skysight-inc/HackerNews huggingface dataset:
This is a sad grouch, not a coherent analysis. Most Tech books are obsolete in 5 years. Children do not learn from principles, they learn from example and mimesis and play and repetition. You have much to learn about human beings, and until you learn to lighten up and be constructive in the world, you will remain grouchy, unhappy and unfulfilled.

So, I suggest a more constructive response for you if you think she's wrong and don't like her style: have a look around: what can you do to make things better?
There are also a lot of people that _really_ like Java.

Considering the amount of apps / devs that Android has gathered, I'm going to go out on a limb and say the amount of developers that either like or are neutral about Java is far larger than the amount that "really dislike" it. If Android's programming language of choice was going to sink it, it would have happened when it was still a fledgling mobile OS, not years later after it was fully entrenched.
Hmm, could be. I first used HyperCard on a Mac IIfx and I cannot remember to have it used on my Mac SE/30 before. Will check - the original HyperCard manual from Atkinson is still somewhere in my shelves.
Exactly that. It works only as long as the retry time is randomized and much larger than then network RTT.
C-b [ + C-r <string> is pretty awesome when you know what you're looking for in the search history... Though I definitely use wheel scrolling when I don't remember exactly what I'm looking for or looking at log output.
Exercise for the reader, make a quine that still works even if any one character is mutated (by 1 bit or 8?), rather than deleted.
A new YouTube
Jesus Christ. Never ever use try catch inside a constructor. It's the fastest way to a headache.
>If you think of a programming language as a set of tokens and production rules (a grammar), then can't every programming language have infinitely-many visual representations, including "pure text," "blocks/pipes" and "Jacob's Representation"?

Yes. But that doesn't say much.

Visual programming languages don't just naively show some token graph. You can get that with a parser and a graph library for any language with half a day's work.

It's about the interaction models they explore, the levels of abstraction, and the tools they offer.

What you say is like getting rid of the notion of writing, since everything that can be spoken can be also written.

>Does it make sense to call a programming language "visual"?

It very much does. For a visual language it's syntax was designed as a set of drawn objects to be manipulated. That probably also influence its very semantics.

Quartz Composer: A Visual Language.

C: Not so much.

>What if I represent a C program by a sequence of smells... The translator device reads the text from start to end, converts it to a token sequence, and emits a different smell for each token. Does that mean C is a "smell-based programming language"?

No, it just means that it also has a smell-based representation (that is impractical and noone uses). On the other hand, visual programming languages were pragmatically designed to work in a visual environment, and enable coding by the manipulation of graphical elements.

>Can't we dispense with the notion of a "visual programming language"? There are programming languages, and for each language, there are many ways to represent its programs.

A visual programming language is not about a mere representation. It's about the core way the syntax is expressed to the programmer.

What you say is like "there are no declarative, logical or functional programming languages because everything is imperative at the assembly level anyway".

Well, the level at abstraction at which the programmer is supposed to work with a language (the language's syntax) is important, even if the code can be represented in a different way. Interfaces (in the UI sense) are important.
Just move on - change the channel, not for you troll. And your remarks towards women not thinking logically is embarrassing to see in this forum.

A lot of what we learn today in technology specifics changes frequently - it's the thought process behind our execution and methodologies to build that is the most valuable.
Hey, actually Raft uses randomized retries, since I copied this part (and most of the rest) from Raft. Voting can result into split brain as this condition is recovered, and a retry time that is big enough compared to RTT guarantees liveness.
InstantCab (YC W12), now Summon, raises funding from BMW and Khosla Ventures
I recommend reading specs for low power digital radio protocols like WSPR for ideas around basic error correction. Just something I did recently and was fun.
unique_ptr/shared_ptr don't make a difference with regard to whether or not you need to use function-try blocks. function-try blocks are about whether the exception leaves the constructor, not whether the exception will result in destructors being called. For cleanup of constructed members when an exception is thrown in the ctor init-list it is required that you're in a try block somewhere up the stack.

