1. Starlink’s laser system is beaming 42 petabytes of data per day
Total comment counts : 40
Summary
SpaceX engineer Travis Brashears revealed that the company’s Starlink laser system is delivering over 42 petabytes of data, or 42 million gigabytes, per day to customers. The laser system, which consists of 9,000 lasers, helps reduce latency and improve coverage for Starlink’s high-speed internet service. Despite the technical challenges, the system boasts a laser link uptime of over 99%. SpaceX plans to expand its laser system to be installed on third-party satellites and explore direct data delivery to Earth’s surface. The company recently upgraded the laser technology to a new “Gen 4” model, which can manufacture about 200 units per week using off-the-shelf components.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the data transmission capabilities of a satellite internet network. It mentions that the network has a capacity of 432 Mbit/s per laser, with a total of 9000 lasers. The author finds this statement more relatable than saying the network can transmit 42 PB/day. It is noted that each laser can sustain a 100 Gbps or even 200 Gbps connection per link, but these lasers are generally underused, operating at only 0.432% of their maximum capacity. This is because ideal conditions for achieving 100 Gbps are rare, and the laser links are used in bursts lasting seconds or minutes until the satellites move out of line of sight. The article also mentions that with 2.3 million customers, each customer gets an average speed of 1.7 Mbit/s or 550 GB per month, which is considered high compared to the average American internet user’s consumption of less than 100 GB/month.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the progress made by a company that launched its first satellites in 2019. The author finds it impressive that after just five years, the company is discussing different routing options for data streams to remote areas. They compare this progress to the installation of landlines, which were initially seen as a utopian dream but quickly became a common part of everyone’s life.
2. Juno – A YouTube Client for Vision Pro
Total comment counts : 39
Summary
The iOS developer of Apollo and Pixel Pals created a YouTube client app called Juno for visionOS. The app uses YouTube’s embed API, allowing it to load videos in a web view and interact with them using JavaScript. While Juno presents the YouTube website with some tweaks to match the visionOS theme, it doesn’t feel like a perfectly native visionOS app. However, it provides a better experience than using the website directly. Juno also supports detecting aspect ratios of videos and can resize the window accordingly. The app is available on the App Store for a one-time payment of $5, and feedback from users is welcome.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article suggests using Invidious, a self-hosting platform available on GitHub, along with Yattee for macOS/iOS/tvOS. The combination is said to be great for self-hosting and the person who deployed it with Docker has been satisfied. They express hope that Yattee will release a native app for visionOS in the future.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article describes a skilled developer who has a tendency to create software that relies on the platforms of major tech companies in Silicon Valley. However, the developer’s work is risky because these companies could block access to their platforms at any time.
3. Pandoc
Total comment counts : 52
Summary
The article discusses a tool called pandoc, which is capable of converting files from one markup format to another. It can convert between various formats including Markdown, reStructuredText, AsciiDoc, Emacs Org-Mode, Textile, HTML, EPUB, TexInfo, LaTeX, DocBook, JATS, TEI Simple, OpenDocument XML, OPML, BibTeX, BibLaTeX, CSL JSON, CSL YAML, Microsoft Word, RTF, OpenOffice/LibreOffice, Jupyter notebook, InDesign ICML, Typst, MediaWiki markup, DokuWiki markup, TikiWiki markup, TWiki markup, Vimwiki markup, XWiki markup, ZimWiki markup, Jira wiki markup, Creole, LaTeX Beamer, Microsoft PowerPoint, Slidy, reveal.js, Slideous, S5, DZSlides, CSV tables, and more. The tool also supports custom readers and writers written in Lua. Pandoc also offers additional features such as metadata, footnotes, tables, code blocks with syntax highlighting, math in LaTeX, automatic citations and bibliographies using various citation styles, and customization options.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article explains how the author finds the program “pandoc” to be very useful. They use pandoc to convert .md files into .html or .pdf, create slides, and fix hard-wrapped text in emails. The author recommends a related essay on the problem with hard-wrapping text and shares a local script that utilizes pandoc. Overall, pandoc is highly praised by the author.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article praises Pandoc for its user-friendly command-line interface and ease of use in document conversion. The author contrasts Pandoc with FFmpeg, stating that FFmpeg’s command line options and concepts are more difficult to understand and require diligent documentation. However, the author acknowledges that both tools are excellent and have saved them significant time and effort in research and experimentation.
