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Ask HN: I have 3 weeks off, what should I build?

22 points by tducasse ↗ HN
I'm a software developer, I just quit my job and I start my next role in 3 weeks. I'm looking for a realistic 3 week long project to keep myself busy because I know I'll get bored very soon otherwise...

I mostly do JavaScript by day, but I like to learn new things/languages/frameworks/concepts/etc by night, so send your ideas away! :)

68 comments

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austincheney
Build an operating system with full GUI and file system support that executes in the browser. Its what I am currently working on.
zapperdapper
In 3 weeks!? If you want something tricky a compacting memory allocator in C should be doable in 3 weeks. Maybe I'm just slow! :(
thinkingemote
Be bored. Explore what being bored really is. Let that guide you and motivate you

In other words take the time to find out what interests you, not us.

zapperdapper
My thoughts exactly - some very long walks in the fresh air and some good nights of sleep would be my top priority!
tducasse
I'm under lockdown right now, so long walks and fresh air are a thing of the past haha
thorin
Can you explain the lockdown rules and what area you're in? In the UK I'm now in the highest risk area and still allowed to walk and cycle from home and travel around my county by car. That could easily be a 20 mile walk or 50 mile bike ride from home if I had time on my hands. I could take a mask and buy takeaway food from a shop or cafe. Just trying to compare the rules in different areas.

Harshest lockdown in the UK was probably in Scotland where you were restricted to not be more than 5 miles home which could still easily allow a 10 mile walk.

fsflover
Consider the security aspect of computing: install Qubes OS and try to use it as a daily driver.
Minor49er
Why did you quit your job so early if you had no plans for your own work, but still wanted to work anyways?
tducasse
After about 7 months of lockdown, I just felt like I needed some time off before I start a new role!

When I say I'm "bored" I don't mean I just stay on the couch wondering what to do, I do enjoy the down time :)

zapperdapper
If you really must! A little static site generator is a nice one. The great thing is, it's the kind of thing you can pick up whenever you have a spare few minutes, as there's always some new little feature you can add...
tducasse
Ah yeah, and I could probably build it using a new language I know nothing about just for fun. Great idea!
kaushikt
Build a game if you haven't built one.
tducasse
ah, you're bang on! I just finished my first game using Godot :)
kaushikt
Would love to give it a shot !
smartera
A peer-to-peer backgammon game where you can challenge friends using an invite link
smarri
A skill for Alexa
tducasse
I actually have an echo show, and no idea what creating a skill involves, so that's a great idea! Thanks!
smarri
I've been looking into it myself lately and think it would be a neat little project
thrownaway954
get out from behind the keyboard and go the f*ck outside and explore the world for the next 3 weeks. seriously... there is more to life than programming the next great thing and 3 weeks is a long time in this life. you might find your soul mate in the next 3 week.

here are some ideas to start:

http://www.weirdus.com/

https://www.geocaching.com/play

tducasse
1) I'm pretty happy with what I have on the soulmate finding side haha 2) covid still being a thing, I can't really go out right now!
smt88
You can't get in a car and drive to some wilderness within a few hours?
tducasse
Nah, not allowed
slimed
I've heard about this in places like Ireland. Complete hysteria.
thrownaway954
yes you can... which is why i gave you links to a couple of sites for activities you can do outside without involving groups. you can do geocaching or weird exploring with just you and your partner. wear a mask, bring some hand-sanitizer (especially if you're geocaching), bug repellant (again... especially if you're geocaching) and enjoy the out doors.
tducasse
Mmmm I'm not in the US. I'm literally not allowed to go out.

