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BigBalli

1,689 karma · joined November 16, 2012

http://BigBalli.com http://twitter.com/BigBalli http://www.linkedin.com/in/giacomoballi/

Mobile Consultant & Entrepreneur

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BigBalli··on Show HN: Saf – simple, reliable, rsync-based, battle tested, rounded backup
how is it better/safer than manually using rsync?
BigBalli··on GPTBot – OpenAI’s Web Crawler
Yet another reason why you should handle these scenarios on your own rather than hoping clients/users will.
BigBalli··on eSIM is altering how consumers interact with operators
eSIMs are a great invention. I had been swapping SIM cards for decades and life is so much better now. I can receive messages on both numbers and when I travel abroad I simply toggle between them as primary.
BigBalli··on Ask HN: Why not regulate AI like nuclear power?
Regulating AI and nuclear power differently is a result of their fundamentally different nature, potential risks, and societal impact. Here are some key reasons why AI and nuclear power are treated differently in terms of regulation:

1. Nature of Technology: AI and nuclear power are vastly different technologies. Nuclear power involves the use of nuclear reactions to produce energy, and it poses inherent risks related to radiation, nuclear waste, and potential accidents. AI, on the other hand, is a technology based on algorithms and data processing, primarily aimed at automating tasks and decision-making. While AI can have significant societal implications, its core functionality does not carry the same physical risks as nuclear power.

2. Historical Context: Nuclear power has a long history dating back to the mid-20th century, and its regulation was established in response to the catastrophic events like the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters. These incidents demonstrated the need for strict safety measures and international cooperation in the nuclear industry. In contrast, AI has seen significant advancements in a relatively short time, and its risks are still being understood and evaluated. As AI technology continues to evolve, regulations are being developed and updated to address emerging challenges.

3. Risks and Impact: Nuclear power has the potential for large-scale catastrophic accidents with immediate and long-term consequences, such as radioactive contamination and health risks. The regulation of nuclear power is aimed at minimizing these risks, ensuring proper waste disposal, and safeguarding against nuclear proliferation. While AI also carries risks, they are often related to data privacy, algorithmic bias, and ethical implications. The negative consequences of AI are generally less immediate and widespread than those associated with nuclear power.

4. International Cooperation: Nuclear power is subject to extensive international cooperation and regulation through organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The international nature of nuclear energy and its potential global impact necessitates a unified approach to safety and security. AI, while also a global phenomenon, does not involve the same level of physical infrastructure or potential for catastrophic incidents, making it less reliant on strict international regulatory frameworks.

5. Development Stage: AI is still in a relatively early stage of development compared to nuclear power, which has been in commercial operation for decades. As AI continues to advance, regulations will likely evolve to address new challenges and concerns.

While AI and nuclear power are different in many aspects, it is crucial to acknowledge the importance of appropriate regulations for AI technology. As AI becomes more pervasive in various industries and aspects of daily life, it will be essential to strike a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring ethical use, data protection, and societal well-being. As such, governments and international bodies are actively engaged in developing regulatory frameworks and guidelines for responsible AI development and deployment.

BigBalli··on Shopify employee breaks NDA to reveal firm replacing laid off workers with AI
I don't understand why everyone (excluding people who were replaced) is so "outraged".
BigBalli··on Ask HN: How do you not take criticism of your work personally?
View yourself as always learning.
BigBalli··on Social network ad targeting can “listen into” conversations using “live photos”
If you allow access to all Photos it includes videos... which includes audio. Cool "hack" but not doomsday for privacy.
BigBalli··on Encrypted DMs and other DM upgrades rolling out this week
just politics.
BigBalli··on Encrypted DMs and other DM upgrades rolling out this week
Reach & ease perhaps?
BigBalli··on Ask HN: How many websites, apps or notifications do you look at to “catch-up”?
- HN a few times a day, just the first page

- I have a scraper that emails me new headlines regularly for subreddits and a handful of websites.

BigBalli··on Ask HN: Side project of more than $2k monthly revenue? what's your project?
Love it, been using it for a long time. Much easier for 99% of use cases compared to Charles.
BigBalli··on Show HN: iOS app 0-live in 10 days
Over the past 10 days I built a new app called PicRoulette. It was inspired by the Instagram trend to "post your x last picture, no cheating". While testing it myself, I noticed more than sharing, it's just fun to rediscover an old photo. It brings up memories. I would love any feedback, thanks!
BigBalli··on Don't believe ChatGPT – we do not offer a "phone lookup" service
Just redirect to here http://bigballi.com/Phone-Number-Lookup
BigBalli··on Ask HN: Are Paul Graham's Classic Startup Essays Outdated?
I think although the tools and context have definitely changed, the foundational principles in his essays remain true:

Ideas for startups often come from solving your own problems.

