For those who don't follow proggit, here is the context:<p><i>Programming thought experiment: stuck in a room with a PC without an OS</i><p><a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/9x15g/programming_thought_experiment_stuck_in_a_room/c0ev6lj" rel="nofollow">http://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/9x15g/programmi...</a><p><i>I am a little difficult to describe ...</i><p><a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/9xgnd/iama_little_difficult_to_describe_designed_part/" rel="nofollow">http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/9xgnd/iama_little_diff...</a><p>(redditor <i>lutusp</i> is Paul Lutus, author of the linked book, former NASA engineer who worked on Viking Mars mission / Space Shuttle and creator of the Apple Writer, hacker extraordinaire)<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Lutus" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Lutus</a><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Writer" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Writer</a>
As I imagine many readers are in Silicon Valley, I'd point out that the San Francisco Bay is one of the best places to sail on earth. Beautiful scenery, 20+ knots of breeze every summer day (scary at first, awesome once you get used to it...), and endless possibilities from tiny dinghies to 50+ foot racing sleds. And racing sailboats is a tremendously fun, inexpensive (unless you own a boat), social, and high-adrenaline activity.<p>Learn the basics at one of the many Bay Area sailing clubs or schools and go out and try it. There's always demand for crew, and the most important qualities of a new crew member are being ready to take direction, in reasonable shape, and out to have fun. Expertise is a double-edged sword for new crew members, don't think you need it to get started -- you don't.<p>I've been racing on the SF Bay since 2000 and am totally addicted (raced today, as it happens). Forget what you think about sailing -- it's for old rich people; it's boring; I need to have grown up sailing or be some kind of expert -- and go out and try it.
If anyone is in either the Bay Area or in New York, there are two community sailing co-ops that I highly recommend. I was in each city my past two summers and joined both and had a great time sailing.<p>In Berkeley, there's the Cal Sailing Club <a href="http://www.cal-sailing.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.cal-sailing.org/</a> with sailboats and windsurf boards. All for $60 for three months plus a few hours of contributed work to the club. They have cookouts and open houses and free sailing lessons from members. Really a great group of people.<p>In New York, look into the Sebago Canoe Club out in Brooklyn on Jamaica Bay. <a href="http://www.sebagocanoeclub.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.sebagocanoeclub.org/</a> They're something like $200 a year plus a few hours of contributed work. Everyone there is super friendly and have kayaking and canoeing as well and free lessons.<p>Definitely the cheapest way to learn how to sail if you've never done it before, as most yacht or sailing clubs are much much more expensive and/or require you to own your own boat.
I went sailing for the 2nd time today. It was only circles around a lake but I learned how to harness the awesome power of the outdoors. It is an awesome experience. Recommended for all.
I cannot recommend 'The Long Way' by Bernard Moitessier & 'The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst' highly enough. Both books cover how 2 contestants in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race could have won but did not, for rather interesting/different reasons.<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunday_Times_Golden_Globe_Race" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunday_Times_Golden_Globe_Race</a><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Moitessier" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Moitessier</a><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Crowhurst" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Crowhurst</a>
I'm a member of a sailing co-op here in Minneapolis, great people and everyone is your teacher. We just pulled the boats off the water a few weeks back (and were already sweeping snow off the boats, dontchaknow). Just tested for skipper status before the season closed out.<p>Don't know if it's everyone's cup of tea, but definitely worth trying. If there are any HN'ers in Minneapolis/St Paul, happy to take people out for a try next Spring ;)
I remind those interested in sailing about this:<p><a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=809060" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=809060</a>
<i>The Apple Computer company, no longer in a garage, heard about my program and asked to see it. I added some things to it, made it presentable and stuffed it into a big manila envelope. As I rode my bike to the post office I thought, Who knows, maybe they'll like my program. It might be worth hundreds of dollars.</i><p>That doesn't even sound like the same field. I love it.
Retired at 35 and sailed around the world? this guy is my hero!<p>Well worth the paperback I should think. Another similar book I've read is Dove by Robin Lee Graham which is well worth checking out if you're into sailing. Things like this really make you re-evaluate your goals/path in life.