1. Undergraduate shows that searches within hash tables can be much faster
Total comment counts : 53
Summary
The article discusses a significant advancement in computer science, centered around hash tables, a common data structure for storing data. Andrew Krapivin, then an undergraduate at Rutgers University, was inspired by a paper titled “Tiny Pointers” which dealt with minimizing the memory used by pointers in data storage. His exploration led him to develop a new type of hash table that performs faster than traditional ones, disproving a 40-year-old conjecture in the process. This new hash table, detailed in a January 2025 paper co-authored with his former professor Martín Farach-Colton and William Kuszmaul, allows for quicker data retrieval and insertion even when the hash table is nearly full, challenging established theories about the efficiency limits of hash table operations. The discovery has been noted for its importance due to the ubiquity and fundamental role of hash tables in computing.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses how breakthroughs and innovative creations, like Krapivin’s work on Yao’s conjecture and the game “Balatro,” often come from individuals who are not influenced by prior knowledge or conventions in their fields. The author suggests that ignorance or disregard of existing solutions can lead to novel ideas and approaches. However, they express concern that the interconnected nature of the modern world, facilitated by the internet, tends to homogenize thinking, reducing the likelihood of such unique, uninhibited creativity. This homogenization is viewed negatively as it potentially stifles innovation.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses a hashing technique named “funnel hashing,” which was highlighted in a video shared by someone named monort. Here’s a summary of the key points:
Concept: Funnel hashing involves dividing an array into exponentially smaller sub-arrays (A0, A1, etc.) where the size of each subsequent array decreases by a factor of m (e.g., |A0| = n/m, |A1| = n/m^2).
Insertion Process: The insertion process starts at the largest array (A0) and attempts to insert an element c times. If unsuccessful, it moves to the next smaller array (A1), and continues this process down the “funnel” until a free slot is found.
Parameters: The fraction of empty slots in the hash table, denoted by δ, might be either a static parameter set during hash table creation or dynamically updated. The number of insertion attempts, c, and the number of levels, k, are set to achieve a worst-case complexity of O(log^2(1/δ)).
Non-Greedy Approach: Unlike traditional methods which might use a greedy approach, funnel hashing is non-greedy as it cascades through different levels of arrays, potentially avoiding some of the pitfalls described by Yao’s result on greedy insertion and search policies.
Comparison: The author mentions that this technique reminds them of another concept known as “Distinct Elements in Streams” by Chakraborty, Vinodchandran, and Meel, suggesting some thematic or methodological similarities.
Details and Open Questions: The author acknowledges that there might be many small details to work out in the application of funnel hashing, indicating the technique’s complexity and areas for further exploration or clarification.
The article provides links to the original discussion, the video explaining funnel hashing, and a related research paper, encouraging further reading and discussion on the topic.
2. I tasted Honda’s spicy rodent-repelling tape and I will do it again (2021)
Total comment counts : 63
Summary
The article discusses the author’s experience with a product called “mouse tape,” designed by Honda to deter rodents from chewing on car wires. This tape is coated in capsaicin, a substance known for its spicy flavor, intended to repel rodents. Here are the key points:
Discovery and Purchase: After experiencing car troubles due to rodent damage, the author learned about mouse tape from their mechanic. Despite its high cost, similar to luxury items like white truffles, the author decided to purchase it, influenced by an unexpected donation from a reader.
Curiosity and Experimentation: The author, driven by curiosity, researched the tape and even considered tasting it to understand its repellent properties. The tape features cute mouse silhouettes with an “X” on their heads, hinting at a more sinister implication.
Honda’s Response: The author contacted Honda for clarification on the tape’s safety and ingredients. Honda’s PR contact, Chris Martin, replied humorously but informatively, mentioning that the tape contained DEHP, a chemical used to make plastics flexible but known to affect rat sperm at high doses.
Taste Test: Despite warnings, the author licked the tape, describing its taste as a warm, ambient heat with a numbing quality, likening it to a culinary experience.
Effectiveness and Reflections: The tape did not seem to work as intended, as the author still found rodents around. However, its unique taste led to considerations of its potential in modern cuisine. The author humorously reflects on the potential health risks and the lack of serious concern from Honda about the tape’s consumption.
