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Ask HN: What are you surprised isn’t being worked on more?

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Re: Ask HN: What are you surprised isn’t being worked on more?

#601

Post by t0astbread »

Frameworks and languages to build small to mid-sized web applications that aren't no-code or low-code or tied into an online service. Basically, PHP alternatives.

Here's a "wishlist" of features I'd like in such a framework:

- Absolutely no boilerplate code: It should feel more like a powerful templating language than a general purpose programming language.

- A static type system that's checked before your application can go live

- Vertical integration, especially towards the database: You could go really crazy with this. LINQ-style query-ability is just the beginning. Imagine if you had a typed access control framework that lets you specify which users/roles can access a database column. Or built-in ways to handle migration and automatic schema checks to prevent mismatch issues.

- Useful primitives, especially around authentication and authorization: For something simple I should only have to write my business logic.

- FFI (for example to C or JVM libraries)

- Automatic and safe dependency updates

Re: Ask HN: What are you surprised isn’t being worked on more?

#602

Post by lmm »

spaetzleesser wrote: post #566
lmm wrote: post #514

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I found the Surface Book had a wonderful premium feel; I went into the shop with a list of specs in mind, and Microsoft was the last manufacturer I'd imagine going with, but it's a powerful machine and also just a beautiful object. Metal case, relatively subtle/classy logo, absolutely beautiful screen, nothing else was compromised for the sake of touch, clean baseline first-party OS. If you really want a premium feel…

I am pretty unhappy with my Surface Book 2. It’s quite slow for its specs and has all kind of problems like “not enough resources for USB”, freezing, the multi display setup gets often messed after undocking and so on. Considering that its in the same price range as a MacBook I am quite disappointed.

> It’s quite slow for its specs

Didn't feel like it to me, for development and fairly casual gaming.

> “not enough resources for USB”, freezing, the multi display setup gets often messed after undocking and so on.

Not my experience at all; in fact I was impressed at how well it remembered all my different multi display arrangements.

Re: Ask HN: What are you surprised isn’t being worked on more?

#603

Post by freehunter »

peruvian wrote: post #467
baron816 wrote: post #243

In-person social organizations. Social isolation is probably the biggest cause of unhappiness in advanced countries. Having a strong social network has lots of advantages including providing better romantic and career opportunities, as well as improving physical and psychological health. Humans have a long history of dishing out lots of money to be parts of strong communities too--country clubs and fraternities have…

(Pre-covid of course) I think about this often, but then I go for a walk (or in other cities, a drive) and see packed bars and restaurants every night with people from all ages having a good time. Makes me feel like the problem is on me - people are obviously able to make friends and hang out without any special apps beyond what is available now.

Pre-covid I went to bars a lot to hang out. Ranging from suburban “family dining” bars to downtown dive bars to hipster breweries, I’ve been a regular at a lot in the last 10-15 years. Most people at my bars come in with friends and really only talk to existing friends or friends of friends. Maybe/rarely the strangers directly next to them if they’re feeling extra social, but not much more than a bit of small talk. From the outside a bar looks like a great place to meet new people and make new friends but in my experience that’s just what it looks like and not how it is.

The only new people I’ve met at bars are friends of friends, not random strangers. And when people are with their group of friends, it’s hard for a stranger to jump into that dynamic.

Re: Ask HN: What are you surprised isn’t being worked on more?

#604

Post by lefrenchy »

oblio wrote: post #174
tomatocracy wrote: post #114

Single subscription payment for news along the lines of the Spotify model. I'd happily pay a single subscription which gave me access to ALL the news websites, and divided payment up based on which articles people click on. Do that without tracking me between the different sites and I'm sold. Pressreader gets close but it only gives you yesterday's print versions (not current online content), it has a few notable gap…

For news? I want an OS and browser integrate single payment system. I don't want to have to give my credit card details to everyone. I want a digital wallet that's an open standard and that's integrated with every form of online payment. Where I can cut off subscriptions easily and with no hassle, maybe one time payments, etc. For news, shopping, any kind of subscription (Netflix, AWS, etc.). I want banking-as-a-serv…

Isn’t this what Privacy does?

https://privacy.com/

Re: Ask HN: What are you surprised isn’t being worked on more?

