Hasty Briefsbeta

Bilingual

International box-sizing Awareness Day
3 days ago
- February 1st is declared International Box-Sizing Awareness Day.
- The CSS property `box-sizing: border-box` is highlighted as highly useful for layout design.
- Paul Irish's method of applying `box-sizing: border-box` universally using `*, *:before, *:after` is recommended.
- Default `box-sizing: content-box` includes padding and border in element width, complicating layout calculations.
- `box-sizing: border-box` ensures the set width includes padding and border, simplifying responsive design.
- Browser support details for `box-sizing` are provided, including prefixes for older versions.
- The article discusses the benefits of `border-box` for columns and responsive layouts.
- Performance impact of universal `box-sizing` is deemed negligible.
- Alternatives and mixins for applying `box-sizing` in Sass/LESS are mentioned.
- Historical context is given, comparing IE's box model to the standard `border-box`.
- Community feedback includes preferences for `normalize.css` over universal resets.
- Practical examples demonstrate `border-box` simplifying width calculations in layouts.
Linuxulator on FreeBSD Feels Like Magic
2 hours ago
- Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is the preferred editor despite not being lightweight, offering a balance between features, extensions, and performance.
- Running VS Code on FreeBSD is possible with the open-source build, but ARM64 support is a limitation for the author.
- The author prefers ARM64 machines, like Apple’s M1/M2 Macs, for better performance and battery life, but lacks FreeBSD-supported ARM64 laptops.
- Remote development over NFS or SSHFS is problematic, causing delays and permission issues, especially with large projects.
- VS Code’s Remote SSH extension works surprisingly well on OpenWRT and, with some setup, on FreeBSD using Linuxulator.
- A GitHub repository (morganwdavis/vscode-server-freebsd) provides a simple setup for VS Code Remote SSH on FreeBSD.
- The setup involves enabling Linuxulator, installing a Linux base system, and configuring environment paths and SSH settings.
- Most extensions work flawlessly on FreeBSD via Linuxulator, with only minor issues like Rollup requiring a WASM build override.
- The author is impressed by the stability and performance of this setup, which significantly improves their workflow on FreeBSD.
Unicode's confusables.txt and NFKC normalization disagree on 31 characters
5 hours ago
- Homoglyph attacks exploit visually identical characters from different scripts, like Cyrillic 'а' vs. Latin 'a'.
- Unicode's confusables.txt provides a defense by mapping ~6,565 characters to their visual equivalents.
- NFKC normalization collapses compatibility variants (e.g., fullwidth letters → ASCII) and is recommended for slug validation.
- 31 characters in confusables.txt conflict with NFKC normalization, mapping to different Latin letters/digits.
- Example: Long S (��) is mapped to 'f' by confusables.txt (visual) but to 's' by NFKC (semantic).
- Capital I variants (16) are mapped to 'l' by confusables.txt but normalize to 'i' via NFKC.
- Digit 0 variants (7) are mapped to 'o' by confusables.txt but normalize to '0' via NFKC.
- Digit 1 variants (7) are mapped to 'l' by confusables.txt but normalize to '1' via NFKC.
- The conflict arises because confusables.txt focuses on visual resemblance, while NFKC focuses on semantic meaning.
- A naive pipeline combining both may have dead code (31 entries) or incorrect results if stages are reversed.
- Solution: Filter confusables.txt to exclude NFKC-handled characters, reducing entries from ~6,565 to ~613.
- Recommended pipeline: NFKC → NFKC-aware confusable map → mixed-script rejection.
- Documentation gap: Unicode standards don't address the interaction between confusables.txt and NFKC.
- A generator script automates creating an NFKC-aware confusable map, ensuring reproducibility across Unicode versions.
Show HN: Cryphos – no-code crypto signal bot with Telegram alerts
8 hours ago
- Live Signal Generation for trading with clarity.
- Professional-grade market intelligence delivered instantly via Telegram.
- 57 Active Users with 99.9% Uptime and 9 Indicators.
- Signal latency under 100ms for lightning-fast delivery.
- Features include Precision Targeting, Deep Analytics, and Risk Management.
- 24/7 Monitoring and Multi-Timeframe analysis capabilities.
- Three-step process: Configure Strategy, Backtest & Validate, Deploy & Monitor.
- Supports major indicators like RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands, and more.
- Includes tools for Smart Money, Volume, Support & Resistance, and Funding Rates analysis.
Git's Magic Files
7 hours ago
- Git uses special files like .gitignore, .gitattributes, .lfsconfig, .gitmodules, .mailmap, .git-blame-ignore-revs, and .gitmessage to control behavior.
- .gitignore specifies files git should ignore, with patterns for directories, wildcards, and negations.
- .gitattributes configures file handling, including line endings, binary files, and GitHub Linguist overrides.
