Ask HN: What are you working on? (October 2024)

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Meta: Purpose and Norms of “What are you working on?” Threads

  • Several comments clarify these threads are meant for side projects and “weird obsessions,” not as another startup-promo channel.
  • There’s debate over whether this anti-promotion stance is helpful:
    • One side argues stricter limits preserve genuine conversation and reduce “grindset” self-promo noise.
    • Others say HN already heavily promotes YC startups, so limiting indie self-promo creates a “caste system” and advantages big/corporate players.
    • Some propose clearer, contribution-based rules (e.g., post 10x non-promotional content; more explicit areas where self-promo is welcome).

Community Projects: Broad Themes

  • Many posts are classic hobby builds: game engines, web toys, VR viewers, graphics experiments, telescope and robot builds, CNC/3D-printer hacks, and custom keyboards.
  • Numerous SaaS/“serious” tools also appear despite the “side project” framing: authentication services, API management, build tools, monitoring, ATS, SEO tools, CMSes, etc.
  • Education and learning tools are common: language-learning apps, kid-friendly YouTube frontends, curriculum/game platforms, research organizers, and LLM-based tutors.

AI / LLM-Focused Work

  • Strong presence of LLM projects: personal assistants, town simulators, code-review tools, vector DB alternatives, eval frameworks, prompt-eval zines, multi-model sidebars, transcription/summarization services, and “AI workers.”
  • Some explicitly target children’s content curation, RAG systems, agent tooling, and compliance/robustness for EU AI Act-style regulation.
  • There’s both excitement about new capabilities and concern about “addiction engines” and recommendation algorithms, especially for kids.

Hardware, Robotics, and Bio

  • Many hardware builds: quadruped robots, telescope trackers, infusion pumps, kayak autopilots, custom NC machines, split-flap collators, retro-computer projects, DIY EVs, ZXSpectrum recreations, and home labs.
  • A notable bio project aims at ultra-cheap DNA synthesis via a home lab; thread includes both admiration and legal/ethical skepticism.

Personal Projects & Wellbeing

  • Several posts focus on mental health, burnout, negative belief rewiring, and simply “working on not working.”
  • Non-tech creativity is valued: knitting, graphic novels, coloring pages, zines, journaling aids, and offline/analog hobbies.
  • A recurring undercurrent: desire for autonomy, meaningful work, and smaller, human-scale communities (local social networks, neighborhood tools, city-planning activism).