A good startup idea should have at least one of three things: it's something you're passionate about, it solves a problem you have, or it's something you're good at.

The best way to predict the future is to build it.

Move fast and break things.

A startup is a company designed to grow fast.

A startup is a company that is confused about what its product is.

The key to growing a startup is to learn as fast as possible.

The ideal size for a startup team is around three to five people.

The best startups are often started by people who are still in school or in their early 20s.

Don't worry about competition. Worry about creating something that people love.

Make something people want.

A startup is a company that is trying to answer a question nobody knows the answer to.

The most important quality for a startup CEO is determination.

A startup is a company that is being run by a small group of people who are trying to discover how to build a scalable business.

To be a successful startup founder, you need to be an expert in something.

A startup is a company that is trying to create something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty.

The goal of a startup is to figure out the right thing to build—the thing customers want and will pay for—as quickly as possible.

If you're not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you've launched too late.

Don't let your ideas be dragged down by the standard of what already exists.

Don't scale too soon.

Your job is to do what you do best and delegate the rest.

Don't take VC money until you have to.

If you want to start a startup, don't think too much. Just do it.

To be successful, a startup has to be run like a cult.

The way to get startup ideas is not to try to think of startup ideas. It's to look for problems, preferably problems you have yourself.

The biggest mistake startups make is not making something people want.

Your first 10 users are more important than your next 10,000.

If you're going to start a startup, you should know from the beginning that it's going to be hard.

The best way to raise money for a startup is to not need it.

BigBalli··on Ask HN: Those making $0/month or less on side projects – Show and tell
Quite a few... Off the top of my head:

- Track emails sent using Apple Mail https://bigballi.com/track-emails

- Add PurpleAir reading to your Apple Watch https://bigballi.com/purpleair

- WhatsApp send message without adding to contacts https://bigballi.com/wa

- Create your own easy to remember zoom landing page https://myzoom.me/

- Extract all email addresses from Gmail mailbox

- Crop & post-process GoPro videos

- Amazon price drop notifier

BigBalli··on Ask HN: What would be your stack if you are building an MVP today?
The same as 10y ago: PHP & SQL
BigBalli··on Tell HN: Repurposing old iPads as home security cameras
In case anyone else wondered (like me), iOS10 minimum means it ill run on:

iPhone 5 and later, iPad (4th generation) and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Mini (2nd generation) and later, iPod Touch (6th generation)

BigBalli··on My bad habit of hoarding information
My inbox is my todo list. When I find something interesting I email it to myself. Within 24h I will inevitably see that link I sent myself and it will be easy to skim through or just trash it.
BigBalli··on Ask HN: Freelancer? Seeking freelancer? (January 2023)
SEEKING WORK | San Francisco | RemoteOnly

I'm a wildcard. https://BigBalli.com/wildcard

BigBalli··on Ask HN: What is the cheapest, easiest way to host a cronjob in 2022?
A virtual private server can cost only $2/month. If you're looking for task specific, such a simple website monitor, there are services available.
BigBalli··on Ask HN: Consultants, what tax software do you use?
I'm ok with TurboTax.
BigBalli··on Ntfy.sh – Send push notifications to your phone via PUT/POST
I use Twilio SMS API for the same purpose. Great concept but I can't stand cluttering my phone (used to have PushBullet before). I also find SMS more reliable since iOS can throttle push delivery depending on your interactions.
BigBalli··on How to backup Firebase realtime database when the payload is too large (256MB)
That is correct but personally I like to be able to decide the backup intervals and not have to create a whole script to connect to GCS.
BigBalli··on How to backup Firebase realtime database when the payload is too large (256MB)
thanks for catching that! Fixed.
BigBalli··on How to backup Firebase realtime database when the payload is too large (256MB)
That is correct, but it adds a step and also doesn't give you the freedom of deciding which backups to keep older than 1 month.
BigBalli··on I made a virtual bookshelf
self-plug: https://MyBookList.club Latest features: cover OCR (plus barcode), library value and finding people with common books. Looking to add reading progress... any ideas welcome!
BigBalli··on I made a virtual bookshelf
Wow, the connections component is very interesting... I might use it for my book cataloguing app.
BigBalli··on I made a virtual bookshelf
I'm intrigued by the idea of "bumping into something". Totally agree! How would you describe for a digital environment if it's not a pure recommendation algorithm based on similar books?
BigBalli··on I made a virtual bookshelf
Very interesting, thanks for sharing. Users of my book cataloguing app have been asking for "progress" feature and providing the page number seems like the easiest way to go.
BigBalli··on Ask HN: Is there a pure SMS based UI?
Which country will you be in? Can you send international SMS for free?
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