SEEKING WORK | Lisbon, Portugal or Remote (originally from New Zealand!) | Full stack -- and I mean full stack, from BIOS-dev to biz-dev.
I've done a bunch of interesting stuff over the years. Drones, VR, OS development, low level network mobile/server stuff, reverse engineering, large-scale VPN DPI, streaming video, speech-to-text, automatic cloud optimisation, deep tech, etc. If you've got some interesting networking or low-level-system stuff, that'd be fun. But I'm open to all discussions :)
SEEKING WORK | Lisbon, Portugal or Remote (originally from New Zealand!) | Full stack -- and I mean full stack, from BIOS-dev to biz-dev.
I've done a bunch of interesting stuff over the years. Drones, VR, OS development, low level network mobile/server stuff, reverse engineering, large-scale VPN DPI, streaming video, speech-to-text, automatic cloud optimisation, deep tech, etc. If you've got some interesting networking or low-level-system stuff, that'd be fun. But I'm open to all discussions :)
I moved to Lisbon in 2020, and I've become increasingly aware of the impact that high-income remote-worker immigrants like me are having on the city, and other similar places. I've been thinking of building something to try and help:
I think it puts a pretty negative framing on immigration, that it's something you have to buy an indulgence for. Maybe that's true. Being a well paid tech worker who might try the expat lifestyle someday, I'm pretty biased. But I also wonder what it might look like to frame things in a more positive light. Maybe that could be connecting immigrants to jobs making a productive impact in the local economy, or showcasing local investment opportunities. Just from a pragmatic perspective, I feel like this kind of positive framing is more likely to get engagement. People get very defensive, very fast, if you make them feel as if they've done something wrong (even if they have).
Hey, thanks for the reply! Yeah, absolutely -- with hindsight, the phrasing that I used was far too negative.
I suspect I need to go with something very carefully phrased around "helping give back", rather than "you're a terrible person, make recompense for your crimes!", haha.
This is going to sound harsh, but it's coming from a place of astonishment.
To make up for buying your way into a region and contributing to the displacement of locals, you are offering to create an internet platform to solicit donations of other people's money to support a welfare economy.
It's an idea as absurd as Russia funding orphanages for Ukrainian children displaced by war, or patting yourself on the back for resuscitating someone you just tried to drown.
If you feel that guilty about it, leave. Charity from conquerors is not generosity, it is an imposed dependency-- literally the opposite.
Don't feel too bad though. This is the nation that pioneered the global slave trade; they've done far worse to the rest of the world in pursuit of a dollar.
Buying a house and paying above market rate for it is not a crime against humanity you should feel compelled to make amends for. You are already making a landlord and nearby service providers wealthier than they would be without you there. Count your blessings and live your life.
You can't solve the issue unless you build (much) more housing. An app to donating to charity is like nothing. You have good intentions but it is what it is.
And even if you build housing, you somehow need to reduce the induced demand.
SEEKING WORK | Lisbon, Portugal or Remote (originally from New Zealand!) | Full stack -- and I mean full stack, from BIOS-dev to biz-dev :)
I've done a bunch of interesting stuff over the years. Drones, VR, OS development, low level network mobile/server stuff, reverse engineering, large-scale VPN DPI, streaming video, speech-to-text, automatic cloud optimisation, deep tech, etc. If you've got some interesting networking or low-level-system stuff, that'd be fun. But I'm open to all discussions :)
Location: Lisbon, Portugal 🇵🇹 (originally from New Zealand!)
Skills/Tech: Pretty much everything except "super pretty UI". I've built everything from mobile fitness tracking to speech recognition desktop software, to full TCP/IP stacks (that last one for fun, not production...). If you've got some interesting networking or low-level-system stuff, that'd be fun. But I'm open to all discussions :)
I wrote eachdayisagift.com and it was funny to see all this come back on HN today. I had to freeze mine as it was buying a lot of stuff from Hong Kong that Australian customs classed as 'weapons' (laser pointers, throwing stars), that got me a stern letter from the government.
Yeah, I phased out the blog a year or so back, hence why it's not on http://bieh.net any more. I wish I'd worked a bit harder not to break the links now :)
If anyone doesn't want to wait for this to get started to come hack on a tropical island, we're[1] hiring iOS/Android developers to come work on Mahe, Seychelles [2]. Flights on us, bonus points if you can start ASAP!
This looks really awesome. I did a company in Anguilla in the Caribbean during the 1990s crypto export ban period, and lived in Thailand for 6mo or so s couple years ago. A tropical place like that could be really great for a dev team forms while, although I think spending a few months a year back in centers of tech (us or asia or eu) would be really helpful.
Sort of thinking about a shared startup office in Hawaii for weeks or months with a team.
Hey, thanks! I just finished up six months in Thailand as a freelance dev myself, though in Bangkok mostly rather than an island. Seychelles is a nice change of pace :)
A few months back in civilization per year is probably a good idea. I'll make a note to try and do it -- probably the US is a little far, but Asia/EU is probably doable.
Even if it's just a quick-and-dirty list, or an appstore link, it would make a huge difference if the applicants had at least some idea about you.
Btw, for what timeframe are you looking for people? I don't think many people would want to live there for years. It would be fun for a few months, but I assume you wouldn't want to hire anyone not willing to commit for more.
Yeah, more information is coming. It'll be ready for the HN Who's Hiring thread in a few days -- I just saw this story pop up so I figured I'd link it in here too even though most of the site is still a placeholder.
Oh, and we're open to negotiation on timeframes -- though we wouldn't be looking to accept less than six months, ideally at least 12.
I've been to the Seychelles, my brother lives there now. I'm an iOS dev but don't touch Android, however if anyone else was thinking of applying, the place is even more beautiful than the pictures you'll see, do it.
The internet is unbearably slow for the next two weeks until the fiber to the mainland[1] comes online -- right now there's a 600ms satellite link, which is no fun. At the moment I've only got about 2-3mbit (though at least there's no data cap), but I'm hoping that'll improve drastically soon.
Visas are no problem. There's visa-free entry for any nationality, and we'll sort out new hires work permits once they get here.
And yeah, I really need to finish adding content to the website. Up until yesterday it was just a static splash page :)
Hey, I'm also trying to hire coders to work on a remote tropical island [1], although for a little longer term than you. Where is this located? I can recommend some places in the Seychelles if you haven't yet decided on a spot :)
How about Pitcairn Island? You can't get much more remote. Two months fits in fairly well with the supply ship coming and going for transport to/from the island. 12 people would increase the local population by almost 25%!
My company is based in the Philippines. I won't be applying but I'd love to take you and the crew out if you're laid over in Manila for any stretch of time.
I've done a bunch of interesting stuff over the years. Drones, VR, OS development, low level network mobile/server stuff, reverse engineering, large-scale VPN DPI, streaming video, speech-to-text, automatic cloud optimisation, deep tech, etc. If you've got some interesting networking or low-level-system stuff, that'd be fun. But I'm open to all discussions :)
Ping me and we'll talk! https://paulh.consulting or paul@bieh.net