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238 points madinmo | 9 comments | | HN request time: 0.001s | source | bottom

Hi all,

I kept wasting time on social media, even though I’d promised myself I’d stay focused. Regular site blockers didn’t help.

I needed something that felt annoying enough to break the habit. That’s how the idea came up: make the blocker ask me to say something embarrassing out loud before it lets me back in. If I actually have to yell “I’m a loser” into my mic. Even better - the louder I screamed, the more time I’d get.

So I put together Scream to Unlock. It’s silly, but so far it’s done its job. My social feeds stay locked unless I really want them.

Extension link - https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/scream-to-unlock-ye...

Its open source and transparent - https://github.com/Pankajtanwarbanna/scream-to-unlock. No data collection or tracking, Audio processing happens locally in your browser. No recordings saved or transmitted.

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mikesabat ◴[] No.44377140[source]
If you want to make a kids app... Forcing the child to do a number of math problems to continue using the tablet would be an amazing app that I would definitely pay for.

My daughter is a second grader. If every 5 minutes of tablet use 'cost' her 5 correct arithmetic answers she would be working at space x right now.

replies(6): >>44377281 #>>44377543 #>>44377574 #>>44378321 #>>44379229 #>>44381016 #
graemep ◴[] No.44377543[source]
It would work short term, but I would worry that it makes a a price to be paid which will impair joy in learning the subject in the long term.

Its much better to make kids interested in learning than to reward reaching goals or punish failing to reach them.

replies(3): >>44377718 #>>44377849 #>>44379013 #
bitwize ◴[] No.44379013[source]
Math is a grind. Inherently. You gotta drill the basic arithmetic in order to learn it, and no amount of sugarcoating will make kids like it. So incentivizing kids to commit to the grind will beat attempting to make the subject more interesting, every time. This is the lesson unlearned by proponents of "New Math" and "Common Core" in the USA; in fact, maybe one of the reasons why Singapore Math is so successful is because Singaporeans, like many Asians, learn the value of discipline from an early age.
replies(2): >>44379254 #>>44383114 #
1. graemep ◴[] No.44379254[source]
> You gotta drill the basic arithmetic in order to learn it

Do less arithmetic. We have calculators so arithmetic matters less.

> no amount of sugarcoating will make kids like it.

Sugarcoating is exactly the wrong approach. Its making the subject itself enjoyable.

https://profkeithdevlin.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/lockh...

> This is the lesson unlearned by proponents of "New Math" and "Common Core" in the USA

Not familiar with those, but I the "its fun" approach has worked for me.

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2. lazystar ◴[] No.44379626[source]
> Do less arithmetic. We have calculators so arithmetic matters less.

would you also posit that, since we have AI auto gen tools, we no longer need to teach spelling/grammar to children?

replies(1): >>44381225 #
3. SoftTalker ◴[] No.44379838[source]
> We have calculators so arithmetic matters less.

Disagee. Fluency in basic arithmetic is a very useful life skill.

replies(1): >>44381230 #
4. hobs ◴[] No.44380644[source]
It matters less, but the lack of numeracy means many people are befuddled by the most basic math related conversations, statistical conversations (polling), fraction or rate based (APR? Taxes???) things - all over the place.

Learning the basics and drilling them is a useful skill even if you can make the machine do it for you.

replies(1): >>44381221 #
5. ThrowawayR2 ◴[] No.44380852[source]
"We have calculators so arithmetic matters less" you say?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third-pound_burger#Marketing_f...

"The results revealed that many participants mistakenly believed that one-third of a pound was smaller than one-fourth (quarter) of a pound. Focus group participants expressed confusion over the price, asking why they should pay the same amount for a "smaller" third-pound burger."

replies(1): >>44381212 #
6. graemep ◴[] No.44381212[source]
I agree with that, but most of those people probably can do arithmetic and were drilled in it at school, but drill to get the right answers does not teach you how to apply it.
7. graemep ◴[] No.44381221[source]
But most of those people befuddled by these things were drilled in it, but do not know how to apply it. Drill without understanding.
8. graemep ◴[] No.44381225[source]
Very different skills.

I would not teach spelling by drill and memorisation either - you pick it up if you read.

9. graemep ◴[] No.44381230[source]
Some things are. Being able to estimate rough answers in your head is far more useful than being able to do an exact answer with pen and paper.