1. Car allergic to vanilla ice cream (2000)
Total comment counts : 75
Summary
error
Top 1 Comment Summary
In the late 90s, a member of staff at a workplace experienced issues with their mouse. The mouse would stop working between certain hours of the day, particularly during lunchtime. Interestingly, the problem only occurred on sunny days, while it worked perfectly on overcast days. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the issue was caused by the mouse being cheaply made with thin plastic. The mouse operated by shining an LED into a sensor on the X and Y axes, and the sun’s brightness on sunny days would overpower the sensor due to the thin plastic case. However, when the sun moved and cast a shadow over the mouse, it would start working again. This explanation seemed logical but initially baffling.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This anecdote describes how a server for a company would reboot every day at 5pm. Despite checking the operating system and running tests, the server would go offline and reboot for about 5 minutes. Eventually, the individuals decided to observe the server during the timeframe it experienced the issue. They discovered that a cleaner would unplug the server rack, plug in a vacuum cleaner to clean around the servers, and then plug the server rack back in.
2. FAA authorizes Zipline to deliver commercial packages using drones
Total comment counts : 31
Summary
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given authorization to Zipline International, Inc. to use drones to deliver commercial packages in Salt Lake City and Bentonville, Arkansas. These drones can fly beyond the operator’s visual line of sight and will release the payload via parachute. The data collected from these operations will inform the FAA’s ongoing policy and rulemaking activities. The FAA is working on developing standard rules to make beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations routine, scalable, and economically viable. They have also chartered the Beyond Visual Line of Sight Aviation Rulemaking Committee to provide safety recommendations. The FAA’s long-term goal is to integrate drones into the National Airspace System and they are working on a plan for Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) in collaboration with NASA.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article is a video featuring Mark Rober discussing Zipline. The user finds the video impressive and shares the link to it.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The Sparrow drones, also known as “Platform 1”, have a cruising altitude of 80-120m and can fly at speeds of 60mph. They have a maximum payload capacity of 1.8kg and can deliver items up to a distance of 50 miles. However, they are capable of flying up to 190 miles on a single charge. The payload is dropped by parachute from a height of 25-30m into a landing zone with a diameter of 5m. For more information, you can visit the Wikipedia page [1] and the Zipline site [2]. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zipline_(drone_delivery_company) [2] https://www.flyzipline.com/technology
3. Add extra stuff to a “standard” encoding? Sure, why not
Total comment counts : 18
Summary
The author of the article describes a situation where they encountered unexpected errors when using protocol buffers, a method for storing and transferring data. They had provided details to a friend who was implementing protocol buffers in another language, but encountered strange errors when the friend’s client connected to their server. They discovered that there was an extra byte in the encoding, which turned out to be a length byte that was mistakenly added by the protobuf library the friend had selected. They found that skipping this particular function resolved the issue. The author highlights the frustration of encountering unexpected behaviors in libraries and points out that others have also reported similar issues with the same library.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author of the article shares their experience of using varint encoding to prepend protobuf messages with the message length. They explain that they chose this approach to avoid collision with other special control characters and to future-proof the implementation. The author also mentions being nerd-sniped by varint encoding, which influenced their decision. They express concern about a team member sharing the implemented method outside the company.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This article addresses the issue of delimited and non-delimited formats in Protobuf encoders and decoders. The author explains that both formats are commonly implemented and considered standard within the Protobuf community. The bug mentioned in the article is attributed to a misunderstanding between a writer using the delimited format and a reader using the non-delimited format. The author suggests that the confusion may have been caused by inadequate documentation, but asserts that it is not the fault of the library author.
