Stories with Tag clock

• Show HN: I made a site to tell the time in corporate

  permalink

  Posted: 2025-02-24 17:33:56

  Verbose tl;dr

  Corporate.watch is a simple website that humorously reimagines the current time using corporate jargon. Instead of traditional numerical time, it displays phrases like "End of Q1 Business Alignment Sync" or "Ideation Brainstorm Touchpoint" to represent different times of day, satirizing the often-opaque language used in corporate settings. The site offers a quick, amusing way to check the time while poking fun at corporate culture.

  A novel digital timepiece, accessible via the concisely named website "corporate.watch," has been introduced to the world. This unconventional chronometer eschews the traditional numerical representation of time, opting instead for a textual depiction of the current hour within the framework of a typical corporate workday. The displayed time reflects not the precise minute and second, but rather a generalized, rounded-off indication of the current working hour. This approach can be interpreted as a satirical commentary on the often rigid and compartmentalized nature of corporate schedules, where individual minutes hold less significance than the broader context of the work hour block. The website's stark and minimalist design, featuring plain black text on a white background, further emphasizes the austere and functional nature of corporate life. It presents a simplified, almost reductive view of time, echoing the way time is often perceived within a corporate setting – as a series of scheduled blocks rather than a continuous flow. In essence, corporate.watch provides not merely the time, but a subtly humorous reflection on the corporate experience of time itself.

  • time
  • corporate jargon
  • corporate humor
  • Satire
  • web application
  • productivity
  • Humor
  • clock
  • time zones
  • Business
  • meeting scheduler

  Summary of Comments ( 79 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43162340

  Verbose tl;dr

  Hacker News users generally found the "corporate time" website humorous and relatable, appreciating the satire of corporate jargon. Several commenters shared their own experiences with similar time-wasting practices in corporate environments, including pointless meetings and obfuscated communication. Some found the specific examples on the site, like "circling back" and "bandwidth," particularly resonant. While some debated the effectiveness of the humor, the prevailing sentiment was amusement and recognition of the absurdities of corporate culture. A few commenters suggested improvements to the site, such as adding more phrases or making it interactive.

  The Hacker News post titled "Show HN: I made a site to tell the time in corporate" generated a moderate number of comments, mostly focusing on the humor and occasional real-world applicability of translating standard time into vague corporate jargon. Several commenters appreciated the satire of corporate communication, highlighting the ambiguity and often meaningless nature of phrases like "end of day," "close of play," and "touching base."

  A few commenters offered suggestions for improvement or expansion of the site. One suggestion involved incorporating different "corporate dialects," recognizing that jargon can vary between industries and even individual companies. Another commenter proposed adding a feature to translate corporate-speak back into standard time, which could be helpful for those new to a corporate environment. The idea of a browser extension was also floated, allowing for quick access to the "corporate time" regardless of the website being viewed.

  Some commenters shared personal anecdotes relating to the topic, recalling instances where vague time references caused confusion or frustration. One commenter even mentioned a similar internal tool used within their own company, indicating that the concept, while humorous, might have practical applications in specific contexts.

  While many appreciated the humor, a few commenters found the concept somewhat limited or niche. However, even those less impressed acknowledged the cleverness of the idea.

  The most compelling comments were those that extended the concept beyond a simple joke and explored the potential implications of such a tool. The suggestions for different dialects, reverse translation, and a browser extension demonstrated the potential for the site to become more than just a novelty. Similarly, the anecdotes shared by commenters underscored the real-world scenarios where misinterpretations of corporate jargon can occur, highlighting a potential practical use for the tool. Overall, the comments section revealed an appreciation for the satirical nature of the project while also sparking a discussion about the complexities and occasional absurdities of corporate communication.

• Thoughts on Daylight Computer

  permalink

  Posted: 2025-02-19 03:41:48

  Verbose tl;dr

  Jon Blow reflects on the concept of a "daylight computer," a system designed for focused work during daylight hours. He argues against the always-on, notification-driven nature of modern computing, proposing a machine that prioritizes deep work and mindful engagement. This involves limiting distractions, emphasizing local data storage, and potentially even restricting network access. The goal is to reclaim a sense of control and presence, fostering a healthier relationship with technology by aligning its use with natural rhythms and promoting focused thought over constant connectivity.

  Jon Gjengset, in his blog post titled "Thoughts on Daylight Computer – 1," embarks on an extensive exploration of the concept of a "Daylight Computer," a theoretical computing paradigm envisioned as being radically different from current computational models. He posits that contemporary computing, characterized by persistent state and the Von Neumann architecture, inherently introduces complexities that hinder both performance and our fundamental understanding of computation itself. The Daylight Computer, as Gjengset conceptualizes it, seeks to circumvent these complexities by eschewing persistent state altogether.

