5 ms·

Yes, I get that. I don't think I can describe how to replicate your process in an HN comment (I probably couldn't replicate it even if I wanted to, though I am

Yes, I get that. I don't think I can describe how to replicate your process in an HN comment (I probably couldn't replicate it even if I wanted to, though I am no stranger to DSP, film simulation and characterization, and I believe I am most of the way there). I care about this field and find myself working on the same problems, it's frustrating to know that I'm replicating work that's already been done (and done well!) because our economic system necessitates the use of artificial scarcity to extract value from information. The things I mentioned will get people close, or at the very least set them on the right track. Perhaps some of them will be inspired push the envelope and contribute their research back to the commons instead of guarding it in order to collect rent.

bawolff 4y ago
You can say that about literally everything for sale. Most software packages have a much lower value proposition than this one. Why use gmail when you can just run your own smtp server? Etc.
- komali2 4y ago
  That's correct, it seems the op was making at least an adjacent argument of critique of capitalism and how it affects people's access to information (or technology-as-information, such as "guide on how to get a filmic look when editing video"). I support people undercutting businesses in their marketing post comment sections with Free as in beer or freedom solutions to achieve whatever's being sold. I believe in the ethicality of Free as in Freedom software, for one thing, but also in general information freedom. I feel gross about knowledge hoarding. If you're a fan of capitalism, I think you should agree with me. Capitalist minded people can try to use Free software to extract labor for no cost (jokes on you, we extract your engineer's labor at cost to you when they get frustrated and start making commits at work), and Free software comes with other advantages. Furthermore, if you're investigating solutions to your business need to do filmic solutions, isn't it nice that there are hordes of us weirdos ready to help prevent you from spending money unnecessarily? If you're trying to sell filmic solutions, isn't it nice to be challenged on your business model publicly and specifically rather than scratch your head at poor sales with no idea how to add value? Sidenote I was reminded of this comedy video: https://youtu.be/9kaIXkImCAM https://youtu.be/9kaIXkImCAM "Interview with an FFMPEG Enthusiast"
  - bawolff 4y ago
    > Sidenote I was reminded of this comedy video: https://youtu.be/9kaIXkImCAM https://youtu.be/9kaIXkImCAM "Interview with an FFMPEG Enthusiast" As an aside this is one of the funniest videos i've seen in a while, and totally captures the open source ux experience (i say in a loving joking way)
- flkiwi 4y ago
  (I promise this is going to pay off to your point, because at first it won't sound like it.) I started fiddling with self-hosting around the time the pandemic started. I didn't try email, but I tried everything else, from cloud file storage to password management to home automation. I kept at it for a while. Then a docker image needed to be updated. An SSL cert wasn't autorenewing. Nextcloud was dog slow, though I could spend time tuning it. Now I still self-host a lot, but it's stuff that requires absolutely zero maintenance overhead. I admire people who are into self-hosting the whole stack, but it's not what I want to be doing. So I never moved off gmail, and I pay someone to host my cloud files. Life! (Now ask me how many hours I spent getting a tiling window manager into a usable state. The number is a lot, and I feel bad about it, but now I have SUPER POWERED PRODUCTIVITY.) /s obviously. But at least it's more like a really involved interior decorating project than reinventing power delivery to the home.
  - bawolff 4y ago
    To be clear, i dont think there is anything wrong with self-hosting. I've tried my hand at a few things now and then. It can be fun and a great learning experience. But its totally understandable why most people don't especially over the long term.
wilg 4y ago
> Perhaps some of them will be inspired push the envelope and contribute their research back to the commons instead of guarding it in order to collect rent. I swear to god, this website is so infuriating. If you would like to learn more about this topic you can look at Steve Yedlin’s discussion of the matter https://www.yedlin.net/index.html https://www.yedlin.net/index.html or look at some of the technical documents linked from our website.
- motoxpro 4y ago
  Don't you know? You should work for free and give it away for free and if it doesn't work the way I want you should fix it for free. But also I have a job at a company that sells software that also pays me and you should pay them for it, or at least visit the site so they can sell ads.
- version_five 4y ago
  > I swear to god, this website is so infuriating I posted elsewhere that I thought this would be cooler if it was open source. My comment fell flat and was modded down a lot, I felt a little bad about it. Now I see this and I'm glad I posted. You post an ad for your paid software, in Show HN, then you get upset when people point out open source alternatives and criticize you for your business model. OK
  - wilg 4y ago
    I’m not upset that someone points out open source alternatives! But I do think your don’t have a criticism of our business model, but business models in general, which is silly and off-topic.
    - qotgalaxy 4y ago
      [dead]
    - marcjuul 4y ago
      Is is, in fact, neither silly nor off-topic to discuss the politics, economics or ethics of the product being advertised. The fact that this makes you uncomfortable or annoyed is disturbing. As you well know there are plenty of different business models available that do not keep code secret and proprietary but even if it was a criticism of "business models in general" it still would be neither silly nor off-topic to discuss this in the comments. This reads like an attempt to silence discussion of perceived problems with our society and how they relate to innovation and software development in the context of your product and makes both you and your company look bad.
Exuma 4y ago
Or you just pay for someone else to do it better, like every good product on earth, and stop circle jerking about it.

