blindprogrammer

Recently, Apple has been trying to strengthen its services sector as its hardware business slows down. So, why hasn’t Apple bought Adobe yet?

Acquiring Adobe would eliminate one of the most notorious rent-seekers in the industry and make Apple’s service offerings even stronger. Apple can be annoying at times, but when it comes to subscriptions, they’re the complete opposite of Adobe.

Do investors despise game development companies, and do you have to go solo? If so, I would have expected to see at least one on Show HN. Or maybe I missed it—definitely not as popular as other apps.

Also, why haven’t LLM wrappers penetrated this sector? Is it because OpenAI and other “parasites” haven’t had the opportunity to access source code to build their wholesale theft, so they don’t have the code to instruct you to build games? Or maybe there are a lot, and I just missed them.

Apparently, this company has the sole right to issue ISBNs; no other company in the USA is legally allowed to do so. This is highly unusual, since it is a for-profit corporation, not a government agency. So I must be missing something—why is this possible?

Imagine if the government required car license plates, but instead of issuing them itself or through its affiliates, there was a parasitic middleman that the government required you to buy from. I know ICANN is somewhat similar, but ICANN is effectively a child of a U.S. defense agency, so it makes sense—and you can buy domains from multiple companies.

Why isn’t ISBN funded and run by a government agency, like the U.S. Trademark Office?

I’m trying to get in touch with the developer of (Modern for Hacker News), link: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/modern-for-hacker-news/dabkegjlekdcmefifaolmdhnhdcplklo?hl=en

. If that’s you, please reach out—I’d like to hire you!

If not, I’m still looking for an experienced Chrome extension developer. Only HN users whose accounts are 7+ years old need apply.

Please comment or DM if you fit the criteria.

Thanks!

I have a small development company that I recently started. My strengths are Java, Python, and Swift, but I am weak in JavaScript due to the disorganized nature of the language. Because of this, I want to avoid vibe coders and AI-heavy programmers, since I can handle most tasks myself using APIs.

I am looking for someone who has been a working programmer prior to 2015 and has a substantial portfolio, such as multiple projects on GitHub or their own professional website. I am willing to pay fairly for the right person.

If you fit this description, I want to hire you on a contract basis as my JavaScript specialist. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions on how to find someone like this?

To close the loop on the last missing piece in the iPhone—making it a fully integrated end-to-end communication and media device—Apple buying Verizon would be a game-changer, especially since trust in federal oversight is largely eroded nowadays.

Apple as a company are hitting walls expanding their business, having a carrier would give them another point of innovation

I'm curious: what kind of API or app-based service doesn't exist yet (or isn’t widely available), but you would gladly pay for if someone built it?

Think of tools, data, integrations, or automation you’ve looked for but couldn’t find — whether for developers, creators, businesses, or personal use.

What’s missing from the current ecosystem?

I am currently working on two projects: a PDF alternative for the blind and Google Maps/navigation for the blind in my city. I started from scratch with no AI or third-party reliance. I have written everything by hand (with considerable difficulty since I am blind), so what I am asking is: is it worth it to open source?

Embarrassing coding style aside, I am concerned about parasitic big corporations taking the code and putting it behind a paywall, which is not what I want for obvious reasons. Putting my projects under GPL will obviously hold them back a bit, with the cost that brilliant programmers who would have helped would be the casualty. Another issue I have is that I want zero AI-bros in my code. Not only would I be inviting disorganized, poorly constructed code, I also don't want these kids copy/pasting to add code they have no right to. What should I do?

Why is the term "engineer" used in almost every technical job title these days—prompt engineer, cybersecurity engineer, and even software engineer? Does this bother anyone else?

I always cringe when people call themselves "engineers" outside the three government-licensed fields: mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineering. In my opinion, if you haven’t gone to school, earned a bachelor’s degree, and passed a government licensing exam to obtain the title of engineer, you have no business calling yourself one.

You’re not a "software engineer"; you’re a software developer. If you’re an engineer, then by that logic, a Starbucks barista could call themselves a "coffee doctor."

Titles like "prompt engineer" or "cybersecurity engineer" seem like attempts to sound more important than they really are.

If every technical skill can be labeled as "engineering," the term loses its significance. Perhaps we should reserve the title of "engineer" for those evaluated and licensed by a governing board.

What do you think? I know this might not be a popular opinion here, but I’m curious—maybe someone else feels the same way.

Nowadays, software is slowly but surely becoming more of a commodity than a unique product that requires specific skill and expertise, thanks to AI. To address this new market where anyone can compete, what are some ways to build a powerful moat?

For example, any programmer with a basic understanding of web development can create a Twitter clone using Django, Flask, or Spring Boot. However, their moat isn't simply the technical skill involved; it's the millions of users who are familiar with the brand and use the app daily.

So, if you were trying to build a new software product and you want to have a powerful moat already built in at the outset, what would that be? The reason I'm not impressed by the AI hype nowadays is because 99% of these so-called apps have no moat; they're just waiting to be swallowed by OpenAI and similar companies.

While this would undoubtedly invade our privacy more than current advertising companies like Google and Facebook, it could potentially eliminate or significantly reduce the wholesale theft of AI scrapers.

Obviously, there's a risk of your biometric information being stolen or spoofed. However, if combined with a government-issued ID, this could make it nearly impossible for AI to acquire and resell your intellectual property.

When I observe the most innovative advertising companies on the internet, such as Facebook and Google, their apparent disregard for privacy is striking. Similarly, my experience suggests that the vast majority of the public, with the exception of developers, are generally unconcerned about privacy as long as they perceive a tangible benefit in exchange for compromising it.

I have numerous software product ideas, but I often hesitate to pursue them when I envision how they might function in the real world. Privacy concerns prevent me from using such products personally, and this hesitation extends to my willingness to develop them.

As a developer, if you prioritize both your own privacy and the privacy of your customers, does this concern prevent you from creating exceptional applications?

Many financial applications offer valuable insights into personal finances, but often at the cost of invading user privacy.These apps often collect, analyze, and sell user data to provide these features.

Despite this, millions of users willingly share their personal financial information with these apps, seemingly unconcerned about the potential consequences, as long as they receive the desired features in return. Is privacy a luxury that only developers and technology professionals can afford?

How can you prevent, or at least make it difficult, for Apple to replicate your app's functionality within their platform?

* Is developing companion web and Android apps to link with your iOS app the answer?

* Or should you focus on making your app so advanced and sophisticated that Apple can't compete, like Procreate for iPad?

* Do you believe Apple will eventually absorb all features developers could create, forcing programmers to work for them or a handful of other corporations?

* Even if Apple creates a free, built-in replica of your app, will users still download yours?

This practice raises concerns about Apple's monopoly. It's similar to:

* A brewery constantly buying nearby bars and forcing unfair contracts on those it doesn't own.

* A car manufacturer copying suppliers' products and integrating them into their cars, pushing the suppliers out.

Isn't this a bad business decision? By squeezing out developers with each iOS version, wouldn't Apple's platform become less innovative by removing potential app ideas?