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alashleyon Ask HN: Failed project you spent 15 hours/week for 5 years on?

Between learning Android and actually getting it built, I created a social fitness app that never really took off after an initial influx of users:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andrelashl...

I'm getting a second wind and might re-build it soon, as something that is more similar to tiktok. I may also need to put much more effort into advertising/marketing this time.

alashleyon How JavaScript Works: deep dive into call, apply, and bind

Last time I used call, apply and bind was when a co-worker decided to roll his own JS framework.

It was as bad as it sounds.

alashleyon Mitochondria may contribute to neurological and psychiatric disorders: research

Great game, I never finished it, but I've always hoped to find something nearly as far-fetched ever since I played it.

alashleyon Ask HN: What huge mistake did you make early in your career?

Sure, here are a few off the top of my head:

- My Git commits/changesets were huge. There were so many code changes to so many files that it was very difficult to review. I learned how to write better commit messages and streamline my commits a few years later.

- I ignored best practices for the sake of getting things done. Programming wisdom and best practices seemed like overkill at the time, as I only measured my work by the number of lines of code I wrote. I needed to find the middle ground between quality and productivity.

- I organized projects/files inconsistently. This was because no one else had to work with the repo at the time.

- I was bad at managing expectations of stakeholders and estimating tasks. Because I was inexperienced, I would over-promise and under-deliver at times. As I went along, I realized better ways of communicating what could and couldn't be done within a sprint. Now, I think when someone asks for a feature -- the answer should generally be yes, with whatever caveats/blockers that are foreseen at the time.

alashleyon Ask HN: What huge mistake did you make early in your career?

Taking a job as a solo "lead" developer at a startup for my first job out of school.

I picked up so many bad habits and it took a while to figure out how to collaborate with others on code. If I had to take that same path again, I would get involved with an open-source project to solidify the fundamentals.

alashleyon Video Games Inspire Great UX (2019)

Persona 5 and derivatives has some of the slickest UX I have seen in any interactive media.

alashleyon Ask HN: What lessons did you learn from your best or worst colleagues?

Best: It's okay to say you don't know something

Worst: Don't tell employees you pay them so they shouldn't have to use Google.

alashleyon I’ve had the same supper for 10 years

I could be wrong, but it doesn't seem like any of that meal in moderation could predispose someone to a stroke?

alashleyon Please fix the AWS free tier before somebody gets hurt

Scary, I'd have similar fears about using Firebase/Firestore in a production app.

alashleyon Ask HN: What Are You Working On?

A social cannabis app (since its legal where I live -- Canada). It seems like the available alternatives on the app store generally aren't fulfilling their user's needs.

alashleyon Ask HN: What video games got you thinking about society this year?

Death Stranding (themes of loneliness/isolation/virtual connection), Persona 5 (themes of evil/corruption/abuse), The Last of Us 2 and Coffee Talk.

alashleyon Who Americans spend their time with, by age

Yeah being told "it's time to go to bed now" as a 27 year old man is a special kind of silent death.

alashleyon Apple takes Prepear logo trademark fight to Canada

Thanks for your answer, and no, I certainly couldn't afford to fight :)

alashleyon Apple takes Prepear logo trademark fight to Canada

I have a question that's related to something like this, I haven't been able to find a definitive answer through Google.

So let's say I want to create an app called "X this, not that!" But "Eat this, not that!" already exists and is an established brand.

Their product is in the health/diet space, while mine is in alternative medicine. Could this be considered copyright infringement?

My gut says it could be, but I think that if the product is very different then it should be fine.

alashleyon The best way to exercise self-control is not to exercise it at all

> I've done a three day water fast and it was rough and nearly fainted on day three.

More electrolytes would help with this, specifically salt. And if you drink plain water, it depletes your electrolytes pretty quickly through urination.

But YMMV, as always.

alashleyon Ask HN: Why is “blazing fast” a common phrase in the web development world?

I think its just marketing hype. Although some approaches do lend themselves to better performance of course.

I once read a quote related to React. Paraphrasing: Speed is an implementation detail, if it wasn't fast we wouldn't do it/use it.

alashleyon Ask HN: Casual but Non-Addictive Games You Play

Just finished Beyond: Two Souls in about 15 hours over 2 weeks. I also find the website How Long to Beat let's me know how much time I will invest in a game upfront.

For me, typically the longer the game, the more addictive it is.

alashleyon Ask HN: What to avoid in life?

I understand this.

alashleyon Ask HN: What to avoid in life?

Advice, especially the unsolicited kind

alashleyon Haters

Agree with the premise of the article. Haters and fanboys alike all end up wearing themselves out anyway.

alashleyon Ask HN: What did you build in 2019?

I built gymmr, an app that let's people meet at the gym based on their diets and fitness routines: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andrelashl...

My plan in 2020 is to focus much more on the marketing side of things

alashleyon Ask HN: What are good resources for life advice?

I like Coach Red Pill on You Tube. Some of his stuff is pretty insightful.

alashleyon Daydreaming about the future instead of doing work today

Makes sense.

alashleyon Daydreaming about the future instead of doing work today

> Complained about your dating prospects instead of making yourself more dateable?

Being dateable and actually finding people to date are two very different things.

alashleyon I cut off all contact with my mother. It made my life much better

> I guess them raising us as children, changing our diapers, making sacrifices for us etc. doesn't count for any kind of paying it forward because..... me, me, me, me, me.

But having children is a choice. A choice that they made. A choice that comes with huge responsibilities.

I'm all for having and expressing gratitude within reason though.

But I no longer see life as some gift I should be eternally grateful for. And even if it is a gift, its not one I asked for and should be required to pay for.

alashleyon Fasting can improve overall health

How long did it take you to become adapted?

alashleyon What It’s Like to Be a Diagnosed Narcissist

This is usually referred to as gaslighting, which you may know.

A Narcissist's Prayer

That didn't happen.

And if it did, it wasn't that bad.

And if it was, that's not a big deal.

And if it is, that's not my fault.

And if it was, I didn't mean it.

And if I did...

You deserved it.