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Ask HN: What interesting problems are you working on?

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Re: Ask HN: What interesting problems are you working on?

#381

Post by satisfice »

Ilasky wrote: post #113

I’m working on making body doubling a more main stream approach to accomplishing everyday tasks. Body doubling is known within the ADHD community and entails performing a task in the presence of another. More details here: https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/body-double-adhd It helps to engage motivation by using another person as the proxy. I wrote a bit about how I think it works here: https://doubleapp.xyz/blog…

I have no discipline of the superego variety— but when I realize I will let someone else down, I become motivated and focused. I’m learning Linear Algebra now by working with a self-described ADHD colleague. We are 150 pages in and actually doing the homework.

I wrote about an approach called “Bold Boast” in my book on coping with my particular mentality (which led me to quit high school, but also led, a few years later, to managing a team at Apple). I feel like everyone else has a powerboat, but I am forced to sail by the wind.

Anyway Bold Boast means you publicly commit to achieving a learning or teaching goal that involves a presentation or visible product.

(see Secrets of a Buccaneer-Scholar, which I believe you find pirated online here and there)

Re: Ask HN: What interesting problems are you working on?

#382

Post by bowlingx »

I started working on a WYSIWYG CMS Editor for Web-Applications and Websites.

Based on my experiences, I think there is something missing in the market for content creators / editors for WebApps (with landing pages etc.) and websites. There are many headless CMSs available but many are lacking a simple editing experience.

I want to make it easy for the developer to integrate it into a project (using React for example) - but also make it really easy for the content creator to be more independent of developers - while keeping UI constraints etc.

I choose to build a native iOS and MacOS App with SwiftUI that basically provides all editing UI as native components instead of using HTML/CSS - Basically an overlay on top of the website that let's you control the components and website grid/layout. It's mainly a proof of concept and for me a way to learn SwiftUI :)

There are many Website builders that provide great editing UIs (e.g. Webflow, Builder.io etc.), but I feel a native app, especially on iPad OS could provide benefits and it's a nice challenge :)

Re: Ask HN: What interesting problems are you working on?

#383

Post by aaronax »

makeworld wrote: post #108
zschuessler wrote: post #5

I heard few song lines from a new artist I've discovered. It has me thinking on a problem I want solved. Although, I'm not actively working on it. Why aren't there more employee-owned companies? And I don't mean solely shareholder programs, I mean actually owned by every employee and they are paid dividends of profit after all planned R&D costs. Similar to the Alaska oil pipeline bonus. Even interns. All studies show…

Look into coops.

Tessitura and NISC are two great examples of technology-centric co-ops.

Technically a co-op is usually "member-owned" whereas they were talking about employee owned. A substantial difference in some ways but not in others.

Re: Ask HN: What interesting problems are you working on?

#384

Post by worik »

gmadsen wrote: post #200
blamarvt wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll echo that. Also being married to a vet it's insane how little very qualified and experienced techs are being paid.

how is that in disagreement? Cost of labor is indeed cheap

That is a problem that needs solving!

That is what burns the labour out

Re: Ask HN: What interesting problems are you working on?

#385

Post by jesse__ »

I've been writing a metaprogramming layer on top of the C programming language. It's effectively implementing a lot of C++ templates and constexpr features in a smaller, faster package.

It began as a toy/experiment that turned out to be useful, so I decided to pour the gas on and push it to it's natural conclusion.

It's close to hitting a first alpha release at which point I expect it to stabilize somewhat.

More info : https://scallyw4g.github.io/poof/

The website's a WIP, but the tool does compile to WASM so you can give it a try in the browser, which is pretty neat-o.

I'm also actively looking for feedback. If anyone has constructive comments/criticism feel free to reach out :)

Re: Ask HN: What interesting problems are you working on?

#386

Post by satisfice »

I am working giving exploratory software testing a solid scientific foundation in cognitive science, sociology, and general systems theory. This has been my project for 25 years.

It is my way of providing ammunition for those who uphold humanism against the technocrats who think they can automate testing.

Re: Ask HN: What interesting problems are you working on?

#387

Post by FerociousTimes »

renewiltord wrote: post #181
PontifexMinimus wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How will you prevent people from using this technology to create DIY pathogens? If the answer is "I won't" or "it'll be open source, I won't be able to", consider doing something less harmful instead.

This specific attitude is something that I have capitalized on in many ways in my life to do well: ad tech, location data, trading. There is massive alpha in not being like this. And if this DNA synthesis thing had some value to me I would gladly do it and may the terrorists breed superbugs from it if they will. Even if you convince him, you won't convince me. I will become even more convinced that I should build the…

All talk, no action

Re: Ask HN: What interesting problems are you working on?

#389

Post by cpeterso »

A project idea that I've been daydreaming about for a while (but haven't moved past research) is a cleanroom implementation of the online game Space Station 13. SS13 is built on the BYOND game engine, an ancient, closed-source client/server platform with a clunky, proprietary programming language. There have been a few attempts to rewrite SS13 in Unity or custom 3D game engines, but they've all suffered from second-system syndrome and development stalled. Plus they don't leverage SS13's most valuable asset: its existing game content, a huge library of game scripts and assets still being actively developed.

My vision is a new client with an interpreter for BYOND's proprietary language that can execute SS13's existing content unchanged. Compile the client to WebAssembly so people can play and develop the game in a browser without installing any software. Unshackle the game from depending on hosted servers by making the client peer-to-peer using WebRTC. If the new client dethroned the BYOND client, then incompatible improvements could then be made to its fork of the BYOND language.

The name for this project in my head is "Babylon 13". :)

Re: Ask HN: What interesting problems are you working on?

#390

Post by neill »

educaysean wrote: post #323
barkerja wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The cost of labor is ridiculously cheap (people become Vet Tech's for love, not money), and buildings need not be in commercial centers, so capital costs are minimal. This is absolutely not true and it's a big issue in the field currently (my wife is a Veterinarian). This kind of thinking is also what is causing a lot of mental health issues in the field.

You are saying two different things here. Are you agreeing with the poster's position that veterinary professionals aren't getting paid what they're worth (aka. cheap labor), or are you refuting it?

I don't believe they are saying two different things, given the indication of mental health considerations- I would imagine that it is not true that people become vet tech's only for love and don't actually want to make more money. You can't pay bills with your pride. This is an issue with nurses, among other professions. Yes they love what they do, yes they also want to be paid worth their societal value. It's diminishing to think otherwise.
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