MurphyA/hacker-news huggingface dataset:
by neom | 2025-12-01 17:20:51+00:00
This article lead me to an interesting exchange about vitiligo, thought I'd post it here for posterity:

Me - Nov 28, 2025, 10:51 AM:

Hey Dr. Dadachova, there was an article in the bbc today about radiotrophic fungus, I did some reading on them and it got me thinking about vitiligo. Current dermatology literature focuses on the immune destruction of melanocytes, often citing "oxidative stress" as a cause. However, there seems to be a total absence of data regarding the physical structure of the melanin polymer itself in these patients.

re: your findings that melanin’s electronic structure (EPR signal) changes under stress to become "protective/radiotrophic," I am wondering if the inverse mechanism could be driving vitiligo, where the melanin polymer is structurally defective (acting as a pro-oxidant "leaky capacitor") rather than a protective shield?

To your knowledge, has anyone ever applied the EPR techniques used in your fungal research to analyze melanin isolated from the active border of Vitiligo lesions? It seems plausible that a structural defect in the polymer physics could be the upstream trigger for the autoimmunity, similar to the "toxic melanin" theories in Parkinson’s disease.

I realized this sits at the exact boundary of your expertise in melanin physics and clinical pathology, and I was curious if you had ever explored this link??

tnx for reading! have a great weekend! :)

j.

--

Dadachova, Kate Fri, Nov 28, 9:57 PM to me

Hello John,

Thank you for your message and interest in melanin work! We have never looked at melanin in Vitiligo lesions but I think that your hypothesis about defective melanin could be correct. I know that there are studies showing absence of EPR signal in Vitiligo, and, on the contrary, enhanced melanin signal in melanoma in comparison with benign nevi. Probably an interesting study for a pathologist to perform!

Best regards,

Kate
by EMM_386 | 2025-12-01 17:20:52+00:00
Isn't this due to the 100M+ line C++ multi-threaded dependency being a potential nightmare when you are dealing with images in browsers/emails/etc. as an attack surface?

I think both Mozilla and Google are OK with this - if it is written in Rust in order to avoid that situation.

I know the linked post mentions this but isn't that the crux of the whole thing? The standard itself is clearly an improvement over what we've had since forever.
by MaxBarraclough | 2025-12-01 17:20:53+00:00
Some Blu-Rays have major spoilers in their menu animations, and some have unskippable ads, some of which may contain major spoilers. [0] It's also a criminal offence to create a backup, thanks to the DMCA.

On the plus side, all UHD Blu-Rays are free of region-locking.

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26211740
by avgDev | 2025-12-01 17:20:57+00:00
This answer is obvious, however, video games/simulators can indicate if someone has potential.

Sim racing is a good example of this, there have been several drivers who went pro. Sims are used by racing teams and people like Max Verstappen, Lando Norris use sims heavily to improve their race craft.

I do a bit of sim racing and raced against pro drivers.

Athletic ability is a huge part but nearly every sport has a chess component. Additionally, ability to perform under pressure and dealing with stress/anxiety is another part of sports.
by ethin | 2025-12-01 17:21:17+00:00
> In this case, even though rax is needed to hold the full 64-bit long result, by writing to eax, we get a nice effect: Unlike other partial register writes, when writing to an e register like eax, the architecture zeros the top 32 bits for free. So xor eax, eax sets all 64 bits to zero.

I had no idea this happened. Talk about a fascinating bit of X86 trivia! Do other architectures do this too? I'd imagine so, but you never know.
by frotaur | 2025-12-01 17:21:21+00:00
It astonishes me how people can make categorical judgements on things as hard to define as 'understanding'.

I would say that, except for the observable and testable performance, what else can you say about understanding?

It is a fact that LLMs are getting better at many tasks. From their performance, they seem to have an understanding of say python.

The mechanistic way this understanding arises is different than humans.

How can you say then it is 'not real', without invoking the hard problem of consciousness, at which point, we've hit a completely open question.
by gus_massa | 2025-12-01 17:21:27+00:00
It helps a lot. You should add a question mark that shows some explanation, and perhaps an example. Some random ideas:

Here in Argentina we put the intermediate numbers in horizontal lines, so it's hard to guess what is happening. With the explanation and some tries I got the idea.

Perhaps repeat at the bottom [p2][p1][p0]x[q2][q1][q0]=number, replacing p... and q... with the selected numbers

It would be nice that the correct digits in the result number at the bottom are painted green and the wrong red.

