1. I Created 175 Fonts Using Rust
Total comment counts : 25
Summary
The article discusses the creation of a pixel font megapack by the author. They previously released font packs in 2016 and 2018 that were popular among indie game developers. The author decided to create a bigger and better pack that includes 100 fonts with more variety for different game genres. They also addressed a common complaint about the previous packs not supporting accented characters, so this time they extended language support to include English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. The author goes on to explain their process of creating the fonts using a toolchain they developed in Rust.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a collection of 175 fonts and mentions a fake game font that the author would like to be real, as it has a nostalgic vibe. The article also highlights the licensing restrictions of the fonts, which do not allow their use in open-source software or distribution as standalone files. The author interprets the restrictions as forbidding the creation of derivative works.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the process of creating a complete font set, which can take up to a year to complete. This includes creating uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as all the additional characters and variations such as bold or italic. The most challenging part of creating fonts is the kerning, or the spacing between characters. The author of the article mentions using a semi-automated process to generate most of the kerning pairs, but still had to manually enter some when the algorithm did not suffice.
2. OpenStreetMap Is Turning 20
Total comment counts : 19
Summary
The article reflects on the success of OpenStreetMap (OSM) over the past two decades. The author initially had doubts about its potential, but was proven wrong when Cuba, a seemingly challenging area to map, already had detailed data on the platform. The growth of OSM is attributed to the people involved, their ideas, and the technology used. Unlike traditional map-making, OSM allowed volunteers to edit and contribute, which defied industry norms. The article highlights the success of OSM in mapping the world and providing free data while avoiding some of the issues faced by platforms like Wikipedia. The author also ponders on the possibilities of other impactful projects that can be created with limited resources and urges individuals to act on their ideas, even if they ultimately have to make changes or abandon them.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article recommends installing the StreetComplete mobile app for contributing to OpenStreetMap (OSM) in a simple way. The app allows users to answer questions about their local area, such as the presence of a marked crosswalk. The article states that the app is not affiliated with the author, but they find it cool and satisfying to complete quests using the app. A link to the app’s website is provided.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the amount of data available on OpenStreetMap (OSM) and highlights the lack of a well-designed web frontend that can effectively make this data accessible, similar to Google Maps. The official openstreetmap.org website is criticized for its limited functionality and difficult search feature, as it primarily focuses on editing OSM data. The article suggests that Organic Maps is currently the best frontend for OSM, but it is only available on Android and iOS. The author proposes that a web version of Organic Maps could greatly increase the adoption of OSM.
3. Stapler: I remade a 32 year old classic Macintosh app
Total comment counts : 15
Summary
The article discusses the author’s creation of a new app for macOS inspired by the functionality of Linux window managers and previous apps such as Stapler and LaunchList. The app, called Stapler, allows users to create a document containing a list of aliases for related apps, files, folders, etc. Launching the Stapler Document opens all the items in its list automatically. The author emphasizes their goal of simplicity and notes that the app has no preferences or settings. The app is written in Swift and SwiftUI and includes features such as document and window management. The author also discusses the use of macOS bookmarks to access files and the challenges of working with file permissions and security. The article concludes with the author’s thoughts on modern macOS development and a mention of the app’s icon.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the frustration of working with computer interfaces that are app-based or document-based instead of task-based. It highlights the difficulty of working with multiple tools and the friction that arises from constantly raising and lowering app-associated windows. The absence of the Linux/X-Windows notion of focus-follows-mouse on MacOS is mentioned as another source of frustration. While the article acknowledges that Stapler may not be the ultimate solution, it suggests that it moves in the right direction.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the potential for a feature that allows users to launch windows in specific positions/sizes and/or specific spaces. The author expresses frustration with the current situation of having to either keep all apps running or manually reposition them each time they are launched.
