Live data from Hacker News

Pie doesn't need to be original unless you claim it so

buttondown.com

51–60 of 112 posts

Re: Pie doesn't need to be original unless you claim it so

#51
post #22

As others have mentioned, a pie is consumable, and thus a good one has value even if it isn't original. But a slight change to the original scenario makes asking about originality much more reasonable: Imagine you write a peach pie recipe over the weekend, and you give a copy of the recipe to your friend. They respond: "Wait, how is this different from every other peach pie recipe that's ever been written? It seems r…

I think the better metaphor is: Imagine you make a chair over the weekend. You already have many chairs. Chairs are readily and cheaply available. Your design is likely derivative of many other chairs.

Being told any of these things by a friend you show the chair to is entirely pointless and maybe even mean. The only angle that has some level of social acceptability is an angle like "check out this chair that's like what you wanted to build, maybe you could learn something from it", but even that is a 50/50 on whether its taken positively or taken as "oh, you don't think I don't know how to build a chair, wtf bro".

Pie recipes are different. Music is different (VERY different) (incomparable).

Re: Pie doesn't need to be original unless you claim it so

#52
post #39
post #22

As others have mentioned, a pie is consumable, and thus a good one has value even if it isn't original. But a slight change to the original scenario makes asking about originality much more reasonable: Imagine you write a peach pie recipe over the weekend, and you give a copy of the recipe to your friend. They respond: "Wait, how is this different from every other peach pie recipe that's ever been written? It seems r…

> When I was in a band, one of the most valuable things my songwriting friends and I did for each other was tell each other when our work sounded like something that was already out there. I'm a big advocate for originality, but its worth noting that most bands will have covered at least one song. > If you make a new piece of software and offer it to a friend to use, it's not unreasonable for them to ask how it's dif…

Sure, you do covers, and everyone knows the difference between a cover and an original. Even so, bands that do original music often try to do the cover in their own style, so the question of "how is this different from the original" is still relevant.

Re: Pie doesn't need to be original unless you claim it so

#53
post #51
post #22

As others have mentioned, a pie is consumable, and thus a good one has value even if it isn't original. But a slight change to the original scenario makes asking about originality much more reasonable: Imagine you write a peach pie recipe over the weekend, and you give a copy of the recipe to your friend. They respond: "Wait, how is this different from every other peach pie recipe that's ever been written? It seems r…

I think the better metaphor is: Imagine you make a chair over the weekend. You already have many chairs. Chairs are readily and cheaply available. Your design is likely derivative of many other chairs. Being told any of these things by a friend you show the chair to is entirely pointless and maybe even mean. The only angle that has some level of social acceptability is an angle like "check out this chair that's like…

I'd say software is more like a pie recipe or a song than like a pie or a chair.

Re: Pie doesn't need to be original unless you claim it so

#54
post #49
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you think motivates people to submit a Show HN? Typically they expect to get something out of it that they don’t get by their project just sitting on GitHub.

I don't know about you but I'm speaking from experience, not hypothetically. I shared multiple open source side projects where I made something for myself then shared it with the world. > Typically they expect to get something out of it that they don’t get by their project just sitting on GitHub. Can you expand? the vast majority of open source projects don't make a dime. I don't see the ulterior motive you're talkin…

clout

Re: Pie doesn't need to be original unless you claim it so

#55
post #28
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "Wait, how is this different from every other peach pie recipe that's ever been written? It seems really similar to another recipe I have." > That's not an unreasonable answer. Pies are not supposed to be unique. Recipes are freely traded. That "friend" is an a-hole.

Indeed if that's the response, you either have an acquaintance with 0 emotional intelligence that is by default like an elephant in porcelain shop in relationships, probably move on since its a lifelong effort to even just sustain such friendship. Or its an envious a-hole since such message is clearly denigrating, still lacks basic emotional intelligence, and then just run and don't look back. If I ever saw 2 women c…

The people closest to you are the ones who are supposed to be able to tell you that "you're wrong" in the least hurtful way.

"Support everything I do blindly" is NOT what friends do its what sycophants do.

Your friend is supposed to lift you up when your right, and tell you "you are being a moron" when your wrong.

Re: Pie doesn't need to be original unless you claim it so

#56
post #22

As others have mentioned, a pie is consumable, and thus a good one has value even if it isn't original. But a slight change to the original scenario makes asking about originality much more reasonable: Imagine you write a peach pie recipe over the weekend, and you give a copy of the recipe to your friend. They respond: "Wait, how is this different from every other peach pie recipe that's ever been written? It seems r…

> pie is consumable

More precisely, it's a rival good [1].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivalry_(economics)

Re: Pie doesn't need to be original unless you claim it so

#57
post #40

Aside from duplication there's also competition. If you bake for your family, your pie will be appreciated, regardless of its novelty. But if your pie is meant to go onto a supermarket shelf alongside other pies, you need to give the consumer an incentive to choose yours - by making it better and/or different.

Yeah, the main difference is software is accessible online so it's competing on a worldwide stage. This make people feel there's an abundance of software and they get picky. This is totally fine from economic perspective. But when it comes to side projects that aren't selling to consumers, there's no reason to bring down someone if you see no value in their work. Especially when they're sharing it for free with no ex…

> What does this offer over this product of fortune 500 company? Why should I use it?

It’s worse, “what does it offer for a Fortune 500 company”

Re: Pie doesn't need to be original unless you claim it so

#58
post #25
post #22

As others have mentioned, a pie is consumable, and thus a good one has value even if it isn't original. But a slight change to the original scenario makes asking about originality much more reasonable: Imagine you write a peach pie recipe over the weekend, and you give a copy of the recipe to your friend. They respond: "Wait, how is this different from every other peach pie recipe that's ever been written? It seems r…

> "Wait, how is this different from every other peach pie recipe that's ever been written? It seems really similar to another recipe I have." > That's not an unreasonable answer. Pies are not supposed to be unique. Recipes are freely traded. That "friend" is an a-hole.

But the OP isn't talking about pies, really.

It seems like the main difference of opinion in this thread comes down to one's default assumptions about whether you expect your friends to give you honest feedback or just smile to save your feelings. Maybe this is a generational or cultural difference, but I think if you can't get honest feedback from your friends you'll never get it at all.

Re: Pie doesn't need to be original unless you claim it so

#59
post #47
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are the expectations? Considering i'm specifically talking about free software often hosted on GitHub?

What do you think motivates people to submit a Show HN? Typically they expect to get something out of it that they don’t get by their project just sitting on GitHub.

> Typically they expect to get something out of it that

Where do I begin ?

Satisfaction, narcissism, sense of self-worth, approval, love they never got from their parents…

Post reply on HN