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▲ Show QN: InstantDB – A Modern Firebase (github.com/instantdb)
**Show HN: A Whimsical Repository of Miracles Called InstantDB🎉**
In a stunning display of technological redundancy, the HN crowd unleashes their excitement for InstantDB - it’s just like every other database solution but with more *emmodern/em* stickers slapped onto it. Joe, Stopa, and their team pioneered this worlds 257th easiest solution to a problem most developers pretend to understand. Commenters are tripping over themselves: one marvels at the shocking revelation of the *quadruple threat* of database features, while another embarks on a critical etymological adventure between "trifecta" and "tetrafecta." Meanwhile, Firebase’s founder plays nice in a supportive now-that-Firebase-is-an-antique pat on the back. Dive into the world of InstantDB where engineers solve problems created by solutions to other non-problems. 🙈😂
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433 points by nezaj
2024-08-22T17:08:50 |
111 comments
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| 2. |
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▲ Notris: A Tetris clone for the PlayStation 1 (github.com/jbreckmckye)
In a world starved for originality, here comes Notris: yet another Tetris clone daringly crafted for antique hardware known as the PlayStation 1. Utilizing the arcane arts of C programming and modern tooling, this homebrew marvel is not just a game—it's a testament to the undying love of putting blocks together on a console older than some of its players' fashion sense. Commenters, reveling in their pixelated nostalgia, warn of looming legal doom with cease and desist letters while simultaneously oozing admiration over technical mastery and sharing unrelated tips on using emulators for that sweet, sweet '90s gaming fix. Remember, if cloning Tetris was a sport, this would be its Olympic dive—executed with a pirouette straight into the arms of awaiting lawyers. 😱🎮
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260 points by jbreckmckye
2024-08-18T13:13:40 |
58 comments
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| 3. |
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▲ Python's Preprocessor (pydong.org)
**Python's Practical Jokes Have Overstayed Their Welcome**
In yet another eye-rolling installment at pydong.org, Python’s refusal to adopt curly braces gets immortalized in error messages, a joke as stale as the programming forums bemoaning it. Meanwhile, the comment section morphs into a nostalgia fest for erstwhile coder humor — "Remember when coding was *fun*?" bemoan users, likely wearing onion belts. Jeremy Hylton enjoys a storied evolution from prankster to principal engineer, because apparently, having a sense of humor qualifies you to spearhead Google’s AI efforts. Brace yourself: commenters who miss irony like Python misses explicit block delimiters debate the merits of "fun" in coding, while yearning for inclusion of more Easter eggs and less adult supervision. 🙄
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168 points by rbanffy
2024-08-22T17:54:25 |
44 comments
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| 4. |
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▲ Aerc: A well-crafted TUI for email (sergeantbiggs.net)
In yet another desperate attempt to prove their terminal is more than just a retro-fashion statement, software hipsters are fawning over Aerc—a TUI email client that tries its hardest to make email as inconvenient as possible. According to the original poster at sergeantbiggs.net, Aerc's ascension from a "bare-bones" client to being barely usable marks an exciting development in the realm of software used by approximately twelve people. Commenters are out in force, sporting their finest artisanal config scripts and exchanging vim keybindings like Pokémon cards at recess. Aerc, for those who find modern conveniences like graphical interfaces or enjoyable user experiences too mainstream, is clearly a winner—even if you have to spend a dozen hours setting it up to replace your GMail tabs. 🤓
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188 points by edward
2024-08-22T16:34:30 |
103 comments
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| 5. |
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▲ Ordinals aren't much worse than Quaternions (philipzucker.com)
**Title: Ordinals aren't much worse than Quaternions (philipzucker.com)**
In a dazzling display of mathematical flamboyance that only a true 🤓 could love, philipzucker.com decides to educate the online masses about ordinals, positioning them as just sort of a zesty number salad that anyone can digest—or ignore. Commenters slide into the fray with everything from wide-eyed wonder ("mathematical rollercoaster!") to a humbling display of spelling prowess that makes you ponder if their keyboard is missing a few keys—or perhaps just the user. Somewhere in the tangled mess of admiration and confusion, someone even suspects AI poisoning, because nothing screams "human error" like pitching ordinals as the sugar-free alternative to quaternions. Meanwhile, the rest of us wonder if we stumbled into a geek tragedy or a renewed argument for revamping the educational system.
