Hacker News Reader

seferphieron How the .0001% Made Its Money

I agree.

Finance created lots of value for the British Empire when they were colonizing countries - where they could raise money to buy navy ships and soldiers.

Finance does create value in the long run. However, it creates minimal value in the short run. Debt being traded in the short run is a zero sum game which does not create any value for the society. Considering that we allocate the best and the brightest people in finance, I would consider it creates negative value to society.

seferphieron The Workman Keyboard Layout

I think the best way is to have a custom keyboard. Google ErgoDox, you can program your own keys to suit your needs

seferphieron The Workman Keyboard Layout

i switched to Dvorak but it was too left hand heavy. Had to switch back to QWERTY afer a while.

seferphieron Why can a scam company raise $40 Million Series C + $76 Million Series B?

Wow, they have a lot of negative reviews.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/online/justfab.html

seferphieron Why The New Gmail Sucks

Hi Jason. thanks for replying. I was genuinely curious as to your opinion on the gmail UI since you are more experienced than me.

I don't have much issue with the spacing in compose. I have an issue with hiding the formatting and functionality of the email.

I was not suggesting ignoring personal use cases. Given the popularity of Gmail, a lot of people uses email to do work for personal use. However, SMS/whatsapp/fb chat is a much more effective medium for personal use cases. Picking up the phone to reply a text feels a lot more personal and less intimidating than email. The new redesign does not make it less intimidating to use email.

I agree that Gmail should "influence" users on their behaviors by changing the UI to some extent. However, you should facilitate the user's existing use cases. Most people would prefer to send an SMS for personal messages and send email for work. Forcing email to look more minimalistic like an SMS by removing formatting / forward button is not user friendly. Another example is the pop in compose button. I like to see other emails before I compose - naturally, you would think i would love the new pop in since I can see emails as I compose. However, I am used to having one tab open for composing and another for reading emails.

Out of curiosity: How do you determine whether a redesign is successful or not? Are there particular metrics you pay attention to?

seferphieron 50 days of "The Scientific 7-Minute Workout"

what do you think of the 7min workout so far?

seferphieron Why The New Gmail Sucks

I agree that formatting is important.

For users that like to use the pop out layout for compose, hiding the formatting may be needed to save space.

For users that opted for a full screen layout for compose, the full formatting options should be available as a default given that space is not a limitation.

seferphieron Why The New Gmail Sucks

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1672250/how-a-tiny-new-compose-w...

Reasons for redesign:

> "Google’s actively trying to make email less fussy and formal--or, in other words, to make it a little more like instant messaging."

> "email is just too much work"

> "Jason Cornwell, Gmail’s lead designer, explains, one of the ways to do that is simply to "give you permission to write shorter messages."

Why is gmail trying to compete against iMessage or Whatsapp or fb chat? Email IS for work and should be optimized for it. Email is a useful medium because you are allowed to write long messages and permitted to respond later during the week. A friend would not read your text if it was 500 words long.

seferphieron Show HN: Slick Login - Seamless Login which users will love it

very cool approach to solving an old problem.

The problem is that I can take my gf / friend's phone during dinner put it next to my tablet and check their bank account. What are your thoughts on that?

seferphieron Ask HN: Best paid VPN?

heh. it's pretty catchy. quite like the name

seferphieron Wikileaks server for sale on eBay

"primary web server" is the key word. Seems like they were clients though.

We support RSF. We do not support Bahnhof exploiting the privacy and goodname of their clients for marketing purposes. - Wikileaks

seferphieron A Real Keyboard for Programmers?

na. i personally haven't tried the build quality of WASD, but I heard it is really solid.

should be a pretty good keyboard for 150. there are others out there for the same price if it is sold out.

seferphieron A Real Keyboard for Programmers?

A real keyboard for programmers is a keyboard that is programmable.

ha! no. seriously, you can change any key you want on the keyboard to suit your preference coding/language style

seferphieron A Real Keyboard for Programmers?

It is just a normal mechanical keyboard. any one who never tried a mechanical keyboard would love it.

seferphieron A Real Keyboard for Programmers?

