Poll: How old are you? • Hacker News Board

Re: Poll: How old are you?

#71

Post by chubot » Wed, Jul 17, 2013, 6:44 PM UTC

alexvr wrote: post #60

At what age would you say you were smartest, if you have noticed any fluctuation? I hear you mental power peaks at about 22 and begins to decline after 26, but that's pretty depressing, and I don't want to believe it, so if you have experience to counter or confirm this, please share. If you have noticed any decline in "fluid intelligence," is it negligible? Does your wisdom and experience outweigh any mental decline…

The good thing is that software isn't math or music. In those fields you might peak at 26.

Software is mathematical but it also requires a lot of judgement and experience. Consider that Guido van Rossum didn't even START working on Python (most popular language on HN) until age 35.

From what I can see 30's and 40's is a sweet spot for a lot of programmers. It seems like a lot of startup founders are young, but I think a lot of the guys actually making systems work have been around the block a few more times.

Re: Poll: How old are you?

#72

Post by CodeMage » Wed, Jul 17, 2013, 6:44 PM UTC

rjh29 wrote: post #47

edw519 wrote: post #42

58, writing more code, having more fun, reaching more people, & making more $ than ever, all of which still seem limitless: edw519's Hacker Quality of Life | ?? | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ***** ------------------------------- 10 20 30 40 50 60

I know you are well respected around here, but your ability to sound like a douche seems limitless too.

Just out of morbid curiosity, if you knew he was "well respected around here", what in the world were you hoping to accomplish by insulting him in your comment?

Re: Poll: How old are you?

#73

Post by tambourine_man » Wed, Jul 17, 2013, 6:46 PM UTC

Damn, 31 today. Can't click the most popular 26-30 option anymore.

Re: Poll: How old are you?

#74

Post by mahyarm » Wed, Jul 17, 2013, 6:48 PM UTC

podperson wrote: post #55

rjh29 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know you are well respected around here, but your ability to sound like a douche seems limitless too.

Where's the bump for "kids go to college"?

That is really parent dependent. My mother took it really hard when I eventually moved out of the house and when I moved out of the same city.

Re: Poll: How old are you?

#75

Post by josephpmay » Wed, Jul 17, 2013, 6:50 PM UTC

Enquiry wrote: post #43

People aged 1-20: How did you find HN? HN isn't easily found on search engines (except for the exact keywords "hacker" and "news"). I can't imagine how a 15 year old is stumbling upon Hacker News, other than a mentor or parent referring them.

I read an article about Y Combinator when I was around 10 years old and have been following it ever since. I started actively reading Hacker News at 15 or 16. (Made an account when I was 16).

Re: Poll: How old are you?

#76

Post by jorgeleo » Wed, Jul 17, 2013, 6:51 PM UTC

If the numbers are true (which I doubt), then the majority is on their 20s... well, that explains a few things.

Re: Poll: How old are you?

#77

Post by zallarak » Wed, Jul 17, 2013, 6:53 PM UTC

aaronblohowiak wrote: post #50

rjh29 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know you are well respected around here, but your ability to sound like a douche seems limitless too.

As someone who fears ageism and my role as a hacker in light of the aging process, I am taking his post to be a beacon of light and hope, not anything resembling a 'douche'.

Trust me, anyone who perpetuates ageism is somewhat misled. A diversity in the ages of employees is probably the ideal situation, because I can think of advantages/disadvantages the presence of a certain each age group brings to a team. On the other hand, if you find yourself losing energy/physical fitness and your abilities, its your prerogative to remedy that.

Re: Poll: How old are you?

#78

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Jul 17, 2013, 6:54 PM UTC

rjh29 wrote: post #47

edw519 wrote: post #42

58, writing more code, having more fun, reaching more people, & making more $ than ever, all of which still seem limitless: edw519's Hacker Quality of Life | ?? | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ***** ------------------------------- 10 20 30 40 50 60

I know you are well respected around here, but your ability to sound like a douche seems limitless too.

[deleted]

Re: Poll: How old are you?

#79

Post by ntumlin » Wed, Jul 17, 2013, 6:55 PM UTC

Enquiry wrote: post #43

People aged 1-20: How did you find HN? HN isn't easily found on search engines (except for the exact keywords "hacker" and "news"). I can't imagine how a 15 year old is stumbling upon Hacker News, other than a mentor or parent referring them.

There was a link to here on /r/programming. What really got me hooked wasn't all of the articles about startups, etc., but an interesting Wikipedia article. I forget what it was, but it was in the same vein as "White Coke" on the front page now. In the comments of posts like that it's evident that some people think they don't belong on HN, but to me they are reminders that there is really cool and interesting stuff out there that I have no idea even exists. At least getting rid of them would keep the kids out, or it would have me.

Re: Poll: How old are you?

#80

Post by throwit1979 » Wed, Jul 17, 2013, 6:55 PM UTC

podperson wrote: post #55

rjh29 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know you are well respected around here, but your ability to sound like a douche seems limitless too.

Where's the bump for "kids go to college"?

I don't think Ed has kids, which is partially why his quality of life is so high.