Top 10 Hacker News posts, summarized
HN discussion
(783 points, 449 comments)
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is utilizing a Palantir tool called Enhanced Leads Identification & Targeting for Enforcement (ELITE) which aggregates data, including from Medicaid, to identify and target individuals for deportation. This development aligns with EFF's prior warnings about the Trump administration's efforts to consolidate government data into searchable, AI-driven interfaces with Palantir, a company with a questionable privacy record. The ELITE tool reportedly uses addresses from the Department of Health and Human Services (which includes Medicaid) and other sources to create dossiers and "confidence scores" on individuals' locations, aiding ICE in finding potential detention targets.
The EFF highlights the danger of government agencies pooling data collected for specific purposes and repurposing it for surveillance and enforcement, drawing parallels to past "Total Information Awareness" plans. The article emphasizes that while government agencies need data for essential services, consolidating it for unrelated reasons grants excessive power that can be abused. EFF advocates for public discourse and congressional action to curb such data consolidation practices, citing their ongoing litigation efforts against similar data grabs by government agencies.
Commenters expressed significant concern over the consolidation of personal data and its potential for abuse, particularly by those in power. Several users drew parallels to scenarios involving stalking or targeting individuals for political reasons, emphasizing the "nothing to hide" argument's weakness when confronted with potential misuse by authorities. The effectiveness and legality of using Medicaid data for immigration enforcement were questioned, with some pointing out that undocumented immigrants are generally ineligible for standard Medicaid. There was a recurring sentiment that such invasive infrastructure, once created, tends to persist and find new applications regardless of political administrations. Some commenters also criticized Palantir's role and business model, viewing it as complicit in building an invasive surveillance state.
HN discussion
(603 points, 319 comments)
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The discussion centers on the phenomenon of highly cited papers with significant flaws, suggesting that citation counts may not always reflect the quality or validity of research. Several commenters shared personal anecdotes where attempts to replicate published research were unsuccessful, leading to frustration and career changes for those involved. There is a sentiment that the academic system incentivizes quantity over quality, leading to the proliferation of questionable research that is then uncritically cited. Some participants proposed solutions, such as developing systems to flag potentially unreliable research based on its citation network and encouraging contrarian research that challenges existing findings. The idea that the "publish or perish" culture and the desire for career advancement contribute to these issues was also raised, along with concerns about the difficulty of retracting flawed studies due to institutional politics and the potential for damage to reputations.
HN discussion
(433 points, 154 comments)
Posturr is a new macOS application designed to improve user posture by utilizing the Mac's built-in camera and Apple's Vision framework. The app monitors the user's posture in real-time and progressively blurs the screen when slouching is detected, with the blur clearing as good posture is restored. Posturr offers menu bar controls for easy access to settings like sensitivity and calibration, supports multiple displays, and emphasizes privacy by processing all data locally without requiring accounts or cloud synchronization.
The application requires macOS 13.0 or later and initial manual setup to bypass Gatekeeper due to the lack of an Apple Developer certificate. Users can adjust detection sensitivity and dead zones, and a compatibility mode is available if the blur effect doesn't function correctly. Posturr is built with Swift and leverages Apple's Vision framework for body pose and face tracking, using a private CoreGraphics API for blurring, with an alternative using NSVisualEffectView.
The Hacker News discussion reveals a mix of positive reception and skepticism. Many users express strong interest in the app's concept, with some willing to pay for it, citing the need for ergonomic tools. However, a significant concern revolves around privacy and security, especially given the app's access to the camera and its lack of a formal Apple Developer signature, leading some to be hesitant to install it without more trust or verification.
Several users questioned the fundamental premise of "good posture," arguing that prolonged upright sitting can be detrimental and that comfort is more important. There were also requests for Windows and Linux versions of the app, and some users shared their own experiences with similar posture-monitoring tools, including the challenges of implementing screen dimming or other feedback mechanisms effectively. The role of AI in accelerating the development of such specialized tools was also noted.