Overall, the article combines personal narrative with product critique, humor, and a touch of scientific curiosity, while also poking fun at the absurdity of licking car parts.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses how liquid capsaicin treatments can be used to repel squirrels from bird feeders. Capsaicin, the compound that makes chili peppers spicy, affects mammals but not birds because:
- Birds lack receptors for capsaicin and thus do not feel the heat, allowing them to eat seeds and distribute them undigested, which benefits plant reproduction.
- Mammals, including squirrels, have receptors for capsaicin, which acts as a deterrent due to its spicy sensation. Mammals chew seeds, often destroying them, which is detrimental to seed dispersal.
The author has personally used a capsaicin-based product to keep squirrels away from bird feeders, directing them instead to a separate feeding station designed for squirrels, thereby illustrating an effective application of evolutionary biology in managing wildlife interactions at home.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article praised in the text is highly engaging, effectively capturing the reader’s interest with each line, blending humor with serious content, and avoiding unnecessary filler, leading to an instant subscription from the reader.
3. Firing programmers for AI is a mistake
Total comment counts : 134
Summary
The article critiques the tech industry’s growing reliance on AI to replace human programmers, highlighting several negative consequences:
Loss of Practical Skills: The article argues that the traditional training of programmers, which involves real-world problem-solving and learning from experienced engineers, is being neglected as companies lean on AI to generate code. This could lead to a future generation of programmers who lack deep understanding and problem-solving skills.
AI Limitations: AI tools can generate code but cannot handle complex debugging, optimization, or real-world system resilience. The author uses the analogy of teaching kids to drive only on autopilot, suggesting that when AI fails, these programmers won’t know how to manually intervene.
Corporate Missteps: Companies that fire their programmers in favor of AI might face severe issues like security breaches or system failures, as illustrated by the hypothetical scenario of a fintech company. These companies will struggle to find experienced programmers to fix AI-induced problems, especially since many might have moved on or started their own ventures.
Market Shift: Experienced programmers who understand systems at a deep level will become more valuable. They will either be in high demand, charging high rates, or have moved into niche areas or started their own companies, making them less available for traditional corporate roles.
Industry-Wide Impact: The overall ecosystem of innovation could suffer as the industry might lose the nuanced human touch in programming, potentially leading to a decline in software quality and innovation.
The article concludes that by sidelining human programmers for AI, the tech industry risks undermining its own future, creating a dependency on technology without the expertise to manage it when it inevitably fails or requires human intervention.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article highlights a significant gap between public perception of AI capabilities and the practical experiences of developers. Developers recognize AI’s limitations, particularly in significantly altering or enhancing mature codebases. The author expresses skepticism about the potential of current AI technologies, specifically Language Model Learning (LLM), to revolutionize software development soon. However, AI is acknowledged to be quite effective for smaller, routine coding tasks such as completing small code segments, explaining code, or making minor modifications.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article criticizes two main assumptions presented in another article about AI in coding:
AI’s coding capabilities will remain static: The author argues that AI coding tools will not stay the same; they will evolve and improve significantly in quality and functionality over time.
Mass replacement of human developers with AI: Instead of sudden mass layoffs, the author believes companies will gradually reduce hiring new developers as AI enhances the productivity of existing staff, without completely replacing human coders.
The critique suggests that the original article indulges in “doomerism,” portraying AI as a threat that diminishes the artistic aspect of programming. However, the author reassures that programmers can still choose to code manually if they prefer the traditional methods, indicating that AI is more of an enhancement tool rather than a complete replacement.
4. Fun with C++26 reflection: Keyword Arguments
Total comment counts : 18
Summary
The blog post discusses implementing order-independent keyword arguments in C++ using proposed reflection features from C++26. Here are the key points:
Background: Named or keyword arguments have been suggested multiple times for C++ but were not adopted, leading to creative workarounds.
Current Methods:
- C++20’s designated initializers allow for a form of keyword argument syntax, but with limitations like the need for curly braces and prefixes.
- A more advanced approach involves defining wrapper types with overloaded
operator=to simulate keyword arguments. This method, however, requires repetitive setup for each argument.
Proposed Reflection Technique:
- Using reflection, the author suggests creating a named tuple where arguments can be accessed by name, thus allowing for order-independent keyword arguments.
- Functions can be constrained to require certain keyword arguments, making the use of these arguments more robust.
