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Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by jmzachary on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @09:10PM (#40712)
PCP when coding Python and schrooms when hacking LISP.

What kind of question is that and what kind of answers are you expecting?

(p.s. Wine is neither artificial nor a stimulant.)

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by alex_c on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @07:06PM (#40677)
Water. Lots and lots of water. Also has the advantage that it forces me to get up and move regularly - what goes in must come out.

Other than that, good music can get me "in the zone".

I've only ever really drank coffee out of boredom, or socially... ("want to go for a coffee break?" "sure, it means avoiding work for half an hour!")

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by randallsquared on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @06:47PM (#40663)
I used to be a caffeine junkie. Weirdly, however, after hitting a rough patch this year and deciding that I couldn't afford 4 2L bottles a day any more, I found that I was no less productive without it, and I'm far less anxious. I have an occasional caffeinated soft drink or green tea, still, but the non-stop highly-caffeinated Randall days are no more.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by rms on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @06:51PM (#40664)
Congrats for kicking the habit, but to anyone that likes being addicted to caffeine and wants to save money, you can buy natural sources of caffeine such as kola, guarana, and yerba mate very cheaply online.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by christefano on Thursday August 09, 2007 @01:42AM (#40778)
I second the mate. I love espresso and would drink it all day if I could, but it often leaves me feeling dehydrated.

Mate has mateine, by the way, not caffeine (mateine is a stereoisomer of caffeine). I don't know it has different properties and that's the reason or if it's the plethora of other constituents, but in my experience mate gives me a mild, persistent buzz all over my body as where caffeine goes straight to my head.

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by rms on Thursday August 09, 2007 @07:03AM (#40833)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba_mate#Chemical_composition...

It's the other alkaloids that contribute to the effects that are different than coffee.

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by christefano on Thursday August 09, 2007 @03:32PM (#40992)
It's great seeing erowid as a cited source. Thanks for the info.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by rms on Thursday August 09, 2007 @10:07PM (#41120)
I hadn't followed it through to the source when I posted the Wikipedia link. That was a pretty cool little paper one of the mysterious admins of erowid wrote.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by steve on Thursday August 09, 2007 @12:40PM (#40930)
there are caffeine pills that are cheep as dirt.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by randallsquared on Thursday August 09, 2007 @02:12PM (#40966)
Yeah, but I found that even with the addiction, I wasn't interested in tasteless delivery devices. :) Diet Mountain Dew is fine, and Lipton's Diet Green Tea (which has less caffeine) is fine, but given that it doesn't really help me much, pills are too much trouble.

Also, it only took me about 3 days to feel normal, and a coupla weeks to not really want it very much, after 5 years of averaging between 3 and 4 2L Diet Mountain Dew a day. It helped that my wife was very vocal about how much less stressed I seemed; after I was off of it, she suggested I just stay off even when I can afford it, so I'm doing that for now.

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by cmars232 on Thursday August 09, 2007 @01:13AM (#40775)
A mortgage.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by mnemonicsloth on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @07:02PM (#40676)
Amphetamines.

Good enough for Erdos, Good enough for me. Of course, stark terror of politically-motivated violence works even better (cf. career of Leonhard Euler).

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by ivankirigin on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @08:42PM (#40699)
http://nostalgia.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Erdos " His working habits became characterised by working obsessively long hours, sleeping at most 4-5 hours a night and relying on the heavy use of amphetamines to maintain his activity levels. Once a friend challenged him to give up his drug use for a month; he complied, but later complained bitterly that mathematics was held up for a month. "
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by rms on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @09:20PM (#40716)
Amphetamine is one hell of a drug for productivity but it's got some nasty side effects. It's insane that a very large percent of our children are prescribed hard stimulants. Amphetamine makes just about everyone more productive so of course it makes kids better at school.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by henryw on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @06:39PM (#40660)
Power naps and sleep that's longer than 6 hours.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by euccastro on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @07:52PM (#40687)
That's not artificial, but then again, the question is of the "when did you stop beating your wife" kind.

So yes, good regular sleep, meals that aren't too heavy to digest, and add 20-30 minutes of exercise in the morning for good measure.