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34 points by philzook
2024-08-22T15:33:00 |
10 comments
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| 6. |
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▲ Continuous reinvention: A brief history of block storage at AWS (allthingsdistributed.com)
**Hacker News Reboots a Floppy Disk: The EBS Saga**
In a breathtaking 4800-word marathon, Marc Olson spins the epic tale of how AWS’s Elastic Block Store (EBS) transformed from the IT equivalent of a dusty filing cabinet to a dazzling juggernaut churning out 140 trillion operations daily. Commenters leap onto their soapboxes, regaling us with *war stories* and tech wizardry, each eager to prove their prowess extends beyond their basement setups. One intrepid engineer reminisces about creating software raids as if jury-rigging a space shuttle, while another ponders the existential risks of synchronized network traffic—truly, the heroes we neither need nor deserve. 🚀🤦♂️
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240 points by riv991
2024-08-22T14:59:14 |
57 comments
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| 7. |
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▲ Batteryless OP-1 (shred.zone)
**Batteryless OP-1: A DIY Odyssey for Those Armed with YouTube Degrees in Engineering**
In the grand tradition of tech hobbyists who'd rather dismantle a nuclear reactor than read a manual, one brave soul delves into the guts of the Teenage Engineering OP-1, because God forbid a synth doubles as a serviceable paperweight. Commenters, in a stunning display of one-upmanship, eagerly share their own tales of technological temerity, confusing reckless abandon with valor. When not rewriting the laws of physics themselves, they offer sage advice on impending doom - because *every* tech mishap clearly ends in a fireball. Meanwhile, actual advice from the manufacturer is received like a script from an ancient tragedy: known yet ignored. 🎹🔧💥
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60 points by zdw
2024-08-17T18:37:09 |
28 comments
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| 8. |
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▲ Show QN: A Ghidra extension for exporting parts of a program as object files (github.com/boricj)
Welcome to the dizzying heights of software tinkering where users rejoice in practicing the dark arts of reverse-engineering with a *freshly baked* Ghidra extension! With the innovative capability to export parts of software as object files, coders can now delve into the code guts of their favorite software like never before—because who doesn't relish the thought of toying around with metadata and synthesized relocation tables in their spare time? The comments section is a delightful circus, filled with self-proclaimed newbies and wizard-hopefuls sharing tales of undertaking Herculean tasks such as relinking an ancient "Hello World" across operating systems—because, apparently, delinking and relinking is the new coding bootcamp. 🤓🔧 Still waiting on the brave soul who manages to resurrect lost odysseys from the grave with a double-click and a fresh pot of coffee. ☕😂
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208 points by boricj
2024-08-22T08:54:44 |
32 comments
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| 9. |
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▲ What is an SBAT and why does everyone suddenly care (mjg59.dreamwidth.org)
In the latest episode of "Tech Giants Play Gatekeeper," Microsoft takes a swing at kernel security with a whimsical update to the SBAT variable, rendering older versions of grub about as useful as a chocolate teapot in a furnace. The tech community reacts with predictable uproar in the blogosphere, where every armchair expert with a dial-up connection offers up their half-baked solutions and paranoid dystopian theories. Meanwhile, commenters embark on a slapdash rally to defend their sacred right to a compromised boot process, citing everyone from Stallman to Torvalds in a frenetic defense of their "freedoms." Be sure to catch next week’s sequel: “Why Can’t I Just Boot Whatever I Want: The Sorrow and the Pity.”
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322 points by todsacerdoti
2024-08-22T09:11:10 |
172 comments
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| 10. |
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▲ When Serial Isn't RS-232, Geocaching with the Garmin GPS 95 (terinstock.com)
Welcome to the thrilling world of antiquated GPS systems and serial communication, where hobbyists and tech enthusiasts rehash ancient technology issues like it’s the hot new trend. In "When Serial Isn't RS-232, Geocaching with the Garmin GPS 95," terinstock.com invites us to a nostalgia-soaked journey through outdated electronics that nobody really uses, but everyone loves to talk about. Commenters fiercely debate the nuances of RS-232 as if it’s the key to the digital kingdom, while someone inevitably reminisces about their 'good old days' of geocaching as though discovering a Tupperware in the woods is akin to finding the lost city of Atlantis. Truly, a high point of technological discourse 💾🌲.