4. Chonky Menu Re-Creation
Total comment counts : 28
Summary
The article discusses the process of recreating a fun menu design concept using Javascript. The author explains how they added various interactive illustrations to show different aspects of the menu’s functionality. They describe the process of calculating the mouse position, determining the closest row, and adding visual effects such as scaling and highlighting. They also discuss how they incorporated a decay function to create a smoother animation effect and utilized a spring simulation for natural and interruptible movement. The author concludes by mentioning the addition of a stretch effect and the final touches to make the menu look realistic.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses different types of math functions that can be used for easing animations. It mentions that easing functions, which typically have a range and image between 0.0 and 1.0, are commonly used. CSS has a cubic-bezier function that can replicate various easing functions. It also mentions that sigmoid functions, which resemble an “S” shape when plotted, are popular in graphics applications, with Smoothstep being a specific example. The article includes links to external resources for further information.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the usability issue with holding and dragging on a laptop’s touchpad, particularly when trying to reach the top item in a menu. This method restricts acceleration beyond the touchpad’s edge and limits the number of items that can be accessed in the menu. The author suggests that tap or swipe gestures for opening and closing menus would be more user-friendly and easier to understand.
5. A simple web server written in Awk
Total comment counts : 17
Summary
The article discusses a simple web server written in GNU awk. The web server supports directory listing and file downloads from the directory where it is launched. The purpose of the web server is to showcase the power of the awk language. The script must be executed through a TCP wrapper and can be accessed through a browser on the local 8888 port.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses how BusyBox, which includes an AWK implementation, now also has an HTTP server that supports CGI. The author shares their experience of setting up a simple web-app using recutils as the database and BusyBox AWK as the programming language. The article suggests giving it a try if you enjoy bricolage and have a weekend to spare. The article includes links to the BusyBox HTTP server documentation and recutils.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses a sed script that recreates Super Mario Level 1 for the NES using simple shell tools. The script can be found on GitHub.
6. A small community of unofficial Apple technicians in Cuba
Total comment counts : 4
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The article describes how the writer’s former exchange student from Turkmenistan claimed there were Apple stores in certain malls in Ashgabat, but the writer proved that Apple does not officially sell products in Turkmenistan. The exchange student sent pictures of a store that was a complete replica of an official Apple store, selling new iPhones, iPads, and other products that were smuggled into the country.
Top 2 Comment Summary
This article highlights the drawbacks of traveling with Macbooks due to the Apple service network. According to the DigitalNomad subreddit, there have been numerous horror stories about getting Macbook machines fixed, especially during international flights. The article also points out that PCs, unlike Macbooks, have removable SSDs and offer cheaper options to buy new machines.
7. Show HN: Cheq UPI – India’s first UPI payments app for foreigners
Total comment counts : 26
Summary
The article discusses Cheq, a UPI wallet that allows foreign tourists to pay using their phones through the UPI platform in India. It emphasizes the benefits of using Cheq, such as secure transactions, encrypted data, and proactive blocking of suspicious activities. The wallet can be used at various establishments, including hotels, restaurants, local stores, and transportation services. Tourists from G20 nations and non-resident Indian citizens can open a Cheq tourist wallet, but they need to provide their passport and Indian Visa. The wallet can be used for both online and offline expenses, and a one-time joining fee of INR 800 (~$10) is charged for verification purposes. Funds can be added to the wallet through Transcorp branches or instant payment gateways.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author of the article discusses their experience using mobile payment apps during their trip to India. They mention not having an Indian phone number as a challenge and having to rely on their parents’ phone. They express interest in using the app for their next visit but highlight the inconvenience of in-person branch verification. They suggest that the verification process should be more convenient, possibly through online verification or document upload. The author also suggests that the app should be available for use outside of India, even if the payment functionality is disabled.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author expresses concern about the passport verification process in India, stating that it feels like an invitation for identity theft. They argue that people in the US are raised to protect their documents and find little benefit in handing their passport to local shopkeepers. The author suggests an alternative system, where the passport can be uploaded through an app and verified by a salaried and background-checked employee of the company. They also recommend having clear policies about record keeping, storage security, and pursuing legal charges against employees who do not adhere to privacy policies.
