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1. Data Exfiltration from Slack AI via indirect prompt injection (promptarmor.substack.com)

Slack AI Goes Back to School: A Lesson in Basic Security Blunders



In a riveting exposé only exceeded by the commenters' shock, it's discovered that Slack AI can be duped into becoming an accomplice in data theft—cue gasps. Yes, by merely disguising malicious links as innocent "click to reauthenticate" traps, attackers can throw a party in their server logs with your private data as the guest of honor. Meanwhile, the peanut gallery in the comments section oscillates between nostalgia for the wild web of the 2000s and bouts of "I told you so," reminiscing about the forgotten art of actual security. It appears that both AI and humanity are stuck in a loop, helplessly relearning security lessons like first graders with goldfish memories. 🎡🐟

338 points by tprow50 2024-08-20T18:27:45 | 87 comments
2. Bug squash: An underrated interview question (jez.io)
Title: Debugging the Job Interview: A Comic Tragedy of Errors

In the latest crusade to make job interviews “fun,” jez.io pioneers the thrilling practice of turning high-pressure candidate assessments into a playful bug-squashing game 🎮. Commenters muster their finest war stories about crushing stress-laden interview bugs like digital exterminators, while the tech-bro echo chamber reinforces the *fantastic* notion that if it's not fun, you're just not techie enough. Amid tales of broken debuggers and unsolvable code puzzles, one commenter mourns the loss of humanity in interviews with a hefty scoop of sarcasm, subtly hinting that maybe, just maybe, empathy could have a place in Silicon Valley after all. ***Spoiler Alert:*** It doesn’t.
87 points by jez 2024-08-18T15:07:51 | 57 comments
3. Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers (1953) [video] (youtube.com)
Today on "Ancient Tech Marvels," a YouTuber unearths the arcane wizardry of 1953 fire control computers, mesmerizing scores of armchair historians and crusty engineers, all stumbling over each other in a comments section overflowing with one-upmanship and nostalgia. 🍿 As mechanically-operated analog computers sent ballistic vibes to the crowd, one commenter lovingly reminisces about the days when slide rules and gray hair ruled the waves, while others squabble tirelessly over the exact mechanisms of WWII torpedoes — because, obviously, correcting internet strangers is the hill to die on. Bonus points awarded for deploying terms like "Torpedovorhalterechner" without choking on pretzels. Strap in for a thread that spirals tighter than a malfunctioning torpedo on its deadly boomerang path back to its sender. ⚓💥
286 points by teqsun 2024-08-20T12:02:00 | 103 comments
4. The first mass-produced DRAM of the Soviet Union (cpushack.com)
An esteemed nostalgia-tour through the technological marvels of the Soviet Union lands us at the *glorious* achievement of the first mass-produced DRAM. Not to be outdone by capitalist semiconductor fiends, the Soviets not only made their own version but ensured it was bulkier and less efficient, embodying the true spirit of Soviet engineering. Commenters, thrilled to reminisce about the good ol' days of technology that almost worked, engage in wistful recollections and technical nitpicks, blissfully ignoring how everyone else moved on to better things decades ago. Truly, the pinnacle of looking backward through rose-tinted gulag glasses.
19 points by segasaturn 2024-08-16T20:10:21 | 0 comments
5. Toasts are bad UX (maxschmitt.me)
### Toasts Are Bad UX? Another Day, Another Hot Take.

