jsiarto

This isn't a web font and is mostly used in print (InDesign, Illustrator, etc...). Not sure if it's even licensed for the web.

This. We need to stop sugar-coating things in this world. I'm an adjunct at a major Big Ten school and I see this all time with my students. The mentality is that if I just have enough education, the jobs will be waiting (law students anyone?) -- yet these sames students make little to know effort in school to do anything other than show up (occasionally) and squeak by with their 3.0.

The parents of my generation (born in 1984) have babied and protected their children to a fault. Reality is not always pleasant and life isn't fair--instead of telling our kids they can be anything, we need to give them the tools to choose marketable and worthwhile careers. Unfortunately, we can't all be astronauts and veterinarians.

I love this set--we've been using them at Loudpixel for quite some time (even before they were bought by FontFont). I use them primarily in Illustrator for our custom research reports and publications: http://loudpixel.com/sugarfree/

I would guess that they are going to use a commercial or open-source autopilot like Ardupilot. The GPS tech on these are pretty good for hobby/recreation but I highly doubt they are writing their own GPS/autopilots for this. Frankly, I just don't think the accuracy/reliability is there yet for these RC helicopters to effectively deliver goods. (Speaking from experience and my own multi-copters)

EDIT: For those curious:

http://www.dji-innovations.com/

https://store.diydrones.com/APM_2_5_Kit_p/br-ardupilotmega-0...

We're a B2B shop and have been profitable from day one. Sometimes it takes a while to get paid from the big guys, but once you're in, cash flow is great. There are some downsides (control, last minute BS, corporate things)--but it seems to be easier to get companies to part with their cash than your neighbor or suite-mate.

I disagree--a bankruptcy should be avoided at all costs as it will leave you in a financial world-of-hurt for a long time. The sad thing is, given the state of health insurance in the US, bankruptcy is on the table and that just sucks.

But I'd rather pay high premiums than risk a bankruptcy.

While this is true--any skilled position at a major employer will offer health coverage. I have a full-time staff of 3 people. If I didn't offer health insurance, I'd have a full-time staff of 0.

EDIT: Hell, if I didn't offer health insurance, I wouldn't work for me...

What happens if you get really sick (cancer, etc.) or hit by a bus?

It's not possible... You have to be a business, non-profit, etc... You can't just be a bunch of random people. Even if you found a group, you'd need to put together some legal structure to make it work.

If you're starting your own company, the last thing you want to worry about is starting another entity, finding a group and buying healthcare--you won't have time for real work.

I always thought this was a smart idea. Lump all the single biz owners together and buy coverage as a mega-group. That makes way too much sense to be considered...

"I often wonder if being shackled to a job by the specter of being uninsured isn't built into the system on purpose."

I've often wondered this too. It just seems so asinine that we tie healthcare to the employer--it's bad for employers and employees.

This is absolutely true! I believe that the current structure and cost of healthcare in the US is one of the largest detriments to entrepreneurship. This is never brought up in political debates and is rarely talked about in media. Before the ACA, providers would deny people applying for individual coverage for the silliest pre-existing conditions and once you were denied, you wen't getting healthcare anywhere (black list).

This was a huge struggle for me early on in my career--and it wasn't until our company had a group (3+ people) that would could affordable plans. Even then, we were paying over $1000/mo to insure 3 healthy 26-year-olds.

You can read more about my story here: http://thecreativecareer.com/2009/03/30/us-healthcare-system...

EDIT (In case the above is TL;DR):

"This means that many entrepreneurs and innovators—those of us paving the way on our own—are left with costly insurance or no insurance at all. Because of the limited choices for affordable healthcare, the decision to become an entrepreneur looks increasingly less attractive. Even if an individual is to secure an individual policy, the rates will be higher, and the coverage will be less than policies available through an employer."

You should read "The Millionaire Next Door." (http://www.thomasjstanley.com/pub-books/1/The_Millionaire_Ne...) There is whole chapter on why you don't buy new cars. Mostly because they lose a ton of value as soon as you drive them off the lot.

Most millionaires in the US drive American-made cars that are 2 - 5 years old.

EDIT: It's actually not "most millionaires" -- only 20%: http://www.thomasjstanley.com/blog-articles/395/Millionaire_...

LiPo's are used extensively in RC flight now (main power source for electric flight) and that group knows first-hand the dangers of these batteries. In fact, you can buy "charge bags" that are non-flammable incase your cell bursts into flame during a charge.

Great batteries, but very susceptible to over and undercharging with sometimes disastrous results. I basically never leave the room when I charge mine.

Hey all -- I can see if I can arrange something. The chamber is in the basement of the Communication Arts and Sciences building and I teach in the College--but I don't know who currently runs it. Let me send some emails and see what I can do.

I can attest to this. We have an anechoic chamber here at Michigan State and I've also been in the testing chamber at EV (Electro-Voice). Hearing the blood in your head and ears is quite odd, but the disorientation from not being able to place yourself in space is even stranger.

Um, would you not call Basecamp and their suite of software scalable business? 37signals makes tons of $$ off those products that scale to millions of users. I think they know how to scale a business...

On another note, I don't think DHH gives a shit about Pinterest, Quora or Instagram (none of which have even come close to making a single cent of profit)

Wow--we can't be serious with this people. I fly these things--not very well--but I build and fly these things. We are so far from this tech being able to deliver anything autonomously it's not even funny.

I think this is a joke--if it's not, the founders are jokes because they have no idea what they are talking about and clearly no idea where this technology actually stands. Spend some time on rcgroups.com, fpvlab.com and the other multirotor forums and you'll realize just how serious those people are how quickly "Tacocopter" would get laughed out of the room.

