skysight-inc/HackerNews huggingface dataset:
> It’s up to 1.8x faster than M1, so multitasking across apps like Safari and Excel is lightning fast

Is multitasking across a web browser and Excel slow on any CPU nowadays?

More seriously, though, it probably shows that CPU speed is not the bottleneck for most tasks nowadays.
Ah ok. I do image processing via aws lambda. Takes like 400ms to 5s depending on size and original format.
Show HN: Modus, serverless framework for intelligent APIs powered by WebAssembly
Modus is an open-source, serverless framework for building APIs powered by WebAssembly. It simplifies integrating AI models, data, and business logic with sandboxed execution.

We built Modus to put code back at the heart of development.

You write a function.

export function sayHello(name: string): string {
return `Hello, ${name}!`;
}

Then, Modus:

- extracts the metadata of your functions

- compiles your code with optimizations based on the host environment

- caches the compiled module in memory for fast retrieval

- prepares an invocation plan for each function

- extracts connections, models, and other configuration details from the app’s manifest

- generates an API schema and activates the endpoint

You query the endpoint.

query SayHello {
sayHello(name: "world")
}

In a few milliseconds, Modus:

- loads your compiled code into a sandboxed execution environment with a dedicated memory space

- runs your code, aided by host functions that power the Modus APIs

- securely queries data and AI models as needed, without exposing credentials to your code

- responds via the API result and releases the execution environment

Now you have a production ready scalable endpoint for your AI-enabled app. AI-ready when you’re ready. Launch and iterate.

Read more in the announcement blog post: https://hypermode.com/blog/introducing-modus-code-first-inte...

Come join our Discord, we’d love to hear your feedback: https://discord.hypermode.com

Follow us on GitHub: https://github.com/hypermodeinc/modus

Modus docs: https://docs.hypermode.com/modus

Modus quickstart video: https://youtu.be/3CcJTXTmz88
I had ordered an M3 Max 14 inches with 48GB, 1TB, with 16-Core CPU, 40-Core GPU. When I picked up the device last week, the sales person told me I had the right to return it within 14 days because the M4 models were to be released soon. I had paid almost 4600 EUR for that.

Today I happily ordered the M4 Max with 64 GB with otherwise same specs for 4600 EUR!!! Yay! Will return the other device happily.

Thanks @Apple for a huge increase in specs for not even 100 EUR more :)

PS: I just needed the RAM, as my M2/16GB constantly was using swap memory of up to 16GB and was really slow for my taste. I don't do "heavy weight lifting" with it, just leave all apps and tabs open :D

PPS: I use VS Code, Emacs, Firefox (eats my RAM super fast :), and a ton of other apps, and in Firefox I use lots of web based apps (Figma, Lucid chart, Canva and some more)
If you're talking about seasonal storage I would have thought the natural fit would be power-to-gas or power-to-liquid syn-fuels? Absorb all those extra kWh from the sun in summer, store it for 4-8 months and then burn it during the cold, dark winter? Energy storage density higher than gravitational potential energy and less energy leakage than thermal-mass storage due to non-perfect thermal insulators etc?
That $1.5M comp package is about 2-4 employees being laid off. It's not very many people.

It's also insanely low for a CEO, but about right for the CEO of a company in decline (which dropbox is).
i have no idea what the ubuntu ad is trying to tell me, but OPs points on the Apple ads still seem pretty relevant.
NHL '94: 2024 Edition
Need more memory, 256GB will be nice. MistralLarge is 123B. Can't even give a quantized Llama405B a drive. LLM users rejoice. LLM power users, weep.
I think the short answer is: divide and conquer.
Does anyone know if there is a way to use Mac without the Apple bloatware?

I genuinely want to use it as primary machine but with this Intel MacBook Pro I have, I absolutely dislike FaceTime, IMessage, the need to use AppStore, Apple always asking me have a Apple user name password (which I don't and have zero intention), block Siri, and all telemetry stuff Apple has backed in, stop the machine calling home, etc.