HN discussion
(303 points, 128 comments)
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The discussion primarily revolves around the implications of OnePlus introducing hardware anti-rollback mechanisms in phone updates. Several commenters express concern that this feature infringes on user ownership rights, likening it to "vandalism" and "sabotage." The potential for this to brick devices and its connection to the "green line" issue on OnePlus phones are raised as significant worries.
Commenters speculate on the motivations behind this move, with suggestions ranging from combating DRM exploits to preventing the installation of custom ROMs. There is a general sentiment that OnePlus has moved away from its original principles of device freedom, with some commenters stating they will seek other brands for future purchases. The technical aspects of how the anti-rollback functions, particularly the "eFuse" technology and its bypassability, are also subjects of debate.
HN discussion
(316 points, 101 comments)
A project has successfully ported the classic 1993 game DOOM to run on Pinebuds Pro earbuds, which feature open-source firmware. The game is accessible over the internet, allowing users to join a queue and play DOOM remotely on the earbuds. This feat was achieved by optimizing DOOM to fit within the limited hardware constraints of the earbuds, including their RAM and storage.
To overcome the lack of a display and slow Bluetooth, the project utilizes the earbuds' UART contact pads for data transfer. Due to bandwidth limitations, the video stream is compressed using MJPEG to achieve playable frame rates. The earbud's CPU was overclocked, and DOOM's resource requirements were significantly reduced through various optimizations and the use of a trimmed-down WAD file.
The Hackernews discussion celebrates the achievement, noting the ever-expanding list of devices DOOM has been ported to. Several comments express curiosity about the Pinebuds Pro hardware itself and inquire about running DOOM on other unconventional devices like USB-C plugs or water pumps. There's also a broader reflection on whether the increasing power of consumer devices to run complex software like DOOM signifies a triumph of software or an economic failure in designing purpose-built hardware. Some users also lament the shift towards larger, more complex modern games, contrasting them with the addictive simplicity of older titles like DOOM and Master of Orion.
HN discussion
(245 points, 88 comments)
The article "First, Make Me Care" by Gwern argues that nonfiction writing often fails by beginning with extensive background information instead of an engaging hook. The author suggests that writers should identify a unique anomaly or question within their topic and lead with that to capture reader attention. Only after earning this attention should the necessary background details be provided.
Commenters largely agreed with the core premise that making the reader care is crucial for engaging nonfiction. Some noted the parallel to short-form content platforms like TikTok, where immediate attention-grabbing is essential due to the fast-paced nature of consumption. Others debated the best way to achieve this, with some advocating for directness and clarity over traditional "hooks" and expressing fatigue with sensationalized introductions. There was also a discussion about whether the article itself effectively followed its own advice.
HN discussion
(279 points, 14 comments)
This article provides a comprehensive introduction to PostgreSQL indexes, aimed at developers with a basic understanding of indexing concepts but who seek deeper knowledge of their internal workings, trade-offs, and various types. It explains that indexes speed up data retrieval by reducing disk reads and can enforce constraints. The article details how PostgreSQL stores data in heaps and pages, and how indexes, typically B-trees, map key values to row locations (ctids) within these pages. It demonstrates the performance impact of indexes with a practical example, showing a significant reduction in query time and I/O after adding an index.
The article also outlines the costs associated with indexes, including increased disk space, overhead on write operations, potential query planning delays, and higher memory usage. It then explores various index types available in PostgreSQL, such as B-tree, Hash, BRIN, GIN, GiST, and SP-GiST, detailing their specific use cases, strengths, and limitations. Advanced indexing techniques like multi-column, partial, covering, and expression indexes are also discussed, highlighting their role in optimizing specific query patterns and data distributions.
The discussion generally praised the article for its clarity and depth, with several commenters recommending "Use the Index, Luke" as a complementary resource for further learning on B-tree indexing. Some users inquired about similar resources for MongoDB. There was also a point of discussion regarding the accuracy of older advice on multi-column index usage in recent PostgreSQL versions, with one user mentioning observing PostgreSQL utilizing bitmap index scans in scenarios where older wisdom might suggest otherwise. One comment also touched upon the potential for improved out-of-the-box support for incremental view maintenance in PostgreSQL, drawing a parallel to how indexes function.
