Hacker News Reader

pcjon Microsoft’s New Browser Will Be Called Microsoft Edge

Looks like it supports both Chrome and FireFox extensions - http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/29/8515771/microsofts-edge-br...

pcjon Linus Torvalds: “I'm happily hacking on a new save format using ‘libgit2’”

>>So I've been thinking about this for basically months, but the way I work, I actually want to have a good mental picture of what I'm doing before I start prototyping. And while I had a high-level notion of what I wanted, I didn't have enough of a idea of the details to really start coding.

This might be a tangential discussion. Earlier, I used to have a similar approach. Can't code until I have the complete picture. But, it's tough to do in a commercial world and you have deliverables. So, nowadays, I start with what I know and scramble my way until I get a better picture. There are times when that approach works. But, there have been days where I was like - "wish I had spent some more time thinking about this".

I am curious how folks on HN handle this "coding block".

pcjon Kal – a clean JavaScript alternative without callbacks

This is beautiful work! I see small shades of inspiration from the .Net TPL[1] and the more recent async-await paradigm[2] in C#. But, this is way more concise and beautiful implementation :-)

[1] - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/system.threa...

[2] - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/hh191443.asp... and http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/hh156528.asp...

pcjon Google blocks Windows Phone YouTube app again, for “manufactured” reasons

I agree with this comment on the Ars thread[1]. I know this was discussed extensively here[2]. But, the comments on the thread seemed a bit biased towards one side.

[1] - http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/08/google-blocks-windows... [2] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6220233

pcjon Jeff Bezos Is Playing Chess

"The goal is actually to not make a huge profit too early, and Bezos manages it perfectly. You want to avoid showing your cards too early as you continue to lay the groundwork for an ever-larger business"

That just doesn't sound right. 10 years in market is not too early. And because it is working for Bezos and Amazon, it doesn't mean that this strategy will work for others.

pcjon Surface Dogged by Low Sales, High Returns

Hmm..that's weird. Surface RT is 1.5lbs and Surface Pro (yet to release) is 2 lbs[0]. Both versions (11, 13 inch) of Macbook Air are more than 2lbs[1].

[0] http://www.microsoft.com/Surface/en-US/surface-with-windows-... [1] http://www.apple.com/macbookair/specs.html

EDIT: Those are without the keyboard. Depending on the keyboard, I can see how Surface might have been slightly heavier.

pcjon Surface Dogged by Low Sales, High Returns

Have you already installed the Office RTM update? It's a bit better after the update.

pcjon Amazon Elastic Transcoder

Curious...why you say that?

pcjon Valve starts promoting Steam for Linux to Windows users

Not exactly. When you consider the legacy Desktop also as an app, the behavior is consistent. Windows key just swaps between the start screen and the current app.

Start screen appears on the last monitor you launched the modern app or charms.

For switching Start screen between multiple monitors, try Windows + PageUp (or Windows + PageDown).

You can change the taskbar settings. Right click on taskbar -> properties -> Taskbar where window is open (under show taskbar buttons on).

pcjon Windows Server 2012 features

Have you already looked at this - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732470(v=ws.10)...

pcjon Windows Server 2012 features

Doesn't look like it has - http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverhy...

pcjon Stephen Wolfram on Steve Jobs: A Few Memories

In my life, I have had the good fortune to interact with all sorts of talented people. To me, Steve Jobs stands out most for his clarity of thought. Over and over again he took complex situations, understood their essence, and used that understanding to make a bold definitive move, often in a completely unexpected direction.

So true.

pcjon Bill Gates on Steve Jobs

Steve's passing is a great loss. Let's not get into petty debates about Jobs vs Gates at least on HN.

pcjon Bill Gates on Steve Jobs

Steve on his relationship with Bill Gates http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM8K1yexO6s&feature=playe...

This interview is one of my fav. I just marvel at Steve's impeccable clarity of thoughts!

pcjon Netflix Splits DVD And Streaming Businesses

Something just doesn't seem right here. Netflix could have easily worked on both DVD and streaming and each team could have focused on strengthening their services without causing any inconvenience (2 separate websites and queues?) to the customers. Had this been an Merger between two companies who were in DVD and streaming business, markets would've hailed the decision (just because of the synergy).

