5 ms·

I agree. This is why I'll be dressed more like a businessman than a nerd, like the last time: https://plus.google.com/113164038788726940319/posts/ab9eFgmovJ1 ht

I agree. This is why I'll be dressed more like a businessman than a nerd, like the last time: https://plus.google.com/113164038788726940319/posts/ab9eFgmovJ1 https://plus.google.com/113164038788726940319/posts/ab9eFgmo...

zemo 15y ago
on Bloomberg you called us [tech nerds] job creators, and said "more government isn't the solution". Please, for the love of god, run for office.
- abstractbill 15y ago
  Please, for the love of god, run for office. He could. Alexis is one of the few people I've met and within minutes thought "oh, so this is what charisma looks like" (and as pg has observed, charisma is ultimately what gets people elected).
  - kn0thing 15y ago
    LOL. Thanks. But I'm 100% unelectable.
    - Raphael 15y ago
      Awww. ;_;
    - niels_olson 15y ago
      Why? I'm confused. You'd win the internet vote in a landslide.
      - zerostar07 15y ago
        Teens don t vote
    - redthrowaway 15y ago
      Wait, on that point (less government, not running for office), you might want to hammer on why tech entrepreneurs believe that. Say something like: "We look at a problem like piracy and we don't see the need for more government, we see the opportunity for more business. In the 90s and early 2000s, the music industry was being hammered by things like Napster. Now, they're finally starting to get past piracy. But it wasn't Government that saved them, it was iTunes. It was Spotify and rdio and a bunch of smart entrepreneurs finding better ways to get content to consumers. iTunes didn't beat Napster and its successors because of the Government, and it certainly didn't beat them because it was cheaper. It beat them because it was better. That's what we tech entrepreneurs strive to do: fix problems. Companies like Netflix are trying to solve movie piracy by getting consumers the content they want, how they want it. They're not there yet, but there's massive opportunity awaiting whoever finds the solution. SOPA won't get us closer to the solution; it will take us further away. It won't stop piracy, but it will stop innovation. It will bury entrepreneurs like myself under a cloud of uncertainty and legal costs. Right now, sitting in a class at Stanford or MIT, there's a nerd who will figure out a way to solve piracy and get filthy rich and create thousands of jobs in the process. Don't stop him; get out of his way and let him do what government can't."
      - kn0thing 15y ago
        Awesomesauce. Thanks. Good points here that echoed stuff I've already got in this testimony but with punch.
invalidOrTaken 15y ago
Would you consider open-sourcing the preparation of your address? You'd still retain full control of what you actually say (how would anyone stop you?) but you could potentially have a lot of very sharp researchers/designers/copywriters (hilariously enough, I suspect pure programming skills would be the least useful here) going over every inch of it and providing statistics, infographics, drawings, suggestions, etc. Between HN and /r/SOPA, it could very well be helpful.
- niels_olson 15y ago
  Well, since he can do whatever he wants, why not just see if the internets can do it for him regardless? https://www.stypi.com/niels/kn0thingComments https://www.stypi.com/niels/kn0thingComments update after 30 minutes: 12 people have visited to stare and possibly replay my one abandoned attempt. No one has done anything. Anyone care to help?
- kn0thing 15y ago
  I tried this with a Google doc on /r/technology before my last trip to DC and it failed miserably, but I'd love to try again. http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/meg8w/im_hoping_to_testify_before_congress_on_thursday/ http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/meg8w/im_hoping_...
  - pvarangot 15y ago
    I know your personal convictions in crowdsourcing this kind of stuff may be completely opposed to my recommendations... but please consider contacting specialists who you may know by their contribution to social sites instead of relying on crowdsourcing. It's my belief that the true power of online social communities rely on the kind of people that wouldn't interact with each other if it not where because of the internet. I particularly think that for example tptacek or trotsky (the HN user, however she/he has himself called as in meatspace eludes me) would be interesting people, where I in your position, to discuss this with at least briefly. I myself have certain first hand experience with internet protocols, information security, and left leaning politics, and my arguments would look like crayon written babbling compared to what they may come up with in a discussion about SOPA.
chunkyslink 15y ago
Dude, you look like a Nerd dressed as a businessman. All good tho'.
- nextparadigms 15y ago
  I have to agree. He should try to smile less, and look more serious. It's serious stuff we're talking about after all. You won't see Lamar Smith look that happy.
chernevik 15y ago
That look doesn't work any better than would Mitt Romney in a hoodie. You don't look comfortable in your own clothes.