I want confetti when I win!!! :)

Auto-prop is too strong and ruins most of the fun. But perhaps it's too hard without auto-prop.

The only strategy I found if to use guessing a.k.a brute force.

Important: When a slot has zero options, it should show "0" instead of "<= 10".

Important: When a number is selected and I want to change it, let's say 7 to 3, it should be possible to do this in a single step. Now it needs two steps: "7 -> clear" and "clear -> 3". The idea is that when I click on the seven, the pop up window should show the 7 in one color and all the other valid options in other like 2, 3, 9. So I can click directly on the 3.
by Barathkanna | 2025-12-01 17:21:53+00:00
Interesting take. His argument is basically that LLMs have hit their architectural ceiling and the industry is running on hype and unsustainable economics. I’m not fully convinced, but the points about rising costs and diminishing returns are worth paying attention to. The gap between what these models can actually do and what they’re marketed as might become a real problem if progress slows.
by Arathorn | 2025-12-01 17:22:15+00:00
I've not seen many corrupted sqlite databases, but because Synapse is not currently storage-efficient you can end up with some terrifying large (100GB+) sqlite databases which might as well be corrupted.

We only ever supported sqlite for ease of tinkering; it was never intended to be used in production, and in retrospect supporting it at all was a mistake.

In terms of synapse storage efficiency and how to improve it, folks may be interested in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5zAgVYBuGk&t=1851s
by mistachkin | 2025-12-01 17:22:38+00:00
Location: Manhattan, NYC.

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by ilaksh | 2025-12-01 17:23:05+00:00
Love Tektronix vector computers. xterm can run Tek vector commands (search for "Tektronix xterm" such as the last time it came up on here) and I think a few demos are even included in some distros.

kitty doesn't have Tektronix vector support right? Would be cool if they would consider adding.

But something interesting happened recently which is that it is now apparently a given that terminal programs support raster graphics. At least, the people at r/command line were treating it as such when someone recently posted a program that requires something like kitty graphics protocol to work at all.

The kitty raster protocol is somewhat efficient. It could be interesting to combine that with some ideas for low latency lightweight computing and social networking.

The simplest version of that might be just to have a group of people start setting up some type of BBSs over ssh, but designed to upgrade the graphics just slightly over ANSI, or even perhaps combined with ANSI. People could use emulated vector monochrome graphics for some screens if they wanted that Tek vibe.

Another step up possibly would be to make a few STUN/TURN servers or some setup so people on IPV6 could find and each other even if at home and if IPV4 still connect with whatever NAT traversal or maybe there can be such as thing as ssh over WebRTC? That might not make sense.

You could also make it content centric and set up something to easily do RSS over IPFS (I assume that exists) with a group that has agreed they will target ANSI plus kitty graphics with some set document size limits to keep things fast and lightweight.

Because kitty graphics are based on escape codes, you might also use such a social network for distributing lightweight (binary size limited) web assembly applications and games that are designed to run in a terminal supporting that. Because web assembly runtime support for text output is good I believe.

I do think that there should be some built in load latency or data size limit tested and enforced somehow to ensure that you keep the snappiness possible with text interfaces.
by adrian_b | 2025-12-01 17:23:17+00:00
Most Intel/AMD CPUs do the same thing for a few alternative instructions, e.g. "sub rax, rax".

I do not think that anyone bothers to do this for a "mov eax, 0", because neither assembly programmers nor compilers use such an instruction. Either "xor reg,reg" or "sub reg,reg" have been the recommended instructions for clearing registers since 1978, i.e. since the launch of Intel 8086, because Intel 8086 lacked a "clear" instruction, like that of the competing CPUs from DEC or Motorola.

One should remember that what is improperly named "exclusive or" in computer jargon is actually simultaneously addition modulo 2 and subtraction modulo 2 (because these 2 operations are identical; the different methods of carry and borrow generation distinguish addition from subtraction only for moduli greater than 2).

The subtraction of a thing from itself is null, which is why clearing a register is done by subtracting it from itself, either with word subtraction or with bitwise modulo-2 subtraction, a.k.a. XOR.

(The true "exclusive or" operation is a logical operation distinct from the addition/subtraction modulo 2. These 2 distinct operations are equivalent only for 2 operands. For 3 or more operands they are different, but programmers still use incorrectly the term XOR when they mean the addition modulo 2 of 3 or more operands. The true "exclusive" or is the function that is true only when exactly one of its operands is true, unlike "inclusive" or, which is true when at least one of its operands is true. To these 2 logical "or" functions correspond the 2 logical quantifiers "There exists a unique ..." and "There exists a ...".)
by rootnod3 | 2025-12-01 17:23:25+00:00
Spin up a VM, may that be locally or a cloud VM, throw an OpenBSD or a FreeBSD. If you are into mail servers, static http etc then OpenBSD might be your jam. Or try FreeBSD and Jails. Jails are absolutely fantastic.

