1. The Fed says this is a cube of $1M. They’re off by half a million
Total comment counts : 105
Summary
At the Federal Reserve Bank’s Money Museum, a cube claims to contain $1,000,000 in $1 bills. The author, skeptical of such displays, attempts to count the bills but struggles. In response, they created Dot Counter, a simple tool for counting items in photos. Upon evaluating the cube, the author finds it may actually contain $1,550,400 due to bundling inconsistencies. They speculate the design might be misleading, questioning if the cube is filled entirely with cash or just a hollow shell. Ultimately, they invite others to verify the count for themselves.
Top 1 Comment Summary
A 2014 Reddit post revealed that a box displayed as containing $1 million in singles actually held over $1 million. The discrepancy arose because the box was built to incorrect dimensions, but it was still filled and presented as if it contained the claimed amount. This information came from a tour guide at the Chicago Federal Reserve.
Top 2 Comment Summary
In the late 70s, the author’s uncle won a contest at a Chicago auto show by guessing the number of beer cans in a VW. Arriving early, he observed a stack of trays and calculated his guess by multiplying the number of trays by 24. The uncle, a functional alcoholic, found it fitting to win the beer, though the author questions the health implications of his prize.
2. OpenFLOW – Quickly make beautiful infrastructure diagrams local to your machine
Total comment counts : 23
Summary
FossFLOW is an open-source Progressive Web App for creating isometric infrastructure diagrams using the Isoflow library. It operates entirely in-browser with offline functionality. Users can deploy the build folder to any static hosting service, and contributions via Pull Requests are encouraged. Both Isoflow and FossFLOW are open-source, with Isoflow under the MIT license and FossFLOW under the Unlicense. For documentation and qualifiers, users can refer to the provided resources.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article introduces a lightweight home status server named Stylus, which is designed to work well with the isoflow library. Stylus operates by automatically changing CSS classes. The GitHub link to the project is provided for further details.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author expresses admiration for a tool while criticizing Mermaid.js for its unappealing appearance and challenging syntax. Despite these issues, they acknowledge it as a widely supported diagram tool for static site generators. They wish for the ability to embed Isoflow diagrams in Markdown.
3. Figma files for proposed IPO
Total comment counts : 40
Summary
Figma has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the SEC for an initial public offering (IPO) of its Class A common stock, seeking to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FIG.” The specifics regarding the number of shares and pricing are yet to be determined. Major financial firms, including Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, will manage the offering. The IPO is subject to market conditions and has not yet become effective. Founded in 2012, Figma specializes in collaborative design solutions for teams.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author congratulates the Figma team for their success and acknowledges its rapid rise as a standard in design tools, previously viewing Adobe’s $20 billion potential acquisition as a good deal. However, the author expresses waning enthusiasm for Figma due to confusing UI changes, new features feeling out of place, and the cumbersome plugin ecosystem, leading to frustration with its increasing complexity. They invite others to share similar sentiments.
Top 2 Comment Summary
Figma’s Form S-1 prospectus reveals impressive metrics: $821 million in LTM revenue, 46% YoY growth, and an 18% non-GAAP operating margin with a 91% gross margin. Co-founder Evan Wallace’s innovative hybrid C++/JavaScript architecture optimized Figma for browser use, improving memory efficiency and editing speed. Figma’s rendering engine leverages WebGL for high-performance graphics, while its multiplayer syncing protocol enhances collaborative features. The team’s success highlights the importance of fluid UI design and strategic business execution in a competitive market, serving as an inspiration for ambitious projects.
4. Show HN: Spegel, a Terminal Browser That Uses LLMs to Rewrite Webpages
Total comment counts : 57
Summary
Spegel is a proof-of-concept terminal web browser that processes HTML through a large language model (LLM), rendering content as markdown in the terminal. Created during a weekend project, it allows users to customize web content views using prompts, making information access faster and more personalized. Although it currently supports only GET requests, its minimal design aims to declutter terminal browsing. Spegel is still evolving, but it’s functional and enjoyable to explore. Installation is via pip, and its source code is available on GitHub for contributions.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article discusses a new web browsing approach that combines deterministic search and prompts, potentially functioning better as a command line tool rather than replacing traditional browsers. It suggests enhancing this method with multiple “tabs” for comparing different sources, like news outlets and Wikipedia. However, it raises concerns about whether current advanced models can handle such a complex workflow effectively.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article expresses enthusiasm for a project involving parsing recipes from a recipe website, highlighting it as an interesting and favorable example.
