hackernews

1. John Carmack on inlined code (2014) Total comment counts : 37 Summary In a comment dated September 26, 2014, John Carmack reflects on an email he sent in 2007 discussing coding practices, particularly focusing on inlining code and its implications for software reliability. Initially skeptical about pure functional programming, he has since recognized its benefits in reducing unexpected dependencies and state mutations. He emphasizes that while inlining can expose the complexity of state changes, it encourages better coding practices, pushing programmers to refactor impure code into pure functions....

1. Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton [pdf] Total comment counts : 128 Summary error Top 1 Comment Summary The article discusses the surprising nature of recent Nobel Prize winners in Physics, highlighting a trend where winners are not widely recognized even within their subfields. It specifically mentions the 2016 winners Kosterlitz, Thouless, and Haldane as deserving, despite not being household names. A point of contention is the inclusion of Geoffrey Hinton, who has minimal experience in physics, whose contributions are deemed unsuitable for a physics prize....

1. Can you get root with only a cigarette lighter? Total comment counts : 31 Summary In his article, David Buchanan discusses the creative process of hardware fault injection (HFI), a technique used for exploiting software vulnerabilities when bugs are scarce. He explains various forms of fault injection—including electromagnetic pulses and glitches—and acknowledges that traditional HFI often requires expensive specialized equipment. However, Buchanan highlights affordable alternatives, such as using an RP2040-based device and even a piezo-electric BBQ igniter for electromagnetic fault injection....

1. Arthur Whitney’s one liner sudoku solver (2011) Total comment counts : 29 Summary error Top 1 Comment Summary The article discusses the programming language K, created by Arthur Whitney. K is derived from APL and Scheme. It includes a specific line of code demonstrating its syntax and functionality, showcasing how it operates with certain mathematical and array operations. Top 2 Comment Summary The article highlights the advantages of the K programming language, noting its speed, efficient handling of arrays, and expressive syntax as key features that advocates emphasize....

1. Noise Total comment counts : 29 Summary error Top 1 Comment Summary The author describes a fun experience involving a loud sound from their computer that startled both them and their cat, leading the cat to scratch the author’s legs. Despite the scare, the author finds the situation amusing. Top 2 Comment Summary The article discusses the ability to utilize different modes in a JavaScript project using search parameters, specifically in the context of a GitHub repository related to a sound library....

1. Why does man print “gimme gimme gimme” at 00:30? (2017) Total comment counts : 37 Summary The article discusses an amusing issue related to the man command, specifically an easter egg that outputs “gimme gimme gimme” (a reference to an ABBA song) when run without arguments at 00:30. This easter egg was added playfully by developer Colin Watson six years ago but began causing unexpected failures in automated tests. After reflection, Watson decided to remove the easter egg in the upcoming man-db 2....

1. Terminal colours are tricky Total comment counts : 46 Summary The article discusses common challenges and solutions related to terminal color schemes. The author reflects on their long journey to find a satisfactory color scheme and gathers feedback from users on Mastodon. A major complaint highlighted is the difficulty of reading certain colors, such as “blue on black.” The author explains that terminals use ANSI colors (16 basic colors) but that there is a lack of standardization across terminal emulators, leading to inconsistencies in color appearance....

1. Math from Three to Seven Total comment counts : 30 Summary The article discusses the historical puzzle of why the Soviet Union, despite its smaller population and weaker economic base, was able to maintain military and technological parity with the United States during the Cold War. The author reflects on the influx of talented Russian émigrés into American math and tech fields post-communism, highlighting their prominence in competitive arenas like chess and math competitions....

1. Boris Vallejo and the pixel art of the demoscene Total comment counts : 19 Summary The article discusses the impact of Boris Vallejo, an epic fantasy painter, on fantasy art from the 1980s to the 90s, particularly in book covers and computer game art. Vallejo’s work, characterized by realistic portrayals of heroic figures in fantastical settings, inspired pixel artists and demoscene groups, especially on platforms like the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST....

1. Bop Spotter Total comment counts : 74 Summary The article discusses the installation of a surveillance box in San Francisco’s Mission district, featuring a solar-powered Android phone that continuously uses Shazam to detect music played on the streets. This project parallels systems like Shot Spotter, used by police to detect gunshots, but focuses on capturing real-time music trends rather than criminal activity. The device collects data on popular songs without public awareness or consent, described as “culture surveillance....