hackernews

1. Firefox tooltip bug fixed after 22 years Total comment counts : 68 Summary The article discusses a bug in the XUL language, which is an XML-based language used for Mozilla’s user interface. The bug causes tooltips from Thunderbird to interfere with work in other windows. The bug has been open for 21 years and is still occurring in the latest versions of Firefox and Thunderbird. Some users have suggested disabling tooltips as a workaround....

1. My personal C coding style as of late 2023 Total comment counts : 62 Summary The author discusses their recent changes in coding style and habits for programming in the C language. They mention using short names for primitive types, avoiding certain suffixes, and using specific types for different purposes. They also discuss their preferred naming conventions for macros, the use of null pointers and restrict, and their preference for structure returns over out parameters....

1. Decomposing language models into understandable components Total comment counts : 16 Summary The article states that the website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. It explains that certain actions, such as submitting specific words or phrases, a SQL command, or malformed data, can trigger this security measure. It advises users to contact the site owner and provide details about the activity they were engaged in and the Cloudflare Ray ID displayed at the bottom of the page....

1. Documented source code for Elite on the NES Total comment counts : 12 Summary The article discusses a repository containing the fully documented and annotated source code for Elite on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The code is provided for educational and non-profit purposes and allows users to build the functioning game from the source. The repository includes different variants of the game, and the article provides instructions on browsing and building the code....

1. Making Hard Things Easy Total comment counts : 40 Summary The article discusses the author’s keynote presentation at Strange Loop on making difficult concepts easier to learn. The author shares their frustrations with learning certain topics and emphasizes the importance of not blaming oneself for struggling. They also mention their experiences with DNS, bash scripting, HTTP, and SQL, and provide insights and tips on how to make these topics more approachable....

1. Pythagorean Theorem found on clay tablet 1k years older than Pythagoras (2009) Total comment counts : 44 Summary The article discusses the history and significance of the Pythagorean Theorem. It mentions that the theorem was named after Pythagoras but was actually discovered by Babylonian mathematicians 1000 years before Pythagoras was born. The article also notes that there are over 371 proofs of the theorem, including ones by famous figures like Leonardo da Vinci and President James A....

1. An interactive intro to CRDTs Total comment counts : 23 Summary The article discusses Conflict-free Replicated Data Types (CRDTs) and how they can be used to build collaborative applications. It explains that CRDTs are data structures that can be stored on different computers and allow each peer to update its own state instantly without relying on a central server. CRDTs are categorized into state-based and operation-based types, with state-based CRDTs transmitting their full state between peers....

1. PicoCalc: A fully-functional clone of VisiCalc for the PICO-8 Total comment counts : 7 Summary PicoCalc is a spreadsheet application for the Pico-8 that is a clone of the 1979 classic VisiCalc. It offers all the same features as VisiCalc, with some enhancements. Users need to know how to use VisiCalc to effectively use PicoCalc. The application is available for download on itch.io. The article also includes comments from users who express gratitude for the nostalgia and functionality of PicoCalc....

1. Goodbye integers, hello UUIDv7 Total comment counts : 46 Summary The article discusses the adoption of UUIDv7 as the primary key choice for Buildkite, a company specializing in CI/CD tools. UUIDs (Universally Unique Identifiers) are unique identifiers that can be generated independently. They have gained popularity as database keys, especially in distributed environments. However, the random nature of standard non-time-ordered UUIDs can lead to poor database index performance. To address this issue, Buildkite previously standardized the use of sequential integer IDs as primary keys but encountered performance issues....

1. The presumption that computers are working correctly Total comment counts : 24 Summary error Top 1 Comment Summary The article suggests that the Post Office scandal may go beyond simply having faith in the IT system. It implies that senior officials were aware of the problems and knowingly prosecuted innocent individuals to divert attention from their own mistakes. The writer believes that if this is true, those involved should face significant jail sentences, as perverting the course of justice is a serious offense....