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fbelzile

1,467 karma · joined January 17, 2015

Founder of Cold Turkey: https://getcoldturkey.com
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fbelzile··on New imagery suggests U.S. responsible for Iran school strike
Reporting from the CBC mentioned that the school was located within an area surrounded by other military buildings. The building housing the school was used for military purposes in the past.

I think it's more likely that the US was going off of outdated intelligence.

fbelzile··on Meta’s AI smart glasses and data privacy concerns
Police body cams are typically only used while on-duty and in public, where there is no expectation of privacy. They also don't automatically send video into the cloud to be analyzed by a human for AI training, as mentioned in this article. Video is usually only retrieved if needed on a case-by-case basis.

Doorbell cameras are also typically pointed toward public streets, where again, there is no expectation of privacy. Even then, many people have been removing Ring cameras after they were shown to automatically upload video without user's knowledge.

fbelzile··on Canada slashes 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs to 6%
It can, and likely was, both.
fbelzile··on Ask HN: Is building a calm, non-gamified learning app a mistake?
Not a mistake. Making an app that fits this niche might be how you differentiate yourself in the market and succeed as a solo developer. It'll let you grow at a slower pace, making it easier to iterate the app over time as you see fit. You could always offer an add-on service in the form of a subscription in the future.

I run a productivity desktop app by myself and have been doing it full time since 2017. The app is a one time payment, free support, no gimmicks, no marketing. Support is becoming time consuming, but profit is high enough that I may hire a few people to help soon.

Good luck! High growth rates with investors is one way to do things, but not the only way.

fbelzile··on Montreal’s new rapid transit line saved millions per mile
Both directions of the bike lanes on St-Denis take up about one car lane. The street has 2 lanes for car traffic and 2 more lanes for street parking on most sections of the road. I think that's a fair trade-off for the very high traffic the bike lanes receive on non-snow months. Not all public infrastructure needs to be used at capacity all the time (like public swimming pools, playgrounds, tennis/basketball courts, un-plowed walking paths, etc).

Although Montreal is leading the way to sustainable transportation, I don't think Montreal is copying European cities enough. Most of the biking infrastructure around the city is paint on roads making it a patch work system that kids and elderly people can't use safely.

fbelzile··on Mastercard Should Stop Selling Our Data
Since Firefox auto-filled my credit card number, I had to delete and re-type the last digit for it to work. Presumably, they have some JS looking for key up/down events to do some validation.
fbelzile··on Is tipping getting out of control? Many consumers say yes
> We will probably need to highlight that we pay a higher wage for baristas & cooks to account for the lack of tips, and give customers an option to donate to a charity if they still wish to part with additional money.

Yes, after the total confirmation (including tax if you can), where you'd normally be asked to tip, you should see if it's possible to display the no tip policy and higher wage explanation.

You could also tell customers that your business is donating to certain cause at this point. Just don't pass on the burden of deciding whether or not to donate to your customers. Another option is to dedicate certain profits from a specific product to a cause and note that on your menu.

fbelzile··on Twitter accounts dropping “.eth” from usernames
Interesting to see Tobi Lutke, CEO of Shopify, in this list (#17).
fbelzile··on Can “Distraction-Free” Devices Change the Way We Write?
For anyone interested, I made a desktop app called Cold Turkey Writer that blocks everything on the computer until a certain number of words are typed (or a timer is reached). The free version has pretty much everything you need: https://getcoldturkey.com/writer/
fbelzile··on Show HN: I made a movie recommendation app based on your mood
This should be a legitimate category. I just want something with an easy plot to watch during a 'netflix and chill' date!
fbelzile··on Corded headphones are making an unexpected return
> For disorganized types, corded headphones are easier to keep track of and needn’t be charged.

This is why I've never bought wireless headphones. You don't need to be disorganized to appreciate the convenience of not having to charge yet another device you want to use on the fly.

