SearchYC.com

As someone whos only significant experience is in PHP and Python, I hope I can be of some help. I started with PHP when was 13 or so. When I was about 18, I discovered Python, and haven't looked back since.

PHP is designed primarily as a web language. As such, it's pretty simple to get it up and running which is great for new web developers. The language itself, however, is pretty bad and programming concepts beyond syntax are better left to other languages. That said, I learned a lot with PHP and I think that dealing with it's idiosyncrasies and pitfalls has made me a better programmer overall.

Python, OTOH, is a general-purpose language that has recently gained popularity as a web language. It has greater applicability, but it's a little more difficult to get up and running on a web server. It's great for a new programmer, but not necessarily a new web developer. Since you already have a bunch of experience developing web apps, this is probably a non-issue.

We can debate advantages and disadvantages of the two languages all day. In the end, everyone is different and everyone has their own preferred language. Obviously, my language of choice is Python, Paul Graham is a LISPer, and I know someone who swears by PHP, even though he's used Python and Ruby/Rails. It doesn't matter. I say go ahead and give Python a shot. The worst that will happen is that you've added another tool to your toolbox.

I've been wanting to learn C for quite a while now, and I went to my local Borders this evening with the intent of finally picking up a copy of K&R. When I arrived, I found myself thwarted -- there was not a copy on the shelf nor in the back.

So instead I grabbed pg's ANSI Common Lisp (I actually debated between that and Practical Common Lisp, but large pages of text with few line breaks make my brain hurt).

So what's the best way to work through this book? Is there anything I should keep in mind as I delve into functional programming for the first time? I'm not necessarily looking for specific tips on this book, just some pointers on learning lisp in general.

I want to nominate HN for Best Time Sink.

"Take Down Obligations: What Google Can Do To Hosted App Engine Web Sites"

That's seems reasonable to me. If I violate their TOS or in any way act immoral, they have the right to ask me to remove my content from their server. If I refuse to do so, it's completely within their rights to take it down themselves.

"Non-Performance Clause: How Google Puts All Risk and Liability on App Engine “Customers”"

AKA, you're responsible for your data. If something goes wrong and a commit fails, Google isn't responsible, just like if a MySQL query fails, you don't lay the blame on Sun. Again, this sounds pretty reasonable.

"Personal Data Capture Machine: How Google Usurps Private Consumer Information"

In the interest of full disclosure to my customers, I'd be more than willing to say "We use the Google Apps Engine!"

This article seems like one big mess of FUD. Google is providing some cool services at no cost. You don't like it? Go somewhere else.

"I'm going to live forever or die trying."

The best answer you will ever recieve on this question is, "it depends" -- no one can make the right choice for you.

It depends on what your experience you have. If you know Python, use Django. If you know Ruby, use Rails. I know Python, so I use Django. Since you have no experience with either, this one is moot.

It depends on what you're building. A lot of people on the net seem to take the position of "Django is good for content publishing sites, and Rails is good for web apps", but that has more to do with the applications the two frameworks were derived from than the frameworks capabilities. Realistically, anything you can build in Rails you can build in Django, and vice-versa.

Personally, I love Django. It lets me develop quickly and I know how to deploy it properly. I tried setting up Rails no more then three days ago (on Ubuntu), and it wasn't as much fun. I had issues installing the correct version of Ruby, and then Gems didn't want to work.

As for you, I'd recommend spending a few days with each framework. Get them both installed and just tinker around. Build a quick CRUD app. After that, you'll have a pretty good idea of which one suits you (and your needs) better

This is so extremely old and unworthy of Hacker News.

We need a down arrow.

Hello,

I'm a 20 year-old web developer with a wife and a baby on the way. I have an interview at a startup on Monday, Dec 17, and have a few questions for the startup community.

First, the position is for a PHP developer. While I started out in PHP and worked in it for several years, I haven't touched it since March when I switched to Python, and I've grown a bit rusty. Can you recommend any specific area that I should brush up on?

Secondly, what sort of questions should I expect to be thrown at me? I'm not really expecting too much about programming in general, as they're going to have me write some code, but what other kinds of questions might I get asked?

Finally, what questions should I throw back at them? I've read that interviews are just as much for the potential employee as the company, and there's the obvious asking about salary, benefits, programming environment, desktop setup... But is there anything I should make sure to ask?

A bit about the company: "Galaxy IT, Inc. is working on a web application that will take your current addiction of wasting time online, and your real-world need to get things done, and make it possible for you to do both at once."

Their website is http://www.galaxyit.com

I apologize for the short time-frame between this post and my interview date. They asked me to interview on Tuesday, and since then I've frantically been trying to get things prepared. I only just now thought about asking news.YC. If you can't tell, I'm quite nervous about the interview. What they're working on sounds really neat, and the pay is much more than I'm making now (and with the baby coming, it'll really help). I really want to make a good impression on them.

Thank you.

One expects Opera did this largely as a publicity stunt.

I think they were testing the waters to see how Apple would react to a larger and much better-known company putting a competing product into the app store. Unsurprisingly, Apple did the same thing they've always done.

You're going to be the one geek in the room with the Android phone and the Nomad MP3 player, you know. =)

That fine, as long as I have the choice to be that geek. That's what attracts me (and other geeks, I'm sure) to Android the most: I have choices. If I don't like the default media player, I can install another one (or, barring that, write my own) without fear that the Almighty Apple will lay the smackdown.

President Elect Obama. He's been elected president, but he won't be president until January.