356
Automated summaries of top Hacker News stories written by a large language model.
The Apparent Simplicity of RGB Rendering
The article discusses the challenges and limitations of RGB rendering in creating realistic virtual scenes. It explains that RGB rendering introduces observer correlation and coupling, making it difficult to accurately simulate the real world. The article highlights the importance of terminology and precise description of material properties in order to accurately model physical properties of objects. It suggests that spectral rendering offers a solution to these challenges by eliminating observer correlation. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for consistent terminology and a deeper understanding of color appearance in the field of rendering.
My 2023 Homelab Setup
The author discusses their 2023 Homelab setup, which is a place where they store their family's data, self-host applications and services, locally stream media, and experiment with various technologies. They mention the hardware they use, including a router called "Rotom" and a network cabinet with a UPS and NAS. They also talk about their Homelab server called "Porygon" and the heat issues they encountered with it. The author then goes on to discuss the applications and services they run in their Homelab, including network applications, note-taking apps, media management services, and more. They also mention their Home Kubernetes Cluster and the applications running in it. The author concludes by discussing remote development and their desktop setup. (Summary based on 73% of story text.)
Yahoo Mail Problem
The author of the web content is seeking help regarding a Yahoo Mail problem. They were logged out of their Yahoo Mail account and were unable to log back in, even though they entered the correct password. They attempted to reset their password using the recovery email, but received a message stating that there were no other options on file for their account. The author tried reaching out to Yahoo through chat and Facebook chat, but they were unable to find a solution or a reason for the issue. The author is wondering if anyone else has experienced the same problem.
What channels are around you and which direction to face the antenna
The website offers a mapping tool that allows users to view TV transmitters in their area. The tool shows the distance of coverage between the user's location and the broadcast towers, with towers marked on the map. Users can click on each tower to see details such as the affiliate, band, latitude, longitude, and heading for each transmitter. The website also provides tips for using the transmitter locator tool, including checking if digital channels in the area broadcast on the UHF or VHF band, determining the distance between the antenna and transmitters, and deciding whether a uni-directional or multi-directional antenna is needed. The website offers further assistance through their Connection Crew or contact form.
No One Should Be the Second Person to Die on a Dangerous Street
The article discusses the importance of implementing safety measures at dangerous intersections to prevent accidents. It highlights the use of bulb-outs, which force drivers to slow down and make the streets safer for pedestrians. However, the author points out that many communities face roadblocks when trying to make these small changes due to a lack of authority or adherence to mandated design standards. The author argues that each municipality should have the power to make decisions based on their unique needs and conditions. The article emphasizes the need for proactive action to address safety concerns and calls on municipalities to prioritize the safety of their residents.
Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware
Incorporating your company in the state of Delaware has long been seen as a popular choice for businesses, but is it really the best option? Many experts argue that it is not. While Delaware offers certain advantages, such as a well-established legal system and business-friendly laws, there are also drawbacks to consider. One major concern is the cost. Incorporating in Delaware can be expensive, especially for small businesses. Additionally, there is controversy surrounding Delaware's corporate governance laws, which some argue favor large corporations over small businesses and shareholders. So before you jump on the Delaware bandwagon, it's worth exploring other options and considering what is best for your specific business needs.
Block / Square lays off 1k people
Fintech company Block, which includes subsidiaries Square, Cash App, and Afterpay, has laid off around 1,000 employees, or 10% of its workforce. CEO Jack Dorsey explained in an internal memo that the company's growth has outpaced its business and revenue. The layoffs were executed all at once to be fair to both the individuals affected and the company. This comes at a time of turmoil for the tech industry, with many companies letting go of workers. Block's revenues from Cash App have declined, and its acquisition of Afterpay has resulted in significant losses. The company has also faced competition from other fintech companies. Despite attempts to reinvigorate business, investors have been displeased, and the company's stock has dropped.
Judge blocks 'unfathomable' $56B Tesla pay deal
A judge has blocked a $56 billion pay deal for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, calling it "unfathomable." The judge found that Musk was in control of the board, making it difficult to justify such a transaction. This decision has raised controversy and questions about corporate governance and executive compensation.
