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Ask HN: What is your “I don't care if this succeeds” project?

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Re: Ask HN: What is your “I don't care if this succeeds” project?

#841

Post by kevincox »

I created an RSS-to-Email service. I used another hosted service for a long time but slowly fed up of some of its missing features. I considered running rss2email but wanted it to be really easy to add new feeds from anywhere, even my phone.

I would run it just for myself, as it is already much better than the alternatives but decided to run it as a service so that others can enjoy. I have a handful of users but don't plan on making it big, ideally it will pay for itself and maybe a nice dinner from time-to-time.

Re: Ask HN: What is your “I don't care if this succeeds” project?

#842

Post by bladegash »

byecancer21 wrote: post #835
bladegash wrote: post #825

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t think I made that argument, in fact, my comment was made specifically without the qualifier of it being legal vs. illegal. Manipulation (which let’s face it, social engineering is a fancy way of saying) is a pretty solid example of an unethical behavior depending on your ethical world view. Utilitarian? Great, you must also think torture is acceptable so long as it saves lives. Deontological ethical world vie…

Note I did nothing to manipulate the top court. The application was phrased politely and only hinted at a crime background. Severe procedural errors including denial of access to court files alone justified a reversal, besides the blatant misinterpretation of the law. There was no need to argue beyond this point or label anyone an offender at the time. (Ordinarily one would have filed to have the decision voided loca…

Nice use of words specifying your actions regarding the high court instead of the judges in question, who were specifically being referred to.

You do realize that just because other people act like jerks, it does not give you license to do the same, right? I don’t know why you believe what you are doing is going to have a positive outcome for anyone, including yourself, but I think you have some serious growing up to do.

I’m sorry you had to go through what you did, I really am. It doesn’t sound like a positive experience and I have my own chronic health issues that have been a battle and I can understand being angry.

I just don’t believe it is yours or anyone’s place to take matters into their own hands, nor do I think their actions justify yours. In this situation, you all suck.

Re: Ask HN: What is your “I don't care if this succeeds” project?

#843

Post by songeater »

andrewzah wrote: post #827
songeater wrote: post #765

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Again, I mostly do agree with you, especially as you get to more creative fields. I think what I would rephrase as is: given my genetic makeup, discipline is more likely to yield benefits using openAI Jukebox rather than guitar or piano. On this topic, if you have not already, one of the best movies I have seen in last couple years: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11423784/ (is on netflix in the US).

"think what I would rephrase as is: given my genetic makeup, discipline is more likely to yield benefits using openAI Jukebox rather than guitar or piano." I don't agree with this sort of sentiment at all. I'm not talking about benefits as in being in the top % of people in a field- I don't care about that. I'm talking about getting very good and playing with people and/or earning income. Anyone can achieve that with…

There are amusical people in this world for whom making music (ie keeping pitch, keeping rhythm) is difficult in such a basic way that it’s hard to explain to others who just “get it.” Sort of being dyslexic I suppose. I can tell you from personal experience 2-3 years was not enough for me me on the violin but maybe 4 would have been. Oh well maybe it’s the “diligence” I didn’t have enough of. Anyway- I only disagree with you in the absolutes… generally your formula holds.

Re: Ask HN: What is your “I don't care if this succeeds” project?

#844

Post by byecancer21 »

throwawayHN378 wrote: post #627
byecancer21 wrote: post #236

I am taking down the corrupt top judge of a leading Western nation, for fun. A first instance judge had committed a serious criminal offense. Her husband, a wealthy and influential lawyer then bribed the presiding appeals court judge. So I made the assumption he would also influence the ensuing constitutional court case. The case had been accepted by the court and assigned a case number. I waited for a month then cau…

You sound insane. Generally concerned for your mental health

I appreciate your concern.

Her own staffer did ask me some time ago, unprompted, if she too must fear criminal charges. There exists proof of this.

I do feel bad for her and even the judge's superior, the court president, who I believe failed to take action not because she couldn't recognize the problem but because this judge wields more power than her boss.

Finally, some documents have been designated a state secret because public knowledge would be disadvantageous to the state, something I can agree with. These were circulated before I could interpret the acronyms thus outside my control now.

Re: Ask HN: What is your “I don't care if this succeeds” project?

#845

Post by JNRowe »

caffeine wrote: post #626

Just curious - why does not caring about it matter? Is there something special about not caring for a project that makes it more interesting? Not a snarky question, genuinely wanting to understand.