4. Show HN: Rust GUI Library via Flutter
Total comment counts : 14
Summary
This article discusses using Flutter and a Rust bridge to write programs with a graphical user interface (GUI) in Rust. Flutter is a popular and mature cross-platform mobile SDK with a large ecosystem and easy implementation of desired features. It has a “hot-reload” feature that allows for fast UI development. The approach described in the article is not 100% pure Rust, but it follows the separation of concerns and is similar to other Rust UIs that use custom DSLs or other languages like HTML/CSS. Flutter is easy to learn, especially for those who already understand Rust. The article also mentions some criticism about the web platform’s suitability for static webpages. Flutter has some boilerplate code, but the goal is to bridge the gap between Rust and Flutter seamlessly. The bridge automatically translates many Rust features into Flutter, making it quite general-purpose. The article provides code examples and explains how to run the demo. Overall, this approach demonstrates how Flutter can be used to develop Rust programs with a GUI.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author of the article expresses their satisfaction with using a certain technology to build an app for the past few years. They mention that, while there were some difficulties, they have overall been very happy with the experience. Upgrading to the latest version was not too difficult and brought significant improvements, such as useful features, improved code generation experience, and support for async programming. The author also praises the combination of using Rust for app business logic and Dart for the front-end, stating that they find it easier to work with compared to other systems like React. Finally, they express gratitude to someone named @fzyzcjy for their work on FRB.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The writer expresses that they don’t see the advantage of writing UI in Rust compared to Dart, but they are a fan of flutter_rust_bridge. They praise the work done by fzyzcjy and the community in seamlessly calling Rust code from Dart, which proves beneficial for Flutter apps. The writer even shares their experience of remaking an image compression app in Flutter using flutter_rust_bridge and Rust image libraries. They found that the app was more capable and faster because of the Rust integration. The writer expresses gratitude towards fzyzcjy. A link to the referenced wrapper is also provided.
5. Firefox Browser Ported to HaikuOS
Total comment counts : 19
Summary
The article discusses the stability and progress of a Firefox browser port on the Haiku operating system. The author raises questions about its stability compared to other browsers and mentions that currently, no text can be shown due to rendering issues. They also mention the need to solve Rust problems and rebase Haiku patches over new Firefox versions. The author shares their attempts to patch the latest LibreWolf source archive with Haiku patches but encounters issues with Python packages. They express excitement about the progress and mention the desire to use Haiku more now that the browser is available. Additionally, the author comments on privacy concerns and mentions their intention to port LibreWolf. They explain that Firefox is not yet available as a package and provide information on building it from source. The article concludes with the author expressing eagerness to test a working binary and their preference for using a stable version instead of Nightly builds.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the history of Firefox and BeOS. It mentions that before Firefox, there was a BeOS port of Mozilla called Bezilla, which was considered bloated and slow. The BeOS community attempted to create a stripped-down version of Mozilla focused on just the browser, which inspired the creation of Firebug (later renamed Firefox). After 20 years, Firefox has now been ported back to the BeOS platform. The author concludes by suggesting the idea of writing a Haiku about this journey.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the Haiku operating system, describing it as both futuristic and outdated. While the interface is fast, it lacks basic features such as WiFi support. However, the inclusion of a modern browser is seen as a positive development. The article speculates that Haiku could potentially become a popular OS in the future.
6. Verso – web browser built on top of the Servo web engine
Total comment counts : 24
Summary
The article is about Verso, a web browser built on top of the Servo web engine. It is currently under development and does not accept feature requests. However, users can help test it and use chocolatey to install it. The project is built using Flatpak and Nix shell for a unified environment setup. Nightly releases are available, but packages are unsigned. Users experiencing issues on macOS can try a specific command to resolve them.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses an announcement made by Servo and Redox OS regarding a joint proposal they have submitted. The proposal aims to secure funding for the porting of SpiderMonkey and WebRender to Redox, an operating system.
Top 2 Comment Summary
In approximately five years, there will be two new browsers developed, one in Rust and another in Swift. The hope is that during their development, innovative methods and approaches will be discovered.
