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amrith

98 karma · joined July 2, 2009

[ my public key: https://keybase.io/amrith; my proof: https://keybase.io/amrith/sigs/ZC40xlvs-zxmjzRggfyICfJW61xBJivgF9sDQ1Qvk7I ]
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amrith··on Question: Computing Messages per Second
Yes, but why? Isn't it a material fact that the 5 messages aren't all exchanged in (say) 1ms?
amrith··on Is there a substitute for this Google Reader functionality
Anyone know of a free alternative? pinboard.in has a charge (not that I am averse to paying it, just that I would prefer free or freemium)
amrith··on Is there a substitute for this Google Reader functionality
my thanks to josegonzalez and wx77 for their comments. I will check out pinboard. Thanks!
amrith··on Migrating a large site from SQL Server to MongoDB - Lessons Learned
I'm shocked and mortified ... Check out http://bit.ly/v1cznd

Why would you conclude that MongoDB was "fast" and SQL Server was slow? Did you run SQL server on the same SSD's and multiple HDD's?

to willvarfar's comments, what was the real fsync cost and didn't you get ACID with SQL Server? Now, if ACID is not really required, and you really really need flexible schemas, then by all means ... I understand that you want distributed-queryable-notepad, not a relational database!

amrith··on Ask HN: how do I collapse the left sidebar in Google Reader
I have a similar issue with the new google reader, http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3204121
amrith··on Boston Area Big Data Summit, October 22, 2009
If you have some contact information for me that would be awesome. You can find my contact information on my blog or on HN profile.
amrith··on [dead]
what's the problem that you are planning to solve?

Clearly, someone who reads more should (and will) have a larger influence on popularity.

amrith··on Challenge-response: the use of incorrect responses in validating identity
I worked with a system administrator once. He didn't understand two factor security. So he told everyone to remember two passwords.

Maybe he now works at American Express.

I see exactly the same thing with most "security improvements". Hence treat each answer as just another password! a random string of characters, numbers and punctuations.

amrith··on Challenge-response: the use of incorrect responses in validating identity
The issue with providing an answer that is a meaningful response is that one can in fact guess and often get it right. Second, most sites that use these secret answers (favorite color, first car, ...) don't have a mechanism to lock out after a certain number of incorrect attempts.

My first car is likely something like x78uyipoqA.

Call me paranoid!

amrith··on Challenge-response: the use of incorrect responses in validating identity
I used a password manager and synchronize my desktop with my PDA.

Check out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Password_manager

amrith··on Bye Bye Linux (Ubuntu), Hi Again Windows
Not really. When I wrote this post, 3.5 was not an available UPGRADE for 3.0. You end up with both 3.0 and 3.5 on your system, and still do.

I have no issue with the name.

The issue with many Linux bigots is that they think the rest of the world is somehow stupid and not as smart as they are, as evidenced by some of the other comments on this trail. They seem to believe that the things that the rest of the world wants (which they see as unimportant) are in fact worthless (like the comment about docking stations).

amrith··on Bye Bye Linux (Ubuntu), Hi Again Windows
There, my friend, you have a point!

Yes, my grouse is with Network Manager but that is really a distinction without a difference. I have a problem with Ubuntu by extension.

amrith··on Bye Bye Linux (Ubuntu), Hi Again Windows
Yes, I saw that but it doesn’t work too well if you can’t use Network Manager to begin with.

See bug 55434 that I reported in december about this.

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/55434

I had to switch to WiCD which did allow me to do WiFi at work.

Now, it may be possible that I could use network-manager-vpnc with WiCD but I couldn’t find a way to do that.

amrith··on Ask HN: Is there a way to do this in Google Apps email? If not there should be
I do something similar, maybe it will help.

Go to Settings->Accounts and Imports

There you can configure other POP3 enabled mail systems and retrieve mail as well as send email as if it were from that system.

In that way google (and the gmail repository) becomes your single mail interface. I have five email addresses (the limit for free gmail) configured this way including work email, home email, other domains etc.,

amrith··on [dead]
bad link. Use http://owocki.com/2009/09/01/how-to-not-piss-off-your-users-...
amrith··on Why would someone use OpenDNS on a per-PC basis? I must be missing something.
More on this topic and a follow-on post at http://hypecycles.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/opendns-again/
amrith··on NoSQL: If only it was that easy
Great post. NoSQL seems to be a band-aid. And for some problems, the best solution is to rip off the band-aid :)

My thoughts at http://hypecycles.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/look-ma-nosql/

SQL has survived because it is reasonably portable, is descriptive and has a rich ecosystem. NoSQL is a response to a problem but it is one that will not get mainstream adoption because it is non-standard.

It is a great stepping stone; what comes out of it is hopefully a standards based scalable data storage and retrieval system.

amrith··on Ask HN: How would you monetize a social media site?
I doubt that very much. There is a point of diminishing returns, I agree. If the charge were $1, less people would leave than if the charge was $100. But, the value of facebook or other social networking sites is in the social aspect.

For pay services have competed favourably with free services. Ringtones are one example where people opined that paid services would fail because free options would emerge. And yet, people still pay and download ringtones.

The catch to making people pay the $1 or $5 is to make it easy. If you require them to pull up a credit card or some such, you will lose people. If there was a simple way to pay such that the money came out of some account (PayPal or some such) then you'll get the $1 in a heartbeat.

amrith··on Ask HN - Is it worth joining Mensa?
I was a member of Mensa till I found that it was totally useless. Your mileage may vary so it is worthwhile understanding what you want to get out of it. Here are some things that I have found:

* a benefit to put it on your resume: NO

* a place to meet like minded people: MAYBE but you may have better luck at your local pub/bar/gym/grocery store

* a group that sends out an interesting newsletter: MAYBE but it depends on your local chapter

* a valuable recognition similar to "Won Nobel Prize", "Went to the Moon", "Climbed Mt. Everest": NO

* an indication of "superior intellect": NO, Mensa is the 98 percentile group, in theory the membership could be 2% of over 5 billion. Not really superior. If you want that, try for TNS (Triple Nine Society)

* a good way to get a credit card: NO, the people at Mensa International and the people you have to talk to when you get this card are not members of Mensa :(

amrith··on Should non-competes be banned in Massachusetts?
I'd like comments from other yc/hacker news readers.