- .lfsconfig sets Git LFS configuration, such as endpoint URLs and transfer settings.
- .gitmodules defines submodule configurations, including paths, URLs, and branches.
- .mailmap maps author names and emails to canonical identities for consistent commit attribution.
- .git-blame-ignore-revs lists commits to skip during blame, useful for bulk changes like formatting.
- .gitmessage provides a commit message template, though it requires manual configuration.
- Forge-specific folders (.github/, .gitlab/, etc.) contain platform-specific configurations like CI/CD workflows.
- Other conventions include .gitkeep for empty directories and .editorconfig for editor settings.
- Tools like Docker and version managers use similar dotfiles (.dockerignore, .ruby-version) for configuration.
Show HN: Vibe coded iOS workout app with Apple Watch support
2 days ago
- FitWit AI is an AI-powered fitness app offering personalized workout plans.
- Workouts adapt based on user goals, fitness level, and available equipment.
- Tracks progress, adjusts plans, and helps avoid plateaus.
- Suitable for beginners to advanced users, gym or home workouts.
- Features include workout logging, performance tracking, and progress monitoring.
- Available on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS with in-app purchases.
- Privacy policy includes data tracking and usage but not linked to identity.
Show HN: How Amazon Pricing Algorithms Work
2 days ago
- Amazon is one of the largest online retailers with millions of products and frequently changing prices.
- Amazon uses dynamic pricing, adjusting prices based on competition, demand, and market conditions.
- Prices can change multiple times a day, especially during major shopping events like Black Friday.
- Shoppers can use strategies like price drop notifications to track deals and avoid overpaying.
- Price Drop Notifications helps shoppers by alerting them when products hit their desired price.
- Amazon's dynamic pricing can sometimes be misleading, with sellers creating fake discounts.
- Setting up product-specific price alerts can help monitor desired items effectively.
- Understanding Amazon's pricing strategies helps shoppers make informed and confident purchases.
Show HN: ShuttleAI – One API for Claude Opus 4.6 and GPT-5.2
20 hours ago
- ShuttleAI provides API-based inference for leading AI models including text and image generation.
- Features include ShuttleAI Auto for dynamic model selection, GPT-5, and Claude Opus 4.6.
- Advantages of ShuttleAI: fast infrastructure, affordability, reliability, and quick launch.
- Pricing plans: Free (open-source models), Basic (faster models), Premium (powerful models), and Scale (production workloads).
- Free plan includes 1000 requests/month, Basic offers 10 req/min, Premium 30 req/min, and Scale 80 req/min.
- Support includes comprehensive API documentation, email support, and priority support for Premium/Scale users.
- Enterprise customers can get custom rate limits and dedicated support.
Show HN: Eliezer – Tiny (~7K LOC) Self-Hosted AI Agent (PWA, Self-Editing)
a day ago
- Eliezer is a compact, self-modifying AI agent that runs continuously on your phone.
- Unlike chatbots, Eliezer remembers context, executes tasks, and builds things even when you're not actively using it.
- Features include interactive widgets, scheduled tasks, SQLite persistence, and push notifications via PWA.
- Eliezer can modify its own tools and capabilities, allowing users to add features simply by asking.
- Open source (MIT) and self-hostable, giving users full control over their data and server.
- Comparatively, Eliezer offers continuous operation, full self-modification, and a smaller, more understandable codebase (~7K lines) than alternatives.
- Built by Victor as a personal project, Eliezer is designed to be fully controllable and user-owned.
Show HN: My Degenerate Craps Simulator
21 hours ago
- Pass Line is the basic craps bet, winning on 7 or 11 on the come-out and losing on 2, 3, or 12. House edge: 1.41%.
- Pass Line Odds is the best casino bet with zero house edge, paying true mathematical odds.
- Come Bet works like Pass Line but can be placed during the point phase, moving chips to the set number.
- Place Bets allow betting on specific numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) to hit before 7, with 6 and 8 having a 1.52% house edge.
- Don't Pass is the opposite of Pass Line, winning on 2 or 3 and losing on 7 or 11. House edge: 1.36%.
- Don't Pass Odds offers true odds payouts with zero house edge, reducing combined edge to ~0.27%.
- Don't Come is the dark-side version of Come, winning if 7 rolls before the set number.
- Lay Bets are the opposite of Place Bets, betting 7 comes before a specific number.
- Field is a one-roll bet covering 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, with a 5.56% house edge.
- Hardways bet on specific doubles (e.g., 3+3 for Hard 6) before 7 or easy combinations, with high payouts.
- Horn, C&E, and World are one-roll proposition bets covering extreme numbers (2, 3, 11, 12) with steep house edges.