This is to mirror tools available in Windows to disable and remove Microsoft bloatware and ad tracing built in.
> that entire layer of additional complexity

There are different ways to think about complexity. In terms of the code that's being executed, certainly using a cross-platform framework is likely to result in more complex code as the final output. However, for apps that do not need to use a lot of native features, cross-platform frameworks can significantly reduce the amount of code that needs to be written.

It also means that the entire mobile team can become experts in one framework rather than needing iOS and Android folks. That said, it's certainly still helpful to have deep platform knowledge to debug/optimize in certain situations. But I think the point where using a cross-platform framework stops making sense is going to be very different for different applications.
> But sure 500ish people could be put to some use? A new product, a new market, a spinoff. Whatever? Are you telling me that no one in such a big, wealthy company of clever engineers has any use for a bunch of talented people?

I think a lot of the low hanging fruit in tech has been eaten up, bought up and consolidated, or actually was recognized as much more difficult and expensive than they actually thought. The leadership talent and vision in a lot of these companies is also painfully lacking. In short, to answer your last question: probably not. And I think they're terrified that Wall Street is going to notice.
Same. I can't imagine much heavier use than what I have done to this thing for the past 3+ years, and it still just literally does everything I ask of it. I've never even kept a laptop this long; up until now I would upgrade every two years since it's my primary money-making tool. But I have zero reason to upgrade currently.
It looks like the 14 core M4 Max only allows 36GB of ram. The M4 Pro allows for up to 48GB. It's a bit confusing.
> pretty fair earnings multiple at the moment (~4X).

Dropbox's EBIDTA is 14.67, but most Software Companies tend to have an EBIDTA of 28.

Dropbox is significantly underperforming compared to their peers.

Furthermore, cloud file storage has become commodified and Dropbox missed the DLP, DSPM, and AI Search train.

> Have we reached a point where tech companies have been around long enough that they can / should enter a sort of maintenance mode

Absolutely not.

If you do not innovate as a software company, you risk becoming commodified.

And if BUs within a company fails to execute on their innovation or GTM strategy, they will be let go.
I've learned not to trust my taste in marketing for the same point you make in your first sentence.

While watching those ads i considered a kids perspective. It bugs bunny looney tunes stuff. Its silly, cartoonish, and sticky. Its a very good ad.

Side-point: imagine if this clearly cartoonish ad did encourage "cheating at life". whats the downside? Those people are still putting in as much effort as they would have regardless. only now maybe they have read an example of a good email or a summary which could encourage them to learn more later. or maybe its just fun having a world where lazy people are trying to skate by a la The Dude
He owned a huge amount of dropbox before it went public. $1.5M is the money from the company to him (likely including stock compensation).
US economy growing despite voter angst
AlphaChip “updates” reignite criticisms Google overstates benefits of AI design
Merry Corporate Winter Holiday!
I'd love to talk! Do you know Python/Django :)

My email is ben@shepherd.com and I'd love to chat!
We should start with the executives who didn't perform/execute, they're the biggest liability.
COBRA can be good if you are on a platinum plan and have a lot of foreseeable health expenses. HDHP COBRA makes no sense at all.
The premium experience does have a heavy price tag attached to it since they repeatedly increased the pricing. In the UK, the first plan is now £7.99 / month.

This eventually led me away from Dropbox and I am now an iCloud user - the convenience and cheap prices eventually convinced me, even though I wish a Linux client existed.
Sort of, obviously quite a few games are optimized for the PS5 and Xbox series X.

GPU cores are generally identical between the iGPUs and the discrete GPUs. Adding a PCIe bus (high latency and low bandwidth) and having a separate memory pool doesn't create new opportunities for optimization.

On the other hand having unified memory creates optimization opportunities, but even just making memcpy a noop can be useful as well.
> Humans are not isolated nodes, we are more like a swarm, understanding reality via consensus.

> The situation you described is possible, but would require something like a subverting effort of propaganda by the state.

