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Tell HN: I used to be a hacker
I used to be a hacker.
I used to bounce around like a molecule, colliding with everything untiI I discovered every crack and backdoor by sheer persistence.
I used to sit in my parents basement for 14 hours straight without a single thought unrelated to the screen in front of me entering my head.
I once made $5 in a day. The money was meaningless, just a way to keep score.
I used to be a hacker, I was driven by pure curiosity and the joy of finding out.
I once made $100 in a day. I could actually buy stuff in real life.
The money wasn’t important to me. I wasn’t concerned about my future, my career, or what other people thought.
I once made $1000 in a day. I probably don’t need a real job. That’s nice.
The money wasn’t that important to me. I just wanted the freedom to travel and keep hacking without having to work for
someone.
I once made $27,000 in a day. My parents were proud of me because I was successful now.
The money wasn’t the most important thing to me. My expenses increased, but I lived below my means. I should probably invest in a tax deferred retirement account and make a linkedin profile.
I once made $1 million dollars in a day. I was now a professional internet entrepreneur.
I was no longer a hacker. I wanted to build a robust internet business with low overhead and diversified recurring revenue streams to be attractive for an eventual acquisition.
I was concerned with the landscape, the competition, and that guy on the cover of Inc magazine.
It became harder to figure things out. I felt like I was consuming twice the mental resources. I’m a successful internet entrepreneur now, and my identity is tied to the outcome.
Me today could never have done what I did back then. I don’t have the curiosity, the scrappiness, or the delusional optimism to even try.
To those just starting out who haven’t yet made a dollar and a cent, block out all the bullshit and hack.
- EPRangler 8y agoJust wrote this on my iphone in the car. Wanted to get it off my chest. Anonymous for now please.
- iamthirsty 8y agoGlad you got this off your chest mate, but HN really isn't the place for it.
- rubbingalcohol 8y agoIs it though? IMO the progression from a pursuit of passion to the practicality of profession and profit is particularly poignant, and pointful in this place.
- cimmanom 8y agoIt’d be perfectly reasonable to share a link to on HN after writing it in a blog. But HN isn’t a blog or a blog hosting site.
- iamthirsty 8y agoThat was my point — thanks.
- lgregg 8y agoFollowing that logic there shouldn't even be a way to submit text beyond a title and url. I've got to disagree, I think this belongs here.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- cimmanom 8y agoI always figured the text was so you could elaborate on your question since Ask HN posts with just a title are often too vague to answer.
- sharmi 8y agoPutting it on a blog and linking it would mean, setting up a blog making a myriad choices before getting it off the ground. On the other hand, problems of depression seem to be more common among the HN demographic than the general population. More than advice, sharing stories like these are more helpful for everyone around.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- firemelt 8y agothis is cool and interesting, I wish you write more and better version about this story.
- malux85 8y agoEmail me, I’m in a very similar situation. Let’s chat.
- is_true 8y agoYou should be more specific on how or what were you doing? Probably answering any of those questions more people would be interested in this because they could learn something from your experience.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- EPRangler 8y agoI don't want to get into what I'm into. I'm not a role model for the young guns. You won't understand until you're ready. 1 million is nothing. Money flows like water on the internet. There is no secret barrier stopping you from making millions. No one cares. I see indie dev threads where kids are stoked they're making 2k a month. That's a daily rounding error for dudes getting it and not talking about it. It's is a matter of getting out of your own way, your ego, your preconceptions. If you don't have a dollar to your name yet, you need to be a few percent delusional optimistic. If you're real smart, most of your ideas will be crap, but one of those thoughts will be very insightful. Respect your ideas, organize, categorize, and execute on them accordingly. Kill the losers quickly. This is not a talent show. All that matters is revenue. It is a technical problem. Get out of your own way.
- segmondy 8y agoYou just told us nothing.
- anonyxyz 8y agoOp sounds like a 16 year old
- alain_gilbert 8y agoOops https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:OdO-SO8gBAQJ:https://news.ycombinator.com/item%3Fid%3D17831235+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:OdO-SO... I was hesitating if I should post it or not since op didn't want to talk about it... but well, I think a hacker should know that anything that reaches the internet is not private anymore. TLDR seems to be: affiliate programs & cookie stuffing
- thecupisblue 8y agoDon't let the hacker die.
- dirktheman 8y agoI visited a microbrewery last Saturday. The owner used to be a big shot entrepeneur, but he lost it all and started over from scratch doing what he loves the most: making beer. He runs the brewery with his wife. He told me that he gets multiple offers a month for selling his beers in consignment but that would mean ramping up the production and the entire organization, and he doesn't want that. He said that he could sustain himself with doing what he loves. As soon as his company grows too much, he won't be able to do what he loves anymore.
- tinktank 8y agoDude, I feel you so much. I got into computing because I loved it. I used to write TSRs and hack binaries for the fun of it. I did a degree, got a PhD in it, got into academia, saw the pettiness and the money being made all around me, eventually I just burnt out. Hate it now, do it because I have to.
- stealthcat 8y ago>do it because I have to. I don't get it. Sorry can you explain
- HiroshiSan 8y agoI love this post, thank you.