I have ErgoDox too. Nice keyboard stand.

seferphieron How Computers Took Over Trading

exactly. I was hoping for more content, but it ended without connecting between algo trading and computerized record

seferphieron With The Tesla Model S, Elon Musk Has Created A Nice Fossil Fuel Car

sadly, if the author would have done some research and seen some interview he would have known that.

seferphieron Hyperloop: Why can't we believe in the big ideas?

anyone can 'think' about building a transportation system. Even elon cannot pay for the new transport system by himself.

seferphieron Babylon.js: JS framework for building 3D games with HTML5 and WebGL

Oculus Rift + Babylon.js = <3

seferphieron Obama pledges greater surveillance transparency

>The president also accused Russia of "backward" thinking, following its decision to grant asylum to Edward Snowden, who disclosed details of the secretive surveillance programmes to media.

I like how it is in quotes.

seferphieron Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target

I agree with your points. I think to succeed they need a higher kickstarter goal to have the economies of scales.

honestly, i foresaw that ubuntu edge would fail when they introduced the new price tiers. If all the discounted price tiers would have sold out it would have generated a few extra million. Once those are sold out - the people would not buy a $825 phone and the campaign would be stuck

I would relaunch the campaign after knowing the elasticity of the curve.

seferphieron Ubuntu Edge will miss $32M crowdfunding target

In my mind, they failed to miss their crowdfunding target because of a poorly coordinated campaign.

1) lack of tiers - t shirts came way too late. They should have added phone docks and exclusive first preview to their convergence.

2) pricing - the sweet spot for the pricing was about 650. they priced the product way too high

seferphieron Canonical adds a $625 and $675 UbuntuEdge reward level

oh. i meant by all the discounted price tiers and not including existing raised.

seferphieron Canonical adds a $625 and $675 UbuntuEdge reward level

if all the price tiers are sold out, it would generator 2.5 million only.

That is pretty far away from the 32 million they need

seferphieron Ubuntu Edge funding level over time

They need to devise a new kickstarter reward scheme. (understandably, this would create more logistical problems)

$20 - access to discussions.

$40 - private beta to ubuntu convergence

$50 - ubuntu edge t shirt, private beta to ubuntu convergence

$60 - ubuntu phone dock, private beta to ubuntu convergence

$90 - ubuntu dock, t shirt and private beta to ubuntu convergence

$650 - early bird: ubuntu edge (add $30 for dock)

$700 - ubuntu edge

$750 - early bird: ubuntu edge + 1gb extra ram / extra storage

$800 - ubuntu edge + 2gb extra ram / extra storage

$850 - early bird: ubuntu edge + 1gb extra ram / extra storage

$900 - ubuntu edge + 2gb extra ram / extra storage

$1200 - ubuntu edge + 2gb extra ram / extra storage plus custom limited edition orange casing + t shirt

$20,000 - air ticket to london for a private tour around the office where we will share the making of ubuntu edge and receive your ubuntu edge first

seferphieron Ubuntu Edge funding level over time

yeah. they don't want psychology to get in the way: 'oh man, i missed the 600 offer, not going to pay 830 for that phone'

they did not plan their kickstarter project carefully. they need to have more rewards in the lower tier and upper tier: t-shirts, stickers, custom color on the phone, extra customization, extra ram, extra cpu etc.

Still a great kickstarter - if they raise the amount = they can show manufacturers that there is demand for ubuntu. if the don't, they still gain quite a bit of awareness of the ubuntu mobile OS.

seferphieron Ubuntu Edge funding level over time

they also removed the $600 price point - as if it never existed.

pretty deceptive if you ask me.

seferphieron Ubuntu Edge funding level over time

interesting that they removed the $600 price point. i find that kind of practice deceiving.

seferphieron Ubuntu Edge funding level over time

i feel that 600 is a good deal but 830 is way to steep.

seferphieron Ubuntu Edge

innovations trickle down to "the people". innovations requires a lot of sunk cost.

elon musk's vision is electric cars for everyone but decided to make the high end car first. Now he is slowing moving to mass market.