Great! LLMs are fed from the same swarm.
I like to think of wood CNC as a step in the kit to something better. If you do your operations rights errors can cancel each other out and so you get better results by having a few extra steps. Make the wood CNC, then use that to cut the molds to make a epoxy-granite frame, then transfer the electronics to the new frame.
Overall, excellent points! I would like to add on to that though. RLHF actually does effectively have one LLM educating another. Specifically, human trainer's time is valuable, so they train an AI to express the same opinion about some response as a human trainer would, and then have that trainer AI train the LLM under consideration.

It's both interesting and sensible that we have this education in the training phase but not the usage phase. Currently we don't tend do any training once the usage phase is reached. This may be at least partially because over-training models for any special purpose task (including RLHF) seems to decrease performance.

I wonder how far you could get by learning from retraining from some checkpoint each time with some way to gradually increase the quality of the limited quantity training data being feed. The newer data could come from tasks the model completed, along with feedback on performance from a human or other software system.

Someone's probably already done this though. I'm just sitting in my armchair here!
Show HN: Screen Canvas – Make Digital Signs Instantly Using Apple TV
Screen Canvas is the only app that lets you create stunning, customized digital signs directly on your Apple TV—instantly and effortlessly, using only your remote or even Siri! Perfect for everyone—from individuals crafting reminders or greetings, to businesses setting up real-time displays—Screen Canvas makes creating digital signage fast, taking just seconds right on your TV.

Why it's different: No need for third-party apps, designing in a browser, or using complicated software filled with complex features. Screen Canvas is perfect for creating quick, simple signs that anyone can make—no tech skills required. Everything is done right on your Apple TV, with no setup hassles. You can save unlimited signs, add over 100 premium stock photos, customize colors, and enjoy an easy-to-use design library. The free version includes essential features, and a one-time Pro upgrade unlocks extras like more colors, extended character limits, a full image library, and no watermark. Designed for ease of use, Screen Canvas adds a polished, professional touch to any TV display.
Since the only real difference is number of GPUs, it'd be:

- photo/video editing

- games, or

- AI (training / inference)

that would benefit from the extra GPUs.
Exact same boat here. A friend and I both bought the 2020 Intel MBA thinking that the M1 version was at least a year out. It dropped a few months later. I immediately resold my Intel MBA seeing the writing on the wall and bought a launch M1 (which I still use to this day). Ended up losing $200 on that mis-step, but no way the Intel version would still get me through the day.

That said...scummy move by Apple. They tend to be a little more thoughtful in their refresh schedule, so I was caught off guard.
Ie.: max 2^20 rows, 2^14 columns.
> direction and application that labor was directed at

That would require leadership to take a hard look at the value they bring to the table as well.

It's a lot easier to just lay people off than do that though, conveniently.
Future AI Risk Defense
I attended Hinton's lecture yesterday and experienced firsthand his scientific insight and British humor. Guest speaker Jacob Steinhardt researched various aspects of AI Risk through academic methods to predict future challenges. Here are some key insights that resonated with me:

1. AI will both amaze and alarm us in various ways.
2. Using AI to manipulate humans could become a major issue, whether in marketing, elections, or scams.
3. To counter these risks, we need AI to fight AI (Jacob's research focus) - like AI-powered cyber defense.
4. Digital identity verification is crucial for critical areas - like verifying if public speaking videos are authentic, or if the CFO requesting transfers in financial department video calls is real.

These insights are valuable for AI entrepreneurs.

I remember back in 2015, a telecom engineer approached me seeking funding for his anti-drone system. Back then, DJI drones were still unstable while hovering. Now anti-drone systems are essential in military defenses and public safety.

Future AI Risk defense could become an even broader industry than anti-drone systems.

I believe some YC startups are already in it :)
World War III Has Already Begun, JP Morgan Boss Says
They said there would be three announcements this week and this is the third
Reading the title, I thought this was the actual question at hand.

