1. Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders ID’d in WA plane crash
Total comment counts : 30
Summary
Former Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders has been confirmed dead after a plane he was piloting crashed just off the San Juan Islands. The crash occurred on Friday afternoon and Anders’ son confirmed his death. The vintage Air Force T-34 Mentor plane was owned by Anders, who was a resident of San Juan County. Anders had a distinguished career as an astronaut, serving as a backup pilot for the Gemini XI and Apollo 11 flights, and as lunar module pilot for Apollo 8. He is also known for taking the iconic “Earthrise” image during the Apollo 8 mission. After retiring, Anders and his wife established the Anders Foundation and started the Heritage Flight Museum. They have six children and 13 grandchildren.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses William Anders, who is known for taking the famous Earthrise photo. This photo is considered one of the most influential environmental photographs ever taken. For more information about the Earthrise photo, you can visit the provided link.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article praises a person who lived life on their own terms and accepted the potential consequences. The person mentioned did not expect to die on the day they did, but they refused to limit their life to gain more time. Overall, the article admires this person for their fearless approach to life.
2. Own a weather station? We want your data
Total comment counts : 32
Summary
The National Weather Service (NWS) and local television meteorologists are interested in collecting data from personal weather stations connected to the internet. By ingesting this data into their systems, they can improve computer model data and weather forecasts for specific areas. Personal weather station data is also used by meteorologists to provide local weather conditions to viewers. The Citizen Weather Observer Program (CWOP) is a partnership that collects weather data contributed by citizens and makes it available to weather services and homeland security. By becoming a CWOP member, individuals can contribute their weather data to be used in forecasts and situational awareness. The data is checked for quality and accuracy and then distributed to users, including NWS and television meteorologists. Having personal weather data online can be valuable in extreme weather situations. Interested individuals can follow the instructions provided by CWOP to become a member and set up their weather software and stations to send data.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the difference between government meteorologists and “Big Weather” companies in terms of access to and use of weather data. Government meteorologists provide large weather companies with a significant amount of data for free, which these companies profit from. Citizens can also access this data for free. The government is working on a system called MADIS to make accessing this data easier, but there are frustrations with the additional value provided by weather data brokers and their contracts with each other. These private companies have more detailed ground data, which the government cannot access due to limitations. The article suggests that contributing to improving access to weather data is important. The author also mentions being a founder of a startup focused on building a more affordable weather data broker.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article talks about a hobbyist weather station sharing site called Weather Underground that used to be popular. However, the site later became commercial and removed all the hobbyists. This was seen as a negative move, and the author expresses their disappointment in not finding a suitable replacement.
3. What Is PID 0?
Total comment counts : 18
Summary
The article discusses the question of why User IDs (UIDs) start at 0 while Process IDs (PIDs) start at 1 in Unix systems. The author explains that PIDs actually do start at 0, but this information is not shown to userspace through traditional APIs. PID 0 is responsible for tasks related to process scheduling and power management. The author criticizes the misinformation and lack of correct answers available on search engines when trying to find information about PID 0. They highlight that Wikipedia’s article on PIDs has contributed to the widespread dissemination of inaccurate information. The author concludes by explaining the actual role of PID 0, which involves the scheduler putting the CPU core to sleep until something else wakes it up.
Top 1 Comment Summary
This article discusses how people tend to be overly confident in their online comments and posts, even when they may not be experts in the subject matter. The author suggests that this overconfidence may be influenced by the abundance of similar confident content online. The author also mentions the possibility that language learning models (LLMs) may acquire this overconfidence by being trained on a large amount of similarly confident human texts. Overall, the article raises questions about the phenomenon of online overconfidence.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the meaning and significance of pid 0 in the Linux kernel. It suggests that understanding pid 0 as part of the kernel is only useful from a certain perspective, such as when debugging the kernel or using specific interfaces. In the context of a userspace process using standard APIs, the article proposes that a more useful approximation is to consider pid 0 as referring to oneself. This is the value returned by fork in the child process and the value passed to kill(2) to signal the entire process group.
