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Why Build Toys

blog.aaronkharris.com

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Re: Why Build Toys

#11

Post by rubyn00bie »

the_only_law wrote: post #5

I get disappointed when I see someone build something cool, but maybe not commercializable, and the comments come in asking: “yeah, but how are you planning to monetize it”. 90% of the side projects I embark in are likely to have no commercial value, but are pretty cool, at least I’d like to think.

Hell yeah. I literally can’t be bothered to “finish” something once I’ve solved the difficult parts. I’ve got quite a library now of software that’s 80-90% complete. Almost all of them die in the final “clean up styling,” and “adjust branding” phases because they’re so fucking boring to me. Is it a waste? Oooh hell no! It’s getting to the point where I’m searching my own fucking code for answers. It’s great. “Oh yeah, I totally did setup, configure, and deploy an custom search engine built on Lucene” or “oh yeah I totally spent four months researching encryption algos, which one was best for the time/CPU budget I have? Let me check.”

It’s nice to hear others are the same or at least enjoy the journey. Maybe this will be the motivation I need to starting releasing them “as-is” which is more of a “journey included, destination not determined” state...

Re: Why Build Toys

#12

Post by MrLeap »

The latent value of irreverence has been a pillar of the project I've been working on full time since last October.

Like, I just added printer support.. https://twitter.com/LeapJosh/status/1413803026062745600

But for the sake of the trees I'm making it grueling https://twitter.com/LeapJosh/status/1414411610844803072 https://twitter.com/LeapJosh/status/1414678420177440769

Does anyone even own a printer these days? Who knows? Don't care! The feature's true purpose is to try and draw out a smile, and from there maybe a look. The fact it actually works is a nice side effect.

Re: Why Build Toys

#13

Post by azhenley »

Exactly. I have a lot of the same feelings, so 6 weeks ago I wrote a similar blog post, "Why I prefer making making useless stuff". I haven't quite figured out how to convert my "useless stuff" into a company yet though...

Blog post: https://web.eecs.utk.edu/~azh/blog/makinguselessstuff.html

HN discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27256867

Reddit discussion: https://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/njcpxt/why_i_p...

Re: Why Build Toys

#14

Post by spoonjim »

ehnto wrote: post #4
rpastuszak wrote: post #2

I'm not sure about you, but the more experienced I am, as a developer or "builder", the smaller things I end up making. For instance, I launched a bunch of games that are, frankly, more fun to watch, than to play (e.g. an All-hands meeting simulator: https://rafsters.itch.io/all-hands ) or little tools this one https://sonnet.io/posts/reactive-hole/ (it's stupid, completely replaceable, but somewhat adorable). I come…

> an All-hands meeting simulator: Ha! Fantastic. > I come from a family with 4 generations of carpenters. It's a profession more similar to software engineering that most engineering jobs I can think of. The main difference is that in our domain so often the results of our work just don't feel real. That is the core issue I have with software development, it can feel ephemeral and extremely temporary. My remediation…

It sucks how temporary software is, especially Web software. If you don’t pay the hosting bill it’s gone. If you don’t upgrade to 64 but it’s useless. Essentially it’s a plate spinning on a stick and it needs constant attention to survive.

Contrast that to a fine piece of furniture which barring fire or flood can just sit abandoned in a warehouse for 300 years and then be even more valuable than it was initially.

Re: Why Build Toys

#15

Post by nicoburns »

spoonjim wrote: post #14
ehnto wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> an All-hands meeting simulator: Ha! Fantastic. > I come from a family with 4 generations of carpenters. It's a profession more similar to software engineering that most engineering jobs I can think of. The main difference is that in our domain so often the results of our work just don't feel real. That is the core issue I have with software development, it can feel ephemeral and extremely temporary. My remediation…

It sucks how temporary software is, especially Web software. If you don’t pay the hosting bill it’s gone. If you don’t upgrade to 64 but it’s useless. Essentially it’s a plate spinning on a stick and it needs constant attention to survive. Contrast that to a fine piece of furniture which barring fire or flood can just sit abandoned in a warehouse for 300 years and then be even more valuable than it was initially.

