How my genius roommate changed my perspective • Hacker News Board

Re: How my genius roommate changed my perspective

#191

Post by saeranv » Thu, Nov 11, 2021, 6:33 PM UTC

Random question: how does that "book bench" work in the first image of the blog? I can't figure out why the suspended books on the "bench seat" aren't just sliding down, given the lack of lateral force pushing them together.

My best guess right now is that compressing the spine of the books inwards, naturally creates a moment force on the covers that pushes the page-side of the book outward. So the whole thing works like a truss bridge, with compression on the top, and tension on the bottom.

I may be overthinking this though...

Re: How my genius roommate changed my perspective

#192

Post by GhettoComputers » Thu, Nov 11, 2021, 6:44 PM UTC

Thanks for the article. I didn’t know the French had a term for it. Did he come from an impoverished background? The raw ingenuity and creativity from locally sourced or owned parts for free material is most commonly found in weed smokers making smoking tools, but I love and use what your roommate did all the time.

I’m pretty biased against the raspberry pi and nearly every project I saw was achievable with old computers that would be free, but there’s not much glory in talking about using a netbook for ad blocking or a server over a shiny SBC that’s a real computer (like the real ones you probably already own, have better specs, negligibly more power usage, and are collecting dust).

My grandfather would collect garbage for building material and build things with it like a bench, a raised platform in the basement because it flooded, and old fan motors to make kitchen ventilation. He loved watching this old house.

Re: How my genius roommate changed my perspective

#193

Post by readams » Thu, Nov 11, 2021, 6:44 PM UTC

saeranv wrote: post #191

Random question: how does that "book bench" work in the first image of the blog? I can't figure out why the suspended books on the "bench seat" aren't just sliding down, given the lack of lateral force pushing them together. My best guess right now is that compressing the spine of the books inwards, naturally creates a moment force on the covers that pushes the page-side of the book outward. So the whole thing works…

You definitely can't get tension from books that are simply pressed together. I think more likely the books are glued together, and possibly reinforced with a cable or rod threaded through the center.

Re: How my genius roommate changed my perspective

#194

Post by avbor » Thu, Nov 11, 2021, 6:44 PM UTC

icu wrote: post #32

This reminds me of an 80s tv show called MacGyver which impressed on me as a kid that you can use what you got to get out of tricky situations. I've done loads of different things as a result of this attitude. The only time I stopped to think about the show's wider influence was when I was at University (some time ago) in the Engineering building with my best friend (an Engineering student) and a phone went off with…

Depends - on YouTube, there's definitely a lot of channels that encourage engineering and science of some kind, though not always in a safe way. We had Shitty Robots into just general engineering with Simone Giertz, William Osman and Michael Reeves with their dumb robots.

I would definitely include some of Simone's builds in the super serious club especially now, but Mark Rober and Build Stuff Better definitely have a more engineering focus to their videos.

Re: How my genius roommate changed my perspective

#195

Post by Fezzik » Thu, Nov 11, 2021, 6:45 PM UTC

saeranv wrote: post #191

Random question: how does that "book bench" work in the first image of the blog? I can't figure out why the suspended books on the "bench seat" aren't just sliding down, given the lack of lateral force pushing them together. My best guess right now is that compressing the spine of the books inwards, naturally creates a moment force on the covers that pushes the page-side of the book outward. So the whole thing works…

Probably lots of glue and maybe resin, though it doesn’t look like it’s coated in resin… maybe some screws/nails that are artfully places. It doesn’t look free/standing to me though.

Re: How my genius roommate changed my perspective

#196

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Nov 11, 2021, 6:53 PM UTC

readams wrote: post #193

saeranv wrote: post #191

Random question: how does that "book bench" work in the first image of the blog? I can't figure out why the suspended books on the "bench seat" aren't just sliding down, given the lack of lateral force pushing them together. My best guess right now is that compressing the spine of the books inwards, naturally creates a moment force on the covers that pushes the page-side of the book outward. So the whole thing works…

You definitely can't get tension from books that are simply pressed together. I think more likely the books are glued together, and possibly reinforced with a cable or rod threaded through the center.