- Fire Bet tracks unique point numbers converted by the shooter, offering high payouts (up to 999-to-1) with a ~20% house edge.
Show HN: Ghostty and Watercolors
21 hours ago
- Ghostty terminal offers unique features like zooming text without resizing and displaying images inline.
- Custom GLSL fragment shaders in Ghostty allow for creative backgrounds, such as watercolor washes.
- A collection of nine watercolor shaders mimics real painting techniques, available on GitHub.
- Shaders include Flat Wash, Graded Wash, Variegated Wash, Wet-on-Wet, Glazing, Granulating, Salt, Cauliflower, and Splatter.
- Configuring a shader in Ghostty involves editing the config file and setting a WASH_HUE value.
- A script, randomize-shader.sh, enables random shader and color selection for each new terminal window.
Fix Your Tools
5 hours ago
- Author encountered a bug in an open source library they maintain.
- Attempted to use a debugger to diagnose the issue, but the breakpoint was ignored.
- Initially ignored the debugger issue and tried alternative troubleshooting methods, which were ineffective.
- Realized the importance of fixing the debugger first, which was a simple one-line configuration change.
- After fixing the debugger, the author successfully diagnosed and solved the original bug.
- Reflection on the paradox of wanting to fix the bug immediately leading to overlooking the need to fix the tool first.
- Advice to programmers to prioritize fixing their tools to enhance effectiveness in problem-solving.
Tiny QR code achieved using electron microscope technology
2 days ago
- Austria-based researchers created the smallest QR code, requiring an electron microscope to view.
- The QR code measures 1.98 square micrometers, smaller than many bacteria, earning a Guinness World Record.
- Previous record was 5.38 square micrometers by a German team, but durability was a challenge.
- The team used ceramic film for stability, with pixels just 49 nanometers each, invisible to visible light.
- An A4-sized ceramic film could hold over 2 TB of data, advancing high-density storage solutions.
- Future research includes exploring other data structures and materials for long-term, energy-efficient storage.
- Ceramic tech competes with DNA storage, magnetic molecules, and Microsoft's laser-etched glass.
When satnavs go wrong: Why drivers end up following GPS into danger
2 days ago
- An Amazon delivery driver got stuck on Britain's deadliest footpath, The Broomway, after following GPS directions.
- Edinburgh officials installed a barricade after drivers were repeatedly sent down steps by their satnavs due to outdated road layouts.
- A Nissan Juke was stuck in a narrow footpath in Tenby for a week after tourists followed GPS directions to St Catherine's Island.
- A lorry driver in Somerset damaged a 300-year-old house after being directed down a narrow alley by his satnav.
- A fatal head-on collision in Buckinghamshire occurred after a driver followed incorrect satnav instructions, prompting calls for tech companies to improve audio prompts.
- Research shows that using GPS for navigation reduces brain activity in areas associated with spatial awareness and memory, which are also affected by Alzheimer's disease.
- Motoring organizations advise using satnavs as a support tool rather than relying on them completely, recommending planning ahead and using road signs.
- The AA suggests understanding the limitations of satnav systems and carrying a road atlas as a backup.
Yet Another Fix Coming for Older AMD GPUs on Linux – Thanks to Valve Developer
6 hours ago
- Timur Kristóf from Valve's Linux graphics driver team is improving support for older AMD Radeon GPUs on Linux.
- Older Radeon GCN 1.0/1.1 GPUs now default to the AMDGPU driver, offering better performance and RADV Vulkan support.
- A bug affecting AMDGPU on Radeon R9 M380 GPUs in Intel-powered iMacs caused boot issues and kernel errors.
- The issue persisted for over a year until Timur identified the problem: insufficient default voltage for the display controller.
- Timur's fix involves disabling memory clock dynamic power management (MCLK DPM) on problematic Sea Islands GPUs.
- Patches are being reviewed for upstream integration, potentially resolving issues for decade-old iMacs with GCN 1.1 GPUs.
Introduction to Out of Time Order Correlators (OTOCs)(2025)
4 days ago
- Out of Time Order Correlators (OTOCs) measure quantum chaos and are verifiable across quantum computers.
- Quantum Echoes algorithm measures OTOCs via forward evolution, perturbation, time reversal, and probing.
- OTOCs exhibit quantum interference, amplifying signals and enabling efficient quantum advantage.
- Higher-order OTOCs reveal complex many-body interference, challenging classical simulation methods.
- Experimental results on 65-qubit Willow device show OTOC measurement efficiency surpassing classical supercomputers.
- OTOCs have practical applications in Hamiltonian learning and molecular structure modeling.
- First quantum computing experiment to measure a verifiable, beyond-classical observable.
