mmmbeer

If its a Java or object-oriented framework or library - follow SOLID principals and limit dependencies. Make it unit testable. Try to make it consistent - calls to get one type of object should be similar to ways to get other types of data, etc. Functional approach to the interfaces - pass in required arguments, get back result. Don't require user/developer to create several configuration or factory objects before they can call a simple method to get some data, etc. Don't require the use of dependency injection frameworks or other complexities. If its web-based API return data as simple JSON or XML without overly complex namespaces, etc. Name things consistently - the names of response objects and properties should be the same as the corresponding inputs, etc. Copy - look at a successful API or library which does something similar - then copy the way it works and the way its documented. Especially if the users/developers already know how to use that one...

You are then assuming a purely materialist mind - that there is no "spiritual" component or some part of it that can't be understood by physical and/or chemical science (i.e. that there is no 'soul'). I personally believe in a soul (and true free-will) so I don't think we'll ever have AI.

If you pay off mortgage you need some plan for the extra money every month. If you save and invest it that is one thing, but if you just spend more freely (waste it), you are not better off. Economically, the best way is to not buy too much house, and invest all extra money into equities (index funds) over 20-30 years. If there is no extra money to invest, then you have bought too much house.

I've also seen it work the opposite way - older founders who were already wealthy paying themselves no salary at all. But yes, it is obvious that younger founders without families can live on less. Another consideration is the older you are the closer you are to retirement and the less risk you can take if you are not already wealthy.

Depends on where you want to work... Want to work 60 hours a week in cube farm in banking, where you will be just some guy in the IT department? What to sit in long meetings? What to take 18 months to do a project instead of 3? Then learn Java and stuff with "enterprise" in the title. Otherwise, learn Unix command line basics, then Ruby or Python, Rails or Django, and lots of Javascript and CSS. Then look for more interesting work in startups.

I used K and KDB full-time from around 2003-2005. Very, very good performance, but very steep learning curve and some frustrating bugs, but getting quick direct support from Arthur helped a lot (even if his emails were frustratingly terse! ). What else do you expect from a guy whose email address was a@kx.com? It forced me to learn functional programming before it was "in". Once you got the way to think about vectors and functions over vectors you could be very productive chopping up big data in finance. Fun stuff actually.

I do about 350-500 hours per year of freelance work ($100 per hour usually) in addition to normal full-time job. It is all through people I've worked with in the past who contacted me. If you have previous employers or co-workers, maybe ask if they have any extra work or side projects they need completed.

I do want to take money from the rich and give it to people who don't deserve it

And what give you the right to take what belongs to others?

I dont understand who are the PEOPLE WHO DONT NEED MONEY. Should maybe be rephrased: YOUNG PEOPLE WHO DONT THINK THEY WILL NEED MONEY.