bawolff 4y ago

You can say that about literally everything for sale. Most software packages have a much lower value proposition than this one. Why use gmail when you can just run your own smtp server? Etc.

komali2 4y ago
That's correct, it seems the op was making at least an adjacent argument of critique of capitalism and how it affects people's access to information (or technology-as-information, such as "guide on how to get a filmic look when editing video"). I support people undercutting businesses in their marketing post comment sections with Free as in beer or freedom solutions to achieve whatever's being sold. I believe in the ethicality of Free as in Freedom software, for one thing, but also in general information freedom. I feel gross about knowledge hoarding. If you're a fan of capitalism, I think you should agree with me. Capitalist minded people can try to use Free software to extract labor for no cost (jokes on you, we extract your engineer's labor at cost to you when they get frustrated and start making commits at work), and Free software comes with other advantages. Furthermore, if you're investigating solutions to your business need to do filmic solutions, isn't it nice that there are hordes of us weirdos ready to help prevent you from spending money unnecessarily? If you're trying to sell filmic solutions, isn't it nice to be challenged on your business model publicly and specifically rather than scratch your head at poor sales with no idea how to add value? Sidenote I was reminded of this comedy video: https://youtu.be/9kaIXkImCAM https://youtu.be/9kaIXkImCAM "Interview with an FFMPEG Enthusiast"
- bawolff 4y ago
  > Sidenote I was reminded of this comedy video: https://youtu.be/9kaIXkImCAM https://youtu.be/9kaIXkImCAM "Interview with an FFMPEG Enthusiast" As an aside this is one of the funniest videos i've seen in a while, and totally captures the open source ux experience (i say in a loving joking way)
flkiwi 4y ago
(I promise this is going to pay off to your point, because at first it won't sound like it.) I started fiddling with self-hosting around the time the pandemic started. I didn't try email, but I tried everything else, from cloud file storage to password management to home automation. I kept at it for a while. Then a docker image needed to be updated. An SSL cert wasn't autorenewing. Nextcloud was dog slow, though I could spend time tuning it. Now I still self-host a lot, but it's stuff that requires absolutely zero maintenance overhead. I admire people who are into self-hosting the whole stack, but it's not what I want to be doing. So I never moved off gmail, and I pay someone to host my cloud files. Life! (Now ask me how many hours I spent getting a tiling window manager into a usable state. The number is a lot, and I feel bad about it, but now I have SUPER POWERED PRODUCTIVITY.) /s obviously. But at least it's more like a really involved interior decorating project than reinventing power delivery to the home.
- bawolff 4y ago
  To be clear, i dont think there is anything wrong with self-hosting. I've tried my hand at a few things now and then. It can be fun and a great learning experience. But its totally understandable why most people don't especially over the long term.

wilg 4y ago

> Perhaps some of them will be inspired push the envelope and contribute their research back to the commons instead of guarding it in order to collect rent. I swear to god, this website is so infuriating. If you would like to learn more about this topic you can look at Steve Yedlin’s discussion of the matter https://www.yedlin.net/index.html https://www.yedlin.net/index.html or look at some of the technical documents linked from our website.

motoxpro 4y ago
Don't you know? You should work for free and give it away for free and if it doesn't work the way I want you should fix it for free. But also I have a job at a company that sells software that also pays me and you should pay them for it, or at least visit the site so they can sell ads.
version_five 4y ago
> I swear to god, this website is so infuriating I posted elsewhere that I thought this would be cooler if it was open source. My comment fell flat and was modded down a lot, I felt a little bad about it. Now I see this and I'm glad I posted. You post an ad for your paid software, in Show HN, then you get upset when people point out open source alternatives and criticize you for your business model. OK
- wilg 4y ago
  I’m not upset that someone points out open source alternatives! But I do think your don’t have a criticism of our business model, but business models in general, which is silly and off-topic.
  - qotgalaxy 4y ago
    [dead]
  - marcjuul 4y ago
    Is is, in fact, neither silly nor off-topic to discuss the politics, economics or ethics of the product being advertised. The fact that this makes you uncomfortable or annoyed is disturbing. As you well know there are plenty of different business models available that do not keep code secret and proprietary but even if it was a criticism of "business models in general" it still would be neither silly nor off-topic to discuss this in the comments. This reads like an attempt to silence discussion of perceived problems with our society and how they relate to innovation and software development in the context of your product and makes both you and your company look bad.

Exuma 4y ago

Or you just pay for someone else to do it better, like every good product on earth, and stop circle jerking about it.