1. E-ink is so Retropunk
Total comment counts : 49
Summary
The article expresses the author’s enthusiasm for e-ink devices, describing them as “retropunk.” The author finds these devices reminiscent of computers from the 80s and 90s, with a software ecosystem that is more homebrew and a community of enthusiasts. E-ink devices are described as devoid of app stores and distractions, with simple applications and quirky software. The article also offers suggestions for getting started with hacking on e-ink devices and mentions some limitations of certain models. The author emphasizes that e-ink devices offer a different computing experience and expresses frustration with proprietary technology and patents that hinder hobbyists and hackers.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article provides information about rmkit, a library and group of developers creating apps for the reMarkable tablet (rM) and now Kobo. It mentions that typically, people use Qt to write apps for the rM, but there are other routes, including a solution called SAS that uses Unix pipes. The article notes that the rM2 requires more hacking to get working than the rM1 due to its embedded framebuffer driver. It also mentions alternative drivers in development for driving the display. The author expresses gratitude for feedback and encourages hacking.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This article expresses love for e-ink devices, particularly the Kobo, due to their lightweight nature, water resistance, and ability to be read in bright sunlight. The author appreciates how e-readers have helped them read more and escape the distractions of smartphones and social media. The convenience of carrying multiple books is also highlighted. The article concludes by celebrating e-ink devices in general.
2. Deep Neural Nets: 33 years ago and 33 years from now (2022)
Total comment counts : 18
Summary
The article is about the author’s attempt to reproduce a historical paper on handwritten zip code recognition using neural networks. The original paper, published in 1989, applied backpropagation to train a neural network for this task. The author attempted to follow the paper closely and re-implemented it using PyTorch. They made several modifications and improvements to the original methodology, such as changing the loss function, using modern optimization algorithms, introducing data augmentation and dropout, and scaling up the dataset. Through these changes, they were able to significantly improve the performance of the network. The author reflects on the progress in deep learning over the past 33 years and discusses the trend towards finetuning and using foundation models. They conclude that in the future, training neural networks from scratch may become outdated, and tasks will be achieved through lightweight finetuning or interacting with larger neural networks directly.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article states that the original training for a system took 3 days on a Sun 4/260 workstation, which consumed about 200 watts of energy. The author then trained the equivalent on a Macbook, which only consumed around 20 watts of energy and took 90 seconds. This represents an energy efficiency improvement of nearly 30,000 times.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This article discusses predictions for the year 2055 related to technological advancements. The author appreciates the article but criticizes the predictions for being “meta-linear” and suggesting a symmetry between the present and future. The author acknowledges that these predictions may not come true due to unforeseen breakthroughs and obstacles. They propose that alternative architectural frameworks or quantum computers could shape the future. However, the author also concedes that the article’s conclusions are the best estimations based on current knowledge of past and present situations.
3. Clean mount lists in Linux
Total comment counts : 11
Summary
This article discusses the increased complexity of output from commands such as df(1), lsblk(8), and mount(8) in default Linux installations due to the mounting of more filesystems. The author provides a list of command arguments that can be used to remove irrelevant devices and make the output more readable. They also explain how to replace the default commands in the fish shell. The article mentions that GNU df(1) allows the exclusion of tmpfs with a simple option. It also suggests using the lsblk(8) command to exclude loopback devices, as well as using awk to filter the output of mount(8). The author suggests findmnt(8) as an alternative to df(1) and mount(8) that offers better filtering options.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article is about a tool called “duf” which is considered a better alternative to the “df” command. It provides more detailed information about disk usage.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This article mentions the output of three different commands on an Arch system. The first command, “df -h | wc -l,” returns a value of 7. The second command, “lsblk | wc -l,” returns a value of 6. The third command, “mount | wc -l,” returns a value of 26 (although the article mentions different numbers).
4. NES Emulator in Common Lisp (2016)
Total comment counts : 6
Summary
The article discusses an attempt to emulate the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) using Common Lisp programming language. The author mentions a few areas that they are working on, such as supporting other mapppers besides NROM, implementing audio, and making the emulation run at the proper speed. They also mention the goal of writing more idiomatic Lisp code. The article provides instructions on how to run the code and control the emulation.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a project involving the use of Lisp to write code for the NES, and mentions a related project that showcases this application. It suggests that creating an assembler in Lisp is not a difficult task.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author found some interesting code and saved the author’s repository list for later. The author doesn’t use Common Lisp as frequently now because most things related to LLMs and deep learning are in Python. However, the author is happy to see projects like this.
5. Programming as Theory Building (1985) [pdf]
Total comment counts : 10
Summary
error
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article mentioned in the provided links is titled “Programming as Theory Building” and was written by Peter Naur in 1985. It discusses the idea of programming as a process of constructing theories. The HN (Hacker News) links provide various dates and comments on the article.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article mentioned is described as possibly the most important paper on software engineering, but it is acknowledged that the language is dry and academic. The user recommends reading a commentary on the paper that is considered to be a nicer and more accessible read. They provide a link to the commentary.