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by blored on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @06:36PM (#40658)
Steroids, nothing but pure unadulterated 'roid.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by jsjenkins168 on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @07:17PM (#40683)
It may sound stupid, but eat plenty of fish. Omega-3 fatty acids (in fish) have been shown to boost mood and concentration, among other things. I can attest to that.

But fish is expensive so just buy the pills at Walmart..

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by portLAN on Thursday August 09, 2007 @12:10AM (#40753)
DHA and EPA from marine algae instead of fish are available now (google it). Algae is where the fish get it anyway.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by euccastro on Thursday August 09, 2007 @06:27AM (#40827)
I read somewhere that you're better off eating carnivore fish because the DHA and EPA are more concentrated than in herbivore fish or algae. Unless you're talking getting them from pills, in which case I guess it doesn't matter much.

P.S.: You should still avoid big species like tuna or swordfish, since they have high concentrations of mercury.

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by portLAN on Thursday August 09, 2007 @07:03PM (#41052)
When you take pills, you get however many milligrams of the substance are in the pills. You're probably thinking of flax oil and other sources of ALA, which your body must convert itself into EPA and DHA. Yes, one of the reasons to get it from algae directly is you avoid the environmental pollutants that accumulate in the marine ecosystem as you go up the food chain (PCBs, dioxins, mercury, etc.).
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by euccastro on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @07:59PM (#40688)
Depends on your locale. I bought fish for a family lunch of twelve today. Six dozen fresh sardines, 24 EUR. It would have costed more to order hamburgers or pizza for twelve. YMMV.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by randallsquared on Thursday August 09, 2007 @02:09AM (#40790)
Yeah, but then you had to eat sardines. ;)
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by euccastro on Thursday August 09, 2007 @06:19AM (#40826)
What do you mean? Fresh, lightly grilled sardines (with boiled potatoes dipped in their grease) is far and away my favorite food. Maybe you only tried them canned?
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by randallsquared on Thursday August 09, 2007 @11:47AM (#40903)
Indeed. Or, actually, I've only smelled them as the can is opened; I don't think I've ever actually eaten any. But I understand that lots of people like sardines -- it was suppose to be merely funny. :)
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by rms on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @06:32PM (#40657)
In the way that caffeine is the socially accepted stimulant of the USA and coca leaf is the socially accepted stimulant in South America, Kratom is the stimulant of choice for workers in Southeast Asia. It is the leaf of a tree native to Thailand and is unfortunately illegal in Thailand.

In small doses, it is stimulating in a very clean way that measurably increases focus. If you take too much caffeine, you get a headache and become anxious and jittery. If you take too much Kratom, it crosses over and hits the mu-opiate receptors which makes you happy in a very primal way and can also serve for creative stimulation, if so desired.

It's 100% not illegal in the USA, not drug testable, and cheap. I import it from Indonesia and sell it at http://www.getkratom.com. Please don't order from me today because I'm out of stock but I expect a fresh shipment from Indonesia next week. Email me if you have any more questions about kratom or want me to tell you when I'm in stock and you can have the news.yc discount.

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by nurall on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @06:55PM (#40665)
But your website suggests that it cannot be consumed, how effective is it otherwise?
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by rms on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @07:00PM (#40672)
There's plenty of information on the internet, email me if you have any questions about consumption.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by weber on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @08:18PM (#40693)
Kratom guy: it's really funny the way you guys have to sell your stuff. Another site sells "Kratom Incense Capsules"....

When I open your site and see that bunch of green stuff for sale, it just looks like weed has another name now.

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by rms on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @08:34PM (#40696)
The incense thing is done more for the benefit of Paypal than anyone else.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by steve on Thursday August 09, 2007 @12:44PM (#40935)
man do I hate paypal.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by Goladus on Thursday August 09, 2007 @10:00AM (#40869)
Nothing. I just try to eat healthy food, excercise regularly, get enough sleep, and be around stimulating people. Caffeine makes me irritable, and since I've made it almost 30 years without trying a cigarette I have no intention of trying one any time soon.

Sometimes I record myself at the piano while I'm drinking, and then go back later and extract any of the good ideas. I've never had any luck coding drunk, though.

