1. Show HN: OpenSign – Open source alternative to DocuSign
Total comment counts : 22
Summary
This article introduces OpenSign, an open-source document e-signing solution that aims to provide a free alternative to commercial platforms like DocuSign, PandaDoc, SignNow, Adobe Sign, Smartwaiver, SignRequest, HelloSign, and Zoho sign. Developed by OpenSignLabs, the mission of OpenSign is to democratize the e-signing process and make it accessible for everyone. The article encourages users to refer to the installation guide and user manual for instructions on how to install and use OpenSign, as well as invites contributions from the open-source community. OpenSign is licensed under the AGPL License, and the article expresses gratitude to contributors and users for their support and feedback.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The person is wondering if it is difficult to compete with DocuSign because of the complex legal requirements for electronic signatures. They are questioning whether OpenSign has done the necessary legal research to ensure their signatures are legally binding.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the installation instructions for the OpenSign project. It mentions that there are instructions provided for auto-deployment to DigitalOcean and to a local server. It also mentions information about AWS S3 but notes that there are no build/install instructions for local deployment.
2. Nitrogen electroreduction with almost 100% current-to-ammonia efficiency (2022)
Total comment counts : 15
Summary
The article discusses the potential use of ammonia as a replacement for carbon-based fuels and as a carrier for renewable energy transportation. The current technology for ammonia production has limited yield rates and low efficiencies, but the article presents a high-efficiency, robust process enabled by compact ionic layering in the electrode-electrolyte interface. The study emphasizes the importance of the electrolyte in the electrochemical nitrogen-reduction reaction and suggests that these findings could guide the development of a sustainable ammonia production process.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a new method of nitrogen fixation called “laser-induced nitrogen fixation.” It explores the use of renewable energy sources to decarbonize ammonia production in the industry. The method involves using a laser to dissociate lithium oxide under non-equilibrium multiphoton absorption and high temperatures generated by focused infrared light. The resulting zero-valent metal fixes nitrogen and forms lithium nitride, which, upon hydrolysis, produces ammonia. The study demonstrates that this process achieves significantly higher ammonia yield rates compared to current ambient conditions synthesis methods. The article suggests that laser-involved technology holds potential for local ammonia production and other new chemistries.
Top 2 Comment Summary
According to the article, a new development might allow for fertilizer production without emitting CO2. The research suggests that this method could even be more cost-effective than the current practice of using natural gas. Currently, fertilizer production contributes 2.1% of all CO2 emissions.
3. NixOS Reproducible Builds: minimal ISO successfully independently rebuilt
Total comment counts : 12
Summary
The article discusses the successful creation of an independent, bit-by-bit-identical rebuild of the NixOS minimal ISO. The main focus of this achievement is to ensure that the binaries shipped are faithful to their sources and have not been tampered with. The rebuild process involved starting a fresh VirtualBox appliance and building everything on the machine itself, rather than relying on cached binaries. Although there are still some limitations and potential attack vectors, this test provides high confidence in the reproducibility of the ISO. The article also mentions the ongoing work towards achieving reproducible builds for NixOS and highlights the benefits of reproducibility, such as independently-verifiable binaries. The author expresses excitement for future developments, including a full-source reproduced build of NixOS. The rebuild process took approximately 4 hours. The article concludes with discussions on the potential impact of binary reproducibility on Nix’s upcoming content-addressed derivations feature and the possibility of enabling trusted distributed caches.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article highlights two significant achievements in the journey towards reproducible system builds. One milestone involves rebuilding the minimal ISO from source, while the other milestone involves bootstrapping a full compiler toolchain from a small binary file. These features hold the potential to be combined in the future to build a complete distribution from source.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author suggests that in order to ensure the security and integrity of the code being built and used in Nix, maintainers should sign packages. The lack of this standardization may prevent Nix from being used in productive situations where data protection is crucial.
4. Running Speeds
Total comment counts : 22
Summary
The article discusses the concept of running speed and how it is distributed among individuals. It starts by describing a promotion in which customers were invited to try and steal a product from a shoe store, with a professional sprinter acting as the security guard. The article then compares the speed of the sprinter to that of an average runner and highlights the significant difference in their abilities. It goes on to discuss the speed of a mascot called the Freeze, who races against fans during breaks in baseball games. Despite giving the fans a head start, the Freeze consistently overtakes and wins the race. The article explains that while the Freeze is a good runner, he is not a professional athlete. It then dives into the distribution of running speed, explaining that it follows a lognormal distribution rather than a Gaussian distribution. The author theorizes that the speed of a runner depends on the product of various factors rather than their sum, with the weakest factor having the most significant impact. The article uses a simulation to demonstrate how this mechanism can produce a lognormal distribution of running speeds. It concludes by suggesting that because the distribution of running speed is lognormal, there will always be someone faster than you.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author asks why competitive distance runners place so much importance on speed, despite their own preference for focusing solely on completing the distance. They reflect on their own experience with long-distance running and how it was about the challenge of completing the distance rather than achieving a fast time. The author also mentions their current interest in cycling and how others in that community are similarly focused on speed. They express curiosity about why so many people care about timing and beating others, seeking different perspectives on the matter.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author expresses their awe and appreciation for seeing a person running with high performance, comparing it to the beauty of great feats of engineering. They feel impressed by the dedication and effort it takes to achieve such a level. In contrast, they get annoyed when people say they prefer dogs to humans, as they believe modern society is an incredible and complex system that deserves admiration.
