4 ms·

I submit Fargo, ND for your consideration. We have oil money, cheap cost of living, and a decent tech community.

at-fates-hands 13y ago
I second this notion. I have several friends who have stayed there after graduating from NDSU to work as developers and engineers. If you make $50K/year you can easily live high on the hog. It also continues to keep a "small town" feel even though its grown a ton over the past ten years.
michaelochurch 13y ago
Do you think that: (a) Fargo's local government would be supportive of a technology Autonomy Fund, and... (b) it would be possible to get a critical mass of engineers to live there? Also, what's the gender balance? I'm married so I don't care, but I think we'd have the best odds in a town where it's at least 53:47 women.
- falcolas 13y ago
  RE: (b) For myself? Not a chance in hell. Sorry, I lived in Grand Forks for several years, and between the wind, extreme temperature differences, and flooding, you'd not be able to get me to live there. Sure, you could eventually offer enough money, but it wouldn't fit in this plan.
- mahyarm 13y ago
  How about Las Vegas? I've never been there but: 1) Cheap airfare, international destination 2) A Party Town, probably helps the gender balance in one aspect, people would like to visit you. 3) No Income Tax 4) Still close to the SF Bay Area 5) Never cold, barely rains (good or bad depending on your preferences) 6) Really cheap real estate. Buy a townhouse for under $100k! 7) Many tech conventions are hosted there 8) Driving from one corner to another takes only 30 minutes according to google maps.
  - michaelochurch 13y ago
    Here's where I'm attempting to continue the discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5578195 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5578195 If we could set up Autonomy Funds we could reshape this industry.
- rdouble 13y ago
  a) There might already be something like that. A local guy sold Great Plains to MS years ago for over a billion dollars, and has done a lot to renovate the downtown area and has a local venture fund. b) impossible
  - michaelochurch 13y ago
    This discussion is shaping up in the other thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5578195 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5578195 . Also, I've been discussing it with other people for the past 48 hours. Austin is getting a lot of recommendation. I feel like #4-10 tech hubs are probably better targets than nonentities, but we'll see. As I think about it, I don't want the governments footing the bill. I'd prefer to have at least 50% private investment (1:! matching?) as long as it's willing to stay passive enough not to interfere with engineer autonomy. Furthermore, over the long term, I'd want the ability of engineers to buy into the fund.
michaelochurch 13y ago
If you're interested in this discussion (autonomy funds) I started it here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5578195 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5578195
mml 13y ago
I would say SD would be friendlier. They actively advertise in the Minneapolis area boasting of their business friendly government. They'd completely go for something like this, but then, nobody'd want to live anywhere in SD. Ever.

I second this notion. I have several friends who have stayed there after graduating from NDSU to work as developers and engineers. If you make $50K/year you can easily live high on the hog. It also continues to keep a "small town" feel even though its grown a ton over the past ten years.

michaelochurch 13y ago

Do you think that: (a) Fargo's local government would be supportive of a technology Autonomy Fund, and... (b) it would be possible to get a critical mass of engineers to live there? Also, what's the gender balance? I'm married so I don't care, but I think we'd have the best odds in a town where it's at least 53:47 women.

falcolas 13y ago
RE: (b) For myself? Not a chance in hell. Sorry, I lived in Grand Forks for several years, and between the wind, extreme temperature differences, and flooding, you'd not be able to get me to live there. Sure, you could eventually offer enough money, but it wouldn't fit in this plan.
mahyarm 13y ago
How about Las Vegas? I've never been there but: 1) Cheap airfare, international destination 2) A Party Town, probably helps the gender balance in one aspect, people would like to visit you. 3) No Income Tax 4) Still close to the SF Bay Area 5) Never cold, barely rains (good or bad depending on your preferences) 6) Really cheap real estate. Buy a townhouse for under $100k! 7) Many tech conventions are hosted there 8) Driving from one corner to another takes only 30 minutes according to google maps.
- michaelochurch 13y ago
  Here's where I'm attempting to continue the discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5578195 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5578195 If we could set up Autonomy Funds we could reshape this industry.
rdouble 13y ago
a) There might already be something like that. A local guy sold Great Plains to MS years ago for over a billion dollars, and has done a lot to renovate the downtown area and has a local venture fund. b) impossible
- michaelochurch 13y ago
  This discussion is shaping up in the other thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5578195 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5578195 . Also, I've been discussing it with other people for the past 48 hours. Austin is getting a lot of recommendation. I feel like #4-10 tech hubs are probably better targets than nonentities, but we'll see. As I think about it, I don't want the governments footing the bill. I'd prefer to have at least 50% private investment (1:! matching?) as long as it's willing to stay passive enough not to interfere with engineer autonomy. Furthermore, over the long term, I'd want the ability of engineers to buy into the fund.

michaelochurch 13y ago

If you're interested in this discussion (autonomy funds) I started it here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5578195 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5578195

mml 13y ago

I would say SD would be friendlier. They actively advertise in the Minneapolis area boasting of their business friendly government. They'd completely go for something like this, but then, nobody'd want to live anywhere in SD. Ever.