Observe: https://ideone.com/DYthrB

#include <iostream>
#include <memory>

struct Foo {
int x_;
Foo (int const x): x_(x) {
if (x == 1) {
throw x;
}
}
~Foo() { std::cerr << "foo_" << x_ << " destroyed" << std::endl; }
};

struct Bar {
std::shared_ptr<Foo> foo_0;
std::shared_ptr<Foo> foo_1;
std::shared_ptr<Foo> foo_2;
Bar():
foo_0 (std::make_shared<Foo>(0)),
foo_1 (std::make_shared<Foo>(1)),
foo_2 (std::make_shared<Foo>(2)) {
}
~Bar() {
std::cerr << "Bar destroyed" << std::endl;
}
};

void xul() {
Bar bar;
}

int main() {
try { xul(); } catch (...) { return EXIT_FAILURE; }
}

Outputs:

foo_0 destroyed

foo_0 was destroyed here even though Bars destructor was never called

Change main to:

int main() { xul(); }

Outputs nothing. foo_1 doesn't leak memory (it's freed by the shared_ptr constructor when Foos constructor throws) but foo_0 leaks because no shared_ptr destructors are ever called. This doesn't matter so much if you're just allocating memory (if you don't catch somewhere you're going to terminate anyway), but it could matter if Foo were a lock file or some other persistent system resource that can outlive the process, or another service somewhere is waiting for a message on a timeout.

The alternative to relying on there being a try{} block somewhere up the stack is to add a function-try block on Bars constructor.

tl;dr: member destructors aren't called if you throw from a constructor init list, function-try blocks fix that.
> Is it really an "overreach" if the NSA can acquire the mobile phone records of Yemen "indiscriminately" and use the data to build social graphs for current and future (currently unknown) targets of interest?

If all they do is foreign activity like that, then no, probably.

That they routinely and indiscriminantly collect mine and other Americans' data, yes. You can't put aside US collection, because it's a huge part of their activity. They are arguably routing around the Constitution.
"[...] but the «flameless heater» shows off American tech skills – just add water to the powder in a plastic bag and it heats up enough to warm the plastic meal pouch."

Wasn't this kind of tech (that involved heating double-deck cans, by pouring water in the lower deck) used by the German army in the battle fields of WW2?
"Not Innovative" is a rather weak criticism to lay on someone. I'd be impressed if he actually produced some examples of "creativity" of his own as to what should be done by FB. But the moment a tech writer opines on the specifics, rather than generalities (as many often stick to), they're going to run into a wall of hurt with comments calling them out for being idiots themselves :P.
Or hoarding assets such as housing. That's why the baby boomers are all rich in the UK, while anyone under 30 hasn't a hope in hell of buying a house by themselves. The restrictive planning policies exaggerate the situation.
I didnt look at the code and am not knowledgeable in this kind of coding but unless I am wrong, if the program simply would contain the same code twice each of these 2 codes would have to contain the same code twice ad infinitum.
I build web "apps". I don't treat HTML and CSS like a semantic document; it's just a declarative layout engine. Yes, I often use HTML elements and structure to define layout instead of CSS classes. My CSS class names often have little "semantic" meaning outside their single purpose, that is to define layout and style. Am I doing something wrong? We don't have these discussions when building native GUIs.

Perhaps if I were building a CMS or some other document-oriented site I would approach things differently.
Yes, Line 15:
/#{eval eval if eval==instance_eval}}/.i rescue##/

They are checking the two instances and rescuing the corrupted one. But how exactly it works is beyond me.
I wonder if the author of the article has realised the irony of his piece.

A recount of the career of an actor who has become known for not revealing anything of himself manages to reveal nothing of the actor behind the roles. But as far as hero worshipping goes, this was still an entertaining, if melancholic read.

