Could you please qualify your statement with an example.

In his essay, He has already mentioned that he considers Microwaves, TV's, ATM's as utilities and has no qualms,

>"if updating software is not a normal part of use of the device, then it is not a computer.",

So, it derives that he is OK with flying on planes (which has proprietary software but is not prone to updates like your PC software is) or maybe an MRI machine or an Xray machine of the sorts for your life threatening scenario you mentioned. These are utilities.

That seems like a really flimsy distinction. I would've assumed the software on planes and MRI machines gets updated.

For that matter, I don't really consider updating my iPhone "normal use" though I'm pretty sure it doesn't get an exception given his remarks about "iThings".

Do you consider updating the apps installed on your iPhone to be a part of "normal use"?

That happens automatically, so don't think much about it. Back when you had to do it manually, I almost never did.

Now, I don't consider updates to be abnormal, but neither is it something I'd ever list in response to "how do you normally use your phone?"

Or my kindle. I update the software on that far less frequently.

So, software upgrades are such a normal part of the day-to-day operation of an iPhone that they happen automatically.

Thus, the iPhone is very much a computer.

Contrast this with -say- most computer monitors. There is software running in them, but -in (almost?) every case- upgrading that software requires either gaining access to programming ports inside the monitor and performing an arcane ritual that might involve specialized hardware or physically swapping out chips.

The bigger issue for planes and MRI machines is that they're not his devices, and are not being set up specifically for him.

Sounds like a pitch to fill open positions at YC funded companies. Nothing wrong with it, just the verbiage of the post -- "surprising hack". It is a hack which feels like Sam just thought up of or made it up. Because otherwise, there is no need to correlate working for YC as a hack to get into YC.

There were other "surprising hacks" always mentioned here, have a solid product with good group, have a product which makes money, get a recommendation from other YC alumni etc.

This, this just sounds like, "hey, we want you to work for our companies. In case you ever want to start one, we will look at your app favorably then."

I believe the title is a joke on the spammy ads on various websites: "One (surprising|weird|clever) (trick|secret) to ${common_desire}".

please put a disclaimer about quora's log in requirement shenanigans. I "signed" up using one of my gmail acct, not sure if my contacts got spammed and ended up never seeing the actual post because the pop up never closed.

Web Inspector is your friend. Just delete the div id=_modal_signup_wrapper and the overlay is gone.

If you add ?share=1 to the URL, it won't have a sign-up requirement.

I support this notion. I dont think there is any current organization which deals with patent rights + free internet etc. There is EFF but no one takes it seriously. EFF is such a joke that Google autocomplete doesnt even find it even if you type EFF!

Patents stuff is too confusing for me, but the concept of ad space on popular websites to spread the voice of Joel/Internet would be awesome. I think Reddit will participate because they have been pretty devoted so far, definitely not Facebook though. I dont think they want any of this drama..... asusal.

Have you tried using the wiki link to identify them?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:CongressLookup?zip=6018...

I know my reps... just noting this here so if the site coders need some info to debug this problem for others.

It takes us to a site hosted by google.

Reddit site has started implementing their protest. It is redirecting.

Is google allowed to display its own ads in iphone? Just curious since I thought apple had some restrictions about them. I am honestly curious, I dont know a whole lot about this subject.

I hadn't considered that - but Twitter shows ads in Twitter, and since this is a web view - maybe?

Lots of iOS apps especially free apps have ads. Many are using Google ads network.

I own an Android phone and I have a Hacker news App made by Ronnie Roller which is ad free.

Is this news-yc Iphone app in anyways different from the one I have installed as far as the features go? Just curious...

Also the ronnieroller Android app gets installed in phone harddrive instead of sdcard. Though it only takes uo 200KB, I cant move it for some reason, I dont really like that. There are other apps for HN on android market which I need to check.