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2024-08-09

Jake Seliger has died

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  • Jake Seliger, known as jseliger on Hacker News, has passed away, leaving a significant impact on the community.
  • He was admired for his extensive blogging, particularly about his battle with cancer, and his insights on agenticness and clinical trials.
  • The HN community is deeply affected, with many expressing condolences and reflecting on his impactful writing.

OTranscribe: A free and open tool for transcribing audio interviews

  • oTranscribe is a free web app that simplifies transcribing recorded interviews, designed for desktop use with keyboard controls for pausing, rewinding, and fast-forwarding.
  • The app includes features like interactive timestamps, automatic saving, and privacy by keeping files on your computer, and allows exporting transcripts to Markdown, plain text, and Google Docs.
  • It supports video files, is open source under the MIT license, and was created by Elliot Bentley, featured by the MuckRock Foundation.

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  • OTranscribe is a free tool designed for manual transcription of audio interviews, without using AI.
  • Users are exploring alternatives like Whisper Diarization and Spectropic for automatic transcription and speaker identification, and local solutions like Whisper.CPP for faster processing.
  • Discussions include tools like Aiko for offline transcription on iOS and services like TurboScribe that offer additional features such as speaker recognition and various export formats.

USPS text scammers duped his wife, so he hacked their operation

  • A person, referred to as s1n, retaliated against scammers by exploiting vulnerabilities in their fake USPS site using tools like nmap and Burp Suite.
  • S1n identified a Local File Inclusion (LFI) exploit and an SQL injection vulnerability, gaining access to the scammers' database and revealing admin and victim details.
  • The original poster plans to report the findings to internet crime authorities, highlighting the ethical considerations and potential legal implications of hacking back.

Reactions

  • A man retaliated against a USPS text scam operation after his wife fell victim, sharing his actions on smithsecurity.biz.
  • The discussion includes debates on the ethics of hacking back, law enforcement's effectiveness against cybercrime, and the potential for vigilante justice.
  • Commenters also discussed the need for improved cybersecurity measures and the importance of ethics in computer science education.

Recent Performance Improvements in Function Calls in CPython

  • Recent optimizations in CPython have significantly improved the performance of function calls, built-ins, and inlining, making Python faster and more efficient.
  • Key improvements include the introduction of super instructions, bytecode instruction specialization, and the vectorcall method for built-ins.
  • Benchmarks show notable performance gains in simple computations, calling built-in functions, and reducing Python function call overhead.

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  • Recent performance improvements in CPython, specifically in function calls, have garnered attention, highlighting changes since Python 3.11 that enhance execution speed by avoiding C-level function calls.
  • The discussion emphasizes Python's role in scientific computing due to its mature ecosystem, despite performance criticisms, and contrasts it with languages like Go, which lack comprehensive libraries for certain tasks.
  • The debate includes perspectives on using Python for its development speed and ease of integration with C/C++ libraries, versus the potential benefits of other languages like Rust or Julia for performance-critical applications.

Intel's Immiseration

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  • Intel's decline is due to internal issues, poor branding, and a lack of innovation, with specific problems in its Ultrabooks, Celeron processors, and GPU business.
  • Inefficient power management in Intel CPUs has led to poor laptop performance, contributing to the company's inability to compete with AMD and ARM.
  • The internal culture at Intel is described as toxic and siloed, focusing on political maneuvering over innovation, necessitating significant cultural and strategic changes.

Apple is America's semiconductor problem

  • The 2022 CHIPS Act was introduced to bring semiconductor chip fabrication back to the US, addressing the dependency on international supply chains exposed by Covid-era shortages.
  • In 1990, the US produced 37% of the world's chips, but this dropped to 12% by 2020, with Apple playing a significant role in this decline by pushing production to East Asia.
  • Despite some efforts to source chips domestically, Apple continues to rely heavily on foreign suppliers, and the Department of Justice is investigating its monopolistic practices to support the CHIPS Act's goals.