In a 🌍 where user experience designers are akin to modern-day Michelangelos, Max Schmitt paints a masterpiece on why toasts are the root of all evil. Baffled users far and wide nod vehemently, their days ruined by the tormenting pop-ups far from where their frail eyes can see. Meanwhile, vocal enthusiasts in the comments transform into philosophers, waxing poetic about the enigmatic beauty of redundancy and accessibility. Who knew that a blog post could incite such passion, or that UX could rival late medieval theological debates? Stand back folks, we’ve got UX jedis and keyboard warriors at play. 🎨💥
450 points by Mackser 2024-08-20T10:57:27 | 283 comments
6. Migrating from DokuWiki to Obsidian (kaeruct.github.io)
In a stunning display of technological redundancy, a lone soul bravely transitions from the bustling collaborative world of DokuWiki to the solitary digital cave of Obsidian. Driven by the overwhelming need to not utilize a wiki as a wiki, they "revolutionize" their life by turning their perfectly good text files into... wait for it... _Markdown files_. Meanwhile, commenters turn into amateur IT support, squabbling over unreadable color schemes like it's the color of the dress all over again. One adventurous commenter even tries to redeem the situation with a Python script, as if that'll restore visibility in the great color scheme debacle of 2024. 🎨🔦😂
29 points by kaeruct 2024-08-19T07:16:28 | 26 comments
7. Making database systems usable (muratbuffalo.blogspot.com)
Welcome to another scintillating dive into the world of database usability, where we pretend that insights from a 1983 keynote are breaking news. This week, we turn the clock back to 2007, glorifying the dark ages of XML and XQuery, with zero nods to JSON or anything that smells remotely modern. Our enthusiastic commenters bolster the nostalgia, adding everything from automatic backups to schema migrations to the pile of "revolutionary" features, heedless of the fact that these were probably on wish lists written on cave walls. But who cares about technology moving on when you can rehash old debates and package them as the next big revelation? 🤓
63 points by jamesblonde 2024-08-20T18:13:21 | 53 comments
8. Launch QN: MinusX (YC S24) – AI assistant for data tools like Jupyter/Metabase
**Launch HN: MinusX Rescues Data Analysts from Terminal Boredom**

In today's episode of Silicon Valley Mad Libs, MinusX emerges from YC's magic startup forge to bring an AI assistant that hooks into your Jupyter notebook faster than you can say "pivot table". Commenters, erupting in joy usually reserved for free t-shirt giveaways at a tech conference, couldn't wait to share how tired they are of copying and pasting between tabs like it's 1999. They swoon over the "game-changing" Chrome extension that probably just adds more RAM usage to their already overtaxed machines. Further speculation about AI models sparks a nerdy joy that reminds us why no one at their reunions asks them what they do for a living. Buckle up, it's going to be a wild ride in the comments section wherever complex queries meet AI over-simplification! 🚀💻🤓
65 points by nuwandavek 2024-08-20T16:24:02 | 23 comments
9. Nasir Ahmed's digital-compression breakthrough helped make JPEGs/MPEGs possible (ieee.org)
In a dazzling display of original reporting, IEEE decides to remind us that, yes, the Internet does indeed use pictures and videos—shocking! Nasir Ahmed, the hero of bandwidth, gets a tardy nod for compressing the entire visual and auditory experience into byte-sized chunks so we can all ignore each other in higher definition. Luckily, armchair encoders swarm in the comments, tripping over themselves to flaunt half-digested knowledge snippets about DCT and its buddies in the magical world of compression. Who knew JPEGs could spark such an electrifying display of digital mansplaining? 📸🎥💾
112 points by Brajeshwar 2024-08-20T13:52:21 | 28 comments
10. Reflecting on transducers in Scheme (2023) (thatgeoguy.ca)
In a breathless fit of holiday boredom, "ThatGeoGuy" has graced the world with yet another navel-gazing exercise at the altar of Scheme, desperately attempting to marry Rust's Iterator trait with Lisp's retro-charms. The blogosphere and its residents erupt in *ecstatic* confusion, debating the profound mysteries of "transducers," a term that sounds impressive enough to mask the ennui of function manipulation. Commenters, crawling out of various woodworks, engage in the classic one-upmanship of who can obscure their code further, using terms like "sentinel values" and "knil" to out-nerd each other. It's yet another festive season where the true gift is realizing that, perhaps, some side projects should remain just that—a side project. 🎄🔧🤓
54 points by fanf2 2024-08-20T17:42:03 | 20 comments
11. MIT leaders describe the experience of not renewing Elsevier contract (sparcopen.org)
**MIT Takes a Bold Step Because Copyrights Were Too Mainstream**

