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Ask HN: What are problems that need to be solved?

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Re: Ask HN: What are problems that need to be solved?

#51

Post by brg »

rokhayakebe wrote: post #8
logicalmind wrote: post #3

It depends on how big of a problem you want to tackle. The biggest problem I have every day is that I get tired and have to go to sleep. This time spent sleeping could be better used by doing more productive things. Finding a solution to the "sleep problem" would be a huge win in many ways.

I had a conversation with a friend and asked him if sleeping was a disease. I firmly believe that one day human kind will solve both the need to eat, sleep and death. Meanwhile you can stop trying to be more productive. It is really overrated. Try taking a Saturday off and do nothing but read, watch good movies you have been putting off, and just relax overall.

Why would anyone who loves what they do stop trying to be more productive? When I say more productive I mean I want to read more, have more conversations, identify and solve more problems, write more papers. Taking a day to 'relax overall' is the least appealing thing I can think of at this moment.

Re: Ask HN: What are problems that need to be solved?

#52

Post by powrtoch »

keefe wrote: post #39
CytokineStorm wrote: post #14

Someone needs to prove that P != NP. Want to understand why that's important? Read this: http://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2009/9/38904-the-status-of-the...

it's also extraordinarily difficult if not impossible to prove. This is a problem for researchers, not people looking for ideas for startups.

Talk about a difficult startup to pitch to investors.

Re: Ask HN: What are problems that need to be solved?

#53

Post by ErrantX »

orangecat wrote: post #41
tjmaxal wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"curing aging" would actually INCREASE the cost of healthcare to nearly infinite.

Please explain. The average medical expenses of a 30 year old are vastly lower than for an 80 year old, and a successful cure for aging would give you the health of a 30 year old indefinitely.

Over a long enough lifespan the chance of contracting cancer approaches one. So we'd have to fix that too, for starters.

Re: Ask HN: What are problems that need to be solved?

#54

Post by brg »

steveklabnik wrote: post #11

I live in Pittsburgh. We have a huge lack of talent at the moment. There are tons of startups with funding that are looking to hire people, but a huge lack of skilled people around. We've got companies paying $1,000 bonuses to anyone who can get a hire. It's crazy. I'm not sure how to properly attract and keep talent in the city.

I looked into moving to Pittsburgh, and then I found out there was a city income tax and changed my plans.

Re: Ask HN: What are problems that need to be solved?

#55

Post by steveklabnik »

sjs382 wrote: post #38
steveklabnik wrote: post #11

I live in Pittsburgh. We have a huge lack of talent at the moment. There are tons of startups with funding that are looking to hire people, but a huge lack of skilled people around. We've got companies paying $1,000 bonuses to anyone who can get a hire. It's crazy. I'm not sure how to properly attract and keep talent in the city.

Are you hiring? ;)

I personally am not at the moment, though in a few months, probably. I've got about 4 or 5 people who've been asking me how to hire hackers, though... send me an email, we can talk about it if you'd like.

Re: Ask HN: What are problems that need to be solved?

#56

Post by steveklabnik »

brg wrote: post #54
steveklabnik wrote: post #11

I live in Pittsburgh. We have a huge lack of talent at the moment. There are tons of startups with funding that are looking to hire people, but a huge lack of skilled people around. We've got companies paying $1,000 bonuses to anyone who can get a hire. It's crazy. I'm not sure how to properly attract and keep talent in the city.

I looked into moving to Pittsburgh, and then I found out there was a city income tax and changed my plans.

The tax situation is pretty stupid, but then again, lots of people don't actually live in the city proper, and dodge it.

Re: Ask HN: What are problems that need to be solved?

#57

Post by WarDekar »

fletchowns wrote: post #20
clistctrl wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree completely with this! In addition look at beer bottles. Glass bottles are very robust. Most have the potential to last several reuses. Yet recycling them means smashing them, and remaking a bottle. That's never made sense to me.

In other countries they clean and refill beer bottles. When you get a Corona in Mexico you can tell the same bottle has been used many times before. I guess we Americans are just too good to be drinking out of a beer bottle that has been used before? edit: interesting article related to this stuff http://thetyee.ca/Views/2008/03/11/OldBottles/

Same with Coke and other soda bottles in other countries. At least in Central America, anyway, as I've spent a lot of time down there and the Coke bottles are quite obviously several generations in. In fact you'll often see a copyright notice from 10 years ago or whatever.

I didn't realize that didn't also happen in the states, though I guess glass bottles in general are really only used for beer (though I'd imagine if you go to the store and grab a 'Mexican Coke' you'll likely find it to be a recycled bottle, or at a taqueria or whatever).

Re: Ask HN: What are problems that need to be solved?

#58

Post by orangecat »

ErrantX wrote: post #53
orangecat wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please explain. The average medical expenses of a 30 year old are vastly lower than for an 80 year old, and a successful cure for aging would give you the health of a 30 year old indefinitely.

Over a long enough lifespan the chance of contracting cancer approaches one. So we'd have to fix that too, for starters.

Nah. Sure, even if you don't suffer from aging you'd still occasionally get diseases, and eventually one would be fatal, but your medical expenses per year would be far less than they are today.

Re: Ask HN: What are problems that need to be solved?

#59

Post by orblivion »

fletchowns wrote: post #20
clistctrl wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree completely with this! In addition look at beer bottles. Glass bottles are very robust. Most have the potential to last several reuses. Yet recycling them means smashing them, and remaking a bottle. That's never made sense to me.

In other countries they clean and refill beer bottles. When you get a Corona in Mexico you can tell the same bottle has been used many times before. I guess we Americans are just too good to be drinking out of a beer bottle that has been used before? edit: interesting article related to this stuff http://thetyee.ca/Views/2008/03/11/OldBottles/

> In other countries they clean and refill beer bottles.

I'm pretty sure I've heard of it in the US as well.

Re: Ask HN: What are problems that need to be solved?

#60

Post by ErrantX »

orangecat wrote: post #58
ErrantX wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Over a long enough lifespan the chance of contracting cancer approaches one. So we'd have to fix that too, for starters.

Nah. Sure, even if you don't suffer from aging you'd still occasionally get diseases, and eventually one would be fatal, but your medical expenses per year would be far less than they are today.

Ok then, how about this. Obesity is a growing cause of illness. Removing aging is unlikely to affect that, arguably it could compound the problem.
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