- Optional arguments can be handled using checks or default values provided through reflection capabilities.
Implementation Details:
- The process involves creating a class type with named members for each argument, which can then be accessed or checked for existence using reflection.
- Macros or user-defined literals can simplify the syntax at the call site, although some verbosity remains.
Examples and Testing:
- The author provides GitHub links to an example implementation and encourages testing with Bloomberg’s experimental P2996 clang fork.
- Code snippets and compiler explorer links are included to demonstrate how these techniques work in practice.
The post concludes that while the syntax might not be as clean as in languages with native support for keyword arguments, the proposed reflection features offer a powerful workaround, significantly enhancing the expressiveness and flexibility of function calls in C++.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article expresses frustration and confusion about why some programmers, particularly those using C++, are fascinated with overly complex or bespoke programming techniques when simpler, more practical solutions exist. The author criticizes the use of such methods for seemingly unnecessary reasons like handling hypothetical scenarios (e.g., measuring in a “4th dimension”) and argues that these practices are not only impractical but also likely to cause issues due to their complexity (leaky abstractions). The author questions why these complexities aren’t handled at a more fundamental, language level, suggesting that such an approach would be more sensible.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the use of a parameter struct (FooArgs) to pass multiple arguments to functions, which adds readability at the cost of slightly more verbose code. Here are the key points:
Readability vs. Verbosity: Using a separate struct for function parameters makes the code more readable, even though it requires more lines of code. This approach is recommended for functions with numerous parameters where the extra lines are a minor overhead.
Initialization Concerns: There’s a discussion on whether fields in
FooArgsare automatically initialized to default values if not explicitly set. The author suggests using default member initializers in the struct definition for clarity and reliability.Type Safety with Templates: The article mentions using a string template parameter in
TypedArgto prevent argument mix-ups, ensuring that parameters are called with their correct names, enhancing type safety and reducing errors in argument assignment.
Overall, while the method described adds some boilerplate code, it significantly improves the clarity and maintainability of the code, particularly for complex functions.
5. Meta’s Hyperscale Infrastructure: Overview and Insights
Total comment counts : 19
Summary
The article describes a security protocol activated by a website to defend against online attacks. It mentions that certain actions like entering specific words, phrases, or SQL commands can trigger this security measure. The message advises users who are blocked to contact the site owner, providing details of what they were doing and including the Cloudflare Ray ID for reference. The website’s security is managed by Cloudflare.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the rapid development and launch of Meta’s app, Threads. Despite the short notice given to infrastructure teams, which was just two days, Meta managed to successfully launch the app. This was achieved by setting up war rooms for real-time issue resolution across various sites, involving both product and infrastructure teams. The launch was notably successful, with Threads becoming the fastest-growing app by reaching 100 million users in five days. The piece highlights the importance of maintaining the capability to execute projects swiftly, avoiding bureaucratic delays and unnecessary approval processes.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article is written by someone who previously worked at Facebook (before it was renamed Meta) and highlights their experience with the company’s impressive infrastructure. They mention:
Scale of Operations: Product engineers at FB could build at a massive scale in just days due to the robust infrastructure.
Team Leadership: The author served as a tech lead for several teams, including those working on distributed databases (like HBase and ZippyDB), Developer Efficiency, and an Ads team.
Public Acknowledgment: The convergence on ZippyDB and the Developer Efficiency initiatives are publicly recognized, with the latter achieving the capability to push 10,000 services daily.
Post-FB Venture: After leaving FB, the author found no comparable infrastructure elsewhere, leading them to start their own company, “Batteries Included,” to build the infrastructure they felt was missing in the industry. They provide links to their startup’s website and GitHub repository.
6. The Floppotron 3.0 (2022)
Total comment counts : 14
Summary
The article discusses the upgrade of the Floppotron to version 3.0, a unique music-making machine composed of 512 floppy disk drives, 4 scanners, and 16 hard disk drives. The author explains the evolution of this hobby project, detailing its construction, operational principles, and technical aspects:
Principle of Operation: Each device in the “orchestra” (floppy drives, scanners, hard drives) uses its mechanical parts (like motors or moving heads) to produce sounds which are controlled by custom electronic circuits. These sounds can be tuned to musical notes by controlling the frequency of movements.
