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AI Is a Bad Tool
11 hours ago
- AI can be useful as a data distiller, condensing information retrieval and refinement steps that were previously manual.
- Using AI to generate code is inefficient; it often produces unverified, opaque outputs that lack proper abstraction and increase repetition.
- AI's opacity makes 'prompt engineering' questionable, as manipulating a black-box system without understanding its source code is unstable and unreliable.
- AI exposes a lack of proper abstraction in software development, revealing that many programming tasks could be automated by better tools or frameworks.
- The fear of AI making humans irrelevant stems from its ability to handle trivial, unabstracted work, highlighting that many software jobs were already inefficient.
- Dealing with AI's impact may require focusing on passion-driven work, full understanding, and proper abstraction to avoid reliance on AI for non-problems.
Telegram's t.me domain has been suspended
11 hours ago
- Domain t.me was registered on 2010-05-20 and expires on 2035-05-20, with recent updates as of 2026-07-13.
- The domain has multiple prohibited statuses including clientDeleteProhibited, serverDeleteProhibited, serverHold, clientRenewProhibited, clientTransferProhibited, serverTransferProhibited, clientUpdateProhibited, and serverUpdateProhibited.
- Name servers are hosted by Google Domains (ns-cloud-b1.googledomains.com, etc.), and the registrar is GoDaddy.com, LLC (IANA ID: 146).
- Registrant contact is Domains By Proxy, LLC, based in Arizona, US, with privacy-protected details marked as REDACTED in the raw WHOIS data.
Climate.gov was destroyed. Open data saved it
11 hours ago
- Climate.gov, a key climate data resource, was taken offline after the Trump administration cut NOAA's funding.
- Former NOAA employees Rebecca Lindsey, Anna Eshelman, and Mary Lindsey rebuilt the site as Climate.us, preserving over 15 years of climate data.
- The rebuilt site includes maps, educational materials, climate indicator reports, and the deleted Fifth National Climate Assessment.
- Public domain laws allowed the data to be saved and reused, preventing permanent loss.
- Climate.us features tools like a climate dashboard and teaching resources, but relies on donations due to lack of government funding.
- The archive serves as a form of journalism, aiding public decision-making, and highlights the need for restored government support.
In Praise of Exhaustive Destructuring
2 days ago
- The author initially disliked Rust's requirement to list all fields or use '..' when destructuring structs, finding it less convenient than TypeScript or Haskell.
- They later realized that explicit struct destructuring (listing all fields without '..') enhances software safety by forcing updates when new fields are added.
- Adding a 'wind_speed' field to WeatherReading without updating a function that uses field access ('.' syntax) can lead to bugs without compiler warnings.
- Using struct destructuring in function parameters or within methods triggers a compile-time error if new fields are omitted, ensuring all fields are considered.
- This technique is particularly useful in multi-layered applications (like CRUD services) to ensure consistency when fields are added or changed.
- Observing frequently destructured field groups can indicate a need for refactoring into separate structs to improve design.
I Put My Son in a Swamp
2 days ago
- The author modeled his newborn son as a typed resource in a system called 'swamp,' which includes a sync method for pulling the last seven days of data, reports summarizing sleep and feeding, and idempotent delete functionality.
- He developed multiple interfaces to track the baby, including a mobile app, a Pebble watchapp (for which he lacks the hardware), a conversational server, Home Assistant for reminders, and a swamp extension, all connecting to the same Baby Buddy REST API.
- The tracking system serves as a shared source of truth for two exhausted parents, facilitating handoffs during shifts by providing accurate, real-time data on feeding, sleep, diapers, and medication without needing to wake each other.
- Key engineering lessons emerged: ensuring data completeness (e.g., using a 'truncated' flag to indicate missing records) and designing for human error (e.g., soft-deleting timers to avoid data loss from race conditions or mistakes).
- The author open-sourced the extension on the swamp registry, noting that the instincts driving this project also apply to his work at Shrug PW, where stakes are higher but sleep is better.
Teardown: A Generic 7-Port USB 3.0 Hub That Wasn't