zemo 15y ago

on Bloomberg you called us [tech nerds] job creators, and said "more government isn't the solution". Please, for the love of god, run for office.

abstractbill 15y ago
Please, for the love of god, run for office. He could. Alexis is one of the few people I've met and within minutes thought "oh, so this is what charisma looks like" (and as pg has observed, charisma is ultimately what gets people elected).
- kn0thing 15y ago
  LOL. Thanks. But I'm 100% unelectable.
  - Raphael 15y ago
    Awww. ;_;
  - niels_olson 15y ago
    Why? I'm confused. You'd win the internet vote in a landslide.
    - zerostar07 15y ago
      Teens don t vote
  - redthrowaway 15y ago
    Wait, on that point (less government, not running for office), you might want to hammer on why tech entrepreneurs believe that. Say something like: "We look at a problem like piracy and we don't see the need for more government, we see the opportunity for more business. In the 90s and early 2000s, the music industry was being hammered by things like Napster. Now, they're finally starting to get past piracy. But it wasn't Government that saved them, it was iTunes. It was Spotify and rdio and a bunch of smart entrepreneurs finding better ways to get content to consumers. iTunes didn't beat Napster and its successors because of the Government, and it certainly didn't beat them because it was cheaper. It beat them because it was better. That's what we tech entrepreneurs strive to do: fix problems. Companies like Netflix are trying to solve movie piracy by getting consumers the content they want, how they want it. They're not there yet, but there's massive opportunity awaiting whoever finds the solution. SOPA won't get us closer to the solution; it will take us further away. It won't stop piracy, but it will stop innovation. It will bury entrepreneurs like myself under a cloud of uncertainty and legal costs. Right now, sitting in a class at Stanford or MIT, there's a nerd who will figure out a way to solve piracy and get filthy rich and create thousands of jobs in the process. Don't stop him; get out of his way and let him do what government can't."
    - kn0thing 15y ago
      Awesomesauce. Thanks. Good points here that echoed stuff I've already got in this testimony but with punch.

invalidOrTaken 15y ago

Would you consider open-sourcing the preparation of your address? You'd still retain full control of what you actually say (how would anyone stop you?) but you could potentially have a lot of very sharp researchers/designers/copywriters (hilariously enough, I suspect pure programming skills would be the least useful here) going over every inch of it and providing statistics, infographics, drawings, suggestions, etc. Between HN and /r/SOPA, it could very well be helpful.

niels_olson 15y ago
Well, since he can do whatever he wants, why not just see if the internets can do it for him regardless? https://www.stypi.com/niels/kn0thingComments https://www.stypi.com/niels/kn0thingComments update after 30 minutes: 12 people have visited to stare and possibly replay my one abandoned attempt. No one has done anything. Anyone care to help?
kn0thing 15y ago
I tried this with a Google doc on /r/technology before my last trip to DC and it failed miserably, but I'd love to try again. http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/meg8w/im_hoping_to_testify_before_congress_on_thursday/ http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/meg8w/im_hoping_...
- pvarangot 15y ago
  I know your personal convictions in crowdsourcing this kind of stuff may be completely opposed to my recommendations... but please consider contacting specialists who you may know by their contribution to social sites instead of relying on crowdsourcing. It's my belief that the true power of online social communities rely on the kind of people that wouldn't interact with each other if it not where because of the internet. I particularly think that for example tptacek or trotsky (the HN user, however she/he has himself called as in meatspace eludes me) would be interesting people, where I in your position, to discuss this with at least briefly. I myself have certain first hand experience with internet protocols, information security, and left leaning politics, and my arguments would look like crayon written babbling compared to what they may come up with in a discussion about SOPA.

chunkyslink 15y ago

Dude, you look like a Nerd dressed as a businessman. All good tho'.

nextparadigms 15y ago
I have to agree. He should try to smile less, and look more serious. It's serious stuff we're talking about after all. You won't see Lamar Smith look that happy.

chernevik 15y ago

That look doesn't work any better than would Mitt Romney in a hoodie. You don't look comfortable in your own clothes.