I am sure Hastings is not naive enough to not think about these obvious things, which makes me think, how does this help them? I can't think of even one angle where splitting the companies makes sense?

pcjon Bada Bing, Bada Boom: Culture inside Bing

Any insights on how this (sustaining a healthy and positive culture with growth) is handled in Google/Apple/even Facebook?

pcjon Show HN: Hacker News Mobile - A fast and readable mobile HN website

Yes, works great on Mango. Like others mentioned, please do add the back button :)

Personally, I would prefer if comments were directly a link. Not a big fan of the popup.

pcjon WinRT demystified

Yeah, that doesn't fun at all. Just curious though, would these new API's [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/windows...] address your scenario?

pcjon Microsoft has Abandoned Silverlight and All Other Plugins

Silverlight was released in 2007 and as rumored lets say Windows 8 probably comes around next year or so - it still managed to provide an alternative to flash for all these years (at least for certain kinds of RIA). If HTML5 becomes a standard, isn't that a good thing that Microsoft is supporting it completely?

Besides that, folks can continue to leverage their XAML (for UI) and C#/VB skills for building even new Metro style apps.

pcjon Windows 8 Runtime reference and sample code [MSDN]

Sample Code - http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/windowsapps

pcjon [dead]

I have to agree. I can understand if this thread was on reddit, but its disappointing to see this in HN.

That aside, isn't this a good thing that Windows 8 now doesn't care (at least, for the new Metro apps) what runtime you're targeting - Silverlight, .Net (full CLR) or Native? - all apps irrespective of whether it was developed in C++, C# or VB with XAML or JS with Html - they're targeted to run in the Windows runtime. For Silverlight developers, they can continue to use XAML for developing their UI's, but yes, they would have learn about the new/different UI controls for the metro style, but that's not the same as learning a completely different language.

Windows Runtime documentation - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh46494...

Edit - Added WinRT link

pcjon [dead]

From my understanding, they said existing production code will continue to work on Windows 8. But, if you want the new Metro look and feel for your application, then you need to do these minor changes.

pcjon Windows 8 Developer Preview is Live

Here you go - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh46494...

From the article: The Windows Runtime is exposed using API metadata (.winmd files). This is the same format used by the .NET framework (Ecma-335). The underlying binary contract makes it easy for you to access the Windows Runtime APIs directly in the development language of your choice. The shape and structure of the Windows Runtime APIs can be understood by both static languages such as C# and dynamic languages such as JavaScript. IntelliSense is available in JavaScript, C#, Visual Basic, and C++.

Edit: Updated the link and added snippet

pcjon Windows 8 for tablet hands on

For multiple monitors - yes, you can have 1 monitor dedicated for Metro and the other for classic Desktop and I believe you can flip between them as well. And believe the keynote demo also addressed your 2nd question on that.

pcjon HTC Sues Apple Using Patents Obtained From Google Last Week

how does proxy war help? the one who is sued knows that the company who's suing them is just a proxy for XYZ

pcjon Michael Arrington: Editorial Independence

Leaving editorial Independence aside, if Arrington was fired from TC and AOL, how is he able to write this post? Sounds all like a sham!

pcjon Python Tools for Visual Studio

Yeah, I guess you could blame the IDE and OS for stopping you from poking around the internals of how tools (or rather anything) works.

pcjon Google Threw A Punch, Microsoft Fires Back With A Missile

Rather than jumping to conclusions, we should wait to see how this plays out.

pcjon Google: Patently Absurd

What choice? Oh wait, you mean what kind of Ads you would receive :P?

On a serious note though, assume that you have a sandwich shop and your business is of course to sell sandwich (not free) and people flock to you for your tasty sandwiches. Now, if I open a Sandwich shop that gives away free sandwiches and it also tastes pretty much (close to 85%) like your sandwiches (say, i was inspired by your sandwiches, but i don't acknowledge publicly) and make money out of the numerous solicitors selling all kinds of things (you can decline to buy stuff, but they're always in-your-face) that are in and around my shop. Now, why would customers go to you if I sell the same (pretty much) sandwich for free?

Does it mean that I am a philanthropist because I give away free sandwiches to the people? And because I am doing a charity (technically), does it mean that you should not sue me?

That said, patent troll (like Lordsys) is entirely different issue. However, I don't think Apple has a choice here. It is trying to defend its business, and the only legal way it can do it is through these stupid patents.

Edit - Instead of just down-voting, why not elaborate?

pcjon When patents attack Android

If this was coming from an open source community (instead of Google) that's developing something like Android to give away for free, I would have understood. But, Google gives away Android for free so that it can sell loads of them and there by locking down most of the users (non-geeks) to the Google Ad universe and earn its revenue by selling loads and loads of Ads. Its not like Google genuinely cares about the expensive mobile industry and its actual intent is to provide cheap phones to those who can't afford it (on the lines of OLPC). While whether or not patents and specifically Software patents is good or bad for the society is a different argument, this issue doesn't deserve the same sympathy that companies who are attacked by patent trolls do.