Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel and creator of Moore's Law, has passed away at the age of 92
Moore's Law predicted the doubling of transistors on a microchip every 18-24 months, leading to rapid technological growth
Moore co-founded Intel in 1968 and later founded the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which invested over $6bn in scientific research and environmental conservation
Comments on Hacker News reflect on Moore's legacy and impact on the technology industry, with some expressing condolences and others making sarcastic remarks
The discussion also touches on the decline of Intel and the sustainability of packing more density into chips without making them smaller
AI Language Models: Caution & Potential for Productivity Boost
AI language models are being used for coding and creative writing, with some finding them helpful for productivity and generating ideas.
However, there are concerns regarding their reliability, biases, and privacy implications, and users are urged to exercise caution and critical thinking when using them.
There is a desire for self-hosted AI tools and transparent regulation to ensure privacy and ethical use.
ChatGPT is seen as a useful resource for quick access to information and creating plans and prototypes, but there are concerns about its accuracy and potential misuse for advertising and promoting certain ideas.
US Insurers Deny Legitimate Claims to Save Millions in Healthcare
Leading US insurance companies are accused of wrongfully denying claims to save millions on healthcare costs, with some using computer algorithms to reject claims without reviewing patient records.
Patients often end up paying bills rather than fighting the appeals process.
Critics suggest that the automated approach highlights systemic issues prioritising profits over patient outcomes.
Some healthcare reform is called for, including a move towards a non-profit structure, stronger regulations, and increasing competition to improve conditions for both healthcare providers and patients.
Many individuals express frustration with the inconsistent and unpredictable nature of the US healthcare system, with some advocating for government-run healthcare as a potential solution.
Scrape Websites with GPT using scrapeghost Library
scrapeghost is a library for scraping structured data from HTML using OpenAI's GPT.
Users must proceed with caution when using scrapeghost, as it is experimental, relies on the OpenAI API, and is licensed under Hippocratic License 3.0.
Steps to use scrapeghost include obtaining an OpenAI API key, installing the library, defining the data schema, and passing a URL to the scraper.
The library offers features such as Python-based schema definition, HTML cleaning, pre-filtering with CSS or XPath selectors, JSON and schema validation, and cost controls.
Apple's Neural Engine: ML Acceleration for iOS Devices
Apple's Neural Engine is a specialized processor that accelerates machine learning models on most newer iPhones and iPads.
The ANE is great for making ML models run fast on iOS devices, but not every Core ML model can make full use of it.
Other companies are developing their own AI accelerator chips, and Google's TPU is a notable example.
The discussion around the efficiency of owning expensive hardware that sits idle most of the time is ongoing.
ANE is used for biometrics, image analysis, text to speech, and speech to text.
Some mention that using a local model for transcription on the device with ANE kills the battery.
Users discuss the neural engine on the new M1/M2 Max chip and suggest using CoreML as an abstraction for programming it.
There is frustration over the lack of detailed documentation provided by Apple about the neural engine, while others speculate on possible reasons for this.
Cloudflare Disables IPFS Gateway Over Copyright Abuse Reports
Cloudflare disables access to IPFS gateway due to copyright abuse complaints, despite IPFS's decentralized nature.
Policy resulted in 1,073 IPFS actions in Q1 2022, causing disappointment among some members of Discussion Service community.
Discontinuation of gateway sparks discussions on value of IPFS and need for alternatives to enable secure file sharing.
Cloudflare's blocking of Pirate Bay receives criticism for internet censorship and centralization, but some argue it's necessary for protection against cyber threats.
Comments on Discussion Service thread discuss Cloudflare's decision, with users expressing skepticism about motives and effectiveness of security suite.
Conversation veers into discussions on role of cryptography and blockchain technologies in IPFS and Filecoin, with some seeing potential use cases while others see them as overhyped marketing terms.
YunoHost simplifies server administration and self-hosting of apps with a clean web interface and setup guides for novice users.
Based on Debian GNU/Linux, it offers user-friendly web interface, user, domain, backup management, and secure systems like Fail2ban and yunohost-firewall.
YunoHost is appreciated for simplifying the process of self-hosting and app management and features SSO and easy addition of new services.
Users have praised its user management and community support, but some have raised concerns about security, as it is not containerized or sandboxed.
YunoHost offers a wider selection of packages, is free of cost, and is a community project that originated in the French ISP scene.
US Department of Energy seeks new contractor for Fermilab particle physics laboratory
The US Department of Energy is looking for a new contractor to manage Fermilab, the only dedicated particle physics laboratory in the country.
The decision came after Fermilab failed an annual performance review and experienced cost increases and delays in a neutrino experiment.
The University of Chicago and the Universities Research Association have managed Fermilab since 2007.
The lab's flagship particle accelerator, the Tevatron, has been recommended to be shut down in favor of international projects by a scientific advisory panel.
Fermilab has faced challenges with funding and diversification, causing delays and cost overruns on multiple projects.
Critics argue that the US government is neglecting investment in scientific fields to focus on profitability.
Fermilab researchers recently announced the discovery of the long-sought Higgs boson.
Comments on an article reflect a mix of fascination and frustration with the lab, with some highlighting management issues and others discussing the value of disposing of old equipment.
Utah introduces laws to regulate teen social media use
Utah becomes first US state to introduce laws regulating teen social media use
Two measures require social media firms to verify users as at least 18 and get parental consent for children to use their apps, as well as imposing a social media curfew and banning data collection on minors
Law prohibits social media companies from collecting/storing personal info of minors without explicit parental consent
Utah passes law requiring social media companies to restrict kids under 18 from creating accounts
Debate over government regulation of technology and media
Utah proposed bill would allow parents to access their children's social media accounts and monitor their online activity
Utah requires social media companies to ask for identification to prevent minors from accessing their platforms
AI Replacing Human Creativity in Creative Industries
AI is replacing the jobs of 3D artists and other creative professionals, leading to concerns about the future of work and the role of automation in different industries.
While some argue that AI is simply another tool that can help workers produce better output, others worry that it is fundamentally changing the nature of many jobs and creating a McDonald's-ification of industries.
The use of generative AI in art and animation is upending the industry, but skilled creative directors with a deep understanding of different styles of art and framing angles can quickly generate the right prompts for AI-generated work, creating better results.
AI is drastically reducing the time it takes to create art, which means fewer people will be needed. However, some argue that the resulting output is no longer the artist's own work.
There are concerns about the limitations of AI-generated code, and the potential for snake oil salespeople promising to deliver fully functional apps without human involvement.
Some express hope that AI will augment workflows and automate tedious tasks rather than completely replacing developers.