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by omouse on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @09:59PM (#40726)
You don't need any god damn thing for creative stimulation. If you can't get yourself creative, drugs, booze, whatever isn't going to help.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by brent on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @10:16PM (#40728)
There is a long history of artists, musicians, and writers that would completely disagree with that statement.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by ed on Thursday August 09, 2007 @03:07PM (#40981)
For art to exist, for any sort of aesthetic activity or perception to exist, a certain physiological precondition is indispensable: intoxication. (Friedrich Nietzsche)
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by omouse on Thursday August 09, 2007 @11:19AM (#40893)
Correlation is not causation.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by steve on Thursday August 09, 2007 @12:41PM (#40931)
There's also thousands of lab mice that have proven it.. but whatever works for you.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by omouse on Thursday August 09, 2007 @01:10PM (#40944)
You can't say that without linking to a source or two :P
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by brianmckenzie on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @07:12PM (#40682)
Coffee, but just one really big cup when I wake up. I'm a few-months-on, few-months-off smoker, but hopefully will give it up entirely. Although many disagree, I think that coding on a nice three-beer buzz is a blast. That's as far as I'm personally willing to go, but I've worked at places where the IT department was better stocked than the Mexican mafia.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by vlad on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @09:03PM (#40709)
Artificial light.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by randallsquared on Thursday August 09, 2007 @02:07AM (#40788)
This is an important one. The brighter the light, the more I feel "worklike". To a point, of course, but 700 watts equiv. is as high as my office goes.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by mikesabat on Thursday August 09, 2007 @06:25PM (#41045)
i definitely don't encourage the use of prescription drugs, but if you find yourself getting distracted often at work Aderral is amazing for staying focused and working long hours.

Talk to your doctor. Side effects include launch parties and series B funding meetings. Not a pharmacist.

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by bjclark on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @07:50PM (#40686)
I'm on a strict regimen of EPO and Hemoglobin blood transfusions, but that's for cycling, not coding.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by blored on Thursday August 09, 2007 @02:11AM (#40791)
You should be banned from Le Tour De France, luckily YC doesn't dope test. We are in a tainted generation of coding.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by horatio05 on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @07:02PM (#40675)
In Argentina they drink Matte, a substance which consists of what looks like leaves and twigs dug up from the Pampas. I believe they also eat tremendous quantities of beef... though that may not help with staying awake.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by christefano on Thursday August 09, 2007 @01:46AM (#40779)
One of my favorite writers talks about Argentina's obsession with beef -- and mate, incidentally -- at http://www.idlewords.com/2006/04/argentina_on_two_steaks_a_d...
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by weber on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @08:12PM (#40689)
In Brazil we drink "Matte" as well but for me its more for the taste (and for the heating effect on the winter) than for the effect.

On my cubicle we share a 2L Coca Cola at 4 pm. It helps a lot in raising moral.

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by davidw on Thursday August 09, 2007 @03:55AM (#40806)
Nothing - if I'm that tired, maybe it's best to get some sleep. I'll have some tea once in a while, but it's not something that really wakes me up or gets me going.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by aswanson on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @07:00PM (#40673)
Music.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by nurall on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @07:06PM (#40678)
I am surprised nobody is talking abt good 'ol weed!! Don't you reach the peak of creativity under the influence?
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by SwellJoe on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @07:38PM (#40685)
Most of us are developers. Creativity is only part of the equation, and pot definitely does not contribute to any other piece.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by omouse on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @09:56PM (#40725)
> Don't you reach the peak of creativity under the influence?

But then you forget that great idea you had the next instant.

Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by sabhishek on Thursday August 09, 2007 @03:33PM (#40994)
Green tea with fresh mint.. trust me folks it works and doesn't ruin your already exhausted nervous system.
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by whycombo on Thursday August 09, 2007 @04:51PM (#41025)
Viagra, is there any other????
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by german on Wednesday August 08, 2007 @06:55PM (#40667)
Redbull ;)
Re:What artificial stimulants do you use? by zmike on Monday August 13, 2007 @06:03PM (#42082)
My startup is powered by 200mg / day of gray market modafinil.