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  • Apple's dominance in the semiconductor market is criticized, but the arguments are perceived as weak and biased.
  • The real issue highlighted is a market failure where other companies are not innovating at Apple's scale, rather than Apple's outsourcing practices.
  • The article touches on broader issues like poor working conditions in Chinese factories and the need for more domestic competition but fails to address other key players like Intel and Qualcomm.

Sonic Pi: Ruby as a Composition Tool

  • Sonic Pi is a software synthesizer controlled by code, created by Sam Aaron, that uses a domain-specific language extending Ruby to map music and audio concepts.
  • The tool allows users to compose music by writing code, making it a unique intersection of programming and audio engineering, ideal for those with interests in both fields.
  • Sonic Pi supports advanced features like parallel execution with in_thread and continuous loops with live_loop, enabling complex musical compositions through coding.

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  • Sonic Pi, a tool using Ruby for live coding music, is gaining attention for its almost English-like syntax and dynamic performance capabilities.
  • Alternatives like Glicol and TidalCycles, as well as a JavaScript port called Strudel, are also mentioned for their unique features in live coding and sound design.
  • Sonic Pi is available as a Flatpak on Flathub, simplifying installation on Linux systems, addressing concerns about dependency issues.

Startup CEO Says VC Firm Punished Her for Reporting Sex Assault

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  • A startup CEO alleges that a VC firm retaliated against her after she reported a sexual assault by an executive.
  • Hacker News discussions highlight reasons firms protect accused executives, including personal connections, poor legal advice, and group dynamics.
  • The conversation also addresses the complexities and potential consequences of reporting misconduct for both the accuser and the accused.

LLM Aided OCR (Correcting Tesseract OCR Errors with LLMs)

  • A project initially using Llama2 to improve Tesseract OCR has evolved with the availability of faster, affordable models like OpenAI's GPT4o-mini and Anthropic's Claude3-Haiku.
  • The new models enable efficient, cost-effective document processing by breaking text into chunks and using a multi-stage correction process, significantly improving OCR error correction and text reformatting.
  • The project demonstrates impressive results in converting old scanned books into readable formats, showing potential for further improvements in the coming year.

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  • A project initially using Llama2 to enhance Tesseract OCR by correcting errors has evolved with newer, faster models like GPT4o-mini and Claude3-Haiku, which are now affordable and efficient.
  • The multi-stage approach in the project corrects OCR errors and formats text, making it useful for converting old scanned books into readable formats for e-readers.
  • For specific document types like scientific papers and invoices, models such as Meta's Nougat and Donut offer superior performance; the project is open-source and available on GitHub.

National Park Service Will Cite AWD Drivers for Driving on 4WD-Only Trails

  • A Subaru Crosstrek owner received a warning for driving on a 4WD-only road in Canyonlands National Park, highlighting the difference between AWD and 4WD.
  • AWD is suitable for light off-roading but lacks the off-road traction of 4WD systems with locking differentials, which are necessary for challenging trails.
  • The National Park Service enforces these restrictions to ensure visitor safety, with penalties for violations including fines up to $5,000 and imprisonment.

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  • The National Park Service (NPS) will issue citations to drivers using All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles on trails designated for Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) vehicles only.
  • This action addresses misleading marketing that suggests AWD vehicles are suitable for challenging off-road conditions, despite lacking essential features like locking differentials.
  • The NPS aims to protect trails from damage and ensure the safety of drivers, emphasizing the critical distinction between AWD and 4WD capabilities.

SQLite FTS5 Extension

  • SQLite's FTS5 (Full-Text Search 5) extension provides advanced full-text search capabilities for database applications, allowing efficient searches across large document collections.
  • FTS5 supports various query types, including prefix queries, NEAR queries, and boolean operators, enhancing search flexibility and precision.
  • The extension can be built as part of SQLite or as a loadable extension, offering developers multiple integration options.