2 days ago
- The author bought a cheap 7-port USB 3.0 hub from AliExpress during sales, but it turned out to be mostly USB 2.0 with only one true USB 3.0 port.
- Teardown revealed poor construction: USB 2.0 ports lacked proper soldering, used cost-saving single-transaction-translator hub chips, and had a design that could backfeed power to the computer, risking damage.
- Despite high ratings and many positive reviews, the hub was deceptive in marketing, leading the author to feel duped and note that such low-quality products contribute to e-waste.
- The hub was detected by a PC as two stacked USB 2.0 hubs, confirming its lack of true USB 3.0 functionality, and its build quality was flimsy with thin metal and minimal components.
Dense Arena Interning: The Engine of Compiler Performance
a day ago
- Compiler performance is improved by reducing repeated string and structure checks using Dense Arena Interning.
- Dense Arena Interning converts strings and structures into dense integers during lexing or type construction, enabling O(1) lookups and comparisons in later compiler phases.
- Arena allocators provide stable memory, allowing pointer-based comparisons and efficient memory management without reallocation.
- Dense IDs enable flat array symbol tables, improving cache locality and turning symbol resolution into O(1) array indexing.
- Interning canonicalizes complex types, allowing shallow pointer comparisons instead of deep structural checks, further speeding up type and symbol comparisons.
Panel meter calculator with floating point
a day ago
- A panel meter calculator with floating point display was created, featuring six SO-45 panel voltmeters and one vintage edgewise meter for the display.
- The project involved making a custom acrylic panel with CNC-milled openings and spray-painted details for a three-dimensional look.
- The enclosure was crafted from thin maple lumber with a custom keypad layout, using NKK JF series tactile switches and vinyl decals for keys.
- An 8-bit AVR128DA28 MCU controls the calculator, using PWM to drive the meters and a 4x4 grid for keypad scanning, with fixed-point arithmetic to avoid accuracy issues.
- The calculator's UI handles fractions, negative numbers, and errors, with specific key functions like repeated operations and a dual-press '=' for clearing state.
States sue to block Paramount's $110B Warner Bros. deal
12 hours ago
- A coalition of 12 state attorneys general, led by California's Rob Bonta, is suing to block the merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).
- The lawsuit alleges the deal violates the Clayton Act by potentially lessening competition in wide release theatrical film distribution, top-grossing movie distribution, and basic cable licensing.
- The merger would combine major film studios and streaming platforms (Paramount+ and HBO Max) and create a large TV network portfolio, including CBS, MTV, CNN, and HBO.
- States claim the merged entity would control 27% of U.S. film distribution, 30% of blockbuster distribution, and 27% of the basic cable market, raising concerns about higher prices and reduced content diversity.
- Paramount argues the combined studios would release 30 movies annually, but critics, including filmmakers and actors, warn it would consolidate the media industry.
- The deal had been cleared by the U.S. Department of Justice and WBD shareholders, with Paramount's CEO expecting closure by September, but the lawsuit challenges this timeline.
NASA has a bold plan to save Swift Observatory from destruction
12 hours ago
- NASA's Swift Observatory is at risk of falling out of orbit due to increased solar storms.
- A rescue mission, launching a commercial robotic spacecraft named LINK by Katalyst Space, aims to boost the telescope's orbit.
- This is the first attempt to service a satellite not designed for in-space capture.
- If successful, the mission will extend the observatory's life and test new capabilities for future missions.
- The launch, using Northrop Grumman's Pegasus XL rocket, was postponed due to an issue; a new date is pending.
- Swift studies gamma-ray bursts and has operated since 2004, but lacks propulsion to counter atmospheric drag.
- Without intervention, Swift has a high chance of uncontrolled reentry by 2026.
China's graduate glut: millions enter a job market with little use for them
11 hours ago
- Graduation season in China is marked by increasing trepidation about the future as record numbers of graduates face a saturated job market.
- This year saw 12.7 million college graduates, with intense competition and a lack of vacancies, especially for jobs offering weekends off and proper social insurance.
