1. Polish trains lock up when serviced in third-party workshops
Total comment counts : 24
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
This article discusses the use of trains in Poland by regional train companies. There are five servicing levels, with some smaller competitors winning tenders at lower prices due to the European Union Agency For Railways opening the market. The article mentions an incident where four trains serviced by SPS Mieczkowski couldn’t start and resulted in penalties. Other trains from different companies also became immobilized. SPS Mieczkowski hired Dragon Sector to investigate and found routines to disable trains. The case is being investigated by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau in Poland, but it is unlikely to harm Newag. The Office of Rail Transport of Poland has distanced itself from the case. Train purchases in Poland have a regulated tender process with limited flexibility for rail companies.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article contains links to longer write-ups that provide additional details about a situation involving hacked trains in Poland. There were suspicions for over a year that something was wrong with Newag trains after multiple faults were found in trains owned by different companies. The companies were using a third-party service company instead of servicing with Newag, and it was discovered that the service company had hired hackers to investigate the issue. It took some time for experts to reverse engineer and understand the full extent of the situation.
2. I hacked Magic the Gathering: Arena for a 100% win rate
Total comment counts : 22
Summary
The article discusses the author’s experience of finding a vulnerability in the game Magic: The Gathering Arena that allows them to make opponents automatically concede. The author explains that card games like Magic: The Gathering are more difficult to hack compared to fast-paced shooters because they are turn-based and have less information exchange between the client and the server. The author also addresses the importance of having “bored nerds” like themselves examine the game for vulnerabilities and expresses their appreciation for the game not obfuscating its client-side code. The article concludes by mentioning that while cheating ecosystems are less prevalent in card games, bugs still exist.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the author’s initial experience using Linux to inspect network traffic with a program called ShowEQ for the game EverQuest. The network traffic at that time was unencrypted and contained valuable information. The author used a hub to redirect traffic to their Linux box, allowing them to create a live map of the game’s zone and locate the game’s characters and items. This process was passive and undetectable. However, the game developers eventually encrypted the network traffic, rendering this method ineffective.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the surprise of the author regarding the capability of a bot to play the game Magic: The Gathering on a local machine. The author questions the necessity of running the bot on a server, as it may be expensive and unnecessary. They also mention that servers typically have similar processing power to local machines. The author concludes that running the bot locally may be faster and more efficient.
3. Coding4Fun Hardware Boneyard – Using the CueCat with .NET (2006)
Total comment counts : 18
Summary
The article is about using the CueCat barcode scanner with .NET. The author explains how the CueCat scanner works and how to decode its output. They provide a lookup table in C# and show how to convert UPC codes into ISBNs using the Book-Scanning Project algorithm. The author also mentions that the article will be republished on the redesigned Coding4Fun website.
Top 1 Comment Summary
I’m sorry, but I cannot summarize the article without its content. Could you please provide the text of the article?
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author reminisces about their childhood experience with the CueCat, a barcode scanner that they bought from Radio Shack. They recall using it to scan books into a software program called Winnebago Spectrum and spending hours playing library with their sister. The author still has the CueCat, even though it hasn’t been used in fifteen years. They reflect on the nostalgia of early internet days and express a sense of wonder at the innovative and peculiar gadgets of that time. They suggest that there haven’t been many similarly unique experiences for children today.
4. YouTuber sentenced to 6 months in prison for obstructing probe into plane crash
Total comment counts : 28
Summary
A YouTuber pilot named Trevor Daniel Jacob has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for obstructing a federal investigation. Jacob deliberately destroyed the wreckage of an airplane that he intentionally crashed in Santa Barbara County to gain online views. He pleaded guilty to one count of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct the investigation. Prior to the crash, Jacob mounted multiple video cameras on the airplane and equipped himself with a parachute, video camera, and selfie stick. He recorded himself parachuting to the ground and the airplane as it descended and crashed into a dry brush area. Despite initially agreeing to provide the wreckage and video recordings to investigators, Jacob lied about not knowing the location of the wreckage. He later flew with a friend by helicopter to the site, secured the wreckage, and transported it to various locations to destroy it. Jacob uploaded a YouTube video titled “I Crashed My Airplane,” which contained a promotion of a wallet and depicted the crash, in an attempt to make money. The United States Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Federal Aviation Administration investigated the case.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article highlights that the individual in question is not being sent to jail for intentionally crashing a plane. Instead, they are being incarcerated for obstructing a federal investigation by deliberately destroying the wreckage of an airplane. The person initially lied to investigators about not knowing the location of the wreckage, but it was later discovered that they had flown by helicopter to the site and used straps to secure the wreckage. They transported it to a hangar, where they proceeded to cut up and destroy the airplane parts. Over a few days, they deposited the detached pieces into trash bins at the airport and other locations, all with the intention of impeding the federal authorities’ investigation of the plane crash.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author suggests that the question of whether a person is guilty or not is not as interesting as whether they will come out financially successful. They mention a specific video that gained millions of views and a sponsorship deal, implying that companies may be willing to break the law and pay the consequences if it benefits them financially. The author poses the question of why independent individuals wouldn’t also take risks for financial gain.
5. New theory claims to unite Einstein’s gravity with quantum mechanics
Total comment counts : 26
Summary
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Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a theory proposed by Professor Oppenheim and his former Ph.D. students, which suggests that the weight of a mass may fluctuate over time. A second paper, published in Nature Communications, explores the consequences of the theory and proposes an experiment to test it. The article highlights the importance of testing theories in physics, as many previous theories have been untestable.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article mentions a bet with odds of 5000:1, but the text of the bet itself is humorous. It states that Carlo Rovelli and Geoff Penington believe that gravity is better described by a quantum theory, while Jonathan Oppenheim is more open to other possibilities. The article does not provide further details but includes a link to the bet’s text.