Incidentally, not unlike some of Murray's characters.
WhatsApp will never be a paid app since Facebook acquisition. Otherwise users will go for the free alternatives.
Ask HN: Why do you use Bootstrap or Foundation?
I've been using Bootstrap since version 1 and have enjoyed the process by which I build sites with it. But recently I've been wondering why so many of my friends have moved to Foundation. Most of them preach that it's "faster" and "slimmer" but I want to get a better idea from those of you out there that have been using either for a while. What's your take on it?

When I build web-apps I build them with as little overhead as possible so I start off with the BS grid, nav, buttons and forms. If I need anything else, I'll add it later. Why would that be any different than Foundation?
The only problem I have are expired links. Page through the "new" section, someone comes and talks to me, continue paging and pagination breaks and I have to start over. Follow a link off to a longer story, come back and continue paging and pagination breaks and I have to start over.

Really annoying.
Setting up New Relic with your Ghost blog
> Andrew Ng, who worked or works on Google’s AI, has said that he believes learning comes from a single algorithm - the part of your brain that processes input from your ears is also capable of learning to process input from your eyes. If we can just figure out this one general-purpose algorithm, programs may be able to learn general-purpose things.

As I wrote a few days ago here:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7217967

"The way intelligence works, in my opinion, is this:

1) experiences are stored in the brain. Experiences contain inputs from the 5 senses as well as the sense of danger/satisfaction at that point.

2) at each given moment, the brain takes the current input and matches it against the stored experiences. If there is a match (up to a threshold), then the sense of danger/satisfaction is recalled. Thus the entity is able to 'predict', up to a specific point, if the outcome of the current situation is bad or good for it, and react accordingly.

The key thing to the above is that the whole process is fused together: the steps for adding new experiences, matching new experiences and recalling reactions is fused together in big pile of neurons."
I backed the project, and think it will make a great gift for my nephew. It's something he can grow into, where he can read the book part with his parents right now, and then start doing the problems as he gets older.

I think this project did well for a few key reasons:

1) STEM, STEM, STEM and code, code, code. The timing is right. Look at all the coverage this got in big mainstream media publications. Here is a project to help your child get into programming at a young age.
2) There is a need for introducing programming to children in an accessible way. There is some stuff on the market, but not that much, and this might be the first centered around a colorful children's book. I also think this is more approachable for parents too. A cold, clinical textbook would scare off many parents.
3) Linda is attractive, bubbly and non-American (on a heavily American site). This never hurts with crowdfunding. The fact that she is female in a heavy male-dominated space helps too. I can't fault her at all for this, and why not harness it?

I hope it turns out well and that this is just the beginning for Linda and her books. I'm excited to read it with my future child.
Yup. My first reaction to this:

http://blog.interfacevision.com/assets/img/posts/example_vis...

was 'omg, lisp displayed with TreeView; and let me guess what the serialization format of this is' (probably XML).
Endorsements seem automated to me, and I almost feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Distant cousins endorsing you for Ruby? There's no way they actually clicked that button. I feel like LinkedIn is generating those as well, as a means of getting back on their platform.
At least fails while daring greatly
I have very fond memories of Widget Workshop as a kid. Glad to see it mentioned!
Extreme mode: Run this code on an abacus.
Government is blaming Al Qaeda for unwanted violence. Clearly the solution is to announce public incentive to go out and cause violence. That will solve everything.
"They are also syntactically valid on regular functions, but of little use."

I might litter my code with some of these to make it more "fun" for others to maintain it after I am gone / hit by a bus. At least I will go with the knowledge that they'll have to learn an obscure feature of the language, plus it'll remind me every time I see it (to stop the synapse degradation)
Right after the military industrial complex and its pseudo "jobs program".
If all they do is foreign activity like that, then no, probably.

But that's not what Schneier wrote. He specifically calls out indiscriminate bulk surveillance of foreign citizens as "overreach", even without making a distinction between U.S. allies and adversaries.

