bendouglas's comments

bendouglas | 5 months ago | on: How First Wap tracks phones around the world

Is there anything a common person can do to help reduce the likelihood of their phone being tracked via SS7? (other than not carrying a phone or disabling the mobile network)

bendouglas | 4 years ago | on: Ask HN: Where do you get your non-tech news from?

I follow Ezra Klein's NYT column: https://www.nytimes.com/column/ezra-klein

bendouglas | 4 years ago | on: A simple system I’m using to stay in touch with hundreds of people

I built a system like this, and loved it enough that I built an app to do what the author describes: http://parsnipapp.com/

Totally free, with no plans to monetize it. Having an easy system like this adds enough value to me and my friends who use it to continue to develop and maintain it.

I love the author's automation for sending an email digest, I think that's a great feature that I'll add to the roadmap. Up next for development I'd like to add reminders for specific days (eg., birthdays, trip reminders, w/e).

If anyone gives the app a shot, I'd love to hear from you. Feedback is appreciated!

bendouglas | 4 years ago | on: War Stories: How This War of Mine Manipulates Your Emotions (2019)

That map with the old couple really was brutal

bendouglas | 4 years ago | on: Ask HN: Managing career progression for those with no interest in progressing?

Oooh - I like this, and agree with the other commenter that this is some nice HR spin

bendouglas | 4 years ago | on: Ask HN: Managing career progression for those with no interest in progressing?

I think the "up or out" dogma is garbage, and ends up hurting some of an organizations best people. Sorry to hear this happened to you.

I truly don't think it's that challenging to allow for an alternative path. But as a low level manager at a big corp there's only so much you can do, I get it.

bendouglas | 4 years ago | on: Ask HN: Managing career progression for those with no interest in progressing?

Kim Scott talks about this in her book "Radical Candor" [1], and I agree with her perspective. A well rounded team needs people who looking to take on big new projects, but also people who become deep domain experts. Sometimes called a "guru". People who don't want to progress are this latter group.

The key is to (1) make this arrangement explicit and regularly check in, and (2) find non-promotion ways of rewarding and recognizing good work. This will be dependent on the person, and isn't as clear cut as the promotions track.

I think it's great to just be happy with what you're doing, and focus on other things in life.

[1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29939161-radical-candor