But thanks anyway!

aloukissas
Try Elixir LiveView! You may not return to JS for interactive apps again :)
tobyhinloopen
I did Elixir for a full year and I completely forgot everything about it. When I open my own code, I’m like “what wizardry is this?”
tducasse
I've already tried this actually, it's pretty neat :)
throw51319
Lol go travel. Why would you waste 3 perfectly good weeks doing the same thing you do all the time for your job?
tducasse
Unfortunately travel is not allowed where I live, still under lockdown :(
throw51319
You can't go anywhere? Just drive/rent a car and go somewhere within 2 hours, in nature. Muse on life, hike. Way more "productive" than anything else.
tducasse
Nah, I can't go further than 20km away
throw51319
Damn what country? Maybe just go for some hikes around and try some mushrooms.
tducasse
Melbourne in Australia. Restrictions will be easing very soon though :)

But yeah basically lockdown in some form or another since mid March here

[dead] jdndbfbf
You shouldn't have turned in your guns.
RocketSyntax
try some nodejs lambda jobs w a nosql db. pick a national park and go travel.
tducasse
Can't go outside, there's a stupid virus :(
jdndbfbf
The only thing stopping you is yourself.
sergiotapia
don't write code, literally do anything else.
tducasse
Why not? I like writing code :)
[dead] throwaway_1512
Order a simple craft tool and build something without computer. Like a wooden keyboard case for iPad or a standing desk.
pkrotich
Just decompress and come up with ideas for future projects - become an idea machine. At least that is what I would do.
teleforce
Congrats on your new job!

Since you are good at Javascript and willing to learn a new language, why not try to help port CRDT based library e.g. Automerge to compiled language like D language:

https://github.com/automerge/automerge

It seems that Automerge algorithm is quite stable now just need a good native/compiled language implementation especially for enabling local-first desktop applications.

devthrowawy
Build a compiler or small emulator if you want to get better not more web CRUD. But really don't code on your break, i'd say buy some shrooms and walk around the woods.
tducasse
It's funny how so many people are telling me that I shouldn't be coding while I'm on a break. Do people actually not like it? I really enjoy it!
devthrowawy
It may be an age/experience thing. I spent many years coding in my free time, worked on all parts of the stack from boot loaders to single page applications. The magic is kind of gone for me now and I prefer to try to expand my physics and math skills which capture how I used to feel about code.
mulmen
Ok but you did enjoy coding on your breaks in the past right? So the advice of “don’t code on your break” is more like “do something you enjoy on your break.” Or maybe “beware of contributing to burnout on your break.”
devthrowawy
No I think my advice is don't code on your break because coding is boring, repetitive and the culture is shit and it took me too long to realize this.
tducasse
Yeah I would agree that the magic is kinda fading for me too, but there's always something new in our field. Someone coming up with a new project, a new language, a new idea, something... I don't think it'll ever be completely gone for me!
the_only_law
Sadly I can't work on many meaningful or interesting physics problems in my apartment, so im stuck programming.
chansiky
Dont ever listen to what people think you should be doing. Just because other people think you work too hard or because they judge you for being too nerdy or w/e the case might be. Who cares (of course they do but... thats a reflection of them), If you want to code in your break then code in your break, and own it. Let them go around taking shrooms or playing world of warcraft, or watch netflix. That's fun for them, you do you. And if anyone asks why you dont know what its like to be on acid then just press ignore/delete and move on. They have no right to condescend because they like shrooming-off more than you do.
throwaway889900
You've got a backlog of some kind, be it games, movies, other projects, etc.; take a break and get through some of that. You know it'll only grow otherwise.
mulmen
Congrats on the new job!

I have a week off in early November and I plan on setting up a small homeserver for Jitsi so my family can use that to stay in touch over the holidays. I’m also looking for some kind of self-hosted social media type deal that I can invite a few friends to.

speedgoose
If you learn new things, you should expect to not produce much in result. If you want to produce something cool, you should consider using technologies you already know well.

If you want to do web stuff, you could try Elm or Rust in WebAssembly perhaps.

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quickthrower2
Other than not being bored, what do you want to get better at? Start with a goal based on "wouldn't be cool if I could Z, or I had X, or the world had a Y", and find a project to suit.
runawaybottle
Train a neural net model which when given a database table, and an expected json output, generates the query, parsing and formatting function.

Then train a model which when given a json object, and expected visual output, generates the React component.

Then contact me, because I’m so over it.