Again, I'm not interested in having yet another discussion about exactly which data the NSA is or isn't allowed to collect accidentally or deliberately on U.S. citizens. If you think there have been a paucity of discussion threads about that, feel free to start another one.
A way to double the efficiency of solar cells is about to go mainstream
There were a number of comparisons made, such as the amount taken by the sector now, as compared to the 40's. I think you can get a good picture from that of how bloated and inefficient the system is.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2z5vd6tFa0‎

The best part is at the end.
So...there's a New Jersey?

Sorry, I had to. :/
XKCD Pays Homage to Twitch Plays Pokemon
Kickstarter's existance just means that there is a number of people that can give $10 or $100 for a project they like.

I don't see how to go from there to the assumption that's plenty of money for all kinds of projects.

Most Kickstarter campaigns are quite small in requested budget for example. Space exploration, not so much.
Awesome, I'll keep an eye out for it
tmux is very scriptable. I have a shell script "go". go <box> opens new tux window splits it twice (3 total panes) all ssh'd into box, one as root, one tailing log files. The "go" script has grown over time, running custom log tails on specific boxes. And one command "vroom" which ssh's into web and db boxes running atop, apachetop, pg_activity in a bunch of panes.

It's just an example. Tux lets you automate interactive shells.
it's not only overreach, it's obvious human rights abuse

people have a right to not be indiscriminately surveilled by every country that they don't live in.
That definitely wouldn't work with this strategy (two copies), because you wouldn't be able to tell which copy was the mutated one. Error-correcting codes to the rescue. :)
Personally, I'm not sure that it does provide Facebook anything - same for Instagram.

That said, there is an argument I think could be made as follows: Facebook (and Google) is essentially about data. The more information they have on a given person, the more information they have period, the more valuable they are. This value is to advertisers and marketers of course (the real "customers") but also to end users. WhatsApp is $19 billion worth of data about people in places where Facebook doesn't have a lot of data. Countries like India, for example. I don't think Facebook penetration is nearly as significant there as it is in the US (though I do not have a statistic on hand for that ATM).

So the argument is that WhatsApp gives Facebook a foot in the door to more information on more places at once. Just like Google gets data on what people want from their videos from YouTube, Instagram gives Facebook more information on what people do with their images and how they share them. Facebook already does these things - messaging and image sharing - but it could be argued that Facebook will be able to do them better/more profitably/at least in a more aware way if it studies how it works for Instagram and WhatsApp.

Again, I don't really see the point myself - but that's an argument that could be made.
> Because of issues like needing sticky sessions I don't think it is good at all for simpler content sites.

Our host, Modulus.io, takes care of the session load balancing for us. No problem!
Awesome man, thanks. Glad to see a fellow football fan, rare around these parts.
i wonder how far this can be taken... e.g. flipping or setting a random string of bits that would be physically contiguous in hardware as if a real neutron came smashing into the memory... if doing it during run can be achieved etc.

how about a real native app with instructions? i'd never expect something as high level and wooly as ruby in systems that will be exposed to radiation. that's just asking for failure imo... how robust is the interpreter for instance?
Then, in Bootstrap terms and since the grid syntax is offered in mixins, should it be used as follows

.foo-class {
&:extend(.col-md-4, .col-md-offset-8)
}

instead of using the mixin?

.foo-class {
make-md-column(4);
make-md-column-offset(8);
}
Gmail is a Usability Nightmare
Frequently-Asked Questions about sed, the stream editor
One argument is that for Facebook it's better that they own the big competitors rather than someone else (Google rolling it in to Google+, Apple doing something with it, etc).

As long as they keep swallowing up any "social(-ish) network" app before they become a real threat to Facebook, Facebook can still be the king.
It's not murder if the government pays for it.
I don't believe in single persons influence in history on a grand scale.

Gavrilo Princip was just one of many 'terrorists' that were supported by Serbia and Russia to extend their influence into Bosnia. The situation was about to explode there, no matter what.