The U.S. spent $30B to ditch textbooks
10 hours ago
- Maine was the first state to implement a statewide laptop program in 2002, aiming to provide internet access to students.
- By 2016, Maine distributed 66,000 laptops and tablets to students, but test scores did not improve.
- Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath testified that Gen Z is less cognitively capable despite increased technology access.
- Standardized test scores have declined, correlating with increased screen time in schools.
- Horvath argues that unfettered technology access has weakened learning environments rather than strengthened them.
- A 2021 poll found teachers spend 1-4 hours daily on educational tech, but students often engage in off-task activities.
- Task-switching due to technology interrupts learning, leading to weaker memory formation and higher error rates.
- Jean Twenge notes that addictive app designs hinder sustained attention, making screen time counterproductive for learning.
- A 2025 study found TikTok requires minimal effort, balancing relevant and surprising content to keep users engaged.
- Over 1,600 plaintiffs have sued Meta, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube, alleging their platforms harm children's mental health.
- Horvath suggests policy solutions like efficacy standards for classroom tech and limits on data collection for minors.
- 17 states have banned cellphone use during instructional time, and 75% of schools prohibit non-academic phone use.
- Horvath calls Gen Z victims of a failed pedagogical experiment, urging them to recognize and address the issue.
New York Just Killed Its Robotaxi Plan. The Real Problem Isn't the Technology
7 hours ago
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul withdrew a proposal to amend state vehicle laws, blocking commercial robotaxi expansion outside NYC.
- The proposal lacked legislative support, not due to technology issues but because of a trust deficit in safety verification.
- Hochul's proposal included safeguards like a $1M application fee and $5M financial security, but these didn't address real-time operational safety concerns.
- Autonomous vehicle (AV) companies currently control operational data, leaving regulators to trust rather than verify safety.
- The trust deficit extends beyond robotaxis to other autonomous systems in warehouses, campuses, and hospitals.
- PhyWare is developing a data platform to create verifiable records for autonomous systems, aiming to close this trust gap.
- PhyTrace captures real-time operational data, while PhyCloud stores it immutably with cryptographic provenance.
- The platform enables independent verification of autonomous system behavior, shifting debates from permission to evidence-based decisions.
- PhyWare invites operators, OEMs, and integrators to collaborate on solving the trust problem in autonomous systems.
Met police using AI tools supplied by Palantir to flag officer misconduct
8 hours ago
- Scotland Yard is using Palantir's AI to monitor officer behavior, analyzing data on sickness, absences, and overtime to identify potential professional shortcomings.
- The Police Federation criticizes the approach as 'automated suspicion,' warning against opaque tools misinterpreting workload pressures as wrongdoing.
- The Met defends the pilot, stating it helps identify behavioral patterns but emphasizes human judgment in final determinations.
- Palantir's involvement in UK public sector contracts, including NHS and Ministry of Defence deals, raises transparency concerns.
- MPs and critics question Palantir's oversight, with calls for greater scrutiny of its government contracts.
- Labour supports responsible AI adoption in policing, pledging £115m investment over three years for AI tool rollout across forces.
- Palantir highlights its role in improving UK public services, including policing, healthcare, and naval operations.
We hid backdoors in ~40MB binaries and asked AI + Ghidra to find them
6 hours ago
- AI agents can detect some hidden backdoors in binary executables, but the approach is not production-ready.
- Claude Opus 4.6 found backdoors in small/mid-size binaries only 49% of the time, with high false positive rates.
- Binary analysis involves reverse engineering machine code into assembly and pseudo-C, a tedious process.
- The benchmark used open-source projects with artificially injected backdoors to test AI detection capabilities.
- Claude successfully identified a backdoor in lighttpd by tracing popen() usage and analyzing decompiled code.
- AI models often miss obvious backdoors, rationalizing them as legitimate functions, like in the DHCP backdoor example.
- Current LLMs lack strategic focus, often decompiling random functions instead of prioritizing high-risk areas.
- False positives are a significant issue, with models reporting non-existent backdoors 28% of the time.
- Open-source tools like Ghidra and Radare2 lag behind commercial alternatives, especially for Rust and Go binaries.
- AI can make initial security audits more accessible but is not yet reliable for end-to-end malware detection.

