4 ms·

"Has to?" What do you do, and why do you have no other options?

jessriedel 8y ago
I'm guessing based on context that "development work" means assistance work in developing countries, not software development :)
- reaperducer 8y ago
  I'm guessing based on context that "development work" means assistance work in developing countries, not software development :) It's actually web development, deployed on fogs (my name for localized temporary clouds) in very poor, very rural communities in the United States. It's the sorts of places where roads are primitive, electricity and clean water are scarce, and internet is a luxury. These settlements are often cut off from the outside world for weeks or months each year due to seasonal (deep snow), or temporary (flash floods) events. "Landline" telephone service, when it exists, is usually via HF radio. If you buy land there, the county makes you sign a document acknowledging that no water, sewer, or medical services are available, and police may take days to get to you. The kinds of places where even FedEx and UPS won't guarantee overnight delivery at any price. The place where I was last week was seven miles from the fringes of the nearest cell service. But it had pretty fast wifi, thanks to a fixed-microwave link on a single pole stuck 40 feet into the air. Every time a breeze came along, the pole would sway, the dish at the top would go out of alignment, and the connection would drop. This is why every time I see someone on HN spout about how "You always get an internet connection by hacking your neighbor's wifi connection" I shake my head. But it's nice to get out of the office every once in a while.
  - jessriedel 8y ago
    Thanks for the info!
  - ryanwaggoner 8y ago
    I want to hear more! Why are you doing this? Is this a side effect of your job or are you helping these communities? I’d be interested in doing this kind of work, either domestically or internationally.
    - reaperducer 8y ago
      Why are you doing this? Money. SV won't hire anyone my age... erm... with my level of experience. And the benefits are ridiculously good. Is this a side effect of your job or are you helping these communities? The company helps these communities. I just push buttons so the people who really do the good work can do that good work. I’d be interested in doing this kind of work, either domestically or internationally. There's a stereotype on HN that all companies exist to make money and that's all. It's simply not true. There are plenty of companies out there that exist to make lives better for other people. My advice is to find a commercial venture that does good things, and has been around for at least a decade. Avoid government and non-profit do-gooder organizations that may get de-funded on a whim. I'm not one of those "I'm going to change the world!" kind of people. If the money wasn't there, I wouldn't be there. But it's nice to overhear the stories of what's being done and how grateful people are to not be forgotten. It's only very rarely that I'm asked to pitch in on the front line, which I mostly find stressful because I'm not good with people. But there are rewarding scenes that stick in the memory and are not easily forgotten.
      - deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
      - influx 8y ago
        Do you have a blog? Would love to hear war stories :)
      - shkkmo 8y ago
        > There are plenty of companies out there that exist to make lives better for other people. My advice is to find a commercial venture that does good things, and has been around for at least a decade If you aren't willing to name the company you work for, do you have other companies you've run into like this that you would recommend people look at?
  - freedomben 8y ago
    I spent some time in Eagle Alaska and it was much like this. The nearest cell tower was 4 hours away. The only internet access was via satellite, and it was extremely slow, expensive, and latent. The only feasible way to get any work done was by mosh-ing into my DO droplet. You start to really miss music and podcasts. Such an adventure tho, would do it again in a heartbeat.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

I'm guessing based on context that "development work" means assistance work in developing countries, not software development :)

reaperducer 8y ago
I'm guessing based on context that "development work" means assistance work in developing countries, not software development :) It's actually web development, deployed on fogs (my name for localized temporary clouds) in very poor, very rural communities in the United States. It's the sorts of places where roads are primitive, electricity and clean water are scarce, and internet is a luxury. These settlements are often cut off from the outside world for weeks or months each year due to seasonal (deep snow), or temporary (flash floods) events. "Landline" telephone service, when it exists, is usually via HF radio. If you buy land there, the county makes you sign a document acknowledging that no water, sewer, or medical services are available, and police may take days to get to you. The kinds of places where even FedEx and UPS won't guarantee overnight delivery at any price. The place where I was last week was seven miles from the fringes of the nearest cell service. But it had pretty fast wifi, thanks to a fixed-microwave link on a single pole stuck 40 feet into the air. Every time a breeze came along, the pole would sway, the dish at the top would go out of alignment, and the connection would drop. This is why every time I see someone on HN spout about how "You always get an internet connection by hacking your neighbor's wifi connection" I shake my head. But it's nice to get out of the office every once in a while.
- jessriedel 8y ago
  Thanks for the info!
- ryanwaggoner 8y ago
  I want to hear more! Why are you doing this? Is this a side effect of your job or are you helping these communities? I’d be interested in doing this kind of work, either domestically or internationally.
  - reaperducer 8y ago
    Why are you doing this? Money. SV won't hire anyone my age... erm... with my level of experience. And the benefits are ridiculously good. Is this a side effect of your job or are you helping these communities? The company helps these communities. I just push buttons so the people who really do the good work can do that good work. I’d be interested in doing this kind of work, either domestically or internationally. There's a stereotype on HN that all companies exist to make money and that's all. It's simply not true. There are plenty of companies out there that exist to make lives better for other people. My advice is to find a commercial venture that does good things, and has been around for at least a decade. Avoid government and non-profit do-gooder organizations that may get de-funded on a whim. I'm not one of those "I'm going to change the world!" kind of people. If the money wasn't there, I wouldn't be there. But it's nice to overhear the stories of what's being done and how grateful people are to not be forgotten. It's only very rarely that I'm asked to pitch in on the front line, which I mostly find stressful because I'm not good with people. But there are rewarding scenes that stick in the memory and are not easily forgotten.
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
    - influx 8y ago
      Do you have a blog? Would love to hear war stories :)
    - shkkmo 8y ago
      > There are plenty of companies out there that exist to make lives better for other people. My advice is to find a commercial venture that does good things, and has been around for at least a decade If you aren't willing to name the company you work for, do you have other companies you've run into like this that you would recommend people look at?
- freedomben 8y ago
  I spent some time in Eagle Alaska and it was much like this. The nearest cell tower was 4 hours away. The only internet access was via satellite, and it was extremely slow, expensive, and latent. The only feasible way to get any work done was by mosh-ing into my DO droplet. You start to really miss music and podcasts. Such an adventure tho, would do it again in a heartbeat.

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]