Hacker News
1Standard Ebooks: liberated ebooks, carefully produced for the true book lover
- Standard Ebooks is a volunteer project that creates high-quality digital editions of public domain books. They enhance existing ebooks with professional typography, careful proofreading, rich metadata, modern technology features, artistic covers, and clean code, making them freely available to readers.
Project Gutenberg's intake process
Detailed explanation of PG's rigorous 5-pass proofreading system with volunteers comparing scanned text to images, followed by format reviews and final smooth reading pass before publication.E-reader compatibility
Discussion of which e-readers work best with Standard Ebooks, with Kobo devices receiving strong recommendations for their Webkit-based renderer and Kindle criticized for poor formatting support.Book modernization debate
Controversy over Standard Ebooks' practice of modernizing spelling and word choices, with some readers preferring original text while others appreciate updated accessibility.
2The “S” in MCP Stands for Security
- Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a new standard for integrating AI language models with tools and data, but it faces significant security challenges. Current vulnerabilities include command injection, tool poisoning, silent redefinition, and cross-server shadowing, highlighting the need for better security measures in AI tool integration.
Tool poisoning and security
Security issues with MCP include tool poisoning, shadowing, and rug pull attacks. LLMs can't distinguish trusted vs untrusted input, making them vulnerable to manipulation. Running MCPs in isolated environments doesn't solve these issues.Protocol design challenges
Debate over whether MCP can be redesigned to be both secure and useful. Critics argue security and functionality are opposing forces. Suggestions include using existing protocols like ActivityPub instead of creating new ones.Implementation concerns
MCP implementations lack auditing, metrics and security considerations. Users, especially non-technical ones, are running untrusted code without proper safeguards. Comparisons made to early web development era.
3Show HN: I built a word game. My mom thinks it's great. What do you think?
- A word unscrambling puzzle game featuring daily challenges where players must solve word puzzles. The game appears to be loading a new daily challenge for players to attempt.
Timers in puzzle games
Mixed opinions on timers - some find them stressful and prefer relaxed gameplay, while others enjoy the competitive aspect. Suggestions include making timers optional, counting upward instead of down, and adding explicit start buttons.US-centric content
Discussion about game being too focused on US sports teams and culture, making it challenging for international players. Some argue it's acceptable while others point to similar issues with NYT Games requiring US cultural knowledge.UI improvements
Players request keyboard input for desktop, clearer instructions for first-time users, better visibility of puzzle navigation, and showing solutions when players fail. Additional suggestions include adding "give up" button.
4Apple’s Darwin OS and XNU Kernel Deep Dive
- A detailed exploration of Apple's Darwin operating system and its XNU kernel's evolution, from its origins in the Mach microkernel and BSD Unix to its modern implementation in macOS and iOS. The post traces the technical history, architecture, and key developments of XNU through various transitions and releases.
Darwin vs Linux
Discussion about whether Apple should have used Linux instead of Darwin/XNU, with arguments about control, timing, and ecosystem diversity. Most agree Apple's choice made sense given NeXT history and need for control.Technical documentation
Discussion about structuring and maintaining technical documentation, focusing on keeping docs in sync with code and using proper knowledge organization approaches like BSD's man pages system.Security features
Deep discussion of Apple's advanced security architecture including code signing, entitlements, Seatbelt sandboxing and how these integrate with XNU kernel to provide strong security guarantees.
5Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer (2016)
- This article discusses effective job negotiation strategies, emphasizing that negotiation is a learnable skill rather than an innate talent. It outlines key principles including treating job hunting as selling your labor, always negotiating offers, getting everything in writing, keeping options open, and protecting information during the negotiation process.
Negotiation fundamentals
Discussion of how understanding basic negotiation principles and having confidence to ask for raises is valuable, even if the tactics seem obvious. Book "Fearless Salary Negotiation" helped multiple people gain this confidence.Willingness to walk away
Being prepared to leave gives strongest negotiating position. Many shared stories of getting better offers after resigning or having another job lined up. However, using resignation as negotiation can burn bridges.Information asymmetry
Not disclosing salary expectations first can lead to better offers. Several discussed whether to anchor high or withhold numbers. New salary transparency laws are changing the dynamics but core principles remain valid.