[deleted]

Re: How my genius roommate changed my perspective

#197

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Nov 11, 2021, 6:54 PM UTC

Fezzik wrote: post #195

saeranv wrote: post #191

Random question: how does that "book bench" work in the first image of the blog? I can't figure out why the suspended books on the "bench seat" aren't just sliding down, given the lack of lateral force pushing them together. My best guess right now is that compressing the spine of the books inwards, naturally creates a moment force on the covers that pushes the page-side of the book outward. So the whole thing works…

Probably lots of glue and maybe resin, though it doesn’t look like it’s coated in resin… maybe some screws/nails that are artfully places. It doesn’t look free/standing to me though.

[deleted]

Re: How my genius roommate changed my perspective

#198

Post by GhettoComputers » Thu, Nov 11, 2021, 6:59 PM UTC

spywaregorilla wrote: post #160

brobdingnagians wrote: post #41

Reminds me of the story of Zhuangzi, the Chinese philosopher, on how one thing can be used in very different ways: There was once a man from Song who was skilled at making ointment for chapped hands. For generations, his family had made their living by washing raw silk. A traveler happened to hear of it and offered to purchase the formula for a hundred catties of gold. The man called his family into conference and sa…

This story seems really weird by modern standards. The silk washer gets a great deal. The traveler could likely have offered far, far less because the value he saw wasn't obvious at all to the silk washer. Traditional storytelling would probably have suggested that the silk washer was naive and suffered for it, but he comes out great in this story. The traveler takes a huge risk in assuming this will prove to be a hu…

Simple. Think big.

He valued it enough to know about naval problems to know its huge value, and wasn’t unfair and left the silk washer whole. The silk seller’s motivation out of poverty was noted, solved by the traveler and not unfairly so he was “bought” and cooperated fully with what was a great deal for him, which lubricates away resentment, half effort, and unhappiness because giving a good deal to someone is similar to “buy once, cry once”. Negotiating costs time, energy, and paying less might not yield the full secret especially if the seller feels taken advantage of so he also will do his best not to cooperate.

Imagine if Steve Jobs paid Woz half the profits with what he knew.

Re: How my genius roommate changed my perspective

#199

Post by FarhadG » Thu, Nov 11, 2021, 7:01 PM UTC

rurp wrote: post #181

cossatot wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I worked as a bike mechanic in my late teens, we referred to this approach as 'shade tree mechanic work'. I loved it, because of the creativity involved. However, I grew to have a great respect for the work of other mechanics, who were more interested in taking more pains, ordering the right tool or part if it wasn't around, and typically having a somewhat better outcome. I think there is room for both. Definite…

I hadn't really thought about it in these terms before, but your comment made me realize this mindset is probably a big part of why I like spending time in wilderness areas. Being without cell service miles from another group of people very much forces a "figure it out" attitude. Solving a tricky situation, with some consequence at stake and using a hodgepodge of resources, is deeply satisfying for me.

(Author here) Do you think that "figure it out" attitude helps make you become more present and alive? The moments I come out of my numb and autonomous ways of operating, I feel "alive," and it's often associated with that "figure it out" feeling.

Re: How my genius roommate changed my perspective

#200

Post by throaway46546 » Thu, Nov 11, 2021, 7:03 PM UTC

themaninthedark wrote: post #179

icu wrote: post #32

This reminds me of an 80s tv show called MacGyver which impressed on me as a kid that you can use what you got to get out of tricky situations. I've done loads of different things as a result of this attitude. The only time I stopped to think about the show's wider influence was when I was at University (some time ago) in the Engineering building with my best friend (an Engineering student) and a phone went off with…

I would say that some of AvE's stuff falls into that but he does not filter his language/attitude at times so he is off putting to some people. https://www.youtube.com/c/arduinoversusevil2025

I feel like he isn't producing as much of that content any more. I liked it better when it was more watch me make a milling machine from a cheap chinesium drill press and less watch me press go on the $200,000 Haas CNC. I feel like he is a bit of a victim of his own success. I still love the BOLTR content.