Recent submissions

Comment · 7 years ago
Not sure about Linus... I know Wolfram does/did ....
Comment · 7 years ago
If you can work from home (big if) then you might consider looking into a standing desk + treadmill.

There are some decent options available. The "Autonomous" desk is great, I purchased JUST the legs and use an IKEA top to save money.

Now, I'm looking at the "Treadly" treadmill. Technically, this isn't an "under desk" treadmill, but it's the thinnest treadmill on the market and can be operated without the bars upright. So it's perfect for going under your desk, and then under a bed or a couch when you're not using it.

Comment · 7 years ago
There aren't many better options when it comes to firmware development. The state of the art, as I understand it currently, is C / C++.

But having worked in many languages (Java, Swift, Scala, Dart, etc.) I have to say, I love C.

Comment · 7 years ago
Sorry for the delayed response.

It has allowed me to work on some very cool robotics, and IoT projects. I've been able to learn a ton in the process about how computers work. Things like having to learn about how our FreeRTOS scheduler works, have been a fun process and provide some insight (albeit not 1:1) on how larger scale OS's work.

I feel like it's also made me a better programmer on the higher level stuff too. Hard to explain why though. It's not the kind of thing that makes obvious sense. It's not like knowing how to efficiently pack bytes into a struct, somehow helps you be a better Scala or iOS developer. That's just not the case. Rather, there's something about knowing the low-level stuff that just eases my mind when it comes to writing higher level code. I've always been the type of person that gets distracted by needing to know the deeper layer of how something works.

Even in undergraduate classes like biology, I needed to know HOW that mitochondria ACTUALLY handles metabolism. That's what I mean when I say that the lower level stuff "eases my mind". I can call a higher level function, or use some higher level framework, with a clear understanding of how it could (and probably) is implemented. That makes me a better developer, because I can stop asking questions and start making things.

Comment · 7 years ago
Hey man, I started my career 7 years ago by teaching myself PHP, jQuery, and CSS. First real job was as a "full stack web developer".

I always was in awe of the low level stuff though, so I took every opportunity to move closer and closer to the hardware over the years. I'm now a firmware developer!

Point being, where there's a will there's a way. If you can align some DIVs, you can malloc() some memory and pack bytes efficiently in a struct :) It all comes down to where your interest is.

Comment · 7 years ago
Unfortunately some work (Mac, and iOS development) requires a Mac OS device.
Comment · 7 years ago
Uhg, I'd love to be that 50 year old when I arrive at the age. Sadly, I feel like I'm sliding backwards. Oddly, I feel like I was a better, more thoughtful, certainly more energetic developer in my 20's.

I think some of it may be that each job I've taken has forced me to change language / platform multiple times. I'm an iOS, android, C++, C, Java, and python developer. All on production level code. Never an expert of any.

Comment · 8 years ago
Yes, please do explain further.
Comment · 9 years ago
From the article:

"A 2009 Pentagon briefing summary of the program prepared by its director at the time asserted that “what was considered science fiction is now science fact,” and that the United States was incapable of defending itself against some of the technologies discovered"

Wait, what? What are the "technologies discovered"?

Comment · 9 years ago
And what's hilarious is that the top comment in this thread is about starting yet another social network.

Myopic to say the least.

Comment · 9 years ago
Yet another "solution" that focusses on "affordable" housing, not market rate housing.

The world needs affordable housing, so don't get me wrong. But what's infuriating is how often the conversation stops there. It's always about building more housing and creating affordability programs for the poor. Meanwhile forgetting that even middle class workers are being priced out of the market!

When your middle class can't afford (or can barely afford) the cost of housing, your problem extends beyond just that class.

I don't believe in "trickle down" economies, where consolidation of wealth into the hands of a few "lifts everyone up". What I do believe is important - for everyone - is a healthy, educated, middle class. In a way, the health and success of your middle class is like a barometer for the health of your society as a whole. When your middle class cannot afford to buy a home, cannot afford to begin a family, and cannot afford to live at or above the quality of life of the generation before them something is wrong.

Yes, we need to help the poor. Yes, we SHOULD have programs for that. But the conversation all too often stops there, and market rates are taken for granted.

Comment · 9 years ago
> "we don’t currently produce in sufficient quantities to make it a sustainable diet for the entire population"

I wonder what we are missing in our crops that, if grown, would bridge this gap?

Comment · 9 years ago
> "but who really just 'tries' heroin"

Natural. Selection.

Comment · 9 years ago
I can't help but wonder what it's like to have that kind of money.

Does such a person ever wake up, and wonder how the dice rolled so amazingly in their favor?

Or do they wake up and stand proud, recognizing that they are so successful because of their own hard work and intelligence?

Do they ever think about how insane life is that they ended up with 94 billion, while some people are starving?

I'm not making any moral projection here. I'm not saying there's anything right, or wrong, about that situation. I'm just genuinely curious what it feels like to be in their shoes.

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