HN discussion
(126 points, 103 comments)
The article "The '3.5% rule': How a small minority can change the world" by Erica Chenoweth, as presented by BBC Future, posits that nonviolent protests are significantly more effective than violent conflicts in achieving political change. Chenoweth's research, analyzing hundreds of campaigns over the last century, indicates that nonviolent movements are twice as likely to succeed. A critical finding is that when approximately 3.5% of a population actively participates in a nonviolent campaign, success becomes nearly inevitable.
The article details how nonviolent resistance achieves this success by drawing a broader demographic of participants, causing greater societal disruption, and maintaining a moral high ground. This inclusivity lowers participation barriers compared to violent campaigns that often rely on a narrower group and require more secrecy and resources. The research suggests that achieving this 3.5% threshold of active participation can lead to paralysis of normal societal functions, thereby pressuring political elites to concede.
The Hacker News discussion reveals skepticism regarding the universality and continued effectiveness of the 3.5% rule. Several commenters cite recent events in Israel, Hong Kong, and Iran as examples where significant public protest did not lead to the predicted regime change, suggesting the rule may not hold in contemporary political landscapes or for specific types of regimes. There's a sentiment that governments have adapted their methods of repression and propaganda, making nonviolent movements less effective than in the past.
Some users also question the premise by highlighting that the rule might be more applicable in situations with less organized opposition or when facing weaker adversaries. Others brought up the concept of "the most intolerant wins," suggesting that determined, albeit small, groups can still exert significant influence by refusing to compromise. The discussion also touched upon the definition of "active participation" and the challenges of achieving widespread, coordinated disruption in today's society, alongside a comparison to right-wing movements that utilize similar numerical targeting.
HN discussion
(189 points, 26 comments)
Bonsplit is a custom tab bar and layout splitting library designed for native macOS applications. It offers features such as 120fps animations, drag-and-drop reordering of tabs, SwiftUI support, and keyboard navigation. Developers can create tabs with optional icons and dirty indicators, split panes horizontally or vertically, and programmatically update tab properties. The library provides programmatic focus control between panes and extensive configuration options for appearance and behavior, including settings for split buttons, tab reordering, and empty pane handling.
Commenters expressed initial confusion, expecting Bonsplit to sandbox existing macOS apps with tab/split functionality, rather than being a library for developers. Several users praised the library's polished presentation and the detailed, visually appealing website, with some questioning the extent of effort put into documentation for a library. There was also a discussion about the necessity of such a library, with comparisons made to macOS's native tabbing APIs and suggestions for the developer to explain the "why" behind its creation. Developers noted the complexity of implementing drag-and-drop and the desire for features like tearing off tabs into new windows.
HN discussion
(109 points, 101 comments)
An initial report into a Spanish high-speed train disaster, which killed 45 people, indicates that a significant fracture in the track occurred before the train derailed. The train's rear carriages crossed onto an adjacent track, colliding with an oncoming train. Investigations revealed that the derailed train's wheels had "notches," and notably, three earlier trains that traversed the same track also exhibited similar wheel markings, suggesting the track was already damaged.
The preliminary findings suggest a "complete lack of continuity in the track" was the cause of the derailment, with the fracture happening in the minutes or hours preceding the crash and potentially being undetectable. The report is considered a working hypothesis and requires further detailed analysis. This incident is Spain's deadliest rail crash in over a decade, following a 2013 high-speed train derailment that resulted in 80 fatalities.
Commenters expressed shock at the size of the track gap and raised questions about existing track monitoring systems, suggesting possibilities like electronic continuity tests, train-mounted cameras with image processing, or drones. The fact that multiple trains passed over the damaged track undetected before the fatal incident was a recurring concern. The absence of physical barriers between high-speed train tracks was also highlighted as a potential life-saving measure.
Comparisons were drawn to the safety record of Japan's Shinkansen, which has had no fatalities due to crashes or derailments since its inception. This led to discussions about potential differences in maintenance, quality control, and operational procedures. Some comments pointed to previous maintenance issues and the nature of continuously welded tracks, where a break could manifest dramatically. The timing of the fracture before the derailment and its potential undetectability were also discussed.
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