Side projects • Hacker News Board

Re: Side projects

#131

Post by TeMPOraL » Thu, Feb 26, 2015, 6:05 PM UTC

freebs wrote: post #129

TeMPOraL wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That approach sounds like something coming out of experience. I hope to reach that level one day; right now my mind just blocks when it starts thinking about composing ingredients, and I revert back to the two or three recipes I know. I wish I started cooking as a kid, I was less anxious to experiment then.

You can start by putting together a list of ingredients you like. Many of these will be common ingredients for multiple recipes and go together in different ways. Nearly every time I go grocery shopping I get these things because my SO and I like them. EG: chicken, beef, tomato, onion, peppers, mushroom, cheese, rice, quinoa, pasta, potato, carrot, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, corn, sauce, etc. Make sure you have a…

Thanks for the tip. Yeah, the game of "lets see what I can make with what is still in the fridge" sounds totally fun! :D.

Re: Side projects

#132

Post by mrec » Thu, Feb 26, 2015, 6:08 PM UTC

icebraining wrote: post #29

pygy_ wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The aim of the GPL is to ensure that the recipient of a program has the right, from a legal stand point, to obtain and modify its source code and redistribute the result under the same license. The FSF is hostile to proprietary software and criticize liberal licenses because they don't provide these guaranties.

I understand that, but while the FSF might criticize liberal licenses, both GNU and many other GPL projects use code under those licenses, while their code is closed to the original projects. That's what bothers me.

And by choosing liberal licenses, those original projects have indicated that they're fine with that. Seriously, I don't see the problem.

If you don't want people to use your code without making their changes available to you, license it under the GPL. That's what the GPL is for. Criticizing GPL projects for the fact that some projects are not GPL seems an odd way to spend your outrage budget.

Re: Side projects

#133

Post by corysama » Thu, Feb 26, 2015, 6:09 PM UTC

nickstefan12 wrote: post #121

tegeek wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been in this situation for as long as I can think of. But lately I've found something which is working for the time being. I don't use my car to commute to office. It takes 25 minutes via public transport (one way), so I use that time and build all the complex logic/data structure/algos in that time for my hobby project. Cooking doesn't break my mental loop. So I keep thinking & solving things regarding my hobby…

BART never has seats. So I waste about 2 hours a day standing and doing nothing of value :(. Very jealous you get to program then.

I like to fill my commute time listening to technical presentations and interviews. I can't say I've accomplished anything that way. But, it has expanded my awareness of current tech and practices far outside of my 9-5.

Currently listening to: Functional Geekery, Mostly Erlang, the Lean Startup conferences and Giant Robots Smashing into Other Giant Robots.

Re: Side projects

#134

Post by dllthomas » Thu, Feb 26, 2015, 6:14 PM UTC

platz wrote: post #71

hastly wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Making everything virally GPL doesn't solve the problem of nobody paying for open source development. I actually think if everything out there was GPL'd, it would make it even more difficult to build businesses and make money from open source software, because you couldn't use open source in a proprietary project if you so chose. I think instead we need a set of incentives in which it's a terrible idea to use softwar…

> it would make it even more difficult to build businesses and make money from open source software Yes, isn't that kind of the point?

Not in the slightest. If people are able to get paid for what they do, they're able to invest quite a bit more time and attention to doing it. Ideally, people could get paid for their development of software based on how useful others find it, without the collapse of value that comes from artificially making it scarce. There's nothing that guarantees that's a reachable ideal, though...

Re: Side projects

#135

Post by nathan_long » Thu, Feb 26, 2015, 6:17 PM UTC

seiji wrote: post #37

famousactress wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been broadly thinking about ways to take a bite out of this challenge. I've visited a couple of 1% for the planet[1] companies and been really inspired by what I've seen. In short, these companies pledge 1% of revenue to environmental causes. As the company scales it has a massive effect on their culture. I visited New Belgium Brewing (makers of Fat Tire) for instance, and a huge number of their employees are so…

I've visited a couple of 1% for the planet[1] companies and been really inspired by what I've seen. In short, these companies pledge 1% of revenue to environmental causes. Interesting approach, but I bet those companies also aren't high growth tech startups/companies. The only goal at a growing tech company is reduce costs, increase revenue. They aren't looking for new ways to pay for things they legally get for free…

> Many open source projects are essentially corporate welfare.

You say "many", implying not all. What differentiates the "corporate welfare" category of OSS in your mind?

> We work, make products companies use to make money/become more efficient/grow faster, the companies use the software for free to get richer, then nobody contributes back any of the gains.

It seems more complex than that to me. I contribute to OSS, but I also owe my career to OSS. I learned to program using an OS language, an OS database, an OS editor, etc, and still use such tools. I never would have started learning if all that had cost money. So the "welfare" goes to companies, but also to individuals, who may come back and contribute.

Companies have also hired me based on my OSS contributions, which incentivizes me to do more.

"We give, they get" is oversimplified, at least in my case. I got, I gave, I got more, I continue giving.