System Overview: The system uses MIDI events to encode music, which are sent via a USB to MIDI adapter to a custom gateway. This gateway, equipped with a Bluetooth-enabled microcontroller, converts MIDI into an internal protocol for distribution to the controllers of each device, orchestrating the sound production.
Technical Details: The controllers are based on Nordic nRF52832 microcontrollers, tailored for different devices. The sound creation involves manipulating the movement of mechanical parts like the stepper motors in floppy drives to produce tones. The system also simulates sound envelopes by varying the number of drives playing at once to mimic the dynamics of musical notes.
Development Approach: The project, while sophisticated, retains its DIY charm with both elegant and makeshift solutions reflecting its status as a hobby project rather than a commercial product.
The author aims to make the explanation accessible, starting with basic principles before diving into more technical details, ensuring both casual readers and tech enthusiasts can appreciate the complexity and creativity of the Floppotron 3.0.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article recounts the author’s experience at their first job where they had to develop drivers for fiscal printers on Linux. The documentation for these printers was extremely poor, consisting merely of command codes with brief, one-word descriptions. It took the author two months of continuous effort to decipher these commands. During the testing phase, the printers could play sounds, and the test sound chosen was the Imperial March from Star Wars. A technician, upon seeing this, mentioned that the author had “copied the floppy drive guy,” revealing that this idea was not original but had been done before by someone else, humorously highlighting the interconnected nature of ideas on the internet.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article recommends checking out the music of Master Boot Record, a band that combines elements of the Floppotron (a musical instrument made from computer hardware), chiptunes, and metal music. Links to their Bandcamp album “Hardwarez” and a SoundCloud track “Doom” are provided for listeners interested in this unique genre fusion.
7. Indigenous engineers are using AI to preserve their culture
Total comment counts : 16
Summary
The article discusses the critical efforts to preserve Indigenous languages and cultures through technology, spearheaded by a small but dedicated group of Indigenous researchers and tech enthusiasts. Michael Running Wolf, a key figure, leads initiatives like First Languages AI Reality to develop speech recognition for endangered Indigenous languages, facing challenges due to the scarcity of Indigenous computer scientists. The article highlights:
Urgency of Preservation: Indigenous languages are disappearing rapidly, with projections indicating significant losses in the next decade.
Lack of Representation: Indigenous individuals are underrepresented in tech, with very few graduating in AI and computer science, and minimal venture capital funding going to Native-founded companies.
Cultural Sensitivity: The importance of handling culturally sensitive data with respect and ethical AI practices is emphasized, ensuring community involvement in data usage.
Initiatives for Education and Preservation:
- Tech Natives: Offers mentorship and recruitment for Indigenous women in tech, with stories like Kyra Kaya using AI to honor her Native Hawaiian heritage.
- IndigiGenius: Runs programs like the Lakota AI Code Camp to engage Native youth in tech, integrating cultural education with technology, and expanding computer science education in schools.
Cultural Connection Through Technology: Examples like Madeline Gupta illustrate how technology can help reconnect younger generations with their ancestral lands and cultures.
Overall, the article underscores the dual role of AI and technology in both preserving Indigenous languages and cultures while also empowering Indigenous communities to engage with and shape these technologies according to their values and needs.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the efforts of an individual who is one of the few remaining speakers of Kiksht, an ancestral language, and who has a background in linguistics, natural language processing (NLP), and machine learning (ML). The person explains the challenges in using current AI models to learn Kiksht’s grammar and morphology through in-context learning, suggesting that these models would need to be specifically trained on Kiksht’s corpus due to its unique linguistic features:
Kiksht’s Structure: Unlike English, which relies heavily on word order for meaning due to its lack of cases, Kiksht uses a complex system of prefixes and suffixes, particularly in verbs, to convey meaning. This makes word order less critical in Kiksht.
Learning Difficulties: The author has found limited success with existing AI models because they are predominantly trained on languages like English, which are structurally very different from Kiksht.
Future Work: Despite the challenges, the author is committed to continuing this work, believing it could eventually aid in preserving and understanding Kiksht. They mention the use of deep learning for computational typology tasks like identifying vowel inventories, which is particularly complex in languages with varied vowel sounds.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article is written by an Australian Indigenous person who has been working on a project called MobTranslate. This project involves using AI, specifically OpenAI models, to help translate and preserve Indigenous languages. Here are the key points:
Current State: The homepage of MobTranslate currently uses dictionaries processed through OpenAI, with the author’s tribe’s dictionary fitting within a 100k context window for translation.