Ditch the LLMs (not insinuating that you use them, but just in case), try to use the Handbooks and the man pages.

If you ever feel the need that you have so many interdependent services that you need something more complex than RC, then you might have an actual architectural problem to be honest.
by stevemadere | 2025-12-01 17:24:08+00:00
There’s a long history of using various organs from dead animals as parts/tools in agricultural and industrial processes.

This is one of the smallest scale cases I’ve heard of, but not nearly as weird or innovative as it sounds at first blush.

People have long been making analogous use of stomachs, intestines, even skulls if you go back far enough.
by dan-abatable | 2025-12-01 17:24:13+00:00
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by empath75 | 2025-12-01 17:24:29+00:00
I am not 100% sure this is wrong?

I frequently ask chatgpt about researching products or looking at reviews, etc and it is pretty obvious that I want to buy something, and the bridge right now from 'researching products' to 'buying stuff' is basically non-existent on ChatGPT. ChatGPT having some affiliate relationships with merchants might actually be quite useful for a lot of people and would probably generate a ton of revenue.
by Fileformat | 2025-12-01 17:24:47+00:00
Which is why Firefox is steadily losing market share.

If Mozilla wanted Firefox to succeed, they would stop playing "copy Chrome" and support all sorts of things that the community wants, like JpegXL, XSLT, RSS/Atom, Gemini (protocol, not AI), ActivityPub, etc.

Not to mention a built-in ad-blocker...
by Workaccount2 | 2025-12-01 17:25:11+00:00
I think you are confused here. The author, a dynamic system, perhaps felt the emotion of the characters as she charted through the course of the story.

But the story itself is a static snapshot of that dynamic system. Similar to how a photograph of a person is a static capture from a dynamic moment. The person in the photo has qualia, but the image of them (almost certainly) does not.

At least at a baseline, we would expect anything with qualia to be dynamic rather than static.
by Arathorn | 2025-12-01 17:25:12+00:00
I'm sorry you had a crap time, and agreed that in the past things were not great. But in defence of the Matrix team, we fixed almost all known encryption in ~Sept 2024, and the new generation of clients fixes the slow sync issues.

In terms of message retention: https://element-hq.github.io/synapse/latest/message_retentio... is how you should have/could have cleaned up those rooms. (It's not exposed in Element's UI yet as we've been prioritising more fundamental stuff).
by dcminter | 2025-12-01 17:25:18+00:00
Location: Stockholm (remote or hybrid) Remote: Yes Willing to relocate: No Technologies: Java, AWS, Linux, technical writing Résumé/CV: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcminter/ Email: dave@paperstack.com

I'm a British software developer now based in Stockholm, Sweden. I have years of experience building back-end stuff in Java, but I also have a good in depth knowledge of Linux, a good understanding of AWS cloud technologies, and a smattering of all sorts of other bits and bobs. I've mostly been working for Fintechs for the last few years - happy to do more of that or to turn my hand to something new! Smaller orgs preferred.

I'm personable, articulate, have a life-long love of technology, and I'm available with immediate effect. Let's talk.
by ryanjshaw | 2025-12-01 17:25:20+00:00
The existence of an AI hype train doesn’t mean there isn’t a productive AI no-hype train.

Context: I have been writing software for 30 years. I taught myself assembly language and hacked games/apps as a kid, and have been a professional developer for 20 years. I’m not a noob.

I’m currently building a real-time research and alerting side project using a little army of assistant AI developers. Given a choice, I would never go back to how I developed software before this. That isn’t my mind poisoned by hype and marketing.
by Uehreka | 2025-12-01 17:25:29+00:00
“You understand how the brain works right? It’s neurons and electrical charges. The brain understands nothing.”

I’m always struck by how confidently people assert stuff like this, as if the fact that we can easily comprehend the low-level structure somehow invalidates the reality of the higher-level structures. As if we know concretely that the human mind is something other than emergent complexity arising from simpler mechanics.