5. Proton joins suit against Apple for practices that harm developers and consumers
Total comment counts : 30
Summary
Proton, a privacy-focused technology company, has filed a lawsuit against Apple, joining a class-action case concerning Apple’s anti-competitive App Store practices. Proton aims to challenge Apple’s monopolistic behavior, which has led to higher costs and limited choices for consumers and developers. The lawsuit seeks to enforce changes to App Store policies while also aiming for monetary damages for affected developers. Any funds received will be donated to organizations promoting democracy and human rights. Proton emphasizes the need for reform to ensure a fairer internet and protect user privacy against exploitative business models.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article highlights the disparity in how the App Store tax affects different business models. Companies that monetize user data without processing payments through the App Store remain unaffected, while privacy-focused subscription-based companies face significant barriers due to this fee. This situation raises concerns about whether vertical integration enables unfair market distortions, highlighting the broader implications for privacy-first business models and free market principles.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article criticizes Apple’s App Store as an abusive monopoly, sharing an experience where an app update was rejected due to a link to its GitHub project. The rejection was attributed to Apple’s policy against apps linking to external sites that could circumvent their revenue share. The author expresses support for the Proton team amid these challenges. For more details, a link is provided to a discussion on Hacker News.
6. Xfinity using WiFi signals in your house to detect motion
Total comment counts : 76
Summary
To enable JavaScript in your web browser, navigate to the Settings, Preferences, or Internet Options menu. It’s a straightforward process, and the specific location may vary by browser.
Top 1 Comment Summary
Comcast may disclose information from your WiFi Motion to third parties, including law enforcement, without notifying you, in cases such as investigations, disputes involving Comcast, or legal orders. This means ISPs could potentially inform authorities whether someone was home at specific times if certain conditions are met, such as using the provided WiFi access point with the feature enabled.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article warns against trusting hardware provided by ISPs like Comcast, highlighting vague language in their privacy policies that allows them to share user data with third parties without notice. This includes situations related to law enforcement investigations, disputes, or subpoenas. The author expresses concern over the potential for misuse of personal information, especially in light of increasing governmental power.
7. Feasibility study of a mission to Sedna – Nuclear propulsion and solar sailing
Total comment counts : 13
Summary
arXivLabs is a platform enabling collaboration to develop new features on the arXiv website, emphasizing openness, community, excellence, and user privacy. arXiv partners with those who share these values and encourages project ideas that enhance the community. Additionally, users can receive operational status notifications via email or Slack.
Top 1 Comment Summary
Sedna will reach its perihelion around 2075-2076, necessitating a mission launch soon due to the lengthy travel time of up to 30 years with conventional propulsion. At 76 AU from the Sun, Sedna is over twice Pluto’s distance, which took nearly a decade for New Horizons to reach. The Direct Fusion Drive rocket engine is being developed at Princeton University, raising questions about its effectiveness, reliability, and readiness for deep-space missions.
Top 2 Comment Summary
Sedna is a distant trans-Neptunian object and a dwarf planet located in the outer Solar System. Discovered in 2003, it has a unique elongated orbit that takes it far beyond Pluto. Sedna is approximately 1,000 kilometers in diameter and is composed mainly of ice and rock. Its reddish color suggests the presence of complex organic compounds. Sedna’s orbital path indicates it may have been influenced by a large unseen planet, leading to theories about the existence of other significant celestial bodies in the outer Solar System.