Thw flip side being that once built you can potentially reach thousands if not millions of people with your project.

Re: Why Build Toys

#16

Post by gonehome »

spoonjim wrote: post #14
ehnto wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> an All-hands meeting simulator: Ha! Fantastic. > I come from a family with 4 generations of carpenters. It's a profession more similar to software engineering that most engineering jobs I can think of. The main difference is that in our domain so often the results of our work just don't feel real. That is the core issue I have with software development, it can feel ephemeral and extremely temporary. My remediation…

It sucks how temporary software is, especially Web software. If you don’t pay the hosting bill it’s gone. If you don’t upgrade to 64 but it’s useless. Essentially it’s a plate spinning on a stick and it needs constant attention to survive. Contrast that to a fine piece of furniture which barring fire or flood can just sit abandoned in a warehouse for 300 years and then be even more valuable than it was initially.

This is some of the appeal of urbit to me: https://moronlab.blogspot.com/2010/01/urbit-functional-progr...

That blog post is old, urbit does exist now.

Re: Why Build Toys

#17

Post by k2xl »

rpastuszak wrote: post #2

I'm not sure about you, but the more experienced I am, as a developer or "builder", the smaller things I end up making. For instance, I launched a bunch of games that are, frankly, more fun to watch, than to play (e.g. an All-hands meeting simulator: https://rafsters.itch.io/all-hands ) or little tools this one https://sonnet.io/posts/reactive-hole/ (it's stupid, completely replaceable, but somewhat adorable). I come…

Do you have a video of the all hands simulator?

Re: Why Build Toys

#18

Post by hytdstd »

gonehome wrote: post #16
spoonjim wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sucks how temporary software is, especially Web software. If you don’t pay the hosting bill it’s gone. If you don’t upgrade to 64 but it’s useless. Essentially it’s a plate spinning on a stick and it needs constant attention to survive. Contrast that to a fine piece of furniture which barring fire or flood can just sit abandoned in a warehouse for 300 years and then be even more valuable than it was initially.

This is some of the appeal of urbit to me: https://moronlab.blogspot.com/2010/01/urbit-functional-progr... That blog post is old, urbit does exist now.

This article is extremely long-winded. Do you mind providing a summary of what exactly appeals to you?

Also: Is "C. Guy Yarvin" Curtis Yarvin?

Re: Why Build Toys

#19

Post by jacquesm »

spoonjim wrote: post #14
ehnto wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> an All-hands meeting simulator: Ha! Fantastic. > I come from a family with 4 generations of carpenters. It's a profession more similar to software engineering that most engineering jobs I can think of. The main difference is that in our domain so often the results of our work just don't feel real. That is the core issue I have with software development, it can feel ephemeral and extremely temporary. My remediation…

It sucks how temporary software is, especially Web software. If you don’t pay the hosting bill it’s gone. If you don’t upgrade to 64 but it’s useless. Essentially it’s a plate spinning on a stick and it needs constant attention to survive. Contrast that to a fine piece of furniture which barring fire or flood can just sit abandoned in a warehouse for 300 years and then be even more valuable than it was initially.

Imagine your whole life has been spent flipping bits. Highly frustrating, I'm really happy that I also have some real world skills and I'm always wondering whether the buildings that I put up will outlive me.

Re: Why Build Toys

#20

Post by gregsadetsky »

rpastuszak wrote: post #2

I'm not sure about you, but the more experienced I am, as a developer or "builder", the smaller things I end up making. For instance, I launched a bunch of games that are, frankly, more fun to watch, than to play (e.g. an All-hands meeting simulator: https://rafsters.itch.io/all-hands ) or little tools this one https://sonnet.io/posts/reactive-hole/ (it's stupid, completely replaceable, but somewhat adorable). I come…

Loved the All-hands meeting simulator! Congrats
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