1. MacPaint Art from the Mid-80s Still Looks Great Today
Total comment counts : 63
Summary
The author enjoyed exploring a vast archive of over 18,000 MacPaint images and discovered intriguing early 80s digital art. They express a desire to track down the original artists and see their current work, noting the impressive creativity possible with limited technology of the time. The author also plans to investigate Amiga computer art from the same era. They encourage others to explore the Discmaster for more vintage graphics and recommend the book “Zen & The Art of The Macintosh” for those interested in creating similar art.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The concept of “aesthetic completeness” refers to video games whose art direction is fully realized, meaning advancements in graphics wouldn’t enhance the artistic value. The original Homeworld games exemplify this idea. The author reflects that creating artworks using modern tools instead of those from the original period would fundamentally alter the pieces, emphasizing that the medium is integral to the artwork itself.
Top 2 Comment Summary
A program called Retro Dither is available on the Mac App Store for creating MacPaint drawings with modern photos by dithering and exporting them in MacBinary format. There is also a chapter in a new book that teaches how to write a similar program in Python, which covers Atkinson dithering and the MacPaint file format. Free code for DIY conversions is provided on GitHub. For more details, visit the following links: Retro Dither, GitHub, and Book.
2. Bypassing Google’s big anti-adblock update
Total comment counts : 72
Summary
Google Chrome is transitioning from Manifest Version 2 (MV2) to Manifest Version 3 (MV3), removing the webRequestBlocking permission crucial for adblockers. A developer discovered a bug in 2023 that allowed webRequestBlocking to function in MV3 by exploiting leftover JavaScript bindings, which should not have been possible. This bug let extensions spoof the opt_webViewInstanceId parameter, enabling adblockers to bypass permission checks. Despite its potential, the bug highlights how outdated code can lead to vulnerabilities, as the related code still exists in 2025, despite platform apps being deprecated in 2020.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article argues that instead of creating alternatives to counter Google’s actions, users should abandon Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers. By doing so, they can challenge Google’s monopoly and influence over the web’s future.
Top 2 Comment Summary
For optimal performance, use Firefox with uBlock Origin, as it works best on this browser. For further details, visit the provided GitHub link.
3. Malware found in official gravityforms plugin indicating supply chain breach
Total comment counts : 11
Summary
On July 12, 2025, reports emerged of backdoor activity linked to Gravity Forms plugin version 2.9.12, specifically targeting websites through a malicious URL request associated with the domain gravityapi.org. Following this discovery, a patched version (2.9.13) was released, and the domain was suspended by Namecheap to prevent exploitation. Investigations indicated that the malware primarily affects manually downloaded or composer-installed plugins. Technical details reveal the presence of malicious code capable of remote server execution, prompting further scrutiny and monitoring of the situation.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article highlights the importance of vigilance in identifying security breaches, noting that a supply breach was detected by a system operator monitoring a slow HTTP request. Additionally, it mentions that the xz breach was uncovered by a developer investigating unusual SSH login performance issues.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The Gravity Forms post clarifies that users who installed the plugin via direct download or Composer are considered compromised. Both installation methods use the same API as the plugin’s auto-update feature. It remains to be seen if the developers will engage a third-party security firm to investigate the incident, as no mention has been made yet.
4. New Date(“wtf”) – How well do you know JavaScript’s Date class?
Total comment counts : 44
Summary
The article discusses the JavaScript Date class, presenting questions and answers to test knowledge on its functionalities. The content is verified for accuracy using NodeJS 24.4.0 on a MacBook Pro configured to the BST timezone (UTC+1).
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article emphasizes not to underestimate JavaScript, humorously referencing its rise to prominence through Node.js. It suggests that mocking JavaScript could lead to its continued growth and ubiquitous presence in various applications.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article discusses the complexities of handling local time in software development. It suggests prioritizing UTC ISO 8601 strings or Unix timestamps to minimize complications. While recognizing that some scenarios, such as dealing with daylight saving time, can be challenging, the author emphasizes that most projects can effectively limit their reliance on local time. They advise against passing raw user input to date parsers, indicating that this could lead to issues. Overall, the focus is on simplifying date-time management in applications.
5. The fish kick may be the fastest subsurface swim stroke yet (2015)
Total comment counts : 15
Summary
The article explores the fish kick technique in swimming, which mimics the natural movement of fish and is believed to be the fastest subsurface swimming method. After a challenging initial attempt, the author receives guidance from Olympic gold medalist Misty Hyman. Despite being a struggle for humans, who are not natural swimmers, the fish kick focuses on precise body movements at the shoulders, ribs, hips, and knees. Historically, swimming has centered on surface techniques, but underwater strategies have gained attention for their speed potential, reshaping how the sport is approached.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The “fish kick,” a variation of the dolphin kick performed on one’s side, is faster due to reduced constraints from water movement. In the traditional dolphin kick, water moves up and down, influenced by the surface and pool bottom. By turning sideways, swimmers alleviate these restrictions, enhancing their kicking efficiency.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article compares terrestrial mammals’ natural abilities in running and swimming. Unlike running, which humans excel at due to our evolved body plan, swimming does not come instinctively or naturally for humans. It discusses how nearly all terrestrial mammals can swim to some extent and ponders which mammal might swim best if trained, while noting that human body design, suited for bipedal running, also permits reasonable swimming capability. However, it concludes by acknowledging that human swimming speeds are significantly slower than those of aquatic animals.