Project History: The author mentions previous ambitions for the project, which can be explored on another GitHub repository linked in the text.
AI Translation: While the author has his own model research, he acknowledges that OpenAI’s models are doing well in translating sentences, which has shifted his focus from his own model development.
Cultural Impact: The preservation of the language isn’t just about having native speakers; it’s also about providing tools for the younger generation to learn and engage with their cultural heritage. Even with 70-80% accuracy, this engagement is seen as a success, reflecting how languages naturally evolve.
Future Plans: The author has made the tribe’s dictionary crawlable, hoping it will be included in future AI model training phases to enhance translation capabilities.
Overall, the project aims to facilitate the learning and use of Indigenous languages through technology, adapting to the reality that many native speakers are no longer around, but emphasizing the importance of cultural continuity through accessible and engaging tools.
8. Nvidia’s RTX 5090 power connectors are melting
Total comment counts : 30
Summary
Summary:
Two owners of Nvidia’s new RTX 5090 Founders Edition GPUs have reported issues with the 12VHPWR power connectors melting, causing damage to their GPUs and power supplies. These incidents echo similar problems seen with the RTX 4090 two years prior. Despite initial blame on user error for not fully inserting the connectors, further investigation by tech experts suggests that the issue might be related to a current distribution problem within the RTX 5090 model. The PCI-SIG has since introduced an updated connector, the 12V-2x6, designed to improve reliability, although Nvidia still allows the use of existing 12VHPWR cables. Manufacturers like Corsair and MSI have added visual aids to ensure proper connection. AMD has opted out of using the 12VHPWR for its upcoming GPUs, criticizing it as a potential fire hazard. Nvidia has not commented on these recent incidents.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses the safety concerns associated with the 12VHPWR (12V2x6) connector used in high-power applications, particularly in computing hardware:
Low Safety Margin: The 12VHPWR connector has a very small safety margin. At 600W, the current per pin is close to the maximum capacity of the Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 connectors, which are typically rated to handle up to 8.5A.
Risk of Overload: A minor issue like a bad connection or an imbalance in current distribution can lead to significant problems. If a single pin has a poor connection, the current can exceed the safe limits, potentially reaching 10A, which is well over the connector’s specifications.
Thermal Issues: Overloading can cause rapid heating, potentially melting the solder if pins are not fully mated, posing a risk of fire or hardware damage.
Wire Gauge Concerns: The article mentions that the commonly used 16 gauge wire is already pushing its limits at 12V/8.5A/100W, suggesting that a thicker, 14 gauge wire would provide a better safety margin.
Conclusion: The 12V2x6 connector needs to be handled with care due to its minimal safety margin to prevent damage to hardware.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article expresses concern and criticism over Nvidia’s design decisions regarding the power delivery systems in their graphics cards:
Previous Designs: Nvidia’s earlier GPU series (3 series and before) had robust power delivery systems.
Current Design Issues: With the Nvidia 5 series, there has been a drastic change to a design using only one shunt resistor, which the author describes as a dangerous and fire-hazardous setup. This follows a problematic design in the 4 series, which Nvidia worsened in the 5 series.
Questioning Engineering Decisions: The author questions how Nvidia, with its highly skilled and well-compensated electrical engineering team, could make such seemingly poor design choices leading to potential safety hazards.
Reference: A YouTube video is linked, presumably showing or discussing the issue with the 5 series’ power delivery system.
9. Building a personal, private AI computer on a budget
Total comment counts : 36
Summary
The article discusses the current trend in AI development, where tech companies are investing heavily in AI tools, often offering these services at a loss to capture market share. The strategy involves:
Market Capture: Tech giants are providing AI services cheaply or for free to attract users, aiming for market dominance.
Monetization and Bias: Once dominant, these companies might alter AI outputs to favor paying advertisers or political interests, as seen with DeepSeek’s AI avoiding discussion on sensitive historical events like Tiananmen Square.
Open Source and Local Computing: There’s a move towards open-source AI models (like DeepSeek-R1, Google’s Gemma, and Meta’s Llama) which can be run locally, potentially free from biases. However, running these models locally requires significant hardware capabilities, particularly memory.