- Youth unemployment in China stands at 15.6% (16-24 age group), driven by a mismatch between graduates' skills and market demands, exacerbated by AI automation.
- Universities are rapidly culling humanities and arts degrees while adding programs in high-tech fields, reflecting a shift toward AI- and tech-focused education.
- China's slowing economy, with a GDP growth target of 4.5-5%, weak consumption, and an aging population, further hinders job prospects for graduates.
- Informal polls on social media reveal high unemployment among graduates, with phrases like 'graduation means unemployment' expressing widespread despair and anxiety.
- Graduates face tough choices between high-pressure private sector jobs with long hours and lower-paid but stable civil service positions, with few offering work-life balance.
- Authorities have launched initiatives to boost hiring and plan to use AI to create urban jobs, but structural issues may take time to resolve, worsening short-term trends.
- Many graduates are turning to gig economy jobs like delivery driving, which provide income but risk long-term skill depreciation and reduced career progression.
- Experts note that policy responses are crucial to help young workers adapt, but millions remain uncertain about the future, accepting reality amid ongoing challenges.
Economists say 'we must act now' on AI's economic impact and job displacement
12 hours ago
- Hundreds of economists warn that AI could transform the economy and cause large-scale job displacement.
- An open letter organized by Stanford urges institutions to act now to steer AI to complement humans and benefit society.
- Signatories include over 200 economists and AI researchers, including Nobel laureates and tech executives from companies like Google and OpenAI.
- AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio emphasizes the need for collective, democratic choices to manage AI's economic impact.
I Tested 885 Duolingo Chess Puzzles. 24% Do Not Make Sense
12 hours ago
- Duolingo Chess has issues with 24% of puzzles in Section 7 being ineffective or borderline.
- Main problems include 'Theme Not Present' (puzzles not teaching labeled themes) and 'Branching Variations' (puzzles too hard for beginners).
- Other issues involve AI-generated puzzles, confusing hints, opaque payoffs, and bugs, affecting millions of daily users.
- The root cause is likely a shallow tagging system that misses puzzle narratives, leading to misclassification and poor difficulty calibration.
- A proposed fix is using an AI agent trained on human-tagged data to flag problematic puzzles for review, improving effectiveness without redesigning all puzzles.
- Despite flaws, Duolingo Chess is praised for its gamification and ability to engage beginners, with fixes seen as achievable due to systematic errors.
Revisiting Yliluoma's ordered dither algorithm
16 hours ago
- The article explores Joel Yliluoma's 2011 ordered dither algorithm and introduces simplified EMA variants.
- It compares these methods to Thomas Knoll's Photoshop dither algorithm, focusing on color selection for palette-based images.
- The EMA variants use exponential moving averages to pick candidate colors, with options for exact or constant mixing factors.
- Knoll's algorithm remains faster due to O(N log K) complexity, while Yliluoma-2 and EMA variants are O(NK).
- Dither quality depends on candidate count N and mixing factor t, with N around 2K recommended for K-color images.
- Source code is provided for implementations including Knoll, EMA, and offset dithers.
The infinite scroll may become endangered if controversial Calif. law passes
12 hours ago
- JavaScript is required for the website to function properly.
- The issue may be caused by browser extensions, network problems, or incorrect browser settings.
- Suggested solutions include checking the connection, disabling ad blockers, or switching to another browser.
Show HN: Nobie – an Excel-compatible runtime for agents and humans
12 hours ago
- Performance is a main focus with weekly improvements.
- Fully Excel-compatible with correct calculations for every formula and cell.
- Direct integration with AI tools like Claude, Codex, and Gemini.
- Data privacy: files never leave your Mac, no servers or uploads.
- No vendor lock-in: uses standard .xlsx files openable in Excel anytime.
- Supports all Excel and Google Sheets functionalities.
Thunderbird Desktop settings research: what we learned from your feedback
12 hours ago
- Thunderbird user research reveals a deep trust in open-source and Mozilla's transparency.
- Users prefer extensive initial customization followed by minor tweaks for a modern look.