Re: Side projects

#136

Post by mjwhansen » Thu, Feb 26, 2015, 6:31 PM UTC

rday wrote: post #110

whistlerbrk wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I want to share something here since not having enough time is a theme for me. As the child of immigrants I have a guilt about spending money - overcoming this I'm starting to look as money as a way to buy more time, so I don't feel bad a number of things e.g. getting healthy takeout (I still cook because I like it), having my laundry done for me, even buying software, etc. It's just efficient. I don't know if anyone…

I try to do everything also (to a fault). I'm not first generation, but my wife's family has that mentality very ingrained. At the moment, I'm lucky enough to have some cash. I can hoard it in the bank, or I can spread it around. You should certainly save and look out for your family. But spending money is part of how capitalism builds a society. Don't feel guilty. Feel good that you can help.

"spending money is part of how capitalism builds a society"

This is a really important point.

I'm currently reading The Rational Optimist (http://www.amazon.com/The-Rational-Optimist-Prosperity-Evolv...) which is about technology, innovation, and economic progress throughout history and one of his major points is that economies progress when people become more reliant on one another so they can focus on their specialty (ex., hire someone to do laundry because your time is most valuable coding). Economies in which people are self-sufficient are by definition less productive and innovative because there's less money flowing around and people are spending less time on the things they are comparatively better at.

It's a slow start but a fantastic read (and a challenging one for a person who likes to be self-sufficient).

Re: Side projects

#137

Post by smattiso » Thu, Feb 26, 2015, 6:37 PM UTC

bglazer wrote: post #42

I'm working on a side project now that will eventually be an open source project. I think it could benefit a lot of people. My problem is that I have a full time job. When I come home at night I want to cook dinner, run, socialize, drink a beer with a friend, or work on an art project. I don't particularly want to configure Ansible or read the OpenVPN docs. At most I can get 3-5 hours of productive work per week on t…

I was exactly where you were and it didn't work for me. In my opinion the only way to build something substantial enough that is worth selling is to quit your job. If you put your whole mind to something you can accomplish exponentially more than being scattered about. I think a more realistic approach is to put all of your effort into saving money via a job, and then all of your effort into your own business. Jack of all trades, master of none and all that. Again that's my opinion YMMV. Whatever you are doing make sure you are enjoying it otherwise what's the point?

Re: Side projects

#138

Post by rday » Thu, Feb 26, 2015, 6:41 PM UTC

mjwhansen wrote: post #136

rday wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I try to do everything also (to a fault). I'm not first generation, but my wife's family has that mentality very ingrained. At the moment, I'm lucky enough to have some cash. I can hoard it in the bank, or I can spread it around. You should certainly save and look out for your family. But spending money is part of how capitalism builds a society. Don't feel guilty. Feel good that you can help.

"spending money is part of how capitalism builds a society" This is a really important point. I'm currently reading The Rational Optimist ( http://www.amazon.com/The-Rational-Optimist-Prosperity-Evolv... ) which is about technology, innovation, and economic progress throughout history and one of his major points is that economies progress when people become more reliant on one another so they can focus on their speci…

Thanks for the link. I'm putting that one on my list.

I like how you said "most valuable". My time isn't any more valuable then someone else's. I'm just most valuable writing code. Someone is else is most valuable cooking. Others are most valuable curing diseases.

Re: Side projects

#139

Post by timjahn » Thu, Feb 26, 2015, 6:42 PM UTC

txu wrote: post #101

tegeek wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been in this situation for as long as I can think of. But lately I've found something which is working for the time being. I don't use my car to commute to office. It takes 25 minutes via public transport (one way), so I use that time and build all the complex logic/data structure/algos in that time for my hobby project. Cooking doesn't break my mental loop. So I keep thinking & solving things regarding my hobby…

My experience is I am more focused while on public transit because I feel a sense of urgency. "I am gonna be interrupted in N mins and I need to finish X". It works sort of like pomodoro technique I guess. Utilizing those time slots is key to achieving side goals (or our real goals?) in a busy life. :-D

Same here. A combination of the urgency and complete disconnect from everything else (no internet, etc).

I find I get some of my most focused, solid work done on the L.

Re: Side projects

#140

Post by blister » Thu, Feb 26, 2015, 6:42 PM UTC

bglazer wrote: post #56

rday wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

2 kids, 3 freelance gigs (full time at this), a couple startups behind me (1 pivoted away, 1 still running). I would love to get 5 hours for an OSX app I really want to build. You really do have to shut out the rest of your life if you want to make a serious run at a project. When you are cramming a side project into you life, you really can "work" 80 hour weeks. The irritability you're experiencing will probably jus…

Thanks. I don't even have kids yet. I'm still ~5 years from having little ones I'd imagine. Both of the people working with me on the project have kids, and I admire them (and you) tremendously for fitting everything in.

Once you have children, everything changes. I went from having 5+ hours of free time each day to -5 hours of free time every day. You have to get super efficient with everything in your life. Cut out the things that aren't the most important things. Kids (especially when they're between 0-7 years old) take up an enormous amount of energy and focus.

You'll learn tricks to improve your performance and squeeze more time into the day. But the biggest thing that's worked most for me is staying up later than I normally would prefer. I get a few extra hours for passion projects and still get everything in the day accomplished that I'm required to accomplish.

It's a tough slog. Immensely rewarding, but tough. Prepare yourself for the change in advance so that you don't go through the massive shock I experienced.