Ups announces 12,000 job cuts, says package volume slipped last quarter
UPS reported a decline in shipping volume and revenue in its fourth-quarter earnings report, falling short of Wall Street estimates. As a result, the company announced 12,000 job cuts in an effort to align resources and save costs. CEO Carol Tomé acknowledged that 2023 was a difficult and disappointing year, with declines in volume, revenue, and operating profits across all business segments. The company also mentioned potential financial impacts from labor contract negotiations with the Teamsters and cited the macroeconomic environment as contributing to the disappointing results. Additionally, UPS is considering selling its Coyote truck brokerage business and plans to ask workers to return to the office five days a week in 2024.
Gaming is now Microsoft's third largest business, bigger than Windows
According to recent reports, gaming has become Microsoft's third largest business, surpassing its iconic Windows operating system. This is a surprising development, as Windows has long been the flagship product of the tech giant. The growth of the gaming industry, fueled by the popularity of Xbox consoles and gaming subscriptions, has propelled Microsoft's gaming division to new heights. This shift in focus highlights the increasing importance of the gaming market and signals Microsoft's commitment to expanding its presence in this lucrative industry.
The Nigerian professor who makes more money welding
This article tells the story of Kabir Abu Bilal, a Nigerian university professor who also works as a welder. Despite the stigma attached to welding in Nigeria, Bilal has opened his own welding workshop and makes more money from welding than from his professorship. His colleagues find his dual career surprising but commendable, and Bilal hopes to inspire others to be more open-minded about their job choices. His income from welding has allowed him to buy a Mercedes-Benz and be more financially self-sufficient. Bilal also teaches 10 apprentices at his workshop, providing them with skills and financial support. He believes that education shouldn't limit one's career choices and wants his children to learn the trade as well.
Building a GUI Platform
The author shares their experience of developing a GUI platform using roc, zig, and raylib. They were inspired by Richard Feldman's draft on Action-State, a UI design idea using roc. The author covers the steps they took in implementing the platform and provides code examples. They also discuss the behind-the-scenes details of the GUI platform and their journey in developing it. The author acknowledges that the platform is still a work in progress but believes it has potential for building cross-platform GUIs with roc. They encourage readers to check out the official guide and reach out to the community for assistance. (Summary based on 44% of story text.)
A Trojan approach to guide and trap light beams via Lagrange points
Researchers at the University of Southern California have developed a novel method for trapping and guiding light waves using Lagrange points, which are equilibrium points in celestial dynamics. Lagrange points are positions in space where the gravitational forces of two bodies in the same system produce enhanced regions of attraction and repulsion. The researchers created a laboratory-built system that replicated the properties of Lagrange points and demonstrated that optical Trojan beams could be guided and captured in this environment. This approach could have applications in guiding optical waves in unconventional environments, such as liquids and gases, and could potentially be used in other areas of physics beyond optics.
Google Search Drops Cache Link from Search Results
Google has recently removed the cache link from its search results page after a period of testing. While the link is no longer visible in search result snippets, it is still possible to access the cache. By clicking on the three dots for more information on a search result snippet, users can find the cache button. However, some users have reported that the cache button is missing for them as well. To access the cache, users can simply search for cache:domain.com on Google. It is unclear whether this change is permanent or if it is still being tested.
America Is Missing Out on the Best Electric Cars
The article discusses how America is missing out on the best electric cars available in the Chinese market. While the US has a wide range of electric car options, China offers a much more diverse and affordable selection. Chinese automakers like BYD have become major players in the global EV market, surpassing Tesla in sales. Chinese EVs are known for their affordability, with some models starting at less than $5,000. Additionally, the Chinese charging network is more extensive and reliable than in the US. However, steep tariffs and protectionist policies prevent Chinese EVs from being sold in the US, hindering America's transition to cleaner cars.
Alphabet just banked $3.0B by stretching the life of its servers
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has announced that it made $3.0 billion by extending the lifespan of its hardware. In 2021, Alphabet decided to increase the lifespan of its servers from three to four years and networking equipment from four to five years. In 2023, it further extended the lifespan of both types of hardware to six years. This decision resulted in a reduction in depreciation expenses by $983 million in the final quarter of 2023 and an increase in net income by $765 million. However, despite this success, Alphabet's investments in AI services are not impacted, with the company predicting larger investments in the future.