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Bilingual

International box-sizing Awareness Day
3 days ago
- February 1st is declared International Box-Sizing Awareness Day.
- The CSS property `box-sizing: border-box` is highlighted as highly useful for layout design.
- Paul Irish's method of applying `box-sizing: border-box` universally using `*, *:before, *:after` is recommended.
- Default `box-sizing: content-box` includes padding and border in element width, complicating layout calculations.
- `box-sizing: border-box` ensures the set width includes padding and border, simplifying responsive design.
- Browser support details for `box-sizing` are provided, including prefixes for older versions.
- The article discusses the benefits of `border-box` for columns and responsive layouts.
- Performance impact of universal `box-sizing` is deemed negligible.
- Alternatives and mixins for applying `box-sizing` in Sass/LESS are mentioned.
- Historical context is given, comparing IE's box model to the standard `border-box`.
- Community feedback includes preferences for `normalize.css` over universal resets.
- Practical examples demonstrate `border-box` simplifying width calculations in layouts.
Linuxulator on FreeBSD Feels Like Magic
2 hours ago
- Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is the preferred editor despite not being lightweight, offering a balance between features, extensions, and performance.
- Running VS Code on FreeBSD is possible with the open-source build, but ARM64 support is a limitation for the author.
- The author prefers ARM64 machines, like Apple’s M1/M2 Macs, for better performance and battery life, but lacks FreeBSD-supported ARM64 laptops.
- Remote development over NFS or SSHFS is problematic, causing delays and permission issues, especially with large projects.
- VS Code’s Remote SSH extension works surprisingly well on OpenWRT and, with some setup, on FreeBSD using Linuxulator.
- A GitHub repository (morganwdavis/vscode-server-freebsd) provides a simple setup for VS Code Remote SSH on FreeBSD.
- The setup involves enabling Linuxulator, installing a Linux base system, and configuring environment paths and SSH settings.
- Most extensions work flawlessly on FreeBSD via Linuxulator, with only minor issues like Rollup requiring a WASM build override.
- The author is impressed by the stability and performance of this setup, which significantly improves their workflow on FreeBSD.
Unicode's confusables.txt and NFKC normalization disagree on 31 characters
5 hours ago
- Homoglyph attacks exploit visually identical characters from different scripts, like Cyrillic 'а' vs. Latin 'a'.
- Unicode's confusables.txt provides a defense by mapping ~6,565 characters to their visual equivalents.
- NFKC normalization collapses compatibility variants (e.g., fullwidth letters → ASCII) and is recommended for slug validation.
- 31 characters in confusables.txt conflict with NFKC normalization, mapping to different Latin letters/digits.
- Example: Long S (��) is mapped to 'f' by confusables.txt (visual) but to 's' by NFKC (semantic).
- Capital I variants (16) are mapped to 'l' by confusables.txt but normalize to 'i' via NFKC.
- Digit 0 variants (7) are mapped to 'o' by confusables.txt but normalize to '0' via NFKC.
- Digit 1 variants (7) are mapped to 'l' by confusables.txt but normalize to '1' via NFKC.
- The conflict arises because confusables.txt focuses on visual resemblance, while NFKC focuses on semantic meaning.
- A naive pipeline combining both may have dead code (31 entries) or incorrect results if stages are reversed.
- Solution: Filter confusables.txt to exclude NFKC-handled characters, reducing entries from ~6,565 to ~613.
- Recommended pipeline: NFKC → NFKC-aware confusable map → mixed-script rejection.
- Documentation gap: Unicode standards don't address the interaction between confusables.txt and NFKC.
- A generator script automates creating an NFKC-aware confusable map, ensuring reproducibility across Unicode versions.
Show HN: Cryphos – no-code crypto signal bot with Telegram alerts
8 hours ago
- Live Signal Generation for trading with clarity.
- Professional-grade market intelligence delivered instantly via Telegram.
- 57 Active Users with 99.9% Uptime and 9 Indicators.
- Signal latency under 100ms for lightning-fast delivery.
- Features include Precision Targeting, Deep Analytics, and Risk Management.
- 24/7 Monitoring and Multi-Timeframe analysis capabilities.
- Three-step process: Configure Strategy, Backtest & Validate, Deploy & Monitor.
- Supports major indicators like RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands, and more.
- Includes tools for Smart Money, Volume, Support & Resistance, and Funding Rates analysis.
Git's Magic Files
7 hours ago
- Git uses special files like .gitignore, .gitattributes, .lfsconfig, .gitmodules, .mailmap, .git-blame-ignore-revs, and .gitmessage to control behavior.
- .gitignore specifies files git should ignore, with patterns for directories, wildcards, and negations.
- .gitattributes configures file handling, including line endings, binary files, and GitHub Linguist overrides.
- .lfsconfig sets Git LFS configuration, such as endpoint URLs and transfer settings.
- .gitmodules defines submodule configurations, including paths, URLs, and branches.
- .mailmap maps author names and emails to canonical identities for consistent commit attribution.
- .git-blame-ignore-revs lists commits to skip during blame, useful for bulk changes like formatting.
- .gitmessage provides a commit message template, though it requires manual configuration.
- Forge-specific folders (.github/, .gitlab/, etc.) contain platform-specific configurations like CI/CD workflows.
- Other conventions include .gitkeep for empty directories and .editorconfig for editor settings.
- Tools like Docker and version managers use similar dotfiles (.dockerignore, .ruby-version) for configuration.
Show HN: Vibe coded iOS workout app with Apple Watch support
2 days ago
- FitWit AI is an AI-powered fitness app offering personalized workout plans.
- Workouts adapt based on user goals, fitness level, and available equipment.
- Tracks progress, adjusts plans, and helps avoid plateaus.
- Suitable for beginners to advanced users, gym or home workouts.
- Features include workout logging, performance tracking, and progress monitoring.
- Available on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS with in-app purchases.
- Privacy policy includes data tracking and usage but not linked to identity.
Show HN: How Amazon Pricing Algorithms Work
2 days ago
- Amazon is one of the largest online retailers with millions of products and frequently changing prices.
- Amazon uses dynamic pricing, adjusting prices based on competition, demand, and market conditions.