Why would I pay more for something that takes more mental bandwidth to use?

fbelzile··on Every search bar looks like a URL bar to users
I think a good analogy is an automatic vs manual car. Most people prefer to have one pedal for the accelerator. But you still have many car enthusiasts (web enthusiasts) that know how cars (the web) work and want to control the mechanics behind the scenes. I wish it was still an option provided to users.

Google has a financial incentive for the Omnibar though. After searching for "facebook" users would click the first link, which might also happen to be an ad for Facebook. Effectively, turning a profit from the laziness of people not typing .com.

fbelzile··on Windows 11’s first update makes AMD CPU performance even worse
Probably some marketing experts thinking that Windows 10 would seem out-of-date now that Apple decided to stop versioning macOS at 10.x forever.
fbelzile··on Apple execs describe a “unique arrangement” with Netflix (2018)
No, it increases choice and lowers costs for the consumer. If you see switching app stores a "cost" because it's less practical, you most likely would still be able to use your store of choice, but you might need to pay more.

I don't see Netflix pulling out of the App Store if there alternatives. Right now, this is the only thing they can do to retaliate.

fbelzile··on Why Are So Many Young Men Giving Up on College?
First, I don't think it's been going on for 2+ generations.

Second, who is saying "white males" are the root of all problems? I mean, it's objectively true since we've predominately been in positions of power (European & new world) for the greater part of history. That said, I'm sure women can mess things up equally as bad if they were in the same positions of power.

Third, there's still an under-representation of women in STEM. Whether that's because a chicken-and-egg problem with visibility (or that women, on average, just don't want those jobs) is yet to be seen.

fbelzile··on Bezos donates $100M each to CNN contributor Van Jones and chef Jose Andres
I agree, Blue Origin at least was thoughtful enough to use fuel that doesn't emit CO2.

Branson is more likable but does seem like he's just trying to defend his title of being the eccentric billionaire, rather than thinking too hard about the future.

fbelzile··on Apple removes ‘Fakespot’ app from iOS App Store following Amazon request
Why is everyone here just blaming Amazon? Of course they're going to ask Apple to do this. It's in their own self-interest.

The more interesting questions is, why is Apple complying? Are they afraid that Amazon will retaliate by pulling their apps out of the App Store? If so, are they really just going to keep prioritizing big tech connections in favor of it's own customers?

The rule cited is so vague that even a basic paid browser app would break it. All the app does is augment data available from any web browser with other data.

> 5.2.2 Third-Party Sites/Services: If your app uses, accesses, monetizes access to, or displays content from a third-party service, ensure that you are specifically permitted to do so under the service’s terms of use. Authorization must be provided upon request.

fbelzile··on The unreasonable effectiveness of just showing up everyday
Someone mentioned a book called War of Art [1] here on Hacker News which I went out to buy and read.

The author, Steven Pressfield, describes it as some metaphorical "Muse" (God of Art) that helps inspire your imagination when you set aside some time to do work.

I loved that line of thinking since work can't happen if you don't show up. It motivated me, as indie dev that works from home, to make a concerted effort to show up ready code. Doing it consistently (whether or not it's a long time) will eventually lead to new and improved versions of software.

"This is the other secret that real artists know and wannabe writers don’t. When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned favor in her sight. When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete."

[1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1319.The_War_of_Art

fbelzile··on I Stopped Using Emojis
I've had a coworker use <grin> instead of smiley faces. I thought that was a pretty effective way to show emotions while still having a professional looking email.
fbelzile··on Apple is threatening to remove Fanhouse unless they give 30% of creator earning
I'm all about pricing for value without regulation. But did the App Store lose half of it's value to developers when Apple decided to slash fees from 30% to 15% (for smaller companies)? I don't think so. Did a competitor to the App Store appear to try and compete for lower fees? No.

This is just the behaviour of a company that can change prices on a whim because they don't need to compete with other app stores after having established a large share in the market and controlling 100% of all third party app distribution.

fbelzile··on Apple is threatening to remove Fanhouse unless they give 30% of creator earning
People look for analogies to the App Store all the time. You can't compare App Store to anything else. You have a logical argument that frames two companies doing the same thing and pointing out the hypocrisy without taking into account their market shares, value provided for their fees or considered the fact that Apple developers target people that already paid for a device and the developer already pays fees to release apps via the App Store.