7. Entropic Engineering DEFCON 32 Statement
Total comment counts : 22
Summary
Entropic Engineering, a woman-owned, queer- and POC-driven engineering firm, partnered with the DEFCON Badge Team to develop an electronic badge for DEFCON’s conference. They collaborated with Raspberry Pi to launch a chip for the badge and worked tirelessly to achieve mass production. However, DEFCON stopped paying them for their services, even though all work had been completed except for attending the production run. Despite ongoing efforts to negotiate fair compensation, no resolution has been reached. The team continued to work on the project out of love for the DEFCON community.
Top 1 Comment Summary
In this article, the author discusses a dispute between two entities, referred to as EE and DEFCON. The author highlights the difficulty in determining who is right or wrong without access to the agreements and facts involved. Therefore, the author chooses not to take sides and expresses a reluctance to work with any of the participants. The article points out two areas of miscommunication: EE’s misunderstanding of the funds allocated for DEFCON’s badge project and confusion regarding the legal position of the firmware developer. The author notes that many strong opinions on this dispute are based on assumptions about the contract, which the author finds unconvincing.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the response of DEFCON, a hacking conference, to claims made by Entropic, a hardware development company. DEFCON contradicts some of the claims made by Entropic, admitting to exceeding budgets but disputing what has been paid. They also state that Entropic’s logo was not removed from the PCBs, and there are issues with the licensing of the firmware. DEFCON suggests that there is more to the story than the initial accusations and questions the actions of Entropic.
8. The surveilled society: Who is watching you and how
Total comment counts : 11
Summary
The article discusses the prevalence of surveillance cameras and technology in New Zealand, including AI-enabled cameras on billboards, in buses, and in supermarkets. The selling of surveillance for safety and security purposes has been successful, but there are concerns about privacy and the misuse of data. The article mentions recent legal challenges to the use of surveillance footage gathered without a warrant, as well as controversies surrounding the use of surveillance cameras from Chinese companies. The article highlights that public agencies now often buy complete surveillance packages from tech companies, which collect and store the data. Despite these concerns, the proliferation of surveillance technology has not hindered New Zealand’s participation in international efforts to counter the misuse of commercial spyware.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the use of high-tech billboards that can watch people passing by and personalize advertisements to suit their preferences. Last year, there were approximately 1400 of these billboards in the country, with some also having number-plate recognition cameras to count cars. Mall smartscreens are also mentioned, which can gauge people’s mood. The author comments on the potential implications, such as the invasion of privacy and the ability to target ads based on personal information like income and spending habits.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article mentions that credit card readers and point-of-sale tablets, such as those used in stores and Starbucks, often have small cell phone cameras built into them.
9. RFC 9180: Hybrid Public Key Encryption (2022)
Total comment counts : 7
Summary
The article describes a scheme called Hybrid Public Key Encryption (HPKE) which combines asymmetric and symmetric algorithms for encrypting arbitrary-sized plaintexts. The scheme includes authenticated variants that authenticate possession of a pre-shared key or a key encapsulation mechanism (KEM) private key. HPKE can be used with various combinations of asymmetric KEM, key derivation function (KDF), and authenticated encryption with additional data (AEAD) encryption function. The article provides instantiations of the scheme using commonly used primitives such as Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) key agreement, HMAC-based key derivation function (HKDF), and SHA2. It is important to note that the document is published for informational purposes and may not be suitable for deployment.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a limitation of the HPKE (Hybrid Public Key Encryption) protocol, which is that it is not tolerant of lost messages. This can be problematic for certain applications like VPNs that already have an ordering mechanism such as TCP. Unlike HPKE, the existing protocol Noise does not have this limitation and is intended to be replaced by HPKE. The article provides links to more information about message ordering and the TCP meltdown issue.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article mentions that HPKE is not the same as the traditional method of encrypting the symmetric key with the public key, but it does not provide an explanation for why it is considered better. The author seeks clarification on this matter.
10. How the SNES Graphics System Works
Total comment counts : 5
Summary
The requested resource could not be found on the server, resulting in an error generated by Mod_Security.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article promotes a series of videos that explain retro game mechanics on the SNES hardware.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article is suggesting the idea of creating a cycle-accurate PPU emulator in honor of someone named “Near,” who apparently witnessed the decapping of the PPU.