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24 points by caust1c
2024-08-19T00:33:24 |
9 comments
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| 11. |
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▲ Launch QN: Arva AI (YC S24) – AI agents for instant global KYB onboarding
**Arva AI – Fighting Fraud, Or So They Claim**
Hacker News dives into another thrilling episode of "AI Will Save Us All," starring Arva AI, a YC S24 hopeful that thinks it can instantly verify businesses worldwide. In an epic reveal, one commenter manages to fool the system with a utility bill doodled in crayon, which no doubt sends Arva’s founders scrambling to patch their AI overlords. Meanwhile, the comment section becomes an arena where every ML skeptic and fintech aficionado recycles the same mantra: "My grandma's knitting club has better security measures!" Good luck, Arva! You're going to need it when your AI is outsmarted by a jpeg and a sprinkling of confidence. 🤖💼🔓
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54 points by rhimshah
2024-08-22T16:28:26 |
37 comments
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| 12. |
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▲ Launch QN: AnswerGrid (YC S24) – Web research tool for lead generation
**AnswerGrid Hacks Its Way Into Your CRM**
Welcome to the future of lead generation, where instead of making meaningful business connections, you throw spaghetti code at a "web research tool" and pray for sales leads to magically appear! You can almost smell the desperation in the comments as wannabe tech moguls and side-hustling sales guys pretend they've finally cracked the code to effortless outreach with AnswerGrid. It's the B2B equivalent of throwing darts blindfolded. But fret not - should you forget how to "add a column," there's always a URL or a not-so-subtle nudge towards the premium upgrade waiting to truly solve your problems. 🚀💸
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39 points by tife
2024-08-22T17:51:01 |
21 comments
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| 13. |
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▲ DRAKON (wikipedia.org)
**DRAKON: More Arrows than a Quiver at the Robin Hood Convention**
In a world desperate for diagrams that don't resemble a plate of spaghetti after a toddler's lunch, DRAKON emerges from the ashes of the Soviet Union, promising a salve for the eyes and souls of flowchart-weary developers. It's the visual programming language that everyone needed but only the Russians thought to provide, naturally, as part of their space program, because everyuone knows space needs good flowcharts. The commenters, wedged firmly in the past yet dazzled by such orderly designs, marvel at the concept of flowcharts that don't look like overused dartboards. They cheer on DRAKON's ability to turn chaotic workflows into totalitarian marches of blocks and lines, while quietly mourning their own inability to mentally parse any code not color-coded and served with a side of handholding. 💾🚀
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97 points by instagraham
2024-08-19T17:10:13 |
32 comments
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| 14. |
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▲ Ethernet History Deepdive – Why Do We Have Different Frame Types? (lostintransit.se)
In the spirit of tearing down complicated historical concepts to the understanding of mere networking mortals, this *Ethernet* historian offers a deep dive into why your internet cable is more than just a "spaghetti string." The comments section, filled with wannabe network re-engineers, spins a web of "what ifs" and "in my perfect world" scenarios, suggesting everything from scrapping MAC addresses to marrying MPLS with HIP because, evidently, simplifying things always involves making everything sound like alphabet soup. Amidst the melee, a lone realist remarks on the enduring elegance of Ethernet standards, stubbornly reminding everyone why we can't have nice, simple things in tech. TL;DR – Nostalgia wins, Ethernet remains a maze, and yes, commenters are still solving world networking peace one theoretical protocol at a time. 🍝🕸️
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119 points by un_ess
2024-08-22T08:29:45 |
55 comments
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| 15. |
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▲ What If Data Is a Bad Idea? (schmud.de)
**What If Data Is a Bad Idea? (schmud.de)**
In an era where even your smart fridge judges you for your midnight snacking habits, "schmud.de" bravely ponders over the *anxiety-inducing* quandary: **Is data itself a faux pas**? Esteemed keyboard warriors Alan Kay and Rich Hickey dive into deep philosophical warfare, rhetorically wrestling over data's integrity, while likely confusing their spell-checkers on whether they meant "date" or "data." Meanwhile, the distinguished commentariat crafts modern scripture with a "deletion of the data" from Deuteronomy remix, showcasing either a profound biblical insight or a severe lack of night hobbies. Are we on the brink of a *data jubilee*, or just drowning in a data-induced existential crisis? The commentary flutters between profound technical revelations and accidental comedy, solidifying the thread's destiny as *nerd-folklore*. 📊🚫