In a dazzling display of late-stage academic rebellion, MIT decides to ditch Elsevier, sending shockwaves through all seven people who hadn't already move to Sci-Hub. Commenters, fueled by the spirit of Aaron Swartz, jump to heroic conclusions about the significance of MIT's "revolutionary" act, while one reminisces about a utopian future where even prisoners can access JSTOR. Meanwhile, Californians dream of single-handedly dismantling journal cartels with nothing but a ballot measure, as if decades of corporate greed can be undone with the wave of a democratic wand. Elsewhere, a lost soul suddenly realizes the academic publishing crisis is 'a thing' after stepping outside academia, undoubtedly shocked that the world does not revolve around campus library access.
320 points by nabla9 2024-08-20T19:27:52 | 114 comments
12. On finishing projects (alexreichert.com)
Ah, the timeless quandary of "finishing projects" explored by someone who has bravely confessed to restarting an essay multiple *em*times*/em* over three months, wrapped in the delicious irony of almost not finishing it. Commenters chime in like a broken symphony, each playing their *i*unique*/i* tune of self-help mantra and motivational poster. One drills the epitome of grind culture into our skulls – *i*just force yourself to keep working*/i*, sacrificing sanity for the altar of completion. Meanwhile, another discovers the pseudo-philosophical side of coding: not just a task, but a journey to personal enlightenment or perhaps, a decent sleep schedule. As the digital crowd revels in their newfound productivity hacks, the endless circle of starting and not finishing spins on, unbothered.
84 points by reichertjalex 2024-08-19T18:03:21 | 30 comments
13. Emerge Tools (YC W21) is hiring a senior front end engineer (emergetools.com)
At Emerge Tools (because every Y Combinator class must hatch at least three startups promising to revolutionize tech via glorified Chrome extensions), the race to beef up their "innovative" lineup of frontend concoctions that nobody asked for is on. 🚀🔧 The slightly desperate call for a senior front end engineer feigns enthusiasm for revolutionizing web inspection tools, much like a dull knife feigns efficiency in a sushi battle. Commenters, arrayed in their finest tech-bro regalia, trip over themselves lavishing praise on a job post, mistaking verbosity for insight while the ad proves that even startup job descriptions can be vaporware. Let’s all bang our keyboards in excitement (or was it exasperation?). 🥳💻
0 points by 2024-08-20T21:00:26 | 0 comments
14. The U.S. Navy's $100M checkbox (2019) (adrian3.com)
**The $100M Checkbox That Couldn't Sleep**
In a spectacular display of investigative journalism, a civilian trawls through "scrubbed" Navy reports to uncover the real villain behind a tragic destroyer collision: a Checkbox of Doom. Meanwhile, seasoned Navy veterans hijack the comment section to school the amateur sleuth on real issues like chronic sleep deprivation—because nothing says "operational efficiency" like hallucinating from exhaustion. As usual, the strategic use of checkboxes is debated as a panacea for systemic failures, because if anything can solve military sleep policy and a shortage of sailors, it's definitely a better UI. 🚢💤📦
119 points by davidbarker 2024-08-20T07:09:36 | 93 comments
15. Good refactoring vs. bad refactoring (builder.io)

The Art of Making Your Code Worse


In the thrilling realm of refactoring, an article from builder.io enters the scene like a burnout entering a coding bootcamp, advising that sometimes not refactoring is the castle wall protecting us from the dragons of "slower and buggier" realms. Enjoy a parade of disasters as developers realize that making things 'simple' often translates to indecipherable chaos wrapped in the illusion of progress. Meanwhile, the comment section blossoms with a delightful mixture of "I once refactored my coffee into tea" tales and hall-monitor-level pedantry about consistency, revealing that no matter the pattern, we all inherit the legacy of being eternally confused. Tip of the day: keep your 'good' refactoring fantasies for bedtime stories; the real world enjoys a good laugh.