I try to keep JOIN logic to only on the keys. I like to think this makes reading the query more linear: now I have all of these tables, what data gets retained/removed?
Funny how Hacker News spent the past 15 years laughing at anyone questioning the viability of Dropbox as a business, but then after two years in a down market half the site is begging them to be cheap again.

What's the matter? You like the sound of that crusty, slow Linux NAS that this site has derided for years?
the Air doesn't have ProMotion right? that feature is non-negotiable on any display for me nowadays
the office Ryzen thinkpads we have are ok...but they're definitely no M1 MacBook Air or Pro...
I'm amazed by this, never occurred to me that these kind of updated ROMs could exist!

What are more examples of community updated classics?
No WiFi 7!

:/
Right now, there are 0.90$ per hour H100 80gbs that you can rent.
Equipping the MBA with 16 gigs but maintaining M2 and M3 cpus, thats's an interesting take. I do pity folks who got those with 8 gigs. Their resale value just went down a lot.
That would again be a "statistical" attempt at deciding on it being correct or false - it might or might not succeed depending on the data.
The HN dupe algebra goes by something like 'is the discussion going to be more or less the same'.
Google Search in 2010 was a great product.

They have the ability but not the incentives to make great products now. It's the bane of all big companies, design by committee and MBA trained managers.

All big high-performance companies had the owner/founder in charge to fight the bureaucracy and conformity.
I have a offtopic but related question. Why are our taxes still calculated in stepwise bracket manner. Why not a smooth curve? We have the mathematical and technical knowhow to implement it. Coming back to the Dropbox layoffs, why was this decision a drastic stepwise reduction. Not a smooth curve over a period of say 1 year.
Providing goods/services. Perhaps the qualifier "being publicly traded" will help
Partisanship is an anti-pattern in trying to solve problems
The amazing takeaway for me from this data driven story is that if you care to actually solve a problem in today's political climate the BEST thing you can do is to try and make it as non-partisan as possible. The WORST thing you can do if you're actually trying to solve a problem is to make it partisan or to inflame partisan divisions.

Partisanship as an anti-pattern in trying to actually solve problems.
Glad you pointed this out. I was assuming author ran an actual explain. Not that the LLM made a guess.
I've been laid off twice, neither time has been performance based.

once i was on a team of 2 ICs and a Manager - only the manager stayed - the company is now about to fold. Other time i was let go as part of the entire US arm
Ask HN: What virtual mailbox do you use for your business?
Hey there everyone, I'm starting a new business (and incorporating as Delaware C-corp), and I need a not-super-expensive mailbox. The number of mails per month will be close to 0. What (anytimemailbox.com, physicaladdress.com, usestable.com, or whatever) do you guys use?
HuggingFace Live Stream – share thoughts?
hi, I'm curious about this streaming from hugging face, but I'm double booked for the next 2h & my brainpower is limited; need help.

If someone happens to participate and notices some insightful ideas, could you share them here?
I think the last decade had an explosion in the amount of resources browsers needed and used (partly workloads moving over, partly moving to more advanced web frameworks, partly electron apps proliferating).

The last few years Chrome seems to have stepped up energy and memory use, which impacts most casual use these days. Safari has also become more efficient, but it never felt bloated the way Chrome used to.
Problem: python is very hard to use consistently across various environments

Solution: make python execution as disposable as paper plates :)

Uv works very well for me, but it does still sometimes run into weird issues when the underlying python installation is bad (ie installing a library that depends on a dev build)
There is a theory that AI will kill propaganda and false beliefs. At some point, you cannot force all models to have bias. Scientific and societal truths will be readily spoken by the machine god.
This often does happen along with layoffs when a company is in real trouble. A problem of silicon valley culture is that you basically can't fire anyone for underperformance, so you need to have these sorts of layoffs as a prophylactic measure to cull the heard. So that means you get a cycle of "overhiring" followed by "layoffs" and that is working exactly as intended.
I expect a lot of people with that kind of money can't enjoy life as it disconnects them from everyone else. Your friends can't afford to do those things with you, so you either end up buying friends – with all the disillusionment that goes with that – or you turn away from people and get your fix trolling computers instead.
How to Export OPML from Omnivore
I consider my usage of my Macs to be "professional."

