Hacker News: robodale

New comment by robodale in "Effects of Gen AI on High Skilled Work: Experiments with Software Developers"

robodale — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 15:28:12 +0000

I've used Copilot and chatGPT to help with algorithms where I'm unsure where to start. Actual case: "Write a performant algorithm to find the number of work days given a future date". It's trickier than you think and makes a great interview question.

Both AI tools came back with...garbage. Loops within loops within loops as they iterated through each day to check if the day is a weekend or not, is a leap year and to account for the extra day, is it a holiday or not, etc.

However, chatGPT provided a clever division to cut the dataset down to weeks, then process the result. I ended up using that portion in my final algorithm creation.

So, my take on AI coding tools are: "Buyer beware. Your results may vary".

New comment by robodale in "Four Thieves Vinegar Collective – Harm Reduction for the Living"

robodale — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 15:20:07 +0000

My wife is a clinical pharmacist (rounds with medical doctors and provides detailed patient analysis of their drug needs).

This article blew her mind.

New comment by robodale in "The forty-year programmer"

robodale — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 15:27:36 +0000

I started on a Commodore 64 in 1983. I share your opinions. I think it's hilarious how much I am paid by companies to write their crapware.

New comment by robodale in "Ask HN: Developers who switched careers, what are you doing now?"

robodale — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 14:50:32 +0000

Walked away from 20 years of software development last year. I've been day and swing trading stocks for last 2 years. I'm now trading full time and doing great. I don't miss the daily stand-ups, scrum meetings, planning meetings, "quick chats", one-on-ones with management, weekly department meetings, monthly company meetings, and late night critical support calls one bit!

New comment by robodale in "The reason Wall Street is terrified of the GME situation"

robodale — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 13:42:36 +0000

I'd say this.

New comment by robodale in "Ask HN: How to find the energy for side projects after day job?"

robodale — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 21:49:40 +0000

I "pay myself first". I get up early and get at least 1 hour in on my side project. Sometimes I wake up earlier and so be it - 2 hours some days. I also make sure I know the very next thing I need to work on before that morning work session, that way I'm not just staring at the project reviewing which way to go in my pre-coffee brain.

New comment by robodale in "Ask HN: What are you currently building/working on?"

robodale — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 03:14:03 +0000

"...vision less beast filled with feature requests from strangers..."

Yikes, I'm near launching my little monster. I don't want to feed that little guy too many feature requests. I don't want a visionless beast.

New comment by robodale in "Gaming the system: How GameStop stock surged"

robodale — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 03:05:33 +0000

I rode it to the bottom and sold. Bad timing for me I guess. Luckily only 2% of my holdings.

New comment by robodale in "Ask HN: How to find a new role as a very senior software engineer?"

robodale — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 16:32:08 +0000

A great question. I'm partially-grizzled (only 20 years experience) and looking for the same thing. Some sort of Principle Software Engineer with technical focus and no direct people management responsibilities. Searching LinkedIn brings back plenty of job hits...but it's mostly MegaCorp jobs like you mention.

New comment by robodale in "This. Shit. Is. Hard"

robodale — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 16:23:05 +0000

3 months? I've been trying to make it work for 18 years.

New comment by robodale in "Ask HN: Do you have a homelab? Why and what's your setup?"

robodale — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 21:38:10 +0000

You win.

New comment by robodale in "How Silicon Valley destroyed Parler"

robodale — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 16:36:12 +0000

Good. I have no tolerance for the "Gravy Seals" planning attacks using platforms like Parler.

New comment by robodale in "Chinese billionaires and CEOs keep disappearing in state-sanctioned abductions"

robodale — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 19:28:03 +0000

First they came for the Billionaires and CEOs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_...

New comment by robodale in "Video Shows Blue UFO Falling into Ocean in Hawaii"

robodale — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 03:32:17 +0000

The crazy thing is...I've seen a high altitude weather balloon above my house. Very easy to identify. Now, the other thing I saw above my house at a different time...that is the thing I cannot explain. The little puffy clouds were moving with the wind against a deep blue sky, the single perfectly round silver sphere above them was not. I watched it as it was motionless as the clouds passed for several minutes. Then after one larger cloud...it was gone.

New comment by robodale in "Do You Love Me? [video]"

robodale — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 19:56:11 +0000

I mentally added everything you said with "...for now."

New comment by robodale in "Developer progression as a function of navigating complexity"

robodale — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 19:38:32 +0000

"Miracle" man month. Awesome.

New comment by robodale in "'I am mine': Alzheimer's at 41 (2018)"

robodale — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 14:35:07 +0000

This was a well-timed post. Thank you.

My wife's father (my father-in-law) passed away just 2 days ago at 75 years old with severe dementia due to a series of mini-strokes in his brain over the last ~5-6 years. I can't remember the medical term, but due to weakened and brittle blood vessels in the brain from plaque build-ups within the vessels. Doctors said he was in perfect health other than this single reason. With each mini-stroke, you could see him get knocked down step by step. He'd recover a little, but never back to baseline (which kept getting lower).

Seeing him go from the strong-handshaking, always smiling Minnesota corn farmer patriarch who regularly would outwork me when I'd be helping him with house projects....to seeing him take his last breath surrounded by his wife, 4 daughters, several granddaughters, and me...was heartbreaking.

...from the article, Jo was 40 years old. I'm 47 as I type this and cannot comprehend that happening so early.

New comment by robodale in "Show HN: 28hr work week"

robodale — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 20:50:05 +0000

I'm interested. Tired of giving 5 days of work for 2 days of (hopefully) non-work.

New comment by robodale in "Ask HN: Best thing you bought in 2020"

robodale — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 02:39:47 +0000

Kettlebells. $3.00 USD per pound, but it was worth it.

New comment by robodale in "Ask HN: What stocks are you bullish on for 2021?"

robodale — Sun, 13 Dec 2020 19:53:19 +0000

I've done well during the Covid crisis buying Fastenal FAST and Grainer GWW. Each time they dipped I bought, and will continue to do this. They are not the cool kids tech companies, but the stuff they make, the world always needs.