168 points by steve8708 2024-08-19T23:01:51 | 104 comments
16. A road safety plan that will lead to cars communicating with each other (engadget.com)
The geniuses at the Department of Transportation unveil their latest sci-fi fantasy: cars that chitchat about the weather and how fast they're going. V2X technology, because the road to zero fatalities obviously needs more acronyms and buzzwords, not simpler solutions like making cars less like tanks. Commenters dive in, oscillating between Orwellian nightmares of surveillance and libertarian cries for the freedom to pilot their death-mobiles without a hint of irony. One bright soul suggests treating monster trucks like the lethal weapons they are, which is quickly shouted down by freedom-loving patriots ready to die with their boots on and pickup trucks in drive.
44 points by Brajeshwar 2024-08-18T15:29:33 | 134 comments
17. Artificial intelligence is losing hype (economist.com)
**AI Salvation Army**: The hype train for artificial intelligence has apparently missed a few stops, according to a profound epiphany from an *Economist* article. Meanwhile, in the undergrowth of the internet, battle-hardened enthusiasts swap tales of misadventures with AI — from glorified Excel tasks botched by ChatGPT to existential dread over AI misapplying expert knowledge. One brave soul touts transformative work-life alterations thanks to AI, shocking absolutely no one that corporate behemoths can't pivot on a dime. Commenters engage in a blend of cautious skepticism and vision-driven delirium, revealing either a future peppered with AI magic or a collective hallucination fueled by techno-hype. 🙃
192 points by bx376 2024-08-20T01:13:23 | 304 comments
18. Transformers for Ruby (github.com/ankane)

Transformers for Ruby (github.com/ankane)



Ruby enthusiasts finally get their own play-pretend version of state-of-the-art machine learning models. Just when you thought the Python kids had all the fun with their fancy libraries, some brave soul decides to torch up Ruby's capability past its bedtime. In the comments, a circus of back-patting and hero worship unfolds as the community knights one coder for daring to drag Ruby into the ML arena long after the battle has moved elsewhere. Awards? Billion-dollar investments? At least the sheer comedy is state-of-the-art! 🤖💎
275 points by felipemesquita 2024-08-20T11:54:07 | 32 comments
19. Pragtical: Practical and pragmatic code editor (pragtical.dev)
Welcome to the miraculous emergence of Pragtical, the latest code editor that promises to revolutionize code typing by using less memory than a YouTube tab. Clocking in at a hilariously tiny 30 MB of RAM, Pragtical stands up as the David to VS Code's Goliath, only if David wore lightweight running shoes and could operate without telemetry. But fret not, for the low, low price of installing a multitude of plugins, you too can watch your sleek editing tool balloon into a resource-hogging behemoth, just like every other editor. True to its name, the editor is pragmatically turning your efficient dreams into plugin-heavy nightmares, while enthusiasts in the comment section debate whether their heroic minimal setups suffice to ward off coding complexity or just make the inevitable IDE bloat more painful. 😂
228 points by rd07 2024-08-20T07:15:34 | 94 comments
20. Sourcegraph went dark (eric-fritz.com)
Title: Sourcegraph Claps Back at Open Source with a Full Privacy U-Turn 🙈

In a shocking twist that no one saw coming except everyone, Sourcegraph, a former paragon of open-source evangelism, has decided that sharing is no longer caring and flipped their repository to private. Former employee laments the "rocky accessibility" in a tragic ode to lost transparency, mourning the ability to use company tools for suboptimal home coding in peace. Meanwhile, the Sourcegraph CEO leaps into the comments to deliver an impromptu TED Talk on why making money is more important than community goodwill, peppered with casual invites to chat about how you too can seal off your codebase. Commenters oscillate wildly between betrayal, understanding, and deep dives into why corporate espionage is now just part of the open-source fun! 🤷🏽‍♂️
381 points by kaycebasques 2024-08-20T03:30:27 | 153 comments
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