Adolf Hitler was just one of millions of nationalsocialists and the popularity of the Nazis was based on the treaty of Versailles and the huge social injustices in 1930s Germany, not on his rhetoric skills. While he was the reason for many strategic errors on the Eastern Front he was also the person who gave the Blitzkrieg doctrine vs France the decisive support, while many of the German generals opposed it. Germany could have never won the war against the soviets, because the soviets would have always been able to relocate their production and political centers further and further to the east.

The geopolitical situation at the beginning of the 20th century was this: Germany and allies were big enough to threaten the rest of Europe, but not strong enough to dominate them. So there was a long and painful process of subduing Germany and this process is now known as WW1 and WW2.

PS.: If an actual historian finds flaws in my reasoning here i would be very thankful if they take the time to point them out.
It's probably best not to compare human and chimp ROM, since that has less to do with muscle attachment sites, and isn't really that consistent, joint to joint. For example, a chimp shoulder has fabulous overhead ROM... as expected for a tree climber and swinger.

The flip side of having crappier levers for force, is that we have better levers for precision.
LXC 1.0: Blog post series
By adjusting policy in order to revert those things?

E.g redistribute funds to poorer regions. Enforce equal opportunity hiring for people from those areas. Improve schooling and infrastructure there. Encourange business initiatives. Etc.

You know, it's not like some inpenetrable problem that nobody has ever solved before. Historically, societies have acted and corrected imbalances, creating stronger middle classes.
It's so nice you immediately want to go pool diving.
Meatballs (1979) [1] was always a favorite of mine, although this will date me slightly (!). As a geek and an introvert facing many of the same social challenges as the main character Rudy (Chris Makepeace) it was incredibly reassuring to see someone as edgy and cool (at the time) as Bill Murray in a sort of gentle, yet fun loving and supportive, mentoring role. I didn't have much of that encouragement in my early life, which was filled with basically the opposite ... adults (esp in my school) chumming up to the cool kids and publicly humiliating the tentative ones. Bill's character in the movie, and how he played it on screen, still today serve as a role model for how I try to deal with other people. For me personally, connecting with and supporting the more fragile people around me still is way more appealing, fulfilling, and meaningful for me than just constantly trying to prop up my own status by latching on to the cool, popular crowd.

[1] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079540/
I think the children would prefer learning JavaScript: "No class? You're saying we never have to have class?? That's amazing!"
This article is nothing but a sensationalist headline that makes little sense and has even less substance. The following quote sums this up:

>Recent studies show that few post and no one clicks through on likes, what’s a poor boy to do?
As a non-programmer, I've been looking for a VB successor for a long time.
Great idea! Turns out selfies do have uses :)
The Global feed is depressing. It's almost entirely spam. Not like "hey, check out this article I wrote" kind of spam, but more "cheap nike shoes gucci purses prada http://example.com".

There's some neat Dropbox-like apps that make use of the API, but I don't know enough people who use App.net to give the social features an edge over Dropbox's ubiquity.
I love it. Great work!
Here's pretty realistic article: http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2014/02/20/5-key-rea...

I don't have an opinion on that topic, but probably just data mining on the set of WhatsApp users can be pretty useful.

What is more interesting for me is why WhatsApp is so popular? It's not unique, is it? Why is it so special?
That is true, and I don't question the success of Android. However, there are IMO enough people out there who want something different, so that Sailfish OS won't become a close-to-no-app system.
On Coloring Resilient Graphs
240€ seriously?
Redshift is wonderful. Came from OS X and couldn't get f.lux to properly work on Ubuntu 13.10 in the first few days and Redshift was what saved me from switching back. Once you live with it, you can't live without it.
Understand what triggered the events happening in Ukraine. Being born and raised in Russia and having lots of friend from Ukraine, I want to stress that what is happening in Kiev is unprecedented for Ukraine. They reached a breaking point and all that's unfolding will set the course for Ukraine for years and generations to come. I hope it will have a happy ending.
Correct. I wouldn't expect someone to know about the rounding rules, as there isn't just one rule which applies to all situations:

- http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPort...

- http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPort...