Show HN: I wrote a book on web application deployment • Hacker News Board

Re: Show HN: I wrote a book on web application deployment

#21

Post by jmuguy » Mon, Dec 13, 2021, 5:31 PM UTC

__blockcipher__ wrote: post #15

This might just be paranoia but a couple of the early comments on this thread feel very astro-turfy. For example: https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=vich (hasn't commented since aug 2020) https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=matthieuchabert (hasn't commented for 10 months) https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=vivty is slightly sketchy as well but not super cut and dry

I suppose if the author asked a few folks to leave positive comments on the post thats not too crazy. I'd do the same thing if I was trying to promote something. I think I'd draw the line at something more programmatic, like some gray hat creating sock puppet accounts.

Re: Show HN: I wrote a book on web application deployment

#22

Post by strzibny » Mon, Dec 13, 2021, 5:37 PM UTC

copperx wrote: post #12

I really like the way the book looks. Can you share details about how you wrote it / typesetted it?

I started with Markdown and gitbook initially (the old version of gitbook), and then switched to Pandoc & XeLaTex engine with the mixture of Markdown and LaTex. I only did the "cat" and "ref" boxes in LaTex, everything else is Markdown.

I also use some Ruby for preprocessing (when building other formats), previews, etc. Someone submitted my post on that to HN a while ago so there is some discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28594863

Re: Show HN: I wrote a book on web application deployment

#23

Post by __blockcipher__ » Mon, Dec 13, 2021, 5:38 PM UTC

jmuguy wrote: post #21

__blockcipher__ wrote: post #15

This might just be paranoia but a couple of the early comments on this thread feel very astro-turfy. For example: https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=vich (hasn't commented since aug 2020) https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=matthieuchabert (hasn't commented for 10 months) https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=vivty is slightly sketchy as well but not super cut and dry

I suppose if the author asked a few folks to leave positive comments on the post thats not too crazy. I'd do the same thing if I was trying to promote something. I think I'd draw the line at something more programmatic, like some gray hat creating sock puppet accounts.

They should disclose that, though. Otherwise the feedback is indistinguishable from astroturfing.

Pretty much everything about this guy rubs me the wrong way. The usual cheesy testimonials / vague promises of content which never really gets previewed, the obvious astroturfing, which he continues to respond to as if they're organic genuine comments, etc. Just leaves a really bad taste in my mouth.

Re: Show HN: I wrote a book on web application deployment

#24

Post by strzibny » Mon, Dec 13, 2021, 5:39 PM UTC

matthieuchabert wrote: post #7

I'm currently reading this book and I am very impressed by the work done by the author. It goes in depth on many subjects like provisioning, configuration and deployment. For a beginner like me it's perfect. Highly recommend for web developers who wants to understand better how a server works under the hood and how to deploy it.

Thanks a lot for your kind words :). DM me if you hit any roadblocks!

Re: Show HN: I wrote a book on web application deployment

#25

Post by strzibny » Mon, Dec 13, 2021, 5:43 PM UTC

jmuguy wrote: post #21

__blockcipher__ wrote: post #15

This might just be paranoia but a couple of the early comments on this thread feel very astro-turfy. For example: https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=vich (hasn't commented since aug 2020) https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=matthieuchabert (hasn't commented for 10 months) https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=vivty is slightly sketchy as well but not super cut and dry

I suppose if the author asked a few folks to leave positive comments on the post thats not too crazy. I'd do the same thing if I was trying to promote something. I think I'd draw the line at something more programmatic, like some gray hat creating sock puppet accounts.

Hi, I haven't asked anybody. But I did wait with SHOW HN until I sold something and had good reviews and feedback.

Re: Show HN: I wrote a book on web application deployment

#26

Post by axljjn » Mon, Dec 13, 2021, 5:43 PM UTC

__blockcipher__ wrote: post #23

jmuguy wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suppose if the author asked a few folks to leave positive comments on the post thats not too crazy. I'd do the same thing if I was trying to promote something. I think I'd draw the line at something more programmatic, like some gray hat creating sock puppet accounts.

They should disclose that, though. Otherwise the feedback is indistinguishable from astroturfing. Pretty much everything about this guy rubs me the wrong way. The usual cheesy testimonials / vague promises of content which never really gets previewed, the obvious astroturfing, which he continues to respond to as if they're organic genuine comments, etc. Just leaves a really bad taste in my mouth.

This is why I never look at the comments on ProductHunt.

Re: Show HN: I wrote a book on web application deployment

#27

Post by matthieuchabert » Mon, Dec 13, 2021, 5:44 PM UTC

__blockcipher__ wrote: post #15

This might just be paranoia but a couple of the early comments on this thread feel very astro-turfy. For example: https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=vich (hasn't commented since aug 2020) https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=matthieuchabert (hasn't commented for 10 months) https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=vivty is slightly sketchy as well but not super cut and dry

I'm not a frequent contributor to HN (except when I build a product and want to show it on HN). I genuinely commented because I like the book and saw this thread on HN.

I never talked to the author, I only follow him on Twitter.

Re: Show HN: I wrote a book on web application deployment

#28

Post by strzibny » Mon, Dec 13, 2021, 5:56 PM UTC

__blockcipher__ wrote: post #23

jmuguy wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suppose if the author asked a few folks to leave positive comments on the post thats not too crazy. I'd do the same thing if I was trying to promote something. I think I'd draw the line at something more programmatic, like some gray hat creating sock puppet accounts.

They should disclose that, though. Otherwise the feedback is indistinguishable from astroturfing. Pretty much everything about this guy rubs me the wrong way. The usual cheesy testimonials / vague promises of content which never really gets previewed, the obvious astroturfing, which he continues to respond to as if they're organic genuine comments, etc. Just leaves a really bad taste in my mouth.

I am really sorry you feel that way. It's all pure feedback from people I don't know. All organic. And I am replying, because I promised I will be around for discussion.

Testimonials, podcasts appearances, and comments here were not solicited. People just did that on their own.

Jeremy from Software Engineering Radio actually really bought the alpha version, and his invitation to the podcast was out of the blue. Jason didn't buy my book (I think) but wanted to talk about it. Juan sent me his testimonial himself. And I wasn't their friend beforehand either.

> never really gets previewed

I linked two previews, one is a full chapter. I also have like 8 readable screens of good quality on the book page.

Re: Show HN: I wrote a book on web application deployment

#29

Post by abc03 » Mon, Dec 13, 2021, 5:59 PM UTC

__blockcipher__ wrote: post #15

This might just be paranoia but a couple of the early comments on this thread feel very astro-turfy. For example: https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=vich (hasn't commented since aug 2020) https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=matthieuchabert (hasn't commented for 10 months) https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=vivty is slightly sketchy as well but not super cut and dry

I bought the book but I haven’t managed to go through it yet. What I can tell is that some real work went into the book. I don’t intend to deploy things myself as I use Heroku and Cloud 66 but sometimes one still has to understand how things work.

Re: Show HN: I wrote a book on web application deployment

#30

Post by cyral » Mon, Dec 13, 2021, 6:01 PM UTC

__blockcipher__ wrote: post #15

This might just be paranoia but a couple of the early comments on this thread feel very astro-turfy. For example: https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=vich (hasn't commented since aug 2020) https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=matthieuchabert (hasn't commented for 10 months) https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=vivty is slightly sketchy as well but not super cut and dry

I posted a personal project on reddit around a year ago that got highly upvoted and someone made a similar post with a bunch of "strange" comments that must be evidence of me astroturfing. I have to admit they were strange accounts, some who haven't commented in over a year, but I wasn't using any alt accounts or anything sketchy. Sometimes people just don't comment unless it's something they really like or are knowledgeable about, or maybe something else, I am not sure and couldn't explain it when it happened to me.