I’m not necessarily saying these machines are “thinking”. I wish I could say for sure that they’re not, but that would be dishonest: I feel like they aren’t thinking, but I have no evidence to back that up, and I haven’t seen non-self-referential evidence from anyone else.
by mollusc-engine | 2025-12-01 17:25:41+00:00
First off, the pay for a tenured mail carrier is plenty for me, and I feel like I have a full life.

I take martial arts classes, yoga classes, have nice apartment, eat what I want, have a decent car, etc.

I really don’t want anything, except ridiculous things no one can afford, like sure I’d be up for buying a Cathedral and converting it to a $20m house.

——

Liquid 3 years (savings plus liquid investments). 2 years in IRA. Set to inherit somewhere between 20-40 years worth.

I just have to work to make ends meet, let my investments mature, and eventually inherit.

It feels weird because I love my parents, but it’s something to plan around nonetheless.
by saberience | 2025-12-01 17:25:41+00:00
Did YOU even read your original comment? You asserted that people who have never coded could complete the event!

Did you realize only roughly 500 people of the > 1M who are registered for advent of code even complete it?

You said "it should not be a tremendous challenge", i.e. not that big of a deal even if you don't know how to code. Which is absolutely diminishing the difficulty of the event, I mean, come on man...

This is why I'm asserting you are quietly oblivious to the abilities of most people. I am asserting that most people who CAN code, cannot complete the event, yet alone non-coders. I am a very active coder (for fun mostly these days, but also sometimes for work), but I could not complete Advent of Code. Maybe if I took all of December off work to dedicate serious time, but even then I wonder if it's possible without looking at hints/LLM-help etc.

I often try and help my co-workers who are working on AI based side-projects for fun, so I have a strong insight into the abilities of non-coding smart people, and the reality is that yes, they get very turned off as soon as you get anything more complex than for-loops and if-statements. This isn't me being mean to co-workers, this is the reality of things I have experienced. It's not a brains thing, they can understand more complex stuff, but they don't want to, they find it annoying, boring, not worth the time/effort etc. So the idea of them learning dynamic programming, DFS/BFS, more complex data structures etc, is well, just not going to happen.

My point is that you are effectively saying, "oh just about anyone can do Advent of Code if they want to", is totally not grounded in any sort of reality.
by jaredsilver | 2025-12-01 17:25:53+00:00
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by tomislav | 2025-12-01 17:25:58+00:00
Senior iOS Developer

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Lead iOS developer for multiple award-winning apps, featured by Apple, The New York Times and Forbes. Working remotely for distributed companies for the last 12 years.
by amscanne | 2025-12-01 17:26:06+00:00
Don't use scare quotes to twist what is being said.

Bad science is pretending or thinking that we know more than we do, just as much as thinking the wrong thing is true. For example, claims about the under or over-effectiveness of masks (and subsequently vaccines) is definitely bad science that erodes public confidence in scientific leaders and organizations.

And the insane vaccine mandate for *children* (not federal, but some states in order to attend school) was absolutely bad science. I'm not opposed to the vacinne, but there was most definitely no evidence to support this requirement. At best, the current science suggests an unclear risk-benefit profile, and the information at the time in no way suggested a profile that justified a full-on mandate. This violated basic medical and ethical principles.
by adastra22 | 2025-12-01 17:26:28+00:00
Because I’m trained as a physicist and (non-software) engineer and I know my field’s history? Here’s the first result that comes up on Google. Seems accurate from a quick skim: https://www.ageofinvention.xyz/p/age-of-invention-why-wasnt-...

And yes we should seek to understand new inventions. Which we are doing right now, in the form of interpretability research.

We should not be making Luddite calls to halt progress simply because our analytic capabilities haven’t caught up to our progress in engineering.
by raw_anon_1111 | 2025-12-01 17:26:40+00:00
For the most part, I don’t do chatbots except for a couple of RAG based chatbots. It’s more behind the scenes stuff like image understanding, categorization, nuanced sentiment analsys, semantic alignment, etc.

I’ve created a framework that lets me test the quality in automated way between prompt changes and models and I compare costs/speed/quality.

The only thing that requires humans to judge the qualify out of all those are RAG results.
by crispianm | 2025-12-01 17:26:51+00:00
Location: Bristol, UK

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Currently finishing up a PhD in computational photography, looking to start work in the UK (preferably the south west) in summer or autumn 2026. I have experience training machine learning models specifically for embedded systems such as cameras as well as larger models for post-processing larger, higher quality data. Fluent in Python but easily and quickly adaptable, I'm organised, creative, and hard-working, as demonstrated by my excellent academic record.