Hardware Requirements: The article details the hardware needed for local AI model execution, emphasizing the need for large amounts of VRAM or RAM. It suggests alternatives like buying second-hand hardware to manage costs.
Personal Project: The author shares their experience in building a cost-effective workstation for running AI models locally, detailing the hardware choices and costs involved, which amounted to about 1700 euros for a system with 48GB of VRAM.
The narrative critiques the Silicon Valley model of growth at any cost, highlights the potential for AI bias, and provides a practical guide for those interested in running AI models independently, thereby avoiding corporate control over AI outputs.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article details a user’s experience with repurposing old high-performance GPUs, specifically a K80 and M40, purchased cheaply from eBay. The user warns against using the K80 due to problematic drivers despite its attractive price for 24GB of VRAM. These GPUs were installed in an HP workstation with a 1200-watt power supply. Since the GPUs lacked their own cooling systems, the user created a custom cooling solution by 3D printing brackets to mount several Noctua fans, which run at full speed continuously. This setup effectively kept the GPU temperatures below 60 degrees Celsius and also cooled the CPUs, keeping them in the mid-20s at idle. The total cost for the workstation, GPUs, and fans was approximately $780. The user also mentions a struggle with designing the 3D printed brackets, particularly for the intake fans, which required multiple attempts to get right.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses a comparison where for $1799, one could opt for a Mac Mini equipped with 48GB of unified memory and an M4 Pro chip instead of another setup. The Mac Mini would likely be more energy-efficient, quieter, and potentially faster in processing tokens per second. Despite the preference for the Mac Mini, the author still appreciated the detailed write-up of the alternative setup.
10. Boring tech is mature, not old
Total comment counts : 45
Summary
The article discusses the concept of “boring” technology within the context of system administration and architecture. The author, Ruben Schade, explains why he considers “boring” tech, like NetBSD, to be a high form of praise. Here are the key points:
Predictability is Key: Boring technology behaves predictably, which is crucial for sysadmins who prefer not to be surprised, especially during urgent situations like middle-of-the-night alerts.
Community and Documentation: Boring tech typically has extensive documentation and a knowledgeable community, reducing the likelihood of encountering undocumented issues or edge cases.
System Interactions: Technology doesn’t operate in isolation; its reliability is also dependent on how it interacts with other systems, which can compound potential issues if components are not mature or well-understood.
Innovation vs. Reliability: While innovation is necessary, the author argues that for operational stability, opting for well-understood, reliable technology often leads to better outcomes than adopting new, untested technologies.
Counterpoints: The article also explores counterarguments, noting that ubiquity or age alone doesn’t make technology “boring” or reliable. For instance, Oracle databases are complex and not considered boring despite their age.
Maturity Over Age: The distinction is made between age and maturity. Mature technology includes not just the software but also its surrounding ecosystem (community, documentation, track record), which contributes to its “boringness.”
Personal Anecdotes: The author shares personal experiences and those of others who have seen significant improvements by replacing complex systems (like Kubernetes clusters) with simpler, more mature solutions, highlighting the practical benefits of choosing “boring” tech.
In summary, the article champions the use of mature, predictable technology in IT systems for the sake of reliability and ease of maintenance, arguing against the allure of new, flashy tech solutions that might not be as dependable.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article emphasizes the benefits of using “boring” technology for the backend and infrastructure of a SaaS app. The author, who works solo, prefers to use stable, reliable, and less trendy technologies for behind-the-scenes operations like databases and backend frameworks. This choice allows them to dedicate more time to developing new features and enhancing the product itself, rather than dealing with the complexities or updates of cutting-edge tech tools. The underlying point is that customers are more concerned with the functionality and features of the app than with the technical details of how it’s built.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article argues against using the term “boring” to dismiss alternative software choices in favor of one’s own preference. The author suggests that labeling a choice as “boring” implies it’s the obvious, mature decision, unfairly simplifying the complex trade-offs involved in software selection. They emphasize that both options usually have their own sets of advantages and disadvantages, and that using “boring” as an argument can be as dismissive and condescending as other authoritarian or brand-name justifications for decision-making. The author calls for a more nuanced discussion of software choices rather than relying on superficial labels.