#605

Post by ip26 »

TaupeRanger wrote: post #444
InvisibleUp wrote: post #289

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think a large part of this (in the USA, anyways) is due to how modern cities are structured. It used to be, 100 or 200 years ago, that your workplace, your home, and your usual hang-out place were all within reasonable walking distance of each other. It wasn't a huge deal to go out and meet new people, as you'd naturally bump into them every day. Nowadays we have a large portion of people in bedroom communities, is…

You aren't more isolated living in a suburban house than in an inner city apartment. Isolation mostly has to do with your desire/initiative/ability to engage in social activities.

I don't know about that. I've observed that co-workers who live in the exurbs are virtually never seen at social functions.

Re: Ask HN: What are you surprised isn’t being worked on more?

#606

Post by na85 »

klaudius wrote: post #524
TrackerFF wrote: post #319

It IS being worked on, but things move quite slow - and there doesn't seem to have been much progress for decades, but: Cure for hair-loss. Some might say it's just vanity, but if someone could come up with a cure, and sell it affordably, that would be a multi-billion, maybe even trillion dollar industry. Going from quite balding (NW4-NW7 in balding terminology) to a full head of hair makes most guys look a solid 10-…

Balding is not vanity. It is a marker for serious health problems. Balding men are several times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, for example.

Are you suggesting that a cure for male pattern baldness would address heart disease?

Re: Ask HN: What are you surprised isn’t being worked on more?

#607

Post by chriswphoto »

gullywhumper wrote: post #543

Car-free or significantly car-limited communities. Cars that are safer for pedestrians (not just for occupants in cars). Better traffic safety enforcement. Automobiles kill ~6k pedestrians and almost 140k are sent to the ER in the US - many of which will have life-altering injuries. https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/pedestrian_safety/i...

I would love to see more companies pursuing this angle. But policy at the state at City level are the limiting factor. Single family zoning effectively bans walkable cities. And the vast majority of America is single family zoned.

Re: Ask HN: What are you surprised isn’t being worked on more?

#608

Post by ip26 »

mgkimsal wrote: post #195
wussboy wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Paying according to which articles people click on has already failed as a model for determining truth and relevancy. We need to think of “one weird trick” that will have the same “stunning” effect but without the incentive to appeal to humanity’s baser instincts.

I didn't think the goal was "truth and relevancy" but... just to apportion payment for the services used (reading articles).

I think the point is while you start with a platform for "news", if you apportion payment for services used, you get clickbait, i.e. something fundamentally different than "news".

Re: Ask HN: What are you surprised isn’t being worked on more?

#609

Post by devwastaken »

Klonoar wrote: post #379

Premium-feeling laptops that aren't Apple machines. Yes yes, I get the economical barriers. I'm past caring. It is so incredibly frustrating to look outside the Apple ecosystem and feel like the entire PC industry is content to sell the bare minimum of quality (outside of Gamer hardware, which looks obscene - but I get that it's subjective). It's a horrible business idea on the numbers and nobody would do this, but i…

The actual aluminum casing, screen, keyboard, trackpad - all possible. But designing the motherboard, lithium batteries, and digital charger is well outside the reach of most creators.

Re: Ask HN: What are you surprised isn’t being worked on more?

#610

Post by mycall »

legerdemain wrote: post #578
InvisibleUp wrote: post #289

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think a large part of this (in the USA, anyways) is due to how modern cities are structured. It used to be, 100 or 200 years ago, that your workplace, your home, and your usual hang-out place were all within reasonable walking distance of each other. It wasn't a huge deal to go out and meet new people, as you'd naturally bump into them every day. Nowadays we have a large portion of people in bedroom communities, is…

This... still exists? It's called the Elks, the Kiwanis, the Odd Fellows, the Jaycees, the Rotary Club, the Knights of Pythias, the Freemasons, and some organizations based on blood or military service, like the American Legion or the Daughters of the American Revolution. Even here in the Bay Area I live just a couple blocks down from a huge and well-appointed Elks lodge, and just a few miles away in downtown Mountai…

The underground pool at the SF Elks is lovely.
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