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  • SQLite FTS5 Extension is a powerful search engine included in the Python standard library, eliminating the need for additional installations.
  • It is widely used for local code search tools and blog search engines but has limitations with non-English languages, despite supporting custom tokenizers.
  • Users appreciate its performance, even on mobile platforms, and it can be enhanced with custom tokenizers and auxiliary functions for advanced use cases.

Forest Service orders Arrowhead bottled water to shut down California pipeline

  • The U.S. Forest Service has ordered BlueTriton Brands to cease water extraction operations in the San Bernardino Mountains after denying their permit application.
  • Environmental activists claim the operations have harmed the environment, leading to a lawsuit, while BlueTriton disputes these claims and has challenged the decision in court.
  • The Forest Service's order includes removing all infrastructure from federal land, but BlueTriton has secured a temporary stay to continue supplying water to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.

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  • The Forest Service has ordered Arrowhead bottled water to shut down its California pipeline for operating without a valid permit and using water for non-permitted purposes.
  • The decision follows a lawsuit by Save Our Forest Assn. and repeated compliance requests, with the California water board also issuing a cease-and-desist order.
  • Critics argue that the $2,500 annual permit fee is too low given the environmental impact, despite BlueTriton not bottling any extracted water recently.

Base 3 Computing Beats Binary

  • Base 3 computing, or ternary, uses three digits (0, 1, 2) and is more efficient than binary, as two ternary "trits" can represent nine numbers compared to four numbers by two binary bits.
  • Ternary computing has a lower radix economy for large numbers, making it the most economical integer base, and can answer questions with three possible outcomes, reducing the number of queries needed.
  • Despite its efficiency, ternary computing never gained widespread use due to the dominance of binary hardware and software, but recent advancements suggest potential applications in cybersecurity with lower error rates.

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  • The article discusses the potential of ternary (base 3) computing compared to the widely used binary (base 2) systems, highlighting the complexities and practical challenges of ternary circuits.
  • Despite theoretical advantages in information density, ternary computing faces significant issues such as increased power consumption, noise susceptibility, and hardware complexity, making it less feasible than binary systems.
  • Historical context is provided, noting that the Soviet Union experimented with ternary systems, but practical considerations and the success of binary computing in the US space race led to the dominance of binary logic.

The First Non-Smart AI Pendant (NotFriend)

  • The NotFriend is a plastic circle that serves no functional purpose but is marketed as a fashion accessory.
  • It boasts features like unparalleled simplicity, timeless design, and eco-friendliness, making it a unique conversation starter.
  • The product is humorously presented with customer reviews and a lifetime warranty, emphasizing its novelty and non-functional nature.

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  • The First Non-Smart AI Pendant (NotFriend) is a parody of the recently launched AI wearable called Friend, which has faced criticism for being unsettling and cringe-worthy.
  • The Friend product's promotional video was hard to find and described as having a dark, horror-like tone, and its domain name reportedly cost $1.8M, sparking discussions on tech grifts.
  • The NotFriend parody has been well-received for its humor and timing, highlighting skepticism and humor in the tech community.

GPUDrive: Data-driven, multi-agent driving simulation at 1M FPS

  • GPUDrive is a GPU-accelerated simulator built on the Madrona Game Engine, capable of generating over a million steps per second for multi-agent learning algorithms.
  • It uses C++ and CUDA to optimize complex agent behaviors, significantly reducing the time required to train reinforcement learning agents using the Waymo Motion dataset.
  • The simulator achieves goal-reaching agents in minutes and generally capable agents in hours, with trained agents available in the code base for further research and development.

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  • GPUDrive enables driving simulations with hundreds of AI agents on consumer-grade GPUs at 1 million frames per second (FPS), featuring Python bindings, Pytorch and Jax wrappers, and an MIT license.
  • The high framerate allows simulating over 4.5 hours per second, potentially accelerating the learning rate for self-driving AI systems.
  • The simulation primarily uses location data but supports various "parsed" sensor inputs, though it's unclear if LIDAR data is real or synthetic.