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Comment by vegancap | Hacker News Reader

If the thought of voice chats with randomly selected strangers didn't terrify me slightly, I think this would be an awesome idea. For the more out-going among us, can imagine some cool conversations and ideas coming out of this

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Slightly? I opened the page before completely processing the title and panicked like a boy forgetting to close his porn before bringing his laptop to school. Don't just invade my personal space like that.

Hahahah same exact experience here. Clicked the tab and it was like touching a stove as my brain caught up with the title - noped out immediately. Now reading through comments while trying to work up the guts to try it.

Edit: I did it. I spoke with three people and it was really cool actually; thanks for sharing this.

I'm in the same boat.

I'm also very interested in talking to random HN users, but my hesitation comes from the fact that if I start a chat I'll really commit because I want to make it meaningful.

I guess now I'm doing a cost-benefit analysis whether I should try this out while it's gaining popularity, or I should continue what I was working on.

Omegle for ultra-introverts

I'll just put it out there that if you start talking with a random stranger, "... okay, I've got to go now. It's been nice talking with you!" is a perfectly acceptable kernel panic. :)

lol

>a perfectly acceptable kernel panic

I love this and I can't wait to use it.

I just see a "start" button when I open the page. What made you panic?

Yeah that's what I got

It'd be cool if it randomly threw 10% of the users directly into the chat.

I saw the start button and got spooked, I'm glad it immediately didn't put me in a chat as soon as I opened the page though...

... really dare not use this service, might stumble upon some guy who just burned 5-10mil of VC money, which would feel very awkward.

I honestly have no idea what I'd talk to someone who burnt more money than I'd ever have in my life about

The weather?

could ask about their ketamine hookup

I'd ask if they now feel it would've been better spent on public services

Public services will eat millions and barely do anything with the money except line people's pockets. For some reason it's just more expensive when the government does it.

maybe "barely doing anything" is better than doing nothing, though?

Below a certain threshold, throwing money at public services is just going to get it diluted. This may not necessarily be a bad thing on its own, but when even the smallest public project seems to cost way more, you're never going to know if your $10M investment helped, or if it just went into someone's paycheck.

Are private projects better? I've never heard of a private alternative to SNAP or Medicare or Section 8, nor any interest in creating such programs.

True - the UK's NHS was a product of people realising there would never be universal health care if it was left to the market.

Opex is a valid form of public spending. Paying people properly ensures they remain as public servants.

The VC is never going to spend the money on services for the public good. They will always gamble 1x money on a handful of startups, hoping that 1 hits and returns 10x, rinse and repeat. So one can choose to take the money for a chance at success, or not, but public services was never the opportunity cost.

Why would that feel awkward?

What about if they're converting it into success?

Failure is fine

This, too. It's part of the state space exploration algorithm.

I went to the site, and backed out too. But after reading all these comments took it as a challenge. :)

I’ll admit that I’m prob more extroverted than the norm on here but it was great. I meant to just jump on, say hi, and jump off. But ended up chatting for a while. It was great!

As someone who grew up with OG Xbox live, I find this comment pretty funny. HN crowd’s got nothing on early COD

Are you afraid they might hurt your feelings? Or show you up in some way? Or sexually harass you?

Or have to deal with this attitude

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