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Create value for others and don’t worry about the returns

geohot.github.io

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Re: Create value for others and don’t worry about the returns

#271

Post by jack_pp »

thendrill wrote: post #229
JonChesterfield wrote: post #201

This is a trap for engineers. If you don't worry about the returns, you won't get any. There are circumstances where that is fine. Be sure you're in one of them first.

So you think that engineers that maintain and write the FOSS that runs most of the world IT infrastructure ( Linux, Curl, GIT etc. ) do it for the returns ?

No, that's exactly parent's point. The premise of the title can be read as "just create value, don't worry about monetizing, things will work out (financially)". Which is invalidated by FOSS

Re: Create value for others and don’t worry about the returns

#272

Post by zozbot234 »

TonyStr wrote: post #224
AnthonyMouse wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> wouldn't UBI, even if coupled to actually producing _something_ will lead to a lot of useless stuff being made? The general premise of a UBI is that it's unconditional. If you tried to say someone is required to produce something without specifying what it is, they'll produce whatever is the easiest thing to produce, which will naturally be useless if they otherwise wouldn't have produced anything because the only…

Curious, how would this affect the production of things that have long supply chains, or require lots of manual labor? There are many things that require labor, like plumbing, irrigation, farming, transportation, brick firing, steel production, etc. where the product is either an intermediary step, or otherwise contributes to something that the worker doesn't themself benefit from. Who would create my car, computer,…

The cost of these things would simply rise until people are willing to either produce them, or obviate the need for that production (such as by increasing automation in that particular sector).

Re: Create value for others and don’t worry about the returns

#273

Post by kcoddington »

bko wrote: post #254
hombre_fatal wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think HN needs the top comment to be a vague attack on someone in response to a blog post that the comment doesn't even interact with.

You must be new here. But seriously, I think the level of discourse has gone down considerably on HN in the last few years. I know people always say this in their forum but I think it's true. For instance, you'll see a post about GPT. Top comments are often "I use Claude", completely irrelevant. And then when [political thing happens] you get these passive-aggressive submissions with a lot of upvotes "how to switch t…

I almost posted this exact comment. You're not alone in thinking HN has changed for the worse in recent years.

I get that it's just a reflection of cultural change and (over)reactions to anything adding friction. But for a forum dedicated to the "hacker" lifestyle, it's disappointing to see so much gatekeeping and FUD. I really wish this audience could start swinging back towards a response style that contains nuance and recognizes nuance.

I find myself opening this site less and less each week.

Re: Create value for others and don’t worry about the returns

#274

Post by wizzwizz4 »

denverllc wrote: post #264
jpadkins wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

what's anti-masker?

Some people thought that surgical masks wouldn’t stop you from getting Covid

Surgical masks don't stop you from getting Covid. That was never what they were for: they were to reduce the viral load you exposed others to, between when you got infected and when you noticed that you were infected. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgical_mask#Function.

Some cloth masks can (when dry) also trap small particulates through electrostatic interactions, although they are less effective as a mechanical filter than surgical masks; and many washing methods destroy this effect.

Re: Create value for others and don’t worry about the returns

#275

Post by petcat »

ludston wrote: post #270
denverllc wrote: post #264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some people thought that surgical masks wouldn’t stop you from getting Covid

They didn't. The point is that they stop you from giving covid to other people.

It's a distinction without a difference. Masks served to reduce the herd from spreading covid. Including other people giving it to you.

Re: Create value for others and don’t worry about the returns

#276

Post by tartoran »

dchftcs wrote: post #262
auggierose wrote: post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you are employed, by definition you have outsourced the worries about the return on the value you create to your employer.

This. First, the employer has to worry about the returns from which they draw some money to pay you. And for you to even get paid for doing a job, the company has to fear that you won't do it if you don't get paid - in most cases, it's not from the good of heart, but an implicit or explicit threat made by you or on your behalf by other people.

The current problem is automating yourself out of the job. You creating value compounds but as soon as you’re no longer needed the fruit of that compounded value is cut off from you.

Re: Create value for others and don’t worry about the returns

#277

Post by edgyquant »

swiftcoder wrote: post #236
ap99 wrote: post #232

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't have to be a fanboy to respect outcomes. He's got a winning track record. You may not agree with his politics or his morals but that's separate from his effectiveness. Specifically he's effective at stepping outside the domain he currently operates into create inside another.

> He's got a winning track record What exactly would that be a winning track record in - as near as I can tell, his actual track record is in buying companies with an already-successful product team, and managing not to run them into the ground for a while?

You have got to be kidding me, you can dislike someone without being this wrong. Hes literally the richest man in the world, started the largest space delivery company in the planet and has brought extreme returns for his investors in every endeavor he’s undertook.

Re: Create value for others and don’t worry about the returns

#278

Post by wizzwizz4 »

petcat wrote: post #275
ludston wrote: post #270

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They didn't. The point is that they stop you from giving covid to other people.

It's a distinction without a difference. Masks served to reduce the herd from spreading covid. Including other people giving it to you.

The distinction is important! The mechanism by which surgical masks prevent you from getting COVID-19 is peer pressure: it's important for people to know this, so they know how to protect themselves. (And there are fitted masks that protect the wearer: there was just a shortage of them, because despite all the warnings we were not prepared for a pandemic.)

Re: Create value for others and don’t worry about the returns

#279

Post by edgyquant »

paulryanrogers wrote: post #250
ap99 wrote: post #232

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't have to be a fanboy to respect outcomes. He's got a winning track record. You may not agree with his politics or his morals but that's separate from his effectiveness. Specifically he's effective at stepping outside the domain he currently operates into create inside another.

Effectively helping elect a dictator who is in love with fossil fuels undercuts at lot of his "wins". Never mind the Nazi saluting, fraudulent advertising, or bypassing safety regulations.

[flagged]

Re: Create value for others and don’t worry about the returns

#280

Post by zozbot234 »

ramraj07 wrote: post #259
hombre_fatal wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think HN needs the top comment to be a vague attack on someone in response to a blog post that the comment doesn't even interact with.

Not everyone knows who geohot is and even if they do they may not see the url handle. They may (like me) think why is a glorified shower thought tweet on top of HN. They may not know that this dude was an anti-masker (with nuance) for example. This could really make them decide not to even spend too much time thinking about the passage which in theory is profound for 10 seconds but no further. As much as ad hominem a…

> They may not know that this dude was an anti-masker (with nuance) for example.

Why are we supposed to care about that? There was a time when "masks do not work" was very much the conventional wisdom.

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