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108 points by surprisetalk
2024-08-19T11:47:41 |
70 comments
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| 16. |
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▲ Making PyPy's GC and JIT produce a sound [video] (youtube.com)
**Innovative Failure: The Symphony of Code**
Today's dose of _"What in the tech?"_ takes us on an auditory journey where PyPy's garbage collector and JIT are apparently arranging their own concert. One brave soul in the comments resurrects a tale about Node.js's sonic adventures, comparing it to eavesdropping on hard drive chitchat – because nothing screams cutting edge like making your server room sound like a Cold War spy den. Enter the thinkers and their links to lost blogs, tweets about The Lion King, and nostalgic noises from GPU coil whines that sound suspiciously like a 1980s arcade. Forget debugging, the future is debugging by symphony, or possibly even dance, depending on how rhythmic your code is. 🎶👾
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67 points by luu
2024-08-22T16:36:34 |
16 comments
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| 17. |
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▲ Climate policies that achieved major emission reductions (science.org)
Welcome to the ***exciting*** world of climate policy, where recent reductions in emissions have everyone scratching their heads in bewilderment. Surprisingly, or maybe not, it turns out pushing regulations and mixing subsidy cocktails gets you more results than solo acts. Meanwhile, the commentary section turns into a blissful blend of confusion and misplaced economics lessons, with everyone suddenly turning into armchair environmental scientists. The star of the show? A comment that wonders if we are actually talking about "The Invisible Man" rather than market forces, capturing the essence of how tangibly absurd the discussion has become. 🌍🔥💨
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31 points by barbazoo
2024-08-22T18:13:40 |
9 comments
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| 18. |
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▲ How Deep Can Humans Go? (mcgill.ca)
**How Deep Can Humans Go? McGill Masters the Obvious**
In an earth-shattering revelation graced upon us by mcgill.ca, human beings can indeed dive deeper than their 1960’s-era lung capacities previously permitted. Thank heavens for Jacques Mayol and Herbert Nitsch for diving deeper than anyone thought humanly possible, thus saving us all from the tyranny of outdated physiologist decrees! Meanwhile, in the comment section, hopeful aquanauts wax poetic about breathing everything from hydrogen gas to liquid ventilation without the implosion of lungs or sudden explosions. Because nothing says "scientific innovation" like rehashing every conceivable way to avoid normal breathing, right? Let's pump those lungs full of sci-fi dreams and dive into the abyss of implausible underwater aspirations! 🌊💨
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81 points by bookofjoe
2024-08-19T15:48:23 |
54 comments
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| 19. |
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▲ Faster Inverse BWT (2021) (cbloomrants.blogspot.com)
Title: Faster Inverse BWT (2021) (cbloomrants.blogspot.com)
In a stunning display of self-importance, a blog gloriously named cbloomrants unveils the grand mystery of speeding up the Bored Wagner Transform (BWT). Watch in amazement as strings are rotated and EOFs are strategized, culminating in a revolutionary matrix that would make even the most devoted Excel user yawn. The comment section becomes a battleground for nerds flexing their "in-depth" knowledge of DNA mapping and magical computer tricks, each attempting to out-nerd the other with tales of two-bit alphabets and cached pop counts. If you've ever wondered what digital wizardry looks like to the uninitiated, it's a lot like watching paint code. 🎩🔮
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37 points by fanf2
2024-08-22T17:42:02 |
2 comments
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| 20. |
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▲ GPU utilization can be a misleading metric (trainy.ai)
**The Charade of GPU Utilization Metrics**
At Trainy.ai, rocket scientists discover that GPUs can hit 100% utilization by merely shuffling electrons back and forth—no math required! 💡🎉 Commenters eagerly swarm to discuss how this revelation is akin to the shocking discovery that reaching 100% in anything doesn’t necessarily mean it's useful. The noise escalates with links thrown around like free candy, discussing alternative metrics, and the mythical powers of the Nsight tool, only to circle back to confess how bafflingly opaque it all remains to the average Joe. Each commenter confidently parades their half-baked understanding, blissfully unaware that the bar for GPU enlightenment remains amusingly low.
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88 points by roanakb
2024-08-21T17:25:00 |
12 comments
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