4 ms·

I did this, years ago: http://www.atariarchives.org/deli/cottage_computer_programming.php http://www.atariarchives.org/deli/cottage_computer_programmi... I st

by lutsp 16y ago

I did this, years ago: http://www.atariarchives.org/deli/cottage_computer_programming.php http://www.atariarchives.org/deli/cottage_computer_programmi... I started this phase out wanting to be left alone and live on $40/month, but reality interfered and it turned out to be a way to completely change my life. I think it can still be done. There is a steep learning curve.

10ren 16y ago
Welcome, cool to have you! Did you know you've been featured here? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=905377 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=905377 If you don't mind, I wanted to ask you: did you own the land for your shack, or rent it? The latter is cheaper, but not independent. I recall Thoreau didn't own his shack.
- lutsp 16y ago
  I owned the land outright. During my previous time with a NASA subcontractor in Silicon Valley, I realized that rent was a key problem and if I didn't own the land, the entire idea would collapse. Then I bought materials in cash and built a little cabin, which meant it was also paid for. I was entirely debt-free, which I regarded as essential (and still do). I started a little garden and had lots of free time to think. The rest, as they say, is history. :)
  - 10ren 16y ago
    Thanks! It makes such a difference speaking to someone who's actually done it. Not theoretical. I guess you must have been relatively near civilization - at least a town. Can I ask how much money it took... and how much you think it would take today? I think it depends a lot on the land, which seems relatively expensive here in Australia; if you want water, electricity and sewage utilities. I get the impression there's very cheap land in some places in the States.
    - lutusp 16y ago
      I want to start by saying this was 35 years ago. I chose a part of the country where land was relatively cheap (Oregon), and bought 5 acres for about $3000. I built a small cabin at first -- 12x24 feet -- and this is where I wrote Apple Writer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Writer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Writer), while relying on a very long extension cord for power. Later on I bought more land and built a larger house, but still with the idea of living cheaply firmly guiding my actions. Then my income went over a million dollars a year and I decided to do something completely different -- so I bought a sailboat and sailed solo around the world (http://arachnoid.com/sailbook http://arachnoid.com/sailbook). > if you want water, electricity and sewage utilities ... I chose Oregon because it rains a bit, and I had previously built a cabin in Colorado where it is very dry -- I decided that was a mistake. In Oregon, for water I walked up the hill behind my cabin and dropped a hose in a creek. If you choose the right altitude difference, you can duplicate normal household water pressure. For sewage, I built an outhouse. It really was quite primitive. But it freed me from having to pay rent or needing much money, which meant I could think about anything I wanted. Then I acquired an Apple II, which ironically enough I probably wouldn't have done while working for NASA a few years before. I had this fantasy that I would write some cool programs and people would buy them, and I could just live in the country and people would mail me money. The weird thing is that this is exactly what happened.
      - 10ren 16y ago
        Oh man, it's such an awesome story. Thanks so much for replying. Good to hear the shack wasn't the first iteration (nor the last). Did it take some experience to be able to build a stable, long-lasting shack (perhaps just woodwork in general?) How far were you from a town, for food, construction materials, etc and a PO (I guess biking distance)? I guess you had a friendly nearby neighbour for the extension lead? [I've been thinking solar, which I actually used for a hp200lx, using 4 rechargeable AAs, but today's netbooks need a gruntier, more elaborate setup: large solar panel, lead-acid battery, transformer etc. Seems error-prone. Maybe a kindle-like ARM+OLED/e-ink/LCD will change this.] I'd like internet - either wired or mobile (we have rural mobile coverage, and the govt just reelected campaigned for more) - instead of a PO, but I'd still need a local town for food etc. It scares me a bit to be too far away - but that's where the peace/silence is that I want/need. Just to collect figures and conversions for reference: http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%243000+1975 http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%243000+1975 $3,000 for 5 acres = $12,000 today $40 per month = $ 160 today @ 10% = $20,000 invested 1200' ext lead = 365m Oregon 44N; Tasmania 42S If these figures are applicable today, here in Australia, I could do this... now.

by lutsp 16y ago

10ren 16y ago

Welcome, cool to have you! Did you know you've been featured here? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=905377 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=905377 If you don't mind, I wanted to ask you: did you own the land for your shack, or rent it? The latter is cheaper, but not independent. I recall Thoreau didn't own his shack.

lutsp 16y ago
I owned the land outright. During my previous time with a NASA subcontractor in Silicon Valley, I realized that rent was a key problem and if I didn't own the land, the entire idea would collapse. Then I bought materials in cash and built a little cabin, which meant it was also paid for. I was entirely debt-free, which I regarded as essential (and still do). I started a little garden and had lots of free time to think. The rest, as they say, is history. :)
- 10ren 16y ago
  Thanks! It makes such a difference speaking to someone who's actually done it. Not theoretical. I guess you must have been relatively near civilization - at least a town. Can I ask how much money it took... and how much you think it would take today? I think it depends a lot on the land, which seems relatively expensive here in Australia; if you want water, electricity and sewage utilities. I get the impression there's very cheap land in some places in the States.
  - lutusp 16y ago
    I want to start by saying this was 35 years ago. I chose a part of the country where land was relatively cheap (Oregon), and bought 5 acres for about $3000. I built a small cabin at first -- 12x24 feet -- and this is where I wrote Apple Writer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Writer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Writer), while relying on a very long extension cord for power. Later on I bought more land and built a larger house, but still with the idea of living cheaply firmly guiding my actions. Then my income went over a million dollars a year and I decided to do something completely different -- so I bought a sailboat and sailed solo around the world (http://arachnoid.com/sailbook http://arachnoid.com/sailbook). > if you want water, electricity and sewage utilities ... I chose Oregon because it rains a bit, and I had previously built a cabin in Colorado where it is very dry -- I decided that was a mistake. In Oregon, for water I walked up the hill behind my cabin and dropped a hose in a creek. If you choose the right altitude difference, you can duplicate normal household water pressure. For sewage, I built an outhouse. It really was quite primitive. But it freed me from having to pay rent or needing much money, which meant I could think about anything I wanted. Then I acquired an Apple II, which ironically enough I probably wouldn't have done while working for NASA a few years before. I had this fantasy that I would write some cool programs and people would buy them, and I could just live in the country and people would mail me money. The weird thing is that this is exactly what happened.
    - 10ren 16y ago
      Oh man, it's such an awesome story. Thanks so much for replying. Good to hear the shack wasn't the first iteration (nor the last). Did it take some experience to be able to build a stable, long-lasting shack (perhaps just woodwork in general?) How far were you from a town, for food, construction materials, etc and a PO (I guess biking distance)? I guess you had a friendly nearby neighbour for the extension lead? [I've been thinking solar, which I actually used for a hp200lx, using 4 rechargeable AAs, but today's netbooks need a gruntier, more elaborate setup: large solar panel, lead-acid battery, transformer etc. Seems error-prone. Maybe a kindle-like ARM+OLED/e-ink/LCD will change this.] I'd like internet - either wired or mobile (we have rural mobile coverage, and the govt just reelected campaigned for more) - instead of a PO, but I'd still need a local town for food etc. It scares me a bit to be too far away - but that's where the peace/silence is that I want/need. Just to collect figures and conversions for reference: http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%243000+1975 http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%243000+1975 $3,000 for 5 acres = $12,000 today $40 per month = $ 160 today @ 10% = $20,000 invested 1200' ext lead = 365m Oregon 44N; Tasmania 42S If these figures are applicable today, here in Australia, I could do this... now.