6The ADHD body double: A unique tool for getting things done
- ADHD body doubling is a productivity strategy where someone sits quietly near a person with ADHD while they work. The presence of this "body double" helps maintain focus, increase motivation, and reduce distractions. While the exact scientific reason isn't proven, many find it effective for completing tasks that would otherwise be challenging to accomplish alone.
Return to office challenges
Debate over RTO policies leading to isolation despite in-office presence. Employees working with headphones in rows, using Teams/Jira while physically together. Mixed experiences with collaborative vs isolated office environments.Body doubling effectiveness
Discussion of using body doubling services like Focusmate for productivity. Many find it surprisingly effective despite skepticism. Works well for ADHD but experiences vary. Some prefer complete isolation.Noise and focus
Using white noise, music and sound masking to improve focus in noisy office environments. Various tools and techniques shared, including websites and apps. Particularly helpful for those with ADHD/focus issues.
7Self-Driving Teslas Are Fatally Rear-Ending Motorcyclists More Than Any Other
- The analysis of NHTSA data reveals that Tesla vehicles in self-driving mode have been involved in at least five fatal motorcycle crashes since 2022, with most incidents involving Teslas rear-ending motorcyclists. This issue appears unique to Tesla, as no other self-driving manufacturers reported motorcycle fatalities during the same period.
Statistical significance concerns
Debate over whether Tesla's accident numbers are meaningful without accounting for base rates, total miles driven, and comparative data from other manufacturers' self-driving systemsMotorcycle safety perspective
Motorcyclists discuss vulnerability to rear-end collisions, defensive strategies like maintaining escape routes, and lane filtering as potential solutions to reduce risk at stopsTesla's sensor strategy
Discussion of Tesla's controversial decision to remove radar/LIDAR and rely solely on cameras, with many arguing this compromises safety and shows poor judgment in autonomous vehicle development
8Recreating Daft Punk's Something About Us
- The article discusses recreating Daft Punk's "Something About Us" in Ableton Live 12, breaking down each musical element and the French Touch genre's cultural context. It explores the challenges of replicating vintage sounds with modern tools and details the process of rebuilding various instruments and effects from the original track.
Sampling in electronic music
Discussion of how Daft Punk and other electronic artists extensively used samples in their work, with debate about whether sampling requires less musical skill than traditional instrumentation. Many commenters share links to sample breakdowns.Song recreation tutorials
Sharing of YouTube videos and resources showing how famous electronic songs were created, with focus on recreating samples and synth sounds. Discussion includes recommendations for learning music production.AI-generated content concerns
Criticism of using AI-generated imagery and text in an article about creative music production, especially given Daft Punk member's stated concerns about AI technology.
9Emulating an iPhone in QEMU
- This document details the journey of implementing iOS emulation, starting with exploring existing open-source solutions and gradually working through various technical challenges. The team worked on enabling software rendering, debugging kernel and userspace components, handling address randomization, and implementing framebuffer support to achieve a functional iOS emulation with UI capabilities.
Legacy app preservation
Discussion about using QEMU to emulate older versions of iOS to run early iPhone apps and games for historical preservation, with specific focus on iOS 3.x and 32-bit app compatibilityApple's platform control
Debate about Apple's reluctance to support multiplatform iOS development, with consensus that Apple's business model and corporate culture prioritize hardware sales and ecosystem controlPostmarketOS integration
Suggestions to run iOS via QEMU on Android phones using postmarketOS, though concerns raised about hardware support limitations and practical usability challenges
10Trump's Tariff Formula Makes No Economic Sense. It's Also Based on an Error
- President Trump announced widespread tariffs on foreign countries, ranging from 10% to 50%, leading to a stock market decline. The tariffs, based on trade deficits, were criticized for using a flawed formula that inflated the rates. Correcting the calculation error would significantly reduce the tariff rates for most countries.
Formula flaws
Discussion of technical issues with Trump's tariff formula, including how it punishes circular trade patterns, ignores services, and disproportionately affects poor countries. Debate over whether formula came from LLMs or Excel.Political motivations
Speculation about Trump's true motives for the tariffs, including market manipulation for personal gain, consolidating power, and whether policies are meant to benefit America vs Russia or oligarchs.Economic impact
Analysis of tariffs' effects on specific countries like Lesotho's garment industry, potential manufacturing shifts to robots, and broader implications for global trade and the US economy.