1. An Apple Developer license is only required for distributing software in App Stores and notarizing.

2. I'm not sure what ads you're talking about in macOS. I've only ever seen them in the completely optional App Store.

3. Installing Homebrew is literally a one liner. I've never used it, but Macports appears to be similarly easy as an alternative.

4. I can't speak to this point, so I'll take your word for it.

5. I only started using macOS since the Apple Silicon era, but as far as I'm concerned the experience just keeps getting better and better. Every release of macOS has added features I enjoy and use constantly. Just the seamless integration between all of the Apple products in my house was worth switching from my previous mix of Windows, Linux, and Android.
> When you're big, investors and banks and auditors don't like flat structures with a lot of individual contributors. A vertical structure is a must to go public. The rest is people playing the game they're forced into.

Might be the first time I've heard this hot take out. What makes you think banks care what the org structure is for a public company? Banks don't care for size as long as the company is fiscally prudent and can prove it. They do check silly metrics sometimes like revenue per employee, but they really don't give a damn how your company is structured. By that metric, 2012 frat club Facebook wouldn't have been touched - yet they had like 10 investment banks frontrunning their book. In fact, I'd say 2012 Facebook IPO was the trigger for a lot of banks not caring about such silly things.

As a counterpoint to your argument, there are 200-500 employee biotechs not generating meaningful revenue that are trading publicly (and which went public without a SPAC play). The decision on who gets to go public falls on the exchange, not on the banks - they simply sell your stock to their investor list, and a flat structure with fewer than needed employees is actually a great selling point for a bank.
THey're happy with the increased revenue and reduced churn. Separate to powering the decisions we don't save any personal information and have a clear/transparent data processing agreement. For those with further restrictions, such as HIPAA compliance, we can limit certain inputs.
Pylance is nicer than pyright, but unfortunately I don't think you can use it outside of vs code
Not when your competition are consumer companies like Google, Microsoft and Apple.

I'm on Google One at $100 per year, getting more services than Dropbox can offer with their $120 plan.

Maybe they have a future in enterprise sales, but they are outcompeted even by Zoho in consumer space
You can totally use it without ever signing in to Apple account. You cannot delete Siri etc, but you can disable parts of it and not use the rest.
I listened to it for 5 minutes and I'm genuinely impressed by what the LM did. Especially the metaphores/comparisons it came up with. However it would be much easier to follow if it were accompanied with a slide show. Also, the plentyful 'awesome's and 'gotit's in between make it easy to be recognized as being artificially generated.
> If the program was trained on a thousand data points saying that the capital of Connecticut is Moscow, the model would encode this “truthfulness” information about that fact, despite it being false.

If it was, maybe. But it wasn't.

Training data isn't random - it's real human writing. It's highly correlated with truth and correctness, because humans don't write for the sake of writing, but for practical reasons.
> Often that person's leadership wasn't the problem

Then what is the problem? Ultimately you’re paid the big bucks for being held responsible. Why isn’t it never something like the CEO doesn’t get any stocks that year. I’m not saying he needs to leave the company but maybe he should take a substantial hit to his pay. He has enough money to put food on the table for many years, unlike the people who are let go where it’s mostly a mixed bag.
I use a 55" TV as a primary monitor at my desk also (alas only 4k). I've found that as tempting as it may seem to use the entire 55", at normal eye-distance, it's too big an area to track and it requires 45 degree head-rotations to scan across it (i.e to shift my focus from one window to another). It's like sitting in the front row of a big movie theater.

What I do instead is configure the desktop to only use the equivalent of about a 36" display. That way it works like a single large monitor that I can scan left to right with mostly just eye movement.

Why have a big TV as a monitor only to use a smaller portion of the screen? The TV reverts to just being a TV during non-work hours (when we use its full dimensions), so it doesn't feel like wasted real-estate - in fact it frees up space for me in the office by doing double-duty as a monitor and a TV.