6. Supreme Court’s ruling practically wipes out free speech for sex writing online
Total comment counts : 82
Summary
The recent Supreme Court ruling has undermined the First Amendment for writers including sexual content intended for adult audiences. It permits conservative states to sue writers for damages based on claims that such content harms children, enabling felony charges for online speech without age verification. This decision poses a significant “chilling effect” on free expression and threatens writers with severe criminal and civil liabilities. The author calls for action against this censorship and emphasizes the need to protect free speech in light of these new laws, urging those affected to educate themselves and join the Free Speech Coalition.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The article criticizes ID check laws, arguing that they improperly place the responsibility of child-rearing on the government and websites. It advocates for a secure method to verify age (18+) without sharing personal IDs or details. A suggested solution involves using biometric authentication, similar to Apple Pay, to confirm age transparently. Additionally, the author supports the idea of allowing single-user devices to auto-send age verification for convenience. The overarching concern is the protection of personal data and the impracticality of current ID verification methods.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article warns that implementing age verification for pornography could extend to requiring identity verification across much of the internet. This shift threatens the concept of a free internet, regardless of one’s views on pornography.
7. Proposed NOAA Budget Kills Program Designed to Prevent Satellite Collisions
Total comment counts : 21
Summary
error
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author acknowledges the urge to cut government spending, which often appears excessive. However, they argue that certain programs deliver high value for the investment, acting as assets rather than wastes. The positive impacts of these programs extend significantly beyond initial investments. The article calls for a return to sound principles in evaluating and requesting budget allocations.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author advocates for transferring global responsibilities to the United Nations rather than nation-states or private companies, arguing that collective global support is essential to prevent one nation’s failure from impacting humanity. They propose a UN program for weather forecasting and satellite tracking utilizing open data, but express concern that the current structure and vested interests of Security Council members hinder this initiative, suggesting that the EU may be more likely to assume such roles instead.
8. First malaria treatment for babies approved for use
Total comment counts : 10
Summary
A new malaria treatment specifically designed for babies under 4.5 kg has been approved and will soon be available in African countries. Developed by Novartis, the drug, called Coartem Baby, addresses the “treatment gap” for young children who previously used older formulations that posed overdose risks. Malaria claimed approximately 597,000 lives in 2023, mostly among children under five. Novartis plans to distribute the medicine on a not-for-profit basis, marking a significant advancement in combating malaria’s impact on vulnerable populations. Experts believe this could greatly improve healthcare equity for affected children.
Top 1 Comment Summary
An Italian physician, working in Africa, reported that treatments for babies over 6 months have been successful. A significant advancement with Novartis now allows safe treatment for infants under 6 months with the correct dosing.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The article expresses surprise at a study that involved only 28 participants, questioning the adequacy of such a small sample size given malaria’s widespread prevalence. While the study did include a 12-month follow-up, the author wonders why a larger group wasn’t utilized.
9. Working through ‘Writing A C Compiler’
Total comment counts : 10
Summary
An old programmer aims to create a C compiler for the Hack processor from the nand2tetris book and is following “Writing a C Compiler” by No Starch Press. The book’s structure allows for incremental learning, with a functional compiler by chapter one and additional features in subsequent chapters. The provided test suite enhances learning, with comprehensive tests for each chapter. The author plans to document their progress through blog posts, discussing challenges and implementations, and acknowledging helpful feedback from the book’s author. Overall, they praise the book’s practicality and resources.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The author praises a book they studied during winter break, highlighting its rewarding incremental teaching style. They found the OCaml implementation referenced in the book helpful for understanding concepts, despite being initially confused by the TACKY IR. The author seeks additional resources for advanced topics like SSA and optimization, mentioning they’ve explored some existing resources but are looking for more established options.
Top 2 Comment Summary
The author’s experience in creating multiple Domain-Specific Language (DSL) compilers and a general-purpose compiler contrasts with traditional literature. They appreciate Scala for its ability to streamline coding, allowing focus on logic rather than minor details. With sufficient memory and CPU power, suboptimal algorithms can perform adequately. Modern parsing tools like fastparse enhance productivity, while the author employs immutable multi-staged pipelines, error-accumulating structures, and graph-based entity dependencies for efficient processing.
10. Kimi K2 is a state-of-the-art mixture-of-experts (MoE) language model
Total comment counts : 3
Summary
Kimi K2, developed by the Moonshot AI team, is a cutting-edge mixture-of-experts language model featuring 32 billion activated parameters. It utilizes the Muon optimizer for superior performance in knowledge, reasoning, and coding tasks. Kimi K2’s API is accessible at https://platform.moonshot.ai, with capabilities aligned to OpenAI/Anthropic models for compatibility. The recommended temperature for its applications is 0.6. Additionally, Kimi K2 supports robust tool-calling functionality and its model weights are available under the Modified MIT License. For support, contact support@moonshot.cn.
Top 1 Comment Summary
The comments for the article have been relocated to a specific link on Hacker News: Hacker News Comments.
Top 2 Comment Summary
I’m unable to access specific links or external content directly. However, if you provide the main points or text from the article, I’d be happy to help you summarize it within the specified word limit!