I think what developers want is a fair price for what they get out of the App Store and a choice to not use it if they want. Selling a $5 digital good or a $100 dollar digital good costs the exact same to Apple (minus the 2% credit card fee).

fbelzile··on 3,000 eggs abandoned after drone scares birds in California
As a cyclist, I've had a fair share of "well trained" dogs chase me and nip at my ankles. It's scary and usually only ends after I stop, get off my bike and walk back towards the owner so they can regain control.

> Taking them off leash, when others have a fair expectation that they will be leashed is rude and inconsiderate.

This sums it up perfectly. Thank you!

fbelzile··on Apple-Developer Relations
There's piracy, sure, but I'm not losing 30% of sales due to it.

I currently run a freemium software business just fine for Windows and macOS. Just sign the code for Windows, notorize it on macOS and sell it through a service I use called Paddle that handles payment, international sales tax and licensing for about 6%.

fbelzile··on U.S. to give ransomware hacks similar priority as terrorism, official says
Police forces are paid for with taxes and respond to private businesses. What if publicly funded cybersecurity ends up costing everyone less money over the long term?

Tax laws are a different issue, even though I agree some megacorps aren't paying their fair share of "private security" right now.

fbelzile··on Chrome extension recommends local businesses while shopping on Amazon or eBay
I guess it really depends on what you're looking for. If you're buying a book online, it might be worth going to a local bookstore and checking out the other books on the same shelf. You might find a better book (by being able to skim it quickly), or you might come across another book about a hobby you've been wanting to learn more about along the way.

Visiting physical stores allows for "happy accidents" that wouldn't have occurred while shopping online. Targeted ads (or "customers who bought A also bought B") can help, but they seem tuned to maximize profits, not for inspiring new ideas.

fbelzile··on Ask HN: How do you generally build a product?
Work a little bit on the project every day. Consistency is key. Even if it just means developing for an hour or two after your day job. It sounds cliche, but 2 hours - 5 days a week for a year adds up to 520 hours you can build your product with. It's how my business got started.

Focus on building and releasing your minimum viable product as soon as possible. This will also help you gain some internal motivation. As soon as you have people using your product and start getting feedback, you'll feel that the project has a life of it's own and you'll just want to keep working on it more.

Have fun, and pick an idea that doesn't feel like work (too much) :)

fbelzile··on Apple’s Opening Arguments Slideshow [pdf]
Could you imagine if all telcos asked Apple for a 30% cut from all it's 30% cuts for network infrastructure maintenance?

Whether or not Apple likes it, iOS is critical infrastructure. If you want to make a device that a large portion of developed nations use, you're going to have to deal with the consequence of having people wanting it to be an open platform.

Operating systems are the infrastructure of the Internet. Just charge a fair fee for the App Store (based on usage/costs), allow alternate methods of side-loading apps, and of this will go away without substantive increases to privacy and security violations.

fbelzile··on Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?
Apple goes out of it's way to make sure no app like this exists in it's App Store. If Screen Time is not good enough, you'll need a physical lock box like a few others have mentioned. Forest is good for helping create good habits though.

On Android, you can use one called AppBlock. This is the most difficult app to circumvent on mobile. Others like Freedom can be easily bypassed.

I sell desktop software (Windows/macOS) that blocks websites/apps so my customers and I have tried lots of solutions but Apple doesn't want to let third party developers compete with Screen Time.

fbelzile··on Show HN: I built a Guitar Hero robot [video]
Nice, thanks for the response! The video was well produced too, congrats! :)
fbelzile··on Show HN: I built a Guitar Hero robot [video]
Very nice work! I noticed that if there were notes missed, they all seemed like the long hold ones.

Was that a limitation of the AI software or was that by design to keep the strumming part easier to make?

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