- Prices can change multiple times a day, especially during major shopping events like Black Friday.
- Shoppers can use strategies like price drop notifications to track deals and avoid overpaying.
- Price Drop Notifications helps shoppers by alerting them when products hit their desired price.
- Amazon's dynamic pricing can sometimes be misleading, with sellers creating fake discounts.
- Setting up product-specific price alerts can help monitor desired items effectively.
- Understanding Amazon's pricing strategies helps shoppers make informed and confident purchases.
Show HN: ShuttleAI – One API for Claude Opus 4.6 and GPT-5.2
20 hours ago
- ShuttleAI provides API-based inference for leading AI models including text and image generation.
- Features include ShuttleAI Auto for dynamic model selection, GPT-5, and Claude Opus 4.6.
- Advantages of ShuttleAI: fast infrastructure, affordability, reliability, and quick launch.
- Pricing plans: Free (open-source models), Basic (faster models), Premium (powerful models), and Scale (production workloads).
- Free plan includes 1000 requests/month, Basic offers 10 req/min, Premium 30 req/min, and Scale 80 req/min.
- Support includes comprehensive API documentation, email support, and priority support for Premium/Scale users.
- Enterprise customers can get custom rate limits and dedicated support.
Show HN: Eliezer – Tiny (~7K LOC) Self-Hosted AI Agent (PWA, Self-Editing)
a day ago
- Eliezer is a compact, self-modifying AI agent that runs continuously on your phone.
- Unlike chatbots, Eliezer remembers context, executes tasks, and builds things even when you're not actively using it.
- Features include interactive widgets, scheduled tasks, SQLite persistence, and push notifications via PWA.
- Eliezer can modify its own tools and capabilities, allowing users to add features simply by asking.
- Open source (MIT) and self-hostable, giving users full control over their data and server.
- Comparatively, Eliezer offers continuous operation, full self-modification, and a smaller, more understandable codebase (~7K lines) than alternatives.
- Built by Victor as a personal project, Eliezer is designed to be fully controllable and user-owned.
Show HN: My Degenerate Craps Simulator
21 hours ago
- Pass Line is the basic craps bet, winning on 7 or 11 on the come-out and losing on 2, 3, or 12. House edge: 1.41%.
- Pass Line Odds is the best casino bet with zero house edge, paying true mathematical odds.
- Come Bet works like Pass Line but can be placed during the point phase, moving chips to the set number.
- Place Bets allow betting on specific numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) to hit before 7, with 6 and 8 having a 1.52% house edge.
- Don't Pass is the opposite of Pass Line, winning on 2 or 3 and losing on 7 or 11. House edge: 1.36%.
- Don't Pass Odds offers true odds payouts with zero house edge, reducing combined edge to ~0.27%.
- Don't Come is the dark-side version of Come, winning if 7 rolls before the set number.
- Lay Bets are the opposite of Place Bets, betting 7 comes before a specific number.
- Field is a one-roll bet covering 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, with a 5.56% house edge.
- Hardways bet on specific doubles (e.g., 3+3 for Hard 6) before 7 or easy combinations, with high payouts.
- Horn, C&E, and World are one-roll proposition bets covering extreme numbers (2, 3, 11, 12) with steep house edges.
- Fire Bet tracks unique point numbers converted by the shooter, offering high payouts (up to 999-to-1) with a ~20% house edge.
Show HN: Ghostty and Watercolors
21 hours ago
- Ghostty terminal offers unique features like zooming text without resizing and displaying images inline.
- Custom GLSL fragment shaders in Ghostty allow for creative backgrounds, such as watercolor washes.
- A collection of nine watercolor shaders mimics real painting techniques, available on GitHub.
- Shaders include Flat Wash, Graded Wash, Variegated Wash, Wet-on-Wet, Glazing, Granulating, Salt, Cauliflower, and Splatter.
- Configuring a shader in Ghostty involves editing the config file and setting a WASH_HUE value.
- A script, randomize-shader.sh, enables random shader and color selection for each new terminal window.
Fix Your Tools
5 hours ago
- Author encountered a bug in an open source library they maintain.
- Attempted to use a debugger to diagnose the issue, but the breakpoint was ignored.
- Initially ignored the debugger issue and tried alternative troubleshooting methods, which were ineffective.
- Realized the importance of fixing the debugger first, which was a simple one-line configuration change.
- After fixing the debugger, the author successfully diagnosed and solved the original bug.
- Reflection on the paradox of wanting to fix the bug immediately leading to overlooking the need to fix the tool first.
- Advice to programmers to prioritize fixing their tools to enhance effectiveness in problem-solving.
Tiny QR code achieved using electron microscope technology
2 days ago
- Austria-based researchers created the smallest QR code, requiring an electron microscope to view.
- The QR code measures 1.98 square micrometers, smaller than many bacteria, earning a Guinness World Record.
- Previous record was 5.38 square micrometers by a German team, but durability was a challenge.
- The team used ceramic film for stability, with pixels just 49 nanometers each, invisible to visible light.
- An A4-sized ceramic film could hold over 2 TB of data, advancing high-density storage solutions.
- Future research includes exploring other data structures and materials for long-term, energy-efficient storage.
- Ceramic tech competes with DNA storage, magnetic molecules, and Microsoft's laser-etched glass.
When satnavs go wrong: Why drivers end up following GPS into danger
2 days ago
- An Amazon delivery driver got stuck on Britain's deadliest footpath, The Broomway, after following GPS directions.
- Edinburgh officials installed a barricade after drivers were repeatedly sent down steps by their satnavs due to outdated road layouts.
- A Nissan Juke was stuck in a narrow footpath in Tenby for a week after tourists followed GPS directions to St Catherine's Island.
- A lorry driver in Somerset damaged a 300-year-old house after being directed down a narrow alley by his satnav.
- A fatal head-on collision in Buckinghamshire occurred after a driver followed incorrect satnav instructions, prompting calls for tech companies to improve audio prompts.
- Research shows that using GPS for navigation reduces brain activity in areas associated with spatial awareness and memory, which are also affected by Alzheimer's disease.
- Motoring organizations advise using satnavs as a support tool rather than relying on them completely, recommending planning ahead and using road signs.
