Ask HN: What lessons in life do tech people learn too late?

  • One thing I’ve learned is not to put off a good deed or backing up a device or process that has no fallback.

    Now, some things are too big and expensive to back up. Think home HVAC etc. So have a fallback.

    Good deed? You might not have the opportunity again!

    As a combination of the two above, I once (long ago) scheduled to start a weekly tape backup of a university research group’s data drive for Friday when I could have done it on Wednesday. It melted down. Things are immensely cheaper now, and you just buy a backup drive.

    Doing that good deed (or smart deed) might cause some inconvenience or near-term cost. Put off things that are less magnanimous or without a crutch.

    I read a book called “Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda” These things block progress. While the two items mentioned above aren’t all you need to do, they are steps in he right direction.

    I posted the blurb from this book in the thread:

    https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39409614

  • The only way to make real money without selling your soul is to start your own business.

  • Life is short - Don't waste it

  • 'Listen to your heart, not your head' struck a chord with me lately (mid forties).

  • what matters