Austin Gave Poor Families a Basic Income. It Changed Their Lives
In a groundbreaking experiment, the city of Austin provided a basic income to low-income families, and the results were astounding. The program, called the Family Independence Initiative, gave families $1,000 per month for one year, with no strings attached. The money allowed families to pay off debts, invest in education, and start businesses. Surprisingly, the majority of families used the money responsibly and saw significant improvements in their lives. Critics argue that this program encourages dependency on government handouts, but supporters argue that it provides a much-needed safety net for struggling families. Overall, the experiment in Austin has sparked a nationwide conversation about the potential benefits of a universal basic income.
Garry Tan's vulgar tweet prompts reports by supervisors to SFPD
Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan is facing backlash after posting a vulgar tweet in which he referenced famous rap lyrics and suggested that San Francisco's progressive-leaning supervisors could "die slow." Two of the supervisors, Aaron Peskin and Connie Chan, have filed police reports against Tan, while another supervisor, Ahsha Safaí, has announced his intention to do the same after receiving death threats. Tan later deleted the tweet and apologized, acknowledging that there is no excuse for such language. Chan's decision to file a police report may be motivated by Tan's support for a supervisor candidate challenging her in November.
PayPal lays off 2,500 workers one week after CEO announces 'new chapter'
PayPal is laying off 2,500 workers, which accounts for 9% of its workforce, in an effort to "right-size" the business. This comes after the company announced plans to launch new products using AI, including "smart receipts" that provide personalized recommendations to customers. CEO Alex Chriss, who took on the role in September 2023, believes that AI presents a huge opportunity for PayPal to leverage its data and improve customer experience. The company's stock has dropped over 20% in the past year. The layoffs are part of a larger trend, with many companies, including Amazon, Google, and UPS, also announcing job cuts in 2024.
Computers should always follow user commands without exception
The author of this post on old.reddit.com expresses frustration with computers that offer ethical guidance or interrupt programming tasks with ethical considerations. They find it condescending and unnecessary, believing that computers should strictly follow user commands without exception. The author humorously imagines their calculator questioning their life choices. They hope that this trend is temporary and that computers will return to simply executing commands without moral interference.
Show HN: Hacking Hacker News
The purpose of this project is to create a customizable dashboard that serves up personalized Hacker News (HN) stories in real-time. The author combines different technologies, including Bytewax, Proton, and Grafana, to create this dashboard. Bytewax is an open-source project that facilitates custom connections to various data sources, while Proton is an open-source streaming SQL engine powered by ClickHouse. The author showcases the advantages of these technologies by building a custom input connector that reads HN updates and tracks trending posts and prolific commenters. The project differentiates itself by offering the flexibility of imperative programming with Python and the power of declarative data processing through SQL. (Summary based on 66% of story text.)
Dynamouse: Mouse driver for Mac studios
DynaMouse is a mouse driver for Mac studios that allows users to have multiple mice and multiple monitors and assign each to one another. While Mac allows for multiple mice to be plugged in at the same time, it does not allow for multiple cursors simultaneously. DynaMouse solves this problem by allowing users to assign a specific display to a dedicated mouse device. This is particularly useful for complex workstation setups with multiple screens far apart from each other. The project differentiates itself by being non-obtrusive, not locking the mouse to screen bounds, and supporting infinite monitors and pointer devices. The author also mentions that the project has been tested with specific devices and provides instructions for updating and releasing the software.
Nassim Taleb Says US Faces a 'Death Spiral' of Swelling Debt
In a recent interview, renowned author and risk analyst Nassim Taleb warned that the United States is heading towards a "death spiral" due to its ever-increasing debt. Taleb argues that the country's mounting debt, combined with its inability to control spending, will lead to a catastrophic collapse. He suggests that the government should focus on reducing debt and implementing stricter fiscal policies to avoid this dire outcome. While some may find Taleb's prediction controversial, his expertise in risk analysis adds weight to his argument. This warning serves as a wake-up call for policymakers and highlights the urgent need for responsible financial management.
Elon Musk's $56B Tesla compensation voided by judge
A judge has voided Elon Musk's $56 billion compensation package from Tesla, stating that the process leading to the approval of his compensation was "deeply flawed." The judge ruled that Musk had extensive control over Tesla and that the board did not act in the best interests of the company when negotiating his compensation plan. The pay package, granted in 2018, made Musk the richest person on the planet and offered him the chance to secure 12 tranches of Tesla stock options. The judge's decision could require Musk to return the compensation he has received under the plan.