5. Giving a Shit as a Service (2022)
Total comment counts : 39
Summary
The article discusses the importance of caring and providing exceptional service in service businesses. The author shares their positive experience with a custom furniture maker who went above and beyond to create a custom table to their specifications. The author argues that caring about the final product and going the extra mile for customers is the fundamental value proposition of small boutique businesses. They also highlight the significance of demonstrating care and asking challenging questions as a way to show potential clients that they genuinely care about their needs. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of finding work that one cares about and collaborating with people who share the same level of passion and commitment.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author carries a two dollar bill and a fifty-cent piece to appreciate store clerks who go above and beyond. As a retired electrician with a blue-collar background, the author values individuals who show even a small amount of care in their work. They have learned through their own experience that being the only one who cares can lead to a negative experience.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author discusses their experience at Amazon and how the company’s commitment to being customer-obsessed changed over time. In the past, there was a strong focus on doing the right thing and employees genuinely cared about their work. However, in 2021, salaries in the industry skyrocketed, leading to many talented individuals leaving for better offers. In 2022, the stock price dropped, causing more employees to leave. The following year, layoffs occurred. The author feels that there are fewer people who still care deeply about their work and are outnumbered by those who just want to clock in and out without making a significant impact. They express nostalgia for the earlier days of the company.
6. Exploiting DNS response parsing on the Wii U
Total comment counts : 7
Summary
The article discusses an annual exploit for the Wii U gaming console. The author reveals that the console uses a modified version of NicheStack, a TCP/IP stack developed by InterNiche Technologies. The article also mentions a security research report called INFRA:HALT, which identifies 14 vulnerabilities in NicheStack, including one that can lead to remote code execution. However, the author discovers that the Wii U implementation of NicheStack has addressed some of these vulnerabilities, but not all. The author then proceeds to exploit the remaining vulnerability to gain kernel code execution on the Wii U. The exploit is named DNSpresso and a GitHub repository with usage instructions is provided.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses an exploit in DNS parsing that is used to patch games like Mario Kart Wii and Smash Brothers so they can be played on third-party online servers. Since the Nintendo servers shut down, these hacks have become the only way to play Wii games online, and this exploit is considered the easiest to use. By changing the DNS servers, players can regain access to online gameplay. The article also mentions that the Mario Kart Wii community is still active thanks to this exploit, with hundreds of players online at any given time. The article includes links to a DNS patch and online statistics for Mario Kart Wii.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses a vulnerability called “namewreck” that affected many devices using the Siemens tech stack in production plants. The vulnerability was caused by implementation mistakes in message compression and bytewise pointers resolution. A possible fix for this issue is to only accept pointers that point to a lower position, not a higher one, in order to prevent stack and buffer overflows.
7. ‘It’s quite soul-destroying’: how we fell out of love with dating apps
Total comment counts : 63
Summary
This article discusses a growing trend of people rejecting dating apps and seeking alternative ways to meet potential partners. Many individuals are finding dating apps to be frustrating and tiring, with issues such as spam, bots, and superficial judgments based on appearances. As a result, users are gravitating towards offline methods such as attending events, asking friends for setups, or participating in social activities and hobbies where they can meet people in person. The article also highlights the experiences of individuals who have faced harassment or discrimination on dating apps, leading them to seek other avenues for finding meaningful connections. Despite the challenges, those who have abandoned dating apps express a sense of contentment and optimism in their alternative approaches to dating.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the negative effects of relying too heavily on low-effort activities like dating apps, ready-made meals, and Netflix. It argues that while it is understandable to prioritize convenience in certain areas of life, relying too much on these low-quality substitutes can lead to a bland and unfulfilling existence. The author emphasizes the importance of engaging in hobbies, cooking real food, and having genuine human interactions as a means of enriching one’s life. It highlights how society has become biased towards quick rewards and the challenges of resisting these temptations in a world of abundance.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author suggests that contemporary life can lead to despair in dating, relationships, and career because our culture lacks support for personal growth. Those who start off successfully receive validation and approval, while those who face rejections and setbacks feel stuck. Dating apps and employment platforms exacerbate this by filtering based on predetermined characteristics. The author believes society does not offer enough support for people genuinely trying to improve themselves, and encourages more encouragement and empowerment for personal growth. They speculate on the potential for social platforms that could bring more opportunity and satisfaction to those who feel left behind.