I think you're reading part of the description in a slightly stronger way than intended. Not strictly "don't care what happens", but more that chasing a unicorn exit isn't the only criteria for happiness from the result. Perhaps, "passion project" or similar could have been a better description.

Then again the whole thing is nebulous, and we can clearly see that people are reading and treating the question in their own way. I actually think that is what I liked about the description in the original post, it meant we saw the full range of really odd things and -- if we're honest -- a little cheeky grifting too ;)

Re: Ask HN: What is your “I don't care if this succeeds” project?

#846

Post by byecancer21 »

bladegash wrote: post #842
byecancer21 wrote: post #835

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Note I did nothing to manipulate the top court. The application was phrased politely and only hinted at a crime background. Severe procedural errors including denial of access to court files alone justified a reversal, besides the blatant misinterpretation of the law. There was no need to argue beyond this point or label anyone an offender at the time. (Ordinarily one would have filed to have the decision voided loca…

Nice use of words specifying your actions regarding the high court instead of the judges in question, who were specifically being referred to. You do realize that just because other people act like jerks, it does not give you license to do the same, right? I don’t know why you believe what you are doing is going to have a positive outcome for anyone, including yourself, but I think you have some serious growing up to…

Consider I had just survived a rare cancer that kills nearly everyone who gets it quickly, then when addressing a serious side effect from treatment this happens.

Not claiming any moral high ground here. Many would descend into anger and despair or feelings of victimhood, I simply made a choice to play this like a game instead.

Re: Ask HN: What is your “I don't care if this succeeds” project?

#847

Post by dimitar »

not1ofU wrote: post #808
dimitar wrote: post #672

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure! I don't really know where to start, I got the link.. I wonder how I can increase the odds of getting one of their ads so I can record what happens. my email is duzunov@fastmail.com

You might be able to run a virtual instance of Android (on a PC), and use wireshark to capture the traffic, and maybe burpsuite if you want to get spicey. I think, I am no expert. I wish you luck.

Already did that, however the link no longer works the way it did originally. Its either "expired" or they also detect the carrier, DCB enabled. Don't know how they could do that thought.

Re: Ask HN: What is your “I don't care if this succeeds” project?

#848

Post by dimitar »

xigoi wrote: post #833
dimitar wrote: post #677

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this is the question. I think they either probably generate links that change once clicked once.

The link is not the problem, but how do you charge someone money without their knowledge?

I described how this works in the original post. They do send an SMS with a link to unsubscribe, but that only cancels future charges, not the original one. And it's possible that a lot of the scammed people don't see it on time or confuse it for another purchase they made. Especially since the presumed targets are children. Then even if you unsubscribe, you still get a bill from your carrier. I had to pester both this firm and the carrier to remove the charge.

Re: Ask HN: What is your “I don't care if this succeeds” project?

#849

Post by sneak »

AussieWog93 wrote: post #653
mikemcquaid wrote: post #638

I’m the project leader for Homebrew and have been maintaining it for 12 years. I have no planned dramatic changes for it or expectations I’ll radically improve it in any way. I just try to keep all parts of the project ticking along and I still enjoy doing so, despite feeling no real obligation to continue.

Possibly dumb question, but have you considered looking for a successor to take over the project? Homebrew has basically reached the point where it's "critical infrastructure" for macOS devs, and it would really be a damn shame to see it slowly fade away just because the creator has moved onto other things.

It's not critical infrastructure.

There are better alternatives, even, that are a quick and painless install process away. For example, nixpkgs is competitive with it, and does not include the Google phone-home supercookie tracking spyware that is on by default without consent in every Homebrew installation, and works great on macOS.

Homebrew could disappear tomorrow and nothing extremely bad would happen. That can't be said for the power grid or water system. Tossing around the term "critical infrastructure" for things that are important but very sub-critical is hyperbole that waters down the (important) term to meaninglessness.

Re: Ask HN: What is your “I don't care if this succeeds” project?

#850

Post by tessierashpool »

pmarreck wrote: post #728
tessierashpool wrote: post #475

Earlier quoted context omitted.

it is, but a) they don't care if it succeeds or not, b) there's a new faster grep-alike every couple of years, and c) there are diminishing returns from these performance enhancements. so if you're enjoying ag, more power to you. btw my own "idc if it succeeds or not" is forkfreshness.com, a system to surface active downstream forks of otherwise dormant projects. if you've got a project you want to use, but it seems…

oh this is brilliant, I've often had to really dig into github to find out this information!

thanks!
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