babul

The Transit Navigation android app is a welcome addition, but I wish these types of android apps would work without constant need for data connection (i.e. would cache results and work offline once route downloaded) as nothing is worse than taking an underground train and losing all route information due to loss of signal. On a side-note "Pubtran London" is another good (and free) android app for London travel which also takes into account route/line closures and can also find National Rail train times/route info (for entire UK) from within same tool.

It's sad no one ever paid for the service, but if not don't talk to customers or potential customers (people who pay, not "users" i.e. in the sense of people that do not pay), you'll never know what they want. Generally, it's only when people part with cash that you know you are providing value.

However, major kudos for releasing the code and design docs so others can try some tangent, along with the post-mortem so others can avoid similar pitfalls. That's seriously cool and not something I often see people do for projects they invested so much in. Thanks.

Unless you root your device, which can invalidate your warranty with most manufacturers and service providers (at least here in UK - hence why many people don't want to do it), and use a app like ShootMe (which I found to be good and also one of the least intrusive in terms of required permissions), taking screenshots on most Android handsets is a pain.

You can install the Android SDK (and required dependencies) which includes tools you can use to grab screens, but I found it easier for most people to install a tool like MyPhoneExplorer (which is free, includes ADB, and is very easy for non-technical people to install) and the driver for their phone (usually on the handset itself for many devices e.g. HTC phones) instead. The big benefit is not only does it have a built-in and easy way to take screenshots, but also can be used to backup/restore your phone including all contacts/mms/sms/apps/settings/etc, and can be used for multiple handsets (or you can make different profiles for same handset as a crude version control), different phones e.g. Samsung/HTC/Nokia, and different OS e.g. as used on Nokia/SonyEricson/BB/etc, so makes transfer or CRUD of contacts/mms/sms/etc between devices easy and saves on hassles of having different software suites for different phones.

The only solution I have found to take screenshots directly on a mobile without full (permanently) rooting it is to soft root it using the RATC (RageAgainstTheCage) exploit either directly with ADB or far more easily using a tool like UnRevoked. This roots the phone until it is turned off, where upon a restart the phone is once more unrooted.

Lastly, if you just want to take screen shots of your website or web-app, you can do it without any rooting by installing the excellent DolphinHD browser and Screen-Cut plugin. This also has added advantage of being able to take full length shots of your page as one screenshot.

Note: AFAIK this applies to almost all devices I've seen up to Android Froyo (2.2) and most Gingerbread (2.3) and tablets. Some manufacturers may have implemented their own screenshot system.

Though I agree with the sentiment, this is a lot easier to say when external to the problem. Much of it is about fixing or changing lifestyle and behaviour, and in such cases it may be easier to go for "safe" wins, such as a day job, with certain and known results (positives such as known income, and the negative such as web-app/startup opportunity cost) and building up and moving forward before re-exposing one self to risk (esp as it is similar as per his situation before).

The higher risk 'do another startup' could be the way to go, but in such an environment/situation, I fear this perhaps is only shying away from underlying problems and hence it is better to take safe route and fix them first.

Being originally from a background and area where this is rife, I can only offer the following:

1. Change your mindset - Positive things happen to positive people, as basically they envision the positive result they want and engineer (either consciously or subconsciously) towards it. Negative people think they will always fail, hence don't try, hence fail, and vicious self-reinforcing circle repeats. This is hard to to when depressed, hence why you need to to change lifestyle as per following as example.

2. Take any job - It's not about doing something you love or pays well, but getting out of the house and changing your environment. A fresh/different perspective, new scenery, fresh air, and interacting with other (different) people always helps. It can also help you find structure and (different) routine in your life.

3. Focus on one change at a time - Thinking about everything at once can be overwhelming. Try and make one change at a time. Do the easiest (most achievable) things first. Success at them will make you feel good and help as building block to next (harder) thing.

4. Don't worry about external opinions of nay sayers - You are not in competition with others, only yourself, so as hard as it may be, focus on your path at the pace you are happy with and ignore what others say. The key thing is you keep moving forward, positively, even if only one step each day. Once you stop standing, and start moving, you will inevitably make progress, and that progress will help you move more.

5. Build income - Inevitably money is the cornerstone to fixing many problems in life, and with an income that meets your base needs, you may then be afforded the opportunity to do things you want to do, not have to. This could be something like hiring a carer a few days/hours a week so you have time to do something you want e.g. build your skills/portfolio/resume for a future step of a new/better job.

6. Do not be emotionally black mailed or feel guilt for wanting to live your life - We all have our paths to walk in this life and sadly there are people that will put you down or try to stop you for no good reason (i.e. your path is not self-destructive such as drug abuse) and its to do with what they want rather than what is best for you. No matter how hard it is to say this, or resentment parents/family may feel, but they have lived their lives and made their choices. You must live yours and make yours, even if in the immediate term it upsets people. In due time, most people realise things were for the good and the initial negative reaction such family has is more about the change itself rather than why/what change is for. One way to smooth this is to give people notice so change is not unexpected i.e. tell them you are telling them, tell them, tell them you told them, do it.

Your reputation is only as good as the people who know it. Most HR will not have heard of you (unless you are a high-profile leader in your field) and hence the desire for a rubber stamp from a brand company. It's the same reason many people desire Ivy League education, not for the learning, but the brand name that will make entry to most jobs a lot easier (as HR/Company assume certain level of quality/competency/work-ethic/etc has been met).

Generally found that most Caucasian dating sites work if you are Caucasian (or want to date Caucasian people), which in hindsight seems obvious really.

The "popular" ethnic sites (e.g. shaadi.com) are geared more towards "marriage" than "dating", but surprisingly most ethnic people on them want to "get to know you first" for a long time (in most Indo society this is usually done in a family context i.e. with others around, and for a relatively short period of time before a marriage decision is made, the short time frame being there to protect the individuals i.e. modesty of girls, and prevent "undesirable" behaviour, all this being counter balanced by the families getting involved to ensure matches are good and process does not take excessively long), which is basically "dating" by another name (but seems more socially/culturally acceptable, especially in Indo cultures, due to the "marriage" pretext/context).

Perhaps many people are on them as there is no major ethnic alternative, hence I think an ethnic OKCupid (or clone) would do well. I may even try to build (an albeit rubbish) one for Show HN November, lol.

Of course this is a single view garnered through anecdotal evidence, observation of many others (over the years), lots of general discussion on the topic with people from all walks of life, and based on a small sample size, so totally unscientific, but yet remarkably true.