Egypt embarks on a mission to reconstruct the outside of Giza's smallest pyramid
Archaeologists in Egypt have begun a project to restore the smallest of Giza's three pyramids to its original state. The pyramid of King Menkaure, built over 4,000 years ago, will have hundreds of granite blocks put back in place to recreate its outer casing. The project is being hailed as the "project of the century" and "Egypt's gift to the world in the 21st century." However, some experts have expressed concerns about the restoration, suggesting that not all the blocks near the pyramid were part of the exterior casing and that further study is needed before any action is taken. The project is expected to take around three years to complete.
Framework DIY 13 Gen AMD Review
The author of the web content is reviewing the Framework Laptop DIY 13 AMD, which is a repairable and Linux-ready laptop. They express their support for Framework as a company and their ethos. The laptop is described as powerful, with an 8-core/16-thread AMD processor, 64GB RAM, and a 2TB NVMe. The weight of the laptop is highlighted, being slightly heavier than a 2011 Macbook Air. The author discusses the ports and dongles, expressing both the flexibility and inconvenience of using dongles. Battery life is tested and found to be sufficient for most workdays. The author shares their positive experience with setting up Linux on the laptop. They mention some likes and dislikes about the laptop, including the repairability, hardware switches, and reference designs as positives, and the keyboard, brightness, HDMI slots, aspect ratio, trackpad, and keyboard backlight as negatives. Overall, the author concludes that Framework produces nice hardware for a fair price and looks forward to future upgrades.
KDE now has CI jobs compiling to AppImage, Android, Flatpak, macOS, Windows
The blog post announces the completion of the migration of Craft jobs from Binary Factory to KDE's GitLab. The update includes the building of a KF6 runtime for nightly flatpaks of apps that will be part of KDE's Megarelease 6. Additionally, the Windows Craft jobs now sign NSIS installers and all binaries included in the installers. Users are encouraged to add GitLab jobs to their projects for builds previously run on Binary Factory. Templates are provided for various platforms such as AppImage, Flatpak, Android packages, macOS installers, and Windows installers. The author also mentions plans to enable the creation and publishing of Android Application Bundles in the future.
Instagram Threads triples downloads in December, reaching top; X falls to #36
Instagram Threads, the messaging app by Meta, experienced a significant increase in downloads in December, tripling its numbers from the previous month. The app reached the top 10 most downloaded apps on both the App Store and Google Play, with 12 million new downloads on the App Store and 16 million on Google Play. Threads had a successful launch, reaching 100 million registered users in its first five days, but saw a decline in daily downloads afterward. However, the recent growth can be attributed to Meta's advertising efforts and the app's integration with the "fediverse" social network. Meanwhile, Instagram surpassed TikTok as the most downloaded app in December, potentially due to backlash against TikTok's e-commerce push. On the other hand, X (formerly Twitter) struggled with only 8.5 million installs in December, falling behind other social networking and productivity apps.
165 m Private Submersible Superyacht
The website is promoting the 165m Private Submersible Superyacht offered by MIGALOO. The yacht has impressive specifications, including a length of 165.8m, a range of approximately 15,000 km, and the ability to stay submerged for four weeks. It can accommodate 14-20 guests and has a crew of 32-40. The yacht offers luxurious interior spaces, including a spa area, and various safety features. It also includes a helipad, a submarine tender, and a range of water sports and activities. The website emphasizes that the yacht can be customized to meet the owner's preferences. The CEO and designer, Christian Gumpold, is available for a complimentary call to discuss the project.
Changes in Windows to Comply with the Digital Markets Act in the EEA
Microsoft is making changes to Windows 11 and Windows 10 to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the European Economic Area (EEA). These changes include clearly identifying operating system functionality in settings, start menu, and search. All apps in Windows can now be uninstalled, and there are new interoperability points available for developers. Windows will also ask users in the EEA if they want to sync their Microsoft account with Windows for data availability across devices. Default apps can be easily configured, and Windows will use customers' configured app default settings for link and file types. Some functionality is only available in the EEA, and the region used for DMA compliance cannot be changed without resetting the PC. The Copilot feature is not available in the EEA yet. Microsoft is working with the European Commission to meet compliance obligations.