6. Firefox on the brink?
Total comment counts : 93
Summary
The article discusses how a guideline for developers of U.S. government websites, called the U.S. Web Design System (USWDS), may contribute to the decline of Mozilla’s Firefox browser. The USWDS supports browsers with more than 2% usage, but Firefox’s market share has been consistently declining over the years. The dominance of Chrome and the popularity of Safari on mobile devices also hinder Firefox’s usage. As Firefox continues to lose web space and market share, it is likely that the USWDS will remove it from the list of supported browsers. This could have implications beyond government web developers, potentially leading to Firefox’s irrelevance. The author highlights Mozilla’s own user activity chart, which shows a significant drop in active Firefox clients over a five-year period.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses how Firefox uses Enhanced Tracking Protection, which is enabled by default and affects Google Analytics. The author argues that usage figures relying on GA may not accurately reflect the true situation.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author switched to a browser with a lower market share after the Manifest v3 controversy. Despite concerns about using a less popular browser, they have not encountered any issues so far. The only missing feature is a Google Drive web app due to a Chrome-only extension. The author suggests that the ongoing standardization of the web may reduce the drawbacks of using a niche browser.
7. Show HN: Beeper Mini – iMessage Client for Android
Total comment counts : 108
Summary
The article is about Beeper Mini, a standalone Android app that allows users to send and receive high-resolution files, join group chats with iPhone users, enjoy features like editing and unsending messages, encryption, and more. It emphasizes that Beeper Mini does not require a Mac or an Apple ID and offers complete data security and privacy. The app is available for download on Google Play with a free trial and a subscription fee after seven days. In the future, Beeper Mini aims to support other chat networks and expand to desktop and iOS. Additionally, the article mentions that the original Beeper app has been renamed Beeper Cloud and its features will be incorporated into Beeper Mini. Both Beeper and Beeper Mini are independent products with no affiliation with Apple, Google, or other supported chat networks.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the potential benefits of a universal chat application. The author expresses excitement about the concept and hopes it will survive Apple’s potential attempts to shut it down. They believe that a universal chat app could highlight the importance of standards and interoperability, possibly prompting action from governments and regulators.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses a code that is downloaded from GitHub and executed in a proprietary Apple binary called ‘IMDAppleServices’. The source of this binary is not specified. The author asks for more context about what happens at the hard-coded call-in addresses in the code and if it is related to presenting a unique device identifier to the network. They also inquire whether all clients share one identifier or if it is generated per Apple ID. Finally, they question if any Apple IDs have been locked out of iMessage during the development and testing process.
8. Eclipse: The Demo that Sold 3D to Nintendo
Total comment counts : 10
Summary
The article discusses the influence of a Game Boy demo called “X” developed by a teenager named Dylan Cuthbert on Nintendo’s future. The demo formed the basis of the Super Nintendo game, Star Fox, and led to further experimentation with 3D graphics in games like Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The demo was considered significant despite its limited release. The article also mentions the efforts of the Video Game History Foundation to uncover and showcase the demo in a documentary.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the console homebrew scene as an option for solo game developers. It mentions that retro platforms like the 8-bit NES and 16-bit Genesis have supportive communities where developers can take their games from ROM.BIN to physical cartridges or digital purchases. The article also highlights that building games for these retro platforms requires fewer man-hours compared to modern mobile games but may not result in substantial financial gains. It provides links to two podcasts that delve deeper into the topic.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the mention of the video game BallBlazer, but feels incomplete without mentioning Dimension X and Atari’s Battlezone, both of which feature similar gameplay elements. Dimension X involves tank combat and tunnel traversal, while Battlezone is a tank combat game.
9. Maths and science animations (2018)
Total comment counts : 9
Summary
The article discusses various mathematical concepts and simulations. It mentions a simulation of a wave inside a stadium, the measurement of perimeters of different shapes like ellipses and squares, Borromean rings, conic sections revealed by shining a flashlight, water streaming inwards from a spinning tube, patterns of lines formed by cubic lattice points, the area of two ellipses adding up to a single circle, and the properties of a Reuleaux triangle.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the author’s interest in a website called “Manim Community” created by 3B1B.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The person is looking for a forum where they can discuss making illustrations and ask questions about choosing colors that display well on both a computer screen and a beamer. They would like to find a community where they can have conversations with others who are knowledgeable about this topic.
10. 23andMe confirms hackers stole ancestry data on 6.9M users
Total comment counts : 49
Summary
Genetic testing company 23andMe announced that hackers accessed the personal data of approximately 14,000 customers, including profile information about users’ ancestry. However, it was later revealed that 6.9 million individuals in total were affected by the breach. The stolen data included personal information, relationship labels, DNA percentages, ancestry reports, and self-reported locations. The breach was originally disclosed in October when a hacker claimed to have stolen the DNA information of 23andMe users and attempted to sell the data. It is believed that the breach was a result of customers reusing passwords. By hacking into one individual’s account, the hackers were able to access the personal data of both the account holder and their relatives, significantly increasing the number of victims.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article argues that the recent disaster highlights the importance of privacy, contradicting those who claim that privacy is irrelevant. It emphasizes that sharing genomic data with services like 23andMe can reveal a significant amount of personal information, especially for relatives. The article also suggests that this principle applies to collecting behavioral data from people with similar backgrounds.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author mentions a Terms of Service (TOS) update by 23andMe that was delivered on Thanksgiving Day. The update aims to prevent class actions, mandates a 60-day informal process before legal action, and enforces binding arbitration. The author suggests that customers have minimal legal rights, based on information provided by lawyers employed by 23andMe.