6. Interpretable graph neural networks for tabular data
Total comment counts : 4
Summary
This article is not accessible because the user does not have permission to access it. If the user believes this is a mistake, they can refer to the provided link for more information on how to restore access to the article.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a new model called TabPFN that solves small tabular classification problems quickly. The model’s explanations are aligned with the true Shapley values of the features without any additional computational overhead. TabPFN is Bayesian-calibrated and trained with better performance than xgboost for non-categorical data. The article provides links to the TabPFN repository and a Twitter post about it.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article is seen as interesting, but it is unclear if the idea is feasible without access to the code.
7. A venture-backed startup has quietly bought more than 80 mom-and-pop shops
Total comment counts : 31
Summary
Teamshares is a New York-based startup targeting small businesses without a succession plan and has acquired 84 small businesses since 2018. The company installs a new president that it trains and grants 10% of the business’s stock to its employees, with the aim of increasing employee ownership to 80% within 20 years. Teamshares generates revenue by selling fintech products such as insurance and credit cards to the businesses it acquires. The company has raised $245 million in venture capital and $150 million in debt. Teamshares aims to replace the vendors used by the acquired companies and become a well-known brand outside its immediate sphere.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the difficulty of finding small businesses with growth potential. The author shares an example of a highly rated bakery owned by a couple who wanted to retire. However, all the profits of the bakery were taken as their salary, making it difficult to replace them without eating into the profits. The bakery faced stiff competition from 40 other local bakeries, and the absence of accurate auditing due to cash transactions made the situation even more challenging. The author expresses concerns about companies being bought by Teamshares, as employees could end up with a non-growing company that slowly deteriorates after the owners retire and Teamshares continues to extract fees.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This article discusses a company that is primarily a holding company, rather than a fintech company. While they do sell financial products as a secondary revenue stream, their main source of revenue comes from the companies they acquire. The article suggests that the company may be intentionally decreasing the value of these acquired companies over time in order to sell stocks back to employees at inflated prices.
8. Prof. Robert Boice’s Rules of the Road for Writers (2012)
Total comment counts : 5
Summary
The article discusses the rules and advice of Prof. Robert Boice for writers. Some of the key points mentioned include:
- Work in brief, regular sessions with breaks in between.
- Pay attention to signs of impatience and rushing while writing.
- Stop writing at the end of your time limit, preferably in the middle of something.
- Dedicate equal time to pre-writing and rewriting as you do writing.
- Spend time socializing with other writers about your writing.
- Make writing a daily priority, but not at the expense of living.
- Be aware of your emotions and avoid reactive self-talk while writing.
- Resist the temptation to binge-write out of impatience.
- Listen calmly to feedback on your writing and find points of agreement.
- Dispute irrational thoughts about how writing should be.
- Take breaks when feeling worried or overwhelmed.
- Start before feeling ready and stop before feeling done.
The article also mentions some of Prof. Boice’s books, which explore the psychology behind writing blocks and procrastination, offer advice for professors as writers, and provide guidance on managing academic responsibilities.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article suggests that artists often believe that their creative ideas come from a mysterious source, and they only realize their own role in the process after the fact.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article suggests stopping at the end of your time limit, even if it means interrupting something, such as a sentence or argument. The rationale behind this is not rushing and allowing yourself to fully enjoy and be present in the activity.
9. Sidewalk Garden
Total comment counts : 16
Summary
error
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a fantastic initiative that has transformed a specific spot over time. The before and after pictures show an incredible change, and it is difficult to believe it is the same location. The author congratulates the individuals behind the project, emphasizing how it improves the world around them. However, the author expresses surprise that the municipality allowed the digging up of sidewalks and the reduction of their width. They compare this to their own area, where it would be difficult to obtain permits due to underground infrastructure and potential risks. In their location, they mention the occurrence of guerilla gardening, where people plant things by flipping up a few tiles in the pavement. The article provides a link to an example of a more modest transformation in Amsterdam.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author of the message expresses appreciation for their neighbor’s garden and curiosity about the history of an unusual building nearby. They thank their neighbor for their blog post and for contributing to the pleasantness of the neighborhood.
10. Universal Design Guide Playbook
Total comment counts : 10
Summary
The article discusses the use of universal design methods to create more inclusive solutions. It explains how to use a playbook that provides a variety of methods for inclusive innovation. The article also mentions DTU Skylab, a living lab for innovation and entrepreneurship, and how it brings together technology, science, and an open community to develop solutions for real-world challenges. The website mentioned in the article is developed as part of the partnership Technology Leaving No One Behind, supported by the Bevica foundation. The article credits Dagny Valgeirsdottir, Astrid Kofod Trudslev, and Maria Væver Olsen for their contributions to the initiative.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author is confused about the purpose of certain activities related to design. They do not understand how these activities are relevant to design and find the headline vague.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This article highlights the misconception that good design is just a collection of fun games, which prevents it from being taken seriously in the business world. The author criticizes this notion and believes that it relegates design to a less influential role.