- Reducing clutter and cognitive noise in settings menus is a top user priority.
- In-app search is the preferred method for navigating complex configuration options.
- Many users treat their unread inbox as a task list or to-do queue.
- Technical terminology in settings causes hesitation, even among advanced users.
- Planned improvements include simplifying language, streamlining settings categories, and enhancing privacy explanations.
- The interface update aims to modernize UI without compromising Thunderbird's robust functionality.
- Accessibility improvements are being incorporated based on a community audit.
- Next steps involve finalizing project scope and designing a holistic desktop and mobile settings architecture.
Cottage Computer Programming (1984)
2 days ago
- Paul Lutus, a former NASA engineer, left his job and moved to a remote cabin in Oregon to live a simple life.
- He bought an Apple II computer in 1976 and began programming for fun, eventually creating Apple Writer, a popular word processing program.
- Despite being isolated in the wilderness, Lutus found success by selling his programs to Apple, leading to a royalty-based deal.
- He argues that individual creativity and solitary work styles are more effective in programming than teamwork, citing industry examples.
- Lutus discusses the advantages of living in a 'computerized cottage,' including freedom from trivial tasks and the ability to focus in silence.
- He also notes the challenges of backwoods living, such as potential loneliness, but believes technology can help connect people.
Solving Santa Claus Puzzle
2 days ago
- The article explores solving the Santa Claus concurrency puzzle using the SPIN model checker and Promela.
- Key constraints include: Santa cannot marshal groups; reindeer have priority over elves when both wait; and full groups (9 reindeer or 3 elves) must participate together.
- Three failure scenarios are analyzed: delivering without all reindeer ready, simultaneous delivery and consultation, and consulting elves despite waiting reindeer.
- A correct model introduces rooms (separate processes) for marshalling, with Santa waiting for 'group ready' signals to ensure proper synchronization and priority.
- Safety and liveness properties (e.g., mutual exclusion, full group participation, progress) are validated using Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) in SPIN.
- The solution is translated into a Go implementation, highlighting the educational value of model checking for uncovering subtle concurrency bugs.
What's the story behind the names of Cloudflare's name servers? (2013)
a day ago
- CloudFlare provides two custom name server domains (e.g., bob.ns.cloudflare.com and lola.ns.cloudflare.com) to new users for DNS setup.
- The naming system (using 101 common names like Bob and Lola) was created to prevent users from guessing sequential server names, ensuring accurate verification of authoritative DNS records during sign-up.
- Initially, 100 names (50 male, 50 female) were used, allowing 2,500 combinations; later, a 101st name ("Woz") was added after inspiration from a ninja drawing resembling Steve Wozniak.
- The name server domains serve for initial verification; afterward, requests are handled by a global, load-balanced infrastructure across 23 data centers, supporting fast and robust DNS services.
- Artistic ninja drawings were commissioned for each name server, adding personality, and early team members and investors were allowed to choose their namesake ninjas.

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Hasty Briefsbeta

AI Is a Bad Tool

Telegram's t.me domain has been suspended

Climate.gov was destroyed. Open data saved it

In Praise of Exhaustive Destructuring

I Put My Son in a Swamp

Teardown: A Generic 7-Port USB 3.0 Hub That Wasn't

Dense Arena Interning: The Engine of Compiler Performance

Panel meter calculator with floating point

States sue to block Paramount's $110B Warner Bros. deal

NASA has a bold plan to save Swift Observatory from destruction

China's graduate glut: millions enter a job market with little use for them

Economists say 'we must act now' on AI's economic impact and job displacement

I Tested 885 Duolingo Chess Puzzles. 24% Do Not Make Sense

Revisiting Yliluoma's ordered dither algorithm

The infinite scroll may become endangered if controversial Calif. law passes

Show HN: Nobie – an Excel-compatible runtime for agents and humans

Thunderbird Desktop settings research: what we learned from your feedback

Cottage Computer Programming (1984)

Solving Santa Claus Puzzle

What's the story behind the names of Cloudflare's name servers? (2013)