8. Ken Burns chronicles the sad fate of the American buffalo
Total comment counts : 17
Summary
The article discusses the impact of Ken Burns, an American documentary filmmaker, on American society. His technique, known as the “Ken Burns effect,” involves panning across still photographs to create the illusion of movement. However, the article argues that his more important contribution is his ability to focus attention on difficult chapters of American history. His documentaries, such as “The Civil War” and “The National Parks,” have attracted large audiences and increased interest in related locations and subjects. Burns aims to tell the unfiltered story of his country and has covered topics ranging from biographies to historical events like slavery and the Vietnam War. His latest documentary, “The American Buffalo,” explores the destruction and near-extinction of buffaloes and Native American tribes in the late 19th century. The film highlights Native American perspectives and efforts to save the buffalo from extinction. Burns believes that documentaries like this can remind people of the complexity and contradictions within American history.
Top 1 Comment Summary
Denver, Colorado maintains two bison herds that are direct descendants of the last wild North American bison population. At the beginning of the 1900s, there were only 18 bison left in Colorado, but a successful conservation project has led to an increase in their numbers. Denver has also been transferring bison to Native American tribes to help establish additional herds. The bison herds can be visited just 30 minutes away from downtown Denver. For more information, pictures, and videos, please visit the following link: https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Parks-Recreation/Urban-Parks/Mountain-Parks/Bison-Conservation
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses John Williams’ novel, “Butcher’s Crossing,” which tells an incredible story about buffalo hunters. The author reflects on the tragedy and destruction caused by the hunting of buffalo for profit. The article also mentions that John Williams is best known for another beautiful work called “Stoner.”
9. AI can catalogue a forest’s inhabitants simply by listening
Total comment counts : 22
Summary
Researchers have developed an automated way to measure biodiversity in rainforests using bioacoustic analysis. By recording animal calls, the researchers were able to identify species present and determine the biodiversity of different sites in the rainforest. They used artificial intelligence models to identify bird species from the recorded calls, and found that the AI tools performed as well as human experts in identifying the sounds. The study suggests that this automated approach could be used to monitor forest restoration projects and measure their effectiveness.
Top 1 Comment Summary
I apologize, but I cannot access or summarize specific articles or webpages. If you provide the main points or key information from the article, I would be happy to help you summarize it.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article suggests the idea of having microphones built into car engines and suspensions to record audio data for the first 5 minutes and at certain intervals or conditions. This data would be used to generate FFT images, allowing users to monitor changes in their car over time. The author proposes a USB port for easy access to the data, and mentions the possibility of sharing audio recordings with friends or car workshops for analysis and assistance with car problems.
10. All GB/s without FLOPS – Nvidia CMP 170HX Review
Total comment counts : 8
Summary
The article discusses the Nvidia CMP 170HX graphics card, which was designed for cryptocurrency mining but has potential applications beyond mining. The card has a high memory bandwidth and is comparable to Nvidia’s top-performing datacenter GPU at the time of its release. However, the article reveals that the card has heavy performance restrictions on floating-point operations, particularly Fused Multiply-Add (FMA) operations. The FP32 FMA performance is much slower compared to high-end GPUs, making it less suitable for general computing applications. The article explores different benchmark results and simulations to understand the card’s performance limitations and potential use cases. Despite its restrictions, the CMP 170HX can still be useful for memory-bound simulations and certain workloads that do not rely heavily on FMA operations. The article also mentions the card’s integer performance, PCIe bandwidth limitations, and other features and restrictions. Overall, the card’s hardware specifications make it unsuitable for general compute applications, aligning with Nvidia’s intention to prevent its use beyond mining.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses ways to save money on hardware, particularly graphics cards. It mentions that while Nvidia cards are powerful, they are difficult to find at affordable prices. The author suggests looking for a slightly defective card, such as one with a broken PCIe power connector, as a cheaper alternative. They mention purchasing a defective 3090 card for $200 less than the market price. The article also mentions that AMD cards are more friendly towards customers, and modified Radeon cards can be found for around $100. However, these cards lack CUDA support, which may limit their usefulness.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the creation of the 170HX by NVidia to address two problems. Firstly, a small group of users were buying graphics cards in bulk, preventing long-term users from obtaining them. Secondly, these cards were being dumped back into the market after a few years, causing fluctuations in the market. The purpose of the 170HX was to address these issues. If the cryptocurrency mining boom hadn’t occurred, NVidia would have faced a saturated market and a decline in stock price. Therefore, although users may not be able to use the 170HX, it served its intended purpose.