optimal

What's strange is that I have 27 double-verified email addresses on my webapp that are on the myspace.com domain already since 2007. Myspace employees or what?

Some of the discussion is reminiscent of the "A Mathematician's Lament" essay:

http://www.maa.org/devlin/devlin_03_08.html

This you?

http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/Police/news/printartic...

My words probably mislead--I should have said "workplace." I'm a mercenary. ;)

In my market the money's in .NET. The customers are all very nice people who appreciate my efforts, and I work no more than 40 hours per week, leaving me (a little) time for my own projects.

The work isn't especially fun, but that's why they call it "work" and there are times when it's interesting. And, the users _deserve_ attentive and considerate software development.

The main development is in .NET, but I introduce open source alternatives whenever possible (jQuery I love you!). It would be irresponsible, though, for the customers to abandon their massive investment in MS technologies. I believe this to be true of the enterprise in general; at home it was easy to say I'd never use Windows again, but this isn't feasible for a large organization. I think this will eventually change, but over a couple of decades and not years.

That's the reality facing IT executives, and I think it bothers us as developers more than anybody else. Most folks just want to do their jobs, watch a couple of viral videos, and go home.

P.S.: I've enjoyed reading some of your recent comments.

How come nobody mentioned business? Microsoft is about the enterprise.

I think many criticize Microsoft from a consumer standpoint, but the CEO of Microsoft is going to know where his bread is buttered.

If any of us was the CEO we'd realize that we couldn't make the kind of radical changes we crave as consumers.

Changing course will take them some time, but I believe we'll see MSX eventually (in some horrible form).

In the meantime I'll keep using Mac/open source at home and (barely) tolerating MS software at work.

"Craigslist doesn't have an open system. Craigslist blocks ip's of those accessing there system through a web application and they send out lots of cease and desist notices"

Screw it. Right now, a group here should build a newer, better Craigslist. Enough of you guys are in touch with the SV/Bay scene to bring the eyeballs required to kick it off, because as I see it, it's not a technical problem but rather a marketing one: what you need is a brief but intense "attention burst" to launch something like this.

The bleeding-edge users are all here, or only one or two degrees removed, and could make it work. [Don't look at me, I'm stuck on the East Coast.]

Hey axod, comment and a question:

I believe Remember the Milk would fall into this category.

Does anybody know how they're doing? Back in March they said they're up to 500k users. I wonder how many upgraded to the $25 Pro account. Two percent maybe? That would mean $250k in revenues (spread among several people over several years). Just something I was pondering the other day!

I'm sure there are people who can shout louder than everybody else, but this may be one of those cases where the best way to achieve something, is to do something else first. [I hate stuff like that. ;)]

If you want to date a girl, you could just approach one after another until one finally says yes (e.g., "My name is George. I'm unemployed and I live with my parents."). Or you could improve yourself by learning how to cook or play music, getting in shape, etc., so you have something to actually bring to a relationship. At that point you'll either be turning them away, or you'll have a life and won't care (which can also be an attractor).

Same approach in the technical world. Do you have a blog? Or do you participate in open source projects, or attend conferences, or anything else to demonstrate how you bring value to others?

Another common path is consulting, which basically accomplishes the same thing. Prove your worth to others, and your goal of introducing a new product becomes much easier.

I think sometimes we may care so much about the end product that we have trouble switching from the techie role to the business role. But you have to save some of that energy for marketing, and it may be better to take a more dispassionate view of the finished product (or risk never releasing anything).

That's so awesome.

"Fit for life" is a good mantra, because fitness--a balance of stamina and strength--improves every aspect of life.

I agree--I find the light of halogen lamps to be crisp and without the hazy effect of traditional incandescent bulbs, making it easier to work for long periods of time without excessive eye fatigue.

About five years ago I moved to a new place and had a very hard time finding halogen torchieres in stores. I never learned exactly why, but I suspect it was due to liability issues, because this was around the same time they started putting bird cages on top of the lamps.

The hook seems to be tying "kids" to "millions"--must draw lots of eyeballs (like the last time around).

Maybe AARP has a business publication that would like to profile all these young 30- and 40-something upstart entrepreneurs.

Yeah, it's like BW is blinded by the numbers--that money's not a personal gift to the founders (from "holed up alone in a room for 100 hours a week" to "Funding: $17.5 million"). Regardless, it's a validation of their efforts.

True success will be determined years from now based on the outcome of these investments.

Move more, eat less. It really is that simple.

If you want to lose weight you need to include both exercise and proper nutrition in your life (I don't like the word "diet").

Running, weights, PT, biking, swimming, etc. Brisk walking is great. Just do something!

My best advice regarding exercise is to make it a habit by including it in your daily routine. At first you'll feel worse when you do exercise than when you don't, but if you persist you'll soon feel worse when you don't. That's when you've succeeded.

The body's a machine, and with proper fuel and maintenance you have the best chance for a long and productive life.

When I'm eating that salad every day during lunch I just tell myself it's "brain food," and I notice the difference in the afternoon.

I also believe being a balanced and well-rounded person gives you the best chance of being a successful entrepreneur. You can only sprint for so long--think instead of "what I'm going to do for the next 40, 50, or 60 years."

Another related movie (was on Sundance this past weekend): http://www.we-feed-the-world.at/en/film.htm

If you're interested, drop me a line and I'll send you a couple of bready links (written while preheating the oven--pizza's about to go in!).

Here's a guy who's doing good things with pizza: http://www.billyreisinger.com/pizza.php

Some inspiration: http://www.billyreisinger.com/pizza_log.html

mos, have you seen _Local Breads_, by Daniel Leader? Just got it from the library and will try his baguettes tomorrow.

Let your employer fund your ideas through your paycheck--they don't own your nights and weekends.

I find the hardest challenge when I start a part-time project is staying motivated at the day job. If you're happy there and can achieve this balance then you have the benefit of both worlds.

What about the availability of credit? It's probably easier to buy the big TV on credit now than to steal it.

Practice your best, and you won't be bested by your practices. - The Sphinx

Talk about the talkers. I think I remember that being some kind of warning sign.

New Einstein dropped out, built and sold his "Hot Physicist or Not?" startup, and now just likes to kick back and listen to some choons.

Great story. I was trying to track down the name after reading the Clarke thread (though Asimov wrote it, not Clarke).

Really? I think it's more like a mini-MySpace: tell the world what you're up to (in excruciating detail). If so I'd expect it to catch on with the same demographic.

More thoughts please on a system with both many reads and many writes and an ever-changing order (i.e., sorted by dynamic rankings instead of "time posted," a constant)!

Try this one after that: http://youtube.com/watch?v=sEbgB6X6S5c

Couldn't see it at first, then enabled via NoScript. Might be something to consider if targeting technical markets!

Had the jeans. Had the kicks. Had the day-glo. No mullet. Was that the problem?

If you want to know a person's flaws, learn what they most despise.

Heh, the first sentence tells you how to be a successful management consultant: only work for companies who are already good at what they do!

Did anybody read _King of Infinite Space_, the biography of Donald Coxeter?

I noticed the article used lots of drawings, and I believe this and the general discussion fits into Coxeter's thinking on mathematics, versus the Bourbaki school's more rigid and less intuitive approach.

"GEOMETRY. Isolated from the rest of the curriculum, this course will raise the hopes of students who wish to engage in meaningful mathematical activity, and then dash them."