4 ms·

This was certainly my own motivation. Contributing something to our collective knowledge was the goal. The value of that in my eyes was worth the time. On a sl

by tensor 13y ago

This was certainly my own motivation. Contributing something to our collective knowledge was the goal. The value of that in my eyes was worth the time. On a slightly different topic, why is HN so obsessed with PhDs? PhDs represent a very small fraction of the population, and they are not particularly vocal either. Yet you see article after article here about PhDs, the majority of the comments being negative or hostile.

VLM 13y ago
"PhDs represent a very small fraction of the population" In the general population. Which is not HN. (edited to correct "potential PHD program candidates" not actual holders) The ratios are probably about the same... maybe 1 in 10 chance of success if you go academic, maybe 1 in 10 chance of success if you go startup route, roughly the same odds from roughly the same population. WRT "the majority of the comments being negative or hostile" From the linked article: "I went looking and found nothing in the last 10 years. In fact, I ended up reading several articles warning students against graduate work" So that is an aspect where the HN population does match the general population.
cossatot 13y ago
I think it's the status; there are a fair amount of people on HN who have PhDs (I have no idea what the actual fraction is; ~5-10%?) and a lot more equally smart people who don't have one. And some (surely small) fraction of those people either have their own insecurities, or feel badgered by PhDs (like michaelochurch below, who I am glad explained his negativity). But it saddens me a bit, because getting a PhD really can be a wonderful and valuable thing.
- mjn 13y ago
  HN's local PhD-holders are interesting examples of how having a PhD doesn't really mean you have to do any specific thing (or pursue an academic career). When I was doing a little research on the most prolific HN posters [1], I found 3 of the top 20 have a PhD, and none are in academia: Paul Graham runs YCombinator, John Graham-Cumming is a programmer and author, and Colin Wright works in maritime technology (while also giving mathematics talks to students on the side). Another only-slightly-less-prolific poster is Colin Percival, who runs a one-man technology business (Tarsnap). [1] http://www.kmjn.org/notes/hacker_news_posters.html http://www.kmjn.org/notes/hacker_news_posters.html

by tensor 13y ago

VLM 13y ago

"PhDs represent a very small fraction of the population" In the general population. Which is not HN. (edited to correct "potential PHD program candidates" not actual holders) The ratios are probably about the same... maybe 1 in 10 chance of success if you go academic, maybe 1 in 10 chance of success if you go startup route, roughly the same odds from roughly the same population. WRT "the majority of the comments being negative or hostile" From the linked article: "I went looking and found nothing in the last 10 years. In fact, I ended up reading several articles warning students against graduate work" So that is an aspect where the HN population does match the general population.

cossatot 13y ago

I think it's the status; there are a fair amount of people on HN who have PhDs (I have no idea what the actual fraction is; ~5-10%?) and a lot more equally smart people who don't have one. And some (surely small) fraction of those people either have their own insecurities, or feel badgered by PhDs (like michaelochurch below, who I am glad explained his negativity). But it saddens me a bit, because getting a PhD really can be a wonderful and valuable thing.

mjn 13y ago
HN's local PhD-holders are interesting examples of how having a PhD doesn't really mean you have to do any specific thing (or pursue an academic career). When I was doing a little research on the most prolific HN posters [1], I found 3 of the top 20 have a PhD, and none are in academia: Paul Graham runs YCombinator, John Graham-Cumming is a programmer and author, and Colin Wright works in maritime technology (while also giving mathematics talks to students on the side). Another only-slightly-less-prolific poster is Colin Percival, who runs a one-man technology business (Tarsnap). [1] http://www.kmjn.org/notes/hacker_news_posters.html http://www.kmjn.org/notes/hacker_news_posters.html