4. Xv6, a simple Unix-like teaching operating system
Total comment counts : 12
Summary
The article discusses a project called 2023 xv6, inspired by Unix V6 and John Lions’ Commentary on UNIX’ 6th Edition. It provides information on additional resources to read the original code and invites feedback from users. The contact details of the project contributors are also provided.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article recommends a class taken at MIT, particularly for those without a systems background. The textbook is easy to understand and the labs are helpful for checking comprehension. It suggests skipping the network driver initially.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses a class at MIT that uses a specific operating system (OS) called xv6. The author praises the class and mentions that all the lecture notes, labs, and even a version of xv6 are available on the class website. The author finds it impressive how open and accessible the resources are. They also provide a link to the first lab of the class and express their intention to work through the material themselves in the near future.
5. South Pole Water Infrastructure
Total comment counts : 12
Summary
The article discusses the infrastructure for producing fresh water and disposing of wastewater at the South Pole. Most Antarctic research stations are located on or near the coast for easier operation and access to the ocean. However, the South Pole is located inland, far from the coast. The article first explains the water infrastructure at McMurdo, which is a coastal research station. McMurdo has access to liquid seawater year-round, which is pumped up using insulated pipes with heat trace cabling to prevent freezing. Seawater is used for a saltwater aquarium and for producing potable water through heating, filtering, and desalination processes. The article then proceeds to discuss the specific challenges faced in managing water infrastructure at the South Pole, where the station is located on an inland plateau and further away from water sources.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article reflects on the unique way of living and supporting life in extreme conditions, specifically in a cold environment. It discusses the delicate balance between the need for energy to sustain the operation and the constant threat of collapse if there were any issues with the generator or the availability of diesel fuel. The author expresses interest in seeing posts or stories about the maintenance of the infrastructure and overcoming potential existential threats to the station. Despite the presence of redundancies, the author acknowledges the inherent fragility of the physical world and the possibility of failures.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article mentions that a friend collected meteorites by melting the snow they used for water up North. The author wonders if there might be a pile of meteorite dust at the bottom of the rodwells.
6. Chebyshev approximation and how it can help (2012)
Total comment counts : 10
Summary
The article discusses the technique of Chebyshev approximation, which is used to compute the result of a mathematical function with minimal effort and CPU power. It explores two use cases: one with a known function that is difficult to compute, and another with an unknown function that needs to be modeled. The article also discusses the Central Hypothesis of Mathematical Computation on Embedded Systems, which states that mathematical computation priorities change when dealing with embedded systems due to resource limitations. It compares the calculation strategy of full machine precision used in desktop computers to the need for mathematical errors to be tolerated in embedded systems. The article then focuses on the problem of computing a square root, discussing the decisions that need to be made regarding accuracy and range requirements. It provides an example of using the Taylor series for square root calculations and explains the limitations of the series.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses some useful aspects of Chebyshev approximations. It mentions that Fourier transform can be used to obtain the coefficients in O(n log n) time. It also states that multiplying two approximations, adding, integrating, or taking the derivative of the approximations only take O(n) or O(n log n) time. This efficiency is what allows Chebyshev-based tools like chebfun/chebpy to run fast while finding roots, derivatives, etc. The article also mentions a recursion formula for Chebyshev polynomials and how computers use this recursion to calculate sines and cosines. Lastly, it discusses using generating functions to calculate Chebyshev polynomials in a closed form, which takes O(log n) time.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the use of the Remez algorithm for approximating functions. It mentions that the algorithm is implemented in the Sollya library and has been used in the Core Math library for correct rounding in the libc library. The article provides links to more information about the Remez algorithm, the Sollya library, and the Core Math library.