- The AA suggests understanding the limitations of satnav systems and carrying a road atlas as a backup.
Yet Another Fix Coming for Older AMD GPUs on Linux – Thanks to Valve Developer
6 hours ago
- Timur Kristóf from Valve's Linux graphics driver team is improving support for older AMD Radeon GPUs on Linux.
- Older Radeon GCN 1.0/1.1 GPUs now default to the AMDGPU driver, offering better performance and RADV Vulkan support.
- A bug affecting AMDGPU on Radeon R9 M380 GPUs in Intel-powered iMacs caused boot issues and kernel errors.
- The issue persisted for over a year until Timur identified the problem: insufficient default voltage for the display controller.
- Timur's fix involves disabling memory clock dynamic power management (MCLK DPM) on problematic Sea Islands GPUs.
- Patches are being reviewed for upstream integration, potentially resolving issues for decade-old iMacs with GCN 1.1 GPUs.
Introduction to Out of Time Order Correlators (OTOCs)(2025)
4 days ago
- Out of Time Order Correlators (OTOCs) measure quantum chaos and are verifiable across quantum computers.
- Quantum Echoes algorithm measures OTOCs via forward evolution, perturbation, time reversal, and probing.
- OTOCs exhibit quantum interference, amplifying signals and enabling efficient quantum advantage.
- Higher-order OTOCs reveal complex many-body interference, challenging classical simulation methods.
- Experimental results on 65-qubit Willow device show OTOC measurement efficiency surpassing classical supercomputers.
- OTOCs have practical applications in Hamiltonian learning and molecular structure modeling.
- First quantum computing experiment to measure a verifiable, beyond-classical observable.
The U.S. spent $30B to ditch textbooks
10 hours ago
- Maine was the first state to implement a statewide laptop program in 2002, aiming to provide internet access to students.
- By 2016, Maine distributed 66,000 laptops and tablets to students, but test scores did not improve.
- Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath testified that Gen Z is less cognitively capable despite increased technology access.
- Standardized test scores have declined, correlating with increased screen time in schools.
- Horvath argues that unfettered technology access has weakened learning environments rather than strengthened them.
- A 2021 poll found teachers spend 1-4 hours daily on educational tech, but students often engage in off-task activities.
- Task-switching due to technology interrupts learning, leading to weaker memory formation and higher error rates.
- Jean Twenge notes that addictive app designs hinder sustained attention, making screen time counterproductive for learning.
- A 2025 study found TikTok requires minimal effort, balancing relevant and surprising content to keep users engaged.
- Over 1,600 plaintiffs have sued Meta, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube, alleging their platforms harm children's mental health.
- Horvath suggests policy solutions like efficacy standards for classroom tech and limits on data collection for minors.
- 17 states have banned cellphone use during instructional time, and 75% of schools prohibit non-academic phone use.
- Horvath calls Gen Z victims of a failed pedagogical experiment, urging them to recognize and address the issue.
New York Just Killed Its Robotaxi Plan. The Real Problem Isn't the Technology
7 hours ago
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul withdrew a proposal to amend state vehicle laws, blocking commercial robotaxi expansion outside NYC.
- The proposal lacked legislative support, not due to technology issues but because of a trust deficit in safety verification.
- Hochul's proposal included safeguards like a $1M application fee and $5M financial security, but these didn't address real-time operational safety concerns.
- Autonomous vehicle (AV) companies currently control operational data, leaving regulators to trust rather than verify safety.
- The trust deficit extends beyond robotaxis to other autonomous systems in warehouses, campuses, and hospitals.
- PhyWare is developing a data platform to create verifiable records for autonomous systems, aiming to close this trust gap.
- PhyTrace captures real-time operational data, while PhyCloud stores it immutably with cryptographic provenance.
- The platform enables independent verification of autonomous system behavior, shifting debates from permission to evidence-based decisions.
- PhyWare invites operators, OEMs, and integrators to collaborate on solving the trust problem in autonomous systems.
Met police using AI tools supplied by Palantir to flag officer misconduct
8 hours ago
- Scotland Yard is using Palantir's AI to monitor officer behavior, analyzing data on sickness, absences, and overtime to identify potential professional shortcomings.
- The Police Federation criticizes the approach as 'automated suspicion,' warning against opaque tools misinterpreting workload pressures as wrongdoing.
- The Met defends the pilot, stating it helps identify behavioral patterns but emphasizes human judgment in final determinations.
- Palantir's involvement in UK public sector contracts, including NHS and Ministry of Defence deals, raises transparency concerns.
- MPs and critics question Palantir's oversight, with calls for greater scrutiny of its government contracts.
- Labour supports responsible AI adoption in policing, pledging £115m investment over three years for AI tool rollout across forces.
- Palantir highlights its role in improving UK public services, including policing, healthcare, and naval operations.
We hid backdoors in ~40MB binaries and asked AI + Ghidra to find them
6 hours ago
- AI agents can detect some hidden backdoors in binary executables, but the approach is not production-ready.
- Claude Opus 4.6 found backdoors in small/mid-size binaries only 49% of the time, with high false positive rates.
- Binary analysis involves reverse engineering machine code into assembly and pseudo-C, a tedious process.
- The benchmark used open-source projects with artificially injected backdoors to test AI detection capabilities.
- Claude successfully identified a backdoor in lighttpd by tracing popen() usage and analyzing decompiled code.
- AI models often miss obvious backdoors, rationalizing them as legitimate functions, like in the DHCP backdoor example.
- Current LLMs lack strategic focus, often decompiling random functions instead of prioritizing high-risk areas.
- False positives are a significant issue, with models reporting non-existent backdoors 28% of the time.
- Open-source tools like Ghidra and Radare2 lag behind commercial alternatives, especially for Rust and Go binaries.
- AI can make initial security audits more accessible but is not yet reliable for end-to-end malware detection.