8. My uBlock Origin filters to remove distractions
Total comment counts : 45
Summary
The article provides personal and opinionated uBlock Origin filters to remove distractions from certain websites. The author optimizes the filters to allow specific tasks while disabling other distractions. The filters can be used directly from the repository or forked. Feedback and suggestions are welcome through various channels. The article also includes instructions on how to add the filters to the uBlock Origin extension.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a useful enhancement for web browsing after blocking a large number of ads and sidebars. It suggests expanding the remaining text elements to fill the empty whitespace. This can be achieved using a CSS code that increases the width of the main text element. The article also mentions the idea of using a “column-count” rule to make websites look like newspapers, with narrow columns for readability and multiple columns for easy scanning. However, implementing this rule is more complex than expected due to the intricacies of modern website layouts. The article provides a link for further information on the “column-count” rule. Additionally, it includes a minimal example of the rule being applied using a browser extension called uBlock on a specific website.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article suggests that by selecting certain options in the “Filter Lists” section of the “Options” menu in Chrome, one can eliminate almost all website annoyances without affecting the main functionality of the websites. The recommended options are from AdGuard, EasyList, and uBlock filters. The article also mentions that this method has been used successfully on many fresh installations of Chrome.
9. Show HN: ElectricSQL, Postgres to SQLite active-active sync for local-first apps
Total comment counts : 51
Summary
ElectricSQL is a tool that allows developers to build reactive, real-time, and local-first applications directly on Postgres. It provides features such as row-level DDLX rules for controlling data access, the ability to elect tables for synchronization, and permission management using existing data models. ElectricSQL also offers dynamic partial replication between Postgres in the cloud and SQLite in the local app through the use of Shapes. Additionally, it allows binding real-time data to components with Live queries, supports local writes for immediate, reactive, replicated, and conflict-free updates, and brings the power of the Erlang VM to local-first software development. The tool enables instant responsiveness and consistent speed through local-first data access, keeps data in sync between users and devices with real-time multi-user replication, and solves connectivity and concurrency issues using CRDTs, Rich-CRDTs, and strong eventual consistency. It reduces backend workload by standardizing on a simple, scalable replication protocol and provides a cost reduction by moving data and compute workload to the local device. ElectricSQL is compatible with any Postgres-based system and supports existing data models, migration tooling, web frameworks, and component libraries. It is designed to be incrementally adopted, allowing for an easy transition from REST API endpoints and GraphQL layers. The tool is available under the Apache 2.0 license, utilizes permissive licensing, and encourages contributions through open development on GitHub and Discord. It is a horizontally scalable sync service with no complex infrastructure or durability requirements. Developers can refer to the Quickstart guide, Examples, and Usage and Integration guides for further assistance.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author congratulates a team on their progress in developing an offline-first framework. They were pleased to find that the team was addressing the connection between client-side SQLite, a CRDT/sync layer, and Postgres. The author states that other solutions were either closed source or involved SQLite to SQLite, not Postgres. The author commends the team for their achievement and praises the engineers involved.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the potential use of a feature for writing integration tests quickly in CI workflows, using a subset of real or curated data. It also highlights the benefits of using Elixir as the sync layer for this process.
10. OpenTF is now OpenTofu
Total comment counts : 35
Summary
The article is a discussion thread where people suggest and debate different names for a project/binary related to infrastructure as code. The current name, OpenTF, may need to be changed due to trademark issues. Some of the suggested names include Tofu, TransForge, Terrafork, Lunarspoon, Declair, and Blueprint. After much discussion and input from the community, it is announced that the project will be rebranded as OpenTofu under the Linux Foundation.
Top 1 Comment Summary
OpenTofu, an open-source project, has announced that it is now officially part of the Linux Foundation. The interim tech lead of OpenTofu made the announcement at the OSS Bilbao event. The project has also changed its name to OpenTofu, which was chosen as the winning name through voting. The article provides a link to the official announcement on the Linux Foundation’s website.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the name change of the OpenTofu Github organization. However, the direct link provided does not provide any information about the name change. The article includes several links that specifically address the name change, including one from GitHub and two from TechCrunch and The Register.