  Instead of relying on stored state, the Daylight Computer would operate solely on inputs and outputs, akin to a pure function. Each computation would begin anew, devoid of any pre-existing state, processing input data and generating an output in a self-contained manner. This stateless nature, Gjengset argues, promises significant advantages. Eliminating persistent state simplifies reasoning about program behavior, potentially leading to more predictable and easier-to-debug systems. Furthermore, by removing the bottleneck of state management, this paradigm could unlock substantial performance gains, particularly in highly parallel or distributed computing environments.

  Gjengset acknowledges that such a paradigm shift presents formidable challenges. He delves into the complexities of data representation within a stateless environment, pondering how data persistence – a crucial element of any practical computing system – could be achieved without contradicting the core principles of the Daylight Computer. He proposes the idea of data being represented as "paths" or "flows," envisioning a system where data is constantly in motion, continuously being processed and transformed rather than being stored statically.

  He further contemplates the implications for programming languages and development tools within this novel computational landscape. Existing programming paradigms, heavily reliant on state manipulation, would be rendered obsolete. New languages and development methodologies, tailored to the stateless nature of the Daylight Computer, would need to be conceived.

  Gjengset concludes by emphasizing that the Daylight Computer remains largely a theoretical exploration. He acknowledges the significant hurdles involved in its practical realization but stresses the importance of exploring alternative computational paradigms to overcome the inherent limitations of current computing models. The post serves as an initial foray into this thought-provoking concept, setting the stage for future discussions and investigations into the potential of stateless computing. He anticipates exploring specific implementation details and addressing the numerous open questions surrounding the Daylight Computer in subsequent posts.

  • daylight saving time
  • DST
  • computer time
  • Timekeeping
  • Operating Systems
  • Software Development
  • human-computer interaction
  • HCI
  • user experience
  • UX
  • TimeZone
  • clock
  • calendar
  • productivity
  • Software Design

  Summary of Comments ( 94 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43098318

  Verbose tl;dr

  Hacker News users largely praised the Daylight Computer project for its ambition and innovative approach to personal computing. Several commenters appreciated the focus on local-first software and the potential for increased privacy and control over data. Some expressed skepticism about the project's feasibility and the challenges of building a sustainable ecosystem around a niche operating system. Others debated the merits of the chosen hardware and software stack, suggesting alternatives like RISC-V and questioning the reliance on Electron. A few users shared their personal experiences with similar projects and offered practical advice on development and community building. Overall, the discussion reflected a cautious optimism about the project's potential, tempered by a realistic understanding of the difficulties involved in disrupting the established computing landscape.

  The Hacker News post titled "Thoughts on Daylight Computer" generated a fair amount of discussion, with several commenters engaging with the concept of a "daylight computer," as proposed in the linked blog post.

  One of the most compelling threads revolved around the practicality and efficiency of relying on daylight for computation. Some commenters questioned the reliability of such a system, pointing out the variability of daylight hours and weather conditions. They argued that a consistently available power source, such as grid electricity or even solar panels with battery storage, would be much more practical for most computational tasks. Others countered this by suggesting that the daylight computer concept could be useful in specific niche applications, such as off-grid scientific data collection in remote, sunny locations, or even as an educational tool to demonstrate basic computing principles. The discussion delved into the potential trade-offs between the environmental benefits of using daylight and the limitations imposed by its intermittency.

  Another interesting point raised was the potential impact on the design of algorithms and software. Commenters discussed the need to develop software that can gracefully handle interruptions in power supply, and algorithms that can adapt to varying levels of available computational resources. This led to a discussion about the possibility of using daylight computers for tasks that are not time-sensitive, allowing computations to be paused and resumed as daylight permits.

  Several commenters also focused on the technical details of the proposed implementation. There were questions about the efficiency of concentrating daylight, the types of sensors that could be used to detect light levels, and the overall energy consumption of the system. Some commenters also suggested alternative approaches to harnessing daylight for computation, such as using photovoltaic cells to generate electricity instead of directly using concentrated light.

  Finally, some commenters expressed appreciation for the author's creativity and the thought-provoking nature of the daylight computer concept. They saw it less as a practical solution for everyday computing and more as an interesting exploration of alternative approaches to computation and a reminder of the limitations of relying solely on conventional energy sources. The discussion also touched upon the philosophical implications of aligning computational processes with natural cycles.