Hacker News Reader

traviswingoon Home Assistant blocked from integrating with Garage Door opener API

True. Delivery drivers consistently deliver to my neighbor instead of myself. The last three digits of our addresses are 885 and 855, and they consistently confuse the two. They’re tired, overworked, underpaid, and I honestly don’t blame them. But I wouldn’t trust anyone in my garage/home when I’m not home. Not sure why these companies think that will actually work.

traviswingoon Ask HN: What are you passionate about at the moment?

Learning about the mind and controlling it better has been a recent passion of mine as well.

Like you, I’ve noticed a direct connection between media consumption and quality of life. Namely, if I get a dopamine release with minimal to no effort, my day is pretty much shot as I have little motivation to do anything I want to do.

This has led me to delete all social media, completely. I wiped all my accounts and walked away. I also leave the TV off during the day, which is still weird for me because I’m that person who works with the TV on in the background. I thought it was harmless, but it turns out, it’s not.

Basically anything that gives me dopamine without trying is gone, which in this world is mostly screens.

The more I experiment, the more I realize how important control of one’s mind and thoughts are. I’m now at a point where I believe that the only barrier between one and their goals is their mind. Giving up, doubting, lack of motivation, perseverance, persistence, confidence - it all comes from the mind.

Control your mind, control your life. It’s a lot more difficult than it sounds though :)

traviswingoon US banks hit by deposit delays

AFAIK ACH is incredibly archaic. There are real reasons why money can’t transfer outside of business hours. It’s honestly bizarre to me.

traviswingoon Software disenchantment

I’m absolutely, unequivocally, happiest at my job when I’m simply making things better.

I loathe building new features, adding new functionality, starting yet another product launch, etc. Yet it feels like 80% of my time at my job is doing the above, probably more.

nobody will complain if your software is faster, or simpler, or just plain better. And I can happily spend the remaining years of my career making that happen.

Software developers need to quit building yet another front end framework, and get back to the actual engineering aspects of making things more performant. IMO, it’s far more rewarding.

traviswingoon Thousands of programmable DNA-cutters found in algae, snails and other organisms

Could you elaborate for those of us not in the know?

traviswingoon A Few Laws of Getting Rich

> When the benefits of money are so obvious but the downsides are so subtle, the downsides you didn’t anticipate can be more jarring than the benefits you expected.

This is a really important aspect of seeking wealth that many people don’t understand. The jump from poverty to no longer missing bills is much more significant than the jump from middle class to upper class. It’s the reason why so many studies exist showing that past $75,000 per year (not inflation adjusted, so try $120k or so), more money doesn’t tend to make you happier. Instead, you trade freedom and happiness for the money you thought would bring you freedom and happiness. Also, trying to become a billionaire is most definitely a lonely and sad path.

A somewhat healthier goal would be to become “financially free,” whatever that means to you. No longer needing to work, allows you to do the work you actually love.

traviswingoon Ask HN: Show me your half baked project

Yeah I agree the landing page should contain a clearer input-output example for new users. I’m just lazy :).

On the topic of lazy, the privacy policy was generated using some random free privacy policy generator (I forgot which one).

traviswingoon Goldman Sachs reportedly said Apple Card savings account was a mistake

Interesting. The APY on savings accounts is only 4.15%. The spread between that and short term T bills is over 1%. My main HYSA is paying me 5.30% APY currently, and they aren’t complaining. A 1-1.5% spread on customer cash should be celebrated by GS…

traviswingoon Ask HN: Show me your half baked project

https://postcardbot.com

A simple sms based chat bot for generating and mailing postcards from photos you’ve taken yourself.

I took the sms approach because I’m exhausted from always needing to install an app for everything. Most things don’t need apps. This interface is unique and kinda fun to use. Also, it took me just a weekend to whip up so I’m quite fond of it .

traviswingoon The FTC sues to break up Amazon over an economy-wide “hidden tax”

I feel like I’ve purchased direct from business at much cheaper rates than what were listed on Amazon.

Is it possible the loophole here is to provide discount codes at checkout for “20% off” on website only, and now magically it’s cheaper than Amazon?

traviswingoon Injunction issued in case about social media pressure from US Government

There’s a difference between freedom of speech and education. The government did a bad thing. Anyone should be allowed to speak their piece.

We need more people to speak up when those speaking the loudest are wrong, uneducated, and unqualified to speak on the topic they’re preaching.

I get the incentive here, but it’s not the governments place to decide what we do and don’t say.

Society as a whole needs to be better at calling out the lies with hard facts and data. Because right now, it feels like the people with the most effective voices are taking us in the wrong direction.

traviswingoon Show HN: Text a photo to send as a postcard

Exactly. If you really want to send some weird shit in the mail, you can do it without linking your phone number and payment information to it.

traviswingoon Show HN: Text a photo to send as a postcard

Haha yep. These bad actors exist everywhere though. If they choose to abuse, they’ll pay $2.99 per abuse to do it.

traviswingoon Show HN: Text a photo to send as a postcard

Simplicity. People text photos to each other all the time, but don’t always use web apps or mobile apps.

Text messages are baked into everyone’s phones already. No apps to download, or websites to visit and log into. It’s just there, and you know how to use it.

Also, if I wanted to cover the entire user base, I’d have to make this my full time job. I think there are larger markets to focus on :). This is just fun.

traviswingoon Show HN: Text a photo to send as a postcard

Fair point. My current target market is people able to send via a text message.

This actually used to have a Messenger app, but the maintenance to spam ratio was too much for something I’m not interested in babysitting.

Maybe I’ll add WhatsApp integration in the future, if enough requests are made for it :)

traviswingoon Show HN: Text a photo to send as a postcard

Yeah, I really like Lob. They work well for doing what they say they’ll do. I don’t think I’ve had a mishap yet. Any time there has been an issue, it’s been user error.

traviswingoon Show HN: Text a photo to send as a postcard

As a lazy person also, I agree :)

traviswingoon Show HN: Text a photo to send as a postcard

How cool!

traviswingoon Show HN: Text a photo to send as a postcard

This. I make enough money elsewhere. This is just fun :)

traviswingoon Show HN: Text a photo to send as a postcard

You’re not missing anything, aside from the fact i didn’t build this to be a high margin, cash flowing business. It’s just fun, nothing more :).

My margins cover my costs, and that’s good enough for me.

Everything is automated, and all data entered is used purely to send a postcard. No added layers of complexity here :)

traviswingoon Show HN: Text a photo to send as a postcard

Great catch, thank! I’ll push a fix and a test shortly.