4. Google has another secret browser
Total comment counts : 21
Summary
The article discusses the discovery of a secret browser within Google Play Services that can bypass both normal Google parental controls and the lock-down mode. It also describes a method to bypass the Android screen pinning feature using the Contacts app. The author reports these vulnerabilities to Google, but receives a confusing response. The article also mentions other topics such as creating Python libraries, an interest in Rust, working in cybersecurity, and using Electron to develop applications.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author recalls a time when banks had computer terminals in their lobbies that only allowed users to view their own websites. The author would often search for a “Best Viewed In” badge, usually found on the Help page, which would allow them to bypass the restricted browser and access other websites like Netscape. This gave them the ability to use search engines and browse freely.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article emphasizes that when a team receives a security vulnerability report, they should never dismiss it by redirecting the reporter to another internal team. Instead, any staff member who receives such a report should take responsibility to ensure it reaches the appropriate people. The article emphasizes the importance of not disregarding or neglecting security vulnerability reports.
5. ‘Stupid,’ ‘shameful:’ Tech workers on Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan’s rant
Total comment counts : 76
Summary
Tech workers in San Francisco are criticizing Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan for his recent online rant, in which he wished death upon seven progressive San Francisco supervisors. Many feel that Tan’s behavior is shameful and that he should step down from his position. The incident has sparked a debate on platforms such as Hacker News, with some calling for Tan’s resignation and others dismissing the incident as a “manufactured crisis.” Despite the backlash, Y Combinator has remained silent on the matter. Meanwhile, several supervisors named in Tan’s posts have received threatening postcards at their homes. Tan initially dismissed his comments as a joke but has since apologized for his behavior. He has not, however, addressed the threatening letters. Some individuals, while critical of Tan’s actions, believe that the responsibility lies with those who sent the anonymous mailer, not Tan himself.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article expresses concern over the comments suggesting that certain behavior is both normal and acceptable. The author disagrees with this perspective and emphasizes the importance of recognizing the meaning and consequences of words. They argue that while such behavior may be typical among adolescents, adults should understand the significance of showing respect or decency towards others, even when in disagreement. Specifically, the author finds it unsettling that individuals would wish harm upon others, even if it is done rhetorically, as it reflects a lack of respect and decency.
Top 2 Comment Summary
In this article, it is mentioned that Tan, who had made a controversial post, apologized over the weekend, stating that it was a reference to a Tupac Shakur lyric. The article also notes a sarcastic remark suggesting that using quotes justifies the use of any content, as they are not considered one’s own words. The article concludes with a comment about publishing press releases with lyrics from the band Cannibal Corpse in the future.
6. Ask HN: Who wants to be hired? (February 2024)
Total comment counts : 418
Summary
The article provides information about individuals who are looking for work opportunities. Each person specifies their location, willingness to work remotely or relocate, technologies they are familiar with, and provides their resume and contact information. The individuals are Tarek from Cairo, Egypt, Darius from Łódź, Poland, and Zeynep from Chicago, IL. They have backgrounds in computer engineering, computer science, and programming, and are interested in software development and independent creative projects.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article is a job posting from someone named Tarek, who is located in Cairo, Egypt. Tarek has experience in C, C++, Java, Python, Rust, Zig, OpenGL, SQL, Linux, and Node.js. They have a degree in Computer Engineering from Cairo University and have worked on both professional and personal projects. Tarek is looking for remote work but is also willing to relocate. They have experience as an open-source contributor during Google Summer of Code, where they worked on porting the rendering code of an application to work on the Raspberry Pi 4.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The person is based in Łódź, Poland but is open to remote work and not willing to relocate. They have experience in programming since 2004, a Master of Engineering in Computer Science, and over 4 years of professional experience. They have been exploring original ideas for the past 3+ years and have provided links to their projects. Their goal is to work as an independent creator full-time and they are looking for opportunities aligned with that goal.