This is cool -- but for pitch control, the down arrow key should pitch the nose up and up arrow key should push the nose down (this is how the controls of most simulators and actual aircraft work)

This is absurd--is PayPal really serious about this? I keep expecting a video from the Onion to show up when I click on the links. Once Yahoo! dies it's slow, litigious death -- PayPal needs to be the next to go. This is not indicative of the innovation I know happens in the Valley.

Just to clarify:

- RC Flying (hobby): Line of sight, RC controlled radio aircraft (non-turbine) that stay below 400'

- RC Drones (hobby): Line of sight, RC controlled but capable of unmanned flight either via pre-programmed instructions or GPS (note: regardless of capabilities, these aircraft must sill stay below 400' and be non-commercial)

- Commercial Drones / RC-for-hire: These are aircraft that are flown for commercial reasons (aerial photography, crop monitoring, surveillance)--meaning someone is giving you $$ to operate the aircraft. They could just be normal, off-the-shelf RC airplanes -- but it's use is what is restricted.

The reason that the FAA is concerned with commercial use is that in order for that to work, drones need to be safely integrated into US airspace. How would you feel if you were taking a flight from SFO to ORD and some jackass with a "drone" gets his multi-copter sucked into your engine? Also, there are insurance issues with this as well. I have insurance through the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) which covers me if I fly my 5 pound airplane into a house or mess something up (so long as I'm flying in designated areas for non-commercial purposes).

What happens when someone who's doing aerial photography for a wedding and his heli falls out of the sky (they do that sometimes) hurting a guest? Who pays for that? Insurance companies need a way to asses the risk of these thing flying around commercially.

Lots to think about--privacy, safety, big brother...

Here are some images of my current tricopter project: https://plus.google.com/b/112905414962865545354/112905414962...

As someone who has been an RC enthusiast all his life and is just now getting into multi-rotor drones--I can say that this is a step in the right direction. Currently, the only legal way to operate drones in US airspace is a recreational activity (RC airplanes/helis). As soon as you try and operate in the commercial sphere you immediately come under the FAA UASs regulations which essentially limit the flight of drones to groups with COA (Certificate of Authority) and only government and university groups are being granter these waivers.

As other have said, there are many many commercial/non-military uses for these things and we have to have someway to allow their regulated, legal use.

Also, most of these drones (at least the ones I'm building) use open source hardware and software (OpenPilot, Arducopter (DIY Drones), etc) which can be monitored by the general public. I don't think it's quite time to put on the tin-foil hats with this--the FAA is just trying to make our airways safe and make sure aircraft that are carrying humans continue to do so safely.

My wife and I are both adjunct profs at a major Big Ten university and I actually see this trend first hand. I typically have about 30 students per semester teaching a 300-level server management course and of that group I'd say 10% tops are exceptional and the rest are really average or below average.

We are both perplexed and frightened at just how lazy, unprepared and nonchalant the current generation of college goers are. Some of these kids have no clue that just "showing up" to college isn't going to get them jack in this hyper-competitive world.

I'm 28, BTW -- not much older than most of these students...

UPDATE: I actually think you can't plant all of this blame on the universities--our generation (people that are between 20 and 30 now) has a serious problem with drive, ambition and thinking shit is just suposed to be handed to them. Our peers need to step up just like universities need to step up an adapt--learning is a two-way street.

Agreed--not a good design decision whether intentional or not. This works for logotype sometimes, but your eye needs the capitalization to make the reading easier and to help you identify where you're at in the text (especially longer text).

This is true--and I have many meaningful relationships online as well (networking is pretty much the key to success in any area--you have to know people). My connections in college seem to be a bit more meaningful though--there are the people that helped me grow and develop into the businessperson and designer I am today.

Also, I do care about the connections I make here and elsewhere on the web--I'll start:

I'm Jeff Siarto--I live and work in East Lansing, MI and run a small research company with my wife and college friend. I'm also the author of Head First Web Design and I enjoy building RC airplanes and amateur UAVs.

I'm also a leap-year baby.

I think the other huge benefit of college and something that is often not talked about is the social and networking aspect of being at a top-tier university.

The most meaningful things I got out of my 4 years as an undergrad and 2 as a grad student were meeting people that could truly help me in my career.

While I was in college I met people that:

1. Helped me land multiple book deals with O'Reilly 2. Got me to conferences I would not usually have been able to go to. 3. Got me a great job doing design/development for the University. 4. Introduced me to the founders of Slashdot--one of whom sat on my thesis committee. 5. Allowed me to make connections with faculty and staff that have led to business contracts and even an adjunct faculty position at MSU.

I would be nowhere if it wasn't for my college degree--but you have to do more than go to class--that's the easy part. Network and meet people, there will never be higher concentration of fucking brilliant and well-connected individuals as there are a major universities.

Ok, first of all--if you're a designer and your primary area of design is for the web--you damn well better be able to hand-code HTML and CSS. If not, you push pixels in Photoshop--and that's not design.

Designing for the web requires that you understand the limitations of HTML and CSS and not push our crap from Photoshop that would be a nightmare to implement.

When we're talking about "desingeers" are we talking about designers that can write markup and style or designers that can code out a great Rails backend?

Completely off-topic here, but the coffee house mentioned in this Engine Yard article (Intelligentsia) is really the best coffee in Chicago--if not the US.

Also, there is no way that Groupon needs a data center--how can they be spending millions on hosting each month? Something doesn't add up...

Exactly! Building GPS-guided RC drones is actually WAY simpler than most people realize (relatively). See: http://www.openpilot.org/, http://www.kkmulticopter.kr/