Hasty Briefsbeta

International box-sizing Awareness Day

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Fix Your Tools

Tiny QR code achieved using electron microscope technology

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Yet Another Fix Coming for Older AMD GPUs on Linux – Thanks to Valve Developer

Introduction to Out of Time Order Correlators (OTOCs)(2025)

The U.S. spent $30B to ditch textbooks

New York Just Killed Its Robotaxi Plan. The Real Problem Isn't the Technology

Met police using AI tools supplied by Palantir to flag officer misconduct

We hid backdoors in ~40MB binaries and asked AI + Ghidra to find them

International box-sizing Awareness Day

Linuxulator on FreeBSD Feels Like Magic

Unicode's confusables.txt and NFKC normalization disagree on 31 characters

Show HN: Cryphos – no-code crypto signal bot with Telegram alerts

Git's Magic Files

Show HN: Vibe coded iOS workout app with Apple Watch support

Show HN: How Amazon Pricing Algorithms Work

Show HN: ShuttleAI – One API for Claude Opus 4.6 and GPT-5.2

Show HN: Eliezer – Tiny (~7K LOC) Self-Hosted AI Agent (PWA, Self-Editing)

Show HN: My Degenerate Craps Simulator

Show HN: Ghostty and Watercolors

Fix Your Tools

Tiny QR code achieved using electron microscope technology

When satnavs go wrong: Why drivers end up following GPS into danger

Yet Another Fix Coming for Older AMD GPUs on Linux – Thanks to Valve Developer

Introduction to Out of Time Order Correlators (OTOCs)(2025)

The U.S. spent $30B to ditch textbooks

New York Just Killed Its Robotaxi Plan. The Real Problem Isn't the Technology

Met police using AI tools supplied by Palantir to flag officer misconduct

We hid backdoors in ~40MB binaries and asked AI + Ghidra to find them