7. We built our customer data warehouse all on Postgres
Total comment counts : 18
Summary
The article discusses how Tembo built their customer data warehouse on Postgres using foreign data wrappers and other Postgres extensions. They wanted to track and understand customer usage and behavior by bringing data from multiple sources into a single location. Instead of using external orchestration tools, Tembo used Postgres extensions to enhance efficiency and simplify the process. They also released their tools as open source projects and made it easy for others to build a similar data warehouse using Tembo Cloud. The article further explains how Tembo pulled operational data from external sources into Postgres, and how they used foreign data wrappers to connect to sources like Prometheus and Clerk. They provide a walkthrough of the setup process for creating foreign data wrappers and foreign tables. Tembo also emphasizes the importance of keeping the data warehouse up-to-date with new user signups and instances.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author of the article expresses regret for using pg_cron as a tool for pulling and cleaning data in PostgreSQL. They argue that relying on complex queries or functions in PostgreSQL instead of using an external server is problematic in the long run. They cite difficulties in testing and making changes as well as the risk of crucial logic living outside of the code. Additionally, the author suggests that using PostgreSQL for logic work instead of utilizing cheaper resources like EC2 instances or serverless functions can be unpredictable and costly. The author’s general rule is to use PostgreSQL primarily as a data store and not for other purposes, such as a permissions layer or API server. They mention their disinterest in Supabase for similar reasons and offer feedback to the Tembo team regarding the lack of a pricing page for their free trial.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author advises against using a Postgres database for analytics for several reasons. First, if your data is small enough for Postgres to handle it, the cost of using a more powerful analytics warehouse like BigQuery would also be small. Additionally, managing the infrastructure yourself can be complex, so it is more efficient to use a warehouse and focus on building your product instead. Secondly, Postgres doesn’t scale well for analytics, so they only retain 30 days of metrics, which may not be sufficient for most businesses. In contrast, BigQuery offers affordable storage costs even at large scale. Finally, the author suggests using tools like Fivetran or Airbyte for maintaining data pipelines, as they are simpler to set up and support a wide range of data sources. The author acknowledges that Fivetran can become expensive as you scale, but there are other options available that can help reduce costs.
8. Tailwind color palette generator
Total comment counts : 24
Summary
This article explains how a new tool works for creating color palettes. The tool allows users to set an initial value as a valid hexadecimal color, which can be changed to any stop from 50-950. The tool also provides options for shifting the hue, increasing saturation, and adjusting the lightness or luminance to create a spread of colors. The principles behind the tool are inspired by the book “Refactoring UI” and aim to fast-track the creation of new palettes. The tool can be accessed via an API and is particularly useful for design tools that need to generate a 50-950 palette from a single hex value. However, the tool does not currently offer options for HSL tweaks. The tool was developed by Simeon Griggs.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the importance of integrating accessibility considerations into design tools. The author suggests a method of defining color palettes that would indicate whether color combinations are accessible, based on the difference in color values. The author also references a blog post they wrote on this concept.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article provides a list of tools and alternatives for generating color schemes. The mentioned tools include:
- https://adevade.github.io/color-scheme-generator/
- https://colorcolor.in (although it does not directly generate tailwind)
- http://colormind.io
- https://uicolors.app/create
9. OLMo: Accelerating the Science of Language Models [pdf]
Total comment counts : 8
Summary
error
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author of the article plans to release another version that includes weights and biases logs for their training runs, which is considered remarkable and unusual in papers of this kind.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article mentions the interesting aspect of conducting complete end-to-end runs on both NVidia and AMD hardware. However, it is regrettable that the speed of training was not released. Nonetheless, the software is available for others who are not under benchmark embargo to test the speed.
10. FDA says 561 deaths tied to recalled Philips sleep apnea machines
Total comment counts : 42
Summary
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that 561 deaths have been linked to recalled Philips devices used for sleep apnea and other breathing disorders. Since April 2021, the FDA has received over 116,000 reports of foam breaking down in Philips CPAP and BiPAP machines. The foam used in the devices can break down, releasing black pieces or invisible chemicals that can be inhaled or swallowed. Philips has recalled millions of the breathing machines, and recently announced it will stop selling them in the U.S. as part of a settlement with the FDA and the Justice Department. The company has already agreed to pay at least $479 million in compensation to users of the devices. Eligible users can submit claims for financial losses related to the purchase, lease, or rental of the recalled devices. The settlement does not release any claims for personal injuries or medical monitoring relief.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author of the article shares their experience with snoring and sleep apnea, stating that they were motivated to find a solution after observing a poor recall response. They mention that they found success in reducing their snoring and sleep apnea through mouth/throat/tongue exercises and adjusting their head position. They also recommend using the Snore Gym app and watching Vik Veer’s videos on YouTube for assistance. They note that while these methods worked for them, it may not be effective for everyone. The author also mentions the heartbreaking and nerve-wracking stories of those who relied on their CPAP machines during the recall.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article by Pro Publica discusses how Philips, a medical device company, kept warnings about dangerous CPAP machines secret, leading to increased profits. For a more detailed summary, please click on the link provided.