, as is Arsenic. Yet, a high concentration of CO2 implies, in most non-contrived situations, a high concentration of CO. Which is also about as good for you as a high concentration of Arsenic. Make of that what you will, and do consider that if you think it's a perfect cure for (whatever), you might be a tad wrong...