7. 3dfx Voodoo 4 video card in MXM format
Total comment counts : 12
Summary
The article discusses the process of creating a laptop with 3dfx graphics using the MXM3.0/3.1 TYPE A VSA-100 video card. The author explains the challenges of integrating the VSA-100 into a laptop, including the need for an MXM-compatible video card BIOS and editing the system BIOS to whitelist the VSA ID. The author also mentions that the laptop will not execute the BIOS on the video card, causing some registers to be set incorrectly and resulting in scrambled video output. Additionally, the laptop will not recognize the video card, so the muxes will not switch to the video signal from the MXM slot. The author plans to use the VSA-100 card in a Dell Precision M4800 laptop and has added an LVDS connector on the MXM card to simplify the setup. The article also discusses the need for a Realtek scaler to upscale the HDMI signal from the FPGA and output it as LVDS to the laptop screen. The author mentions that the design will be open-sourced but does not plan to sell the card. The article concludes with a video of the card running in a PC with VGA output and the author’s plans to get the HDMI output working.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article is described as a high-quality niche post that the reader finds interesting on HN. It discusses an impressive hobby project that someone has taken the time to share in detail.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The MXM cards mentioned in the article are limited in their use and compatibility due to BIOS whitelists, which restrict the vendors that can work with them. However, the ability to swap GPUs in laptops could greatly reduce electronic waste and improve upgradability. It is unfortunate that Framework laptops do not support MXM cards, as it would align well with their philosophy. Nonetheless, it is interesting to see a project exploring the potential of MXM cards.
8. The Backrooms of the Internet Archive
Total comment counts : 10
Summary
The article discusses the viral image known as “The Backrooms” and its origins. Originally, the image circulated on message boards in the 2010s without any specific meaning. However, in 2019, the image was given a legend and history, claiming it to be a rare photograph of The Backrooms. The concept of The Backrooms is similar to themes explored in horror and science-fiction movies, depicting hidden tunnels and areas known only to a select few. The lack of information surrounding the original image led to various interpretations and the creation of games, videos, and online communities dedicated to expanding the legend. The article then reveals the true origin of the photograph, which was taken during renovations of a furniture store in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 2003.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The user wants to know how the original article was found in the Wayback archives, as this detail was not mentioned in the article.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses how individuals searching for the origin of an image stumbled upon a random website that was preserved by the Internet Archive and happened to contain the image in question.
9. A pure NumPy implementation of Mamba
Total comment counts : 5
Summary
The article discusses a pure NumPy implementation of Mamba called mamba.np. They welcome feedback and take input seriously. They also provide documentation for available qualifiers. They encourage users to cite the project if they use or discuss mamba.np in academic research. The article also expresses gratitude to the creators and contributors of the libraries and tools used in the project.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The person is confused about whether Mamba is also an LLM (which is not clear what it stands for). They mention being familiar with Mamba, which is similar to Conda in Python, but they find it strange that there would be a NumPy implementation of Mamba.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the difficulty of writing a short and concise description of a project’s purpose. It highlights how open-source projects often lack clear explanations, forcing people unfamiliar with them to investigate to understand their function. The example used demonstrates the confusion caused by a vague description, leading readers to make assumptions about the project’s connection to specific technologies like NumPy and AI.
10. LSP-AI: open-source language server serving as back end for AI code assistance
Total comment counts : 11
Summary
The article discusses LSP-AI, an open-source language server designed to assist software engineers without replacing them. LSP-AI allows integration with various editors and supports AI-powered completion and other functionalities. It aims to centralize open-source development and provide unified AI features for software engineers. The article highlights the need for LSP-AI in the open-source community and emphasizes its benefits, such as simplified plugin development, enhanced collaboration, broad compatibility, and future readiness. The article also mentions potential future additions to the project and emphasizes that LSP-AI is meant to empower software engineers rather than replace them.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author expresses gratitude for the positive response to their article and invites readers to ask questions. They also mention that the project is new and they have ambitious goals.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the idea of using multiple language servers simultaneously in editors. It raises the issue of how editors would display the combined results and whether it is possible to use more than one language server at a time. One potential solution suggested is to use an AI language server as a proxy that can pass through query results from another language server and potentially modify or improve them. The article also mentions that the AI language server may or may not find the results from the other language server useful context.