hackernews

1. You’ll regret using natural keys Total comment counts : 84 Summary The article discusses the concept of natural keys in database design and raises a question about whether they are ever a good idea. The author shares a personal anecdote about a car inspection where a mechanic was able to easily change the incorrect chassis number, despite concerns about potential complications. The author is currently taking a course in databases and information systems, and notes that the students are proposing database designs with natural keys....

1. Diffusion on syntax trees for program synthesis Total comment counts : 24 Summary error Top 1 Comment Summary The article mentions a presentation about generating hints for students by mutating the syntax tree and analyzing the modifications made to reach a target solution. The author suggests that this approach, which was presented at a RacketCon event many years ago, could potentially be combined with newer machine learning techniques. A link to the talk is also provided....

1. How many photons are received per bit transmitted from Voyager 1? Total comment counts : 27 Summary The article discusses the number of photons transmitted and received per bit by Voyager 1 when it sends messages to Earth. Option A states that Voyager sends 160 bits/second with 23W, resulting in approximately 4 x 10^24 photons per second or 2.6 x 10^22 per bit. Option B mentions that the receiver with a 70m dish will collect only 1....

1. How do our brains adapt to control an extra body part? Total comment counts : 33 Summary Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a robotic device called the Third Thumb, which is a controllable prosthetic thumb that can be used to pick up and manipulate objects. The thumb is worn on the opposite side of the palm to the biological thumb and is controlled by pressure sensors placed under each big toe or foot....

1. UI elements with a hand-drawn, sketchy look Total comment counts : 37 Summary This article is about a set of UI elements with a hand-drawn, sketchy appearance. These elements can be used for wireframes, mockups, or just to give projects a fun hand-drawn look. Each rendering of the elements has enough randomness that no two will be exactly the same. The article also mentions using wired-element controls to change a sketchy circle drawn using rough....

1. Don’t DRY Your Code Prematurely Total comment counts : 103 Summary The article discusses the concept of “Don’t Repeat Yourself” (DRY) in coding and argues that applying DRY principles too rigidly can lead to premature abstractions that complicate future changes. It emphasizes the importance of considering whether code is truly redundant or just superficially similar, and whether functions or classes serve different contexts and business requirements that may evolve independently over time....

1. I got tired of hearing that YC fired Sam, so here’s what actually happened Total comment counts : 89 Summary error Top 1 Comment Summary The author of the article discusses their experience running a multi-million dollar non-profit while also having a full-time job. They explain that it is common for individuals to both chair a non-profit and work a regular job since non-profits are typically structured to allow for this balance....

1. AI headphones let wearer listen to a single person in a crowd by looking at them Total comment counts : 76 Summary A team from the University of Washington has developed an artificial intelligence system called “Target Speech Hearing” that allows users wearing headphones to enroll specific speakers and cancel out other sounds in real time. By looking at a person speaking for a few seconds, the system learns their vocal patterns and plays back their voice while the listener moves around in noisy environments....

1. WP21 Total comment counts : 41 Summary The article reflects on the 21st anniversary of WordPress. The author highlights the milestones and success of WordPress over the years. They also mention the importance of features like playground and the factors that contributed to WordPress’s early success. The article concludes with congratulatory messages from readers and their personal reflections on WordPress. Top 1 Comment Summary The article criticizes WordPress for not adhering to development standards and possibly trying to undermine the freelancer and digital agency market....

1. Big data is dead (2023) Total comment counts : 57 Summary The article argues that the era of Big Data is over and that data size is not the main problem in gaining actionable insights. The author, who was a founding engineer on Google BigQuery, explains that despite the hype around Big Data and the need for new technology to handle massive scale, most users do not actually have Big Data....