Seems like an interesting application of AI. Going to be obvious to many, in hindsight. Having run a business in the trades, I used to receive 5-10 emails a day from companies offering estimation services. Clearly there is a need in the market.
It looks like your launch is opening this up to the general public - why not niche down to GCs? Maybe the launch is focused on simply gathering more blueprint data to feed your models?
This post is about the difference between art and design.
Artists make art because there is something they want to display to the world for their own reasons, irrespective of the desires of the world. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Great art is impactful to humans beyond the artist.
Design, on the other hand, is about influencing people first and foremost, and causing to take action in some way (could be a protest, or buying something, or simply clicking a button). Because of this, a designer strives to offer "the best", because that causes maximal impact.
I make software to help people solve a problem. It's not meant to be an art piece on display, and it's also not intending to influence them in any way. It's just meant to help them accomplish a task they were already doing, preferably without altering the way they do it.
I guess I do neither art nor design, but engineering.
EatPakd delivers ready-to-go lunches directly to your door. EatPakd lunches are balanced and wholesome, and completely customizable so you can create the perfect lunch. We're starting with kids, but will one day take over the world. We have a cozy office right atop our working kitchen.
Our platform is Ruby on Rails, React+Redux, Postgres on Heroku. At the moment we are focused on our consumer ordering webapp, and will move over to mobile soon. We also have a ton of operational problems to solve with technology. If you like solving real world problems, this is your gig.
We are hiring a senior software engineer. We're looking for someone with experience who wants to stretch their capabilities and learn a ton. This is a full-time position at our Chicago location.
I'd imagine they're ignoring lock screen stuff for the moment. When you send them your email address they ask if you use a lock screen. I bet they're filtering invites to those who don't. MVP, and whatnot.
I'd assume you prefer to do it yourself is because you haven't found a system that does it well enough for you to let go of control? Or are you just the kind of person who tends to like to do things the harder way?
I wouldn't blame you for being the latter - it's kind of like people who prefer to drive a manual transmission to automatic.
It sounds like (or at least the title suggests that) the author would advocate this extreme approach to others? Perhaps I can advocate another approach:
If you're feeling signs of depression or panic attacks, seek out the help of a mental health professional.
There are real neurological and physical implications to the symptoms the author describes. Picking up and moving won't be an option to all, and may not work even for those who do have the option.
I know a very good mental health professional, a trained psychologist with a Ph.D. She says (and I'm paraphrasing) that 99% of people's problems can be treated by getting away from sources of stress, and exercising. These things work much better than most forms of therapy, and most of her sessions involve convincing clients to do these simple, effective things.
So if you're having problems, going to Thailand is excellent medicine, if you can afford it.
Sounds like a safer conclusion for a mental health professional to come to than a layman, given proper data. That is, I trust your friend's opinion on this topic more than yours or mine, but in more advanced cases I'm sure she'd prefer to see the patient than they skip her counsel.
The technical community has a higher than normal prevalence of mental illness. We need to learn to put more stock in real, educated, professional advice on these topics than blog and forum-based accounts of self-prescribed solutions.
If someone wants to see a professional, she definitely wouldn't discourage them, but she also would rate highly most individual's attempts to fix their own problems using simple means.
Advanced cases are rare, and if you've lived your life up to now without any major mental health problems, chances are your recent problems aren't major either. So by all means, take a vacation and see how you feel afterwards. If you're still feeling shitty, set up an appointment.
> The technical community has a higher than normal prevalence of mental illness.
What makes you say this?
> We need to learn to put more stock in real, educated, professional advice on these topics than blog and forum-based accounts of self-prescribed solutions.
>> We need to learn to put more stock in real, educated, professional advice on these topics than blog and forum-based accounts of self-prescribed solutions.
> Yes. See also any thread about food.
Food? Food sources? Cooking? Farming? What are you talking about?
> I know of no formal study, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the rates of bipolar and depression amongst software developers are double that of the general population.
So, you're just guessing about rates of mental illness among the technical community?
> Food?
Yes, food. The threads are full of weird anecdote and semi-mystical bollocks.
matrixownsyou - What are you looking for? A roll call of people interested in UI design? People employed (or self-employed) as UI designers? People who dabble in the visual aspects of their site/app/software? Are there specific skills, methods, or types of output you're looking for?
I'm a User Experience Designer by training, so UI design is a pretty big part of my work. I'm also interested in learning about others like me here on HN. But if you can, do you mind adding areas of focus?
A couple to start with (feel free to add others): User Research, Visual Design, Usability Testing, Information Architecture, UI Development
I asked because 1st of all, i believe that usually (but i may be wrong) "SuperDeveloperX"'s
get the most fame and glory for a web project and, apart the technical side, designing a great and visually appealing UIX is hard,
you have to try it to really understand, i think. So i wanted to send some luv and hugs, for realz :)
2nd, i have a pet project atm and was looking for an UI and logo for it. I've tried partenering up with other people (both design and developers)
but i've almost given up (when someone asks you if you'd like to partner up on a project and you say "yes, i do and i love it" that person is asking for your help doing it, it's because she needs you to proactive and HELP, not waiting around to take orders. my 2c) so i was looking for a budget for a one page layout (what i can afford) and maybe a simple logo.
3rd, it's likely i'll need to do freelance work (there's a chance i'll get funded for my main project) and was looking for ppl who would like to team up. I'm a [mediocre :p] developer and atm i'm focusing on Python/Django/Google App Engine.
Partnering with designers (or ANYONE) is tricky. You sound like you have an existing product that you want "designed and cleaned up". The best UI designers (unless they LOVED the product idea) don't want to work on someone ELSE'S baby. Same is true for the best coders.
In terms of hiring designers-- I think it's like hiring salespeople-- most people who need them don't know how to tell the difference between good ones and bad ones.
As I hunt around for co-founders (I just stepped down from RescueTime a month or so back), I'm purposefully AVOIDING settling on an idea because I think it's best when founders co-author the idea together.
I don't think it's true us designers don't want to work on someone else's baby. I love the part of UI design where something is already made, and I get to go in an make the flow of interaction better and coming up with new ideas.
> Disclaimer: I'm not a businessperson or a restaurant owner.
This is key. stevenwei, you need to get your butt into some restaurants and test this idea out. I work with restaurant owners and workers all the time. They're loud, brash, and won't hesitate to tell you exactly what they think of you (and your product) to your face.
Spend a day in as many of the restaurants in your area as possible and request a meeting with the owner. Most of the time you'll get turned down, but take what you can get.
Ask them about their current website and if they have any issues. Talk to them about smartphones and try to understand how they perceive their problems. Take lots of notes. Then, use the words the restaurant people did on your site. It may seem unclear to us on HN, but if it speaks to restaurant people that's all that matters.
> I work with restaurant owners and workers all the time. They're loud, brash, and won't hesitate to tell you exactly what they think of you (and your product) to your face.
Great advice, and that has been our experience as well.
It looks like your launch is opening this up to the general public - why not niche down to GCs? Maybe the launch is focused on simply gathering more blueprint data to feed your models?