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chbkallon Ask HN: What are some Linux tools to diagnose a system which keeps hanging?

The memtest86 routinely fails ... I guess that would be an issue with the RAM?

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

Thank you everyone for all your kinds words, advice (both cautionary and otherwise), resources, encouragement. Some of you also took the time to personally reach out to me and offer help. I had never intended the post to be read by so many people but I am truly grateful to each one of you who did so (and also took time to comment and email). I am also slightly embarrassed by so much attention.

There is lot to unpack from the comment threads below and I will be doing that in the coming days. As recommended by several of you, I have also added an RSS feed on my blog to help you follow my journey.

Thanks!

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

This is very inspiring. I hope I get to walk down this path.

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

I started teaching in a small village school (where they don't care about your qualifications if you are good at the subject and can teach). I did finish my college several years later.

Well, in my part of the world - there are entrance exams for good colleges which can be cut-throat.

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

Ah. This definitely sounds exciting and makes me think.

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

Thank you

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

The objectives I mentioned are somewhat guided by what I know at the moment. I really would like to understand computers and computing at a more fundamental level. When that happens, I am hoping my objectives will also change / evolve.

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

Thank you for your kind suggestions and advice. Concentrating on 'practical skills' and 'shiny frameworks' is exactly something I want to avoid and focus on aspects (data structures, algorithms, networking etc) which you talked about.

I will keep your advise on AI in mind.

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

Right there is my motivation.

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

I tried learning C a while back. I would like to review it again and build / solve some problems using C.

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

Would you give me a small example of the kind of small irritations you are talking about here?

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

Thank you for sharing these valuable resources. I am already on to the OCW Python course and SICP textbook.

How did you start on these resources? Did you start reading them because you needed them in your current project Or did you read them because you thought they will be useful for your project?

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

> just keep digging deeper to find out how the thing you’re struggling with works on a more fundamental level.

Thank you. I will keep these in mind.

Your journey is a source of motivation as well.

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

Thank you for your kind words and motivation. I would like to experience what you have talked about here.

chbkallon A 37-year-old wanting to learn computer science

Hey thank you for the time you took to comment and offer advice.

1. I agree. I am still working on the community project which my wife is building - it has started to grow and looks like it has the potential to become a sustainable source of income. I have built the website and automated some stuff for her. I am also honing my skill as a woodworker and toymaker - learning to make wooden toys.

2. I did the HtDP version of the program hosted on the edX platform. I enjoyed the whole program and it was very insightful on how to think about creating larger and complex programs. It also motivated me to read the SICP textbook - I've read a couple of chapters from the book. I also adapted the HtDP program in Hindi to teach village girls here for a local non-profit on how to code.

3. I agree about OSSU. What I don't like about OSSU courses is retention. I did the Programming Languages (A, B and C) course by Dan Grossman a few months back. I enjoyed the course and the exercises - but I am not sure how much of it I retain today. These and the HtDP program has definitely helped me to think what might be happening inside the hood of programs rather than treating them as magical boxes.

4. I think I can keep exploring computers while simultaneously make my living as a woodworker / toymaker. It also helps me balance my faculties of mind and my hands /body. I am not thinking of an end goal at the moment but want to keep exploring and potentially building.

chbkallon The story of Max, a real programmer

Oh the point wasn't that we can't do it now. The point is that not enough people choose to make their own custom software and the systemic reason behind it.

chbkallon The story of Max, a real programmer

A bunch of useful insights in your reply. I really liked the insight of User Interfaces getting simpler while developer experience getting more complex. A counter argument that comes to mind is how violin has the most difficult UI - but a lot of people spend lot of time mastering it and enjoy creating music from it - often independently or in smaller bands. How can that happen with more people in development - maybe making developer experience more joyful is the way to go. I'm not against specialization - but specialization can be done at a small community level too.

chbkallon Ask HN: Building for Joy vs. Building for Scale

I meant business scale ... sometimes we have to make choices in terms of building for a (potentially) large audience or building something you feel joyful about and not caring for scaling.

chbkallon The story of Max, a real programmer

Reading this reminds me of the era which was envisioned will happen when I was in college (which was not long ago) - individuals and societies building their own independent custom stuff (both hardware and software) with the power of computers in everyone's hands. I am sure that is still happening in small pockets but most of the 'stuff' we use are built by large mindless corporates on which we have almost no control - and who prioritize profits over well-being of the employees and the community.

I don't know for sure what the problem was (I have my theories) and why could we not get there where most people build their own custom products.

chbkallon Ask HN: Is promoting a self-hosted event not ok by HN standards?

Oh, I had thought that both tech and non-tech news and articles are shared on the platform.

chbkallon Ask HN: Is promoting a self-hosted event not ok by HN standards?

I have been on HN for around 5 years or more now. I had created this account for mostly publishing about this. I had seen accounts of other users do this and thought this was okay. I wasn't aware of the guidelines around this. Thank you for sharing. I will be more mindful about this in the future.

chbkallon [dead]

We are reading the book "I love you because I love you" - a heartwarming book that celebrates love in all its forms - unconditional, diverse, and joyfully expressed across identities and relationships.

chbkallon Ask HN: What Are You Working On? (June 2025)

https://childrensbookforall.org

My wife (who is a psychotherapist) started this and I am helping her with this. We are using specially curated children's books as a medium to talk about social, emotional and psychological aspects of mental health among adults, adolescents and teachers. We are also building communities and support groupsaround children's books.

This is in India where talking about mental health can often be a taboo subject. People who need/want to talk about this also find it hard to express and there are limited spaces which give you opportunities to do so. We found the abstractness of children's books as a great evocative medium. They also promote play, wonder and joy - aspects which positively impact mental health of individuals.

The project started with a personal journey of grief my wife experienced (death of a parent, diagnosis of other parent with Stage 4 cancer).

chbkallon Hilarious picture book that reverses the usual narrative around neurodivergence

"According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 67 out of 68 children maybe neurotypical"

chbkallon A Children's Book in a Happiness Program for College Students

Exploring themes of vulnerability, acceptance, potential, self-worth, trust and community through a children's book.

chbkallon Children's book reading on struggles of ND and the journey to self-acceptance

We use community readings of specially curated children's books to explore and talk about complex themes. This reading was on neurodivergence.

chbkallon A Reading Event showing Kashmir from an adolescent girl's perspective

All readings are based on pay what you want model. The proceeds for this reading will go towards doing in-person children's book readings with children, adolescents and teachers of Kashmir around themes of conflict-related trauma which they have witnessed and experienced..

chbkallon Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept: A Community Reading on Child Sexual Abuse

I wholeheartedly agree with you.

chbkallon Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept: A Community Reading on Child Sexual Abuse

I hear you. I also agree with you in some senses of the 'communities' we are part of. However, I do not agree with generalizing the experience to the idea of 'community' itself. What is the alternative then? Being alone and isolated? Doesn't that impact our idea of self, our psychological, emotional and social systems? I would like to believe in the idea of community. I would like to believe that with right intention, a diversity of ideas can find space to exist in a community. I would like to believe that a community can define, refine and evolve its value systems. I believe that a community if nurtured properly can and does become a healing space for people.

chbkallon Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept: A Community Reading on Child Sexual Abuse

We read the children's book 'Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept' written by Jayneen Sanders and illustrated by Craig Smith to evoke discussions on child sexual abuse among survivors and allies. Together, we also tried to create a safe space to hold experiences that some participants chose to share in this space.