8. I built something that changed my friend group’s social fabric
Total comment counts : 54
Summary
In 2022, a dispersed friend group sought ways to maintain their connection during COVID. Utilizing Discord for gaming, they struggled with organizing play sessions amid overflowing chat notifications. To improve communication, Daniel created a Discord bot to notify the group when anyone joined a voice channel, reducing clutter in their Signal chat. Initially met with mixed reactions, the bot encouraged more frequent social interactions beyond gaming. After returning to Melbourne, Daniel observed that the bot not only streamlined game scheduling but also fostered casual conversations, significantly enhancing their online social experience.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article reflects on the lost experience of online chatting through platforms like AIM and ICQ, where users could easily initiate conversations. It notes the absence of clear signals indicating openness to chat in today’s online environments, which the author believes has diminished the quality of online communication.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author is developing an IoT device with RGB lights to indicate when friends join their Discord voice channel, allowing customization of colors for each friend. If successful, they may turn it into a product. Additionally, they are working on a notification system for their wife’s tablet using ESP32s and LED boards, which will light up around the house to alert her when needed. The notifications will feature a back-and-forth scanning effect for visibility, with the project humorously named “Cylons.” Interested parties can reach out via email.
9. Ask HN: Who is hiring? (July 2025)
Total comment counts : 266
Summary
The article provides guidelines for job postings on a specific platform, emphasizing that posts should only be made by hiring companies, not recruiters or job boards. It encourages active responses to applicants and discourages off-topic comments. Additionally, it lists resources for job seekers. The article features two companies hiring: Freeform, focused on innovative metal 3D printing technology, and Blueberry, which offers affordable pediatric telemedicine with a commitment to high-quality care. Both companies emphasize their need for skilled engineers and their unique approaches to their respective industries.
Top 1 Comment Summary
Freeform is pioneering metal 3D printing on a global scale, integrating AI, GPUs, and FPGAs to achieve unprecedented precision and speed in manufacturing. Their approach aims to revolutionize sectors such as aerospace and automotive. The company seeks software engineers for full-time roles in Hawthorne, CA, offering opportunities to lead impactful projects within a small, experienced team from firms like Google and SpaceX. Freeform is backed by prominent venture capitalists, including NVIDIA’s NVentures. Positions available include Senior Software Engineer (C++ and Rust) and Software Engineer (C++ and Rust).
Top 2 Comment Summary
Blueberry Pediatrics is seeking a full-stack senior or staff engineer for a remote position in the U.S. The company aims to make pediatric healthcare affordable, accessible, and high-quality, employing board-certified pediatricians and providing 24/7 telemedicine services. They utilize technologies like Django, Hotwire Turbo, Pytorch, Sklearn, and Flutter. The ideal candidate should have strong full-stack knowledge, curiosity, and work ethic, regardless of specific tech experience. Blueberry is committed to positive patient outcomes over profit and is experiencing significant growth in both B2B and D2C sectors.
10. There are no new ideas in AI, only new datasets
Total comment counts : 43
Summary
AI has progressed significantly over the past fifteen years, particularly in the last five, driven by continuous innovations from academia and industry. While the development of groundbreaking models is slowing, minor improvements, such as advancements in memory utilization and model optimization, are ongoing. Key milestones include deep neural networks, transformers, and reinforcement learning. Despite some critiques about a lack of major breakthroughs, the reality is that AI research is decentralized and collaborative, gradually enhancing capabilities. Future breakthroughs are likely to stem from applying existing concepts rather than entirely new ideas.
Top 1 Comment Summary
AI has made remarkable strides in language and vision with models like GPT-4 and DALL·E, enabling machines to perform tasks like writing and conversing. However, this progress only scratches the surface of true intelligence, which is multimodal, incorporating touch, taste, smell, and emotional states—elements currently neglected by AI. As we advance, the future of AI lies in tackling these complex sensory aspects, requiring new hardware, data representations, and experiential learning methods to develop a richer understanding of the world.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article clarifies the distinction between technological and scientific progress. It explains that scientific advancements create new S-curves, which initially progress rapidly before encountering diminishing returns. While people may perceive a slowdown in progress, it’s often due to a lack of noticeable innovation during the initial rapid phase, which typically involves intense optimization rather than new developments.