Hacker NewsSunday, June 8

Discussion of HyperCard's influence on computing, with many lamenting how it could have evolved into a more accessible way for non-programmers to create software, potentially changing how we interact with computers today.

This article outlines common misconceptions about aviation data handling, covering false assumptions about flights, airports, airlines, navigation, and transponder systems. It highlights how real-world aviation operations often defy expected norms and standardizations, requiring software systems to handle complex, non-standard scenarios.

Japanese researchers developed biodegradable transparent paper made from cellulose that can replace plastic containers. The material is as strong as polycarbonate, allows visibility of contents, and breaks down in ocean water within 4 months. While production costs are higher than regular paper, it produces less CO2 than plastic manufacturing.

The author discusses their dual role in maintaining FreeBSD on Amazon EC2 and leading FreeBSD release engineering. They received sponsorship from Amazon through GitHub for a year to balance these responsibilities, spending approximately 50 hours per month on various tasks including EC2 development, release management, and engineering work. The sponsorship helped improve several technical features and address performance issues.

Discussion of how LLMs use language deceptively and have clear limitations in complex reasoning tasks, despite appearing intelligent through language. Focus on understanding true capabilities vs illusions.

The article discusses strategies for overcoming procrastination in tech careers, emphasizing that action leads to motivation rather than waiting for motivation to strike. It explores the importance of taking small steps to create positive productivity cycles and includes brief mentions of IEEE microcredentials, AI usage among programmers, and a VR pioneer's career journey.

Breathbelly's 4-7-8 breathing exercise is a free breathing technique designed to help with relaxation and stress management.

This blog post provides a comprehensive guide for C/C++ developers looking to port their programs to web browsers using WebAssembly and Emscripten. It covers essential topics like setting up the development environment, creating basic programs, building libraries, handling multithreading, managing callbacks, and implementing persistent storage, all while addressing common challenges and technical considerations.

Meta and Yandex were found collecting user data on Android devices by bypassing privacy settings. To protect privacy, users are advised to switch from Chrome to more secure browsers like Firefox, Brave, or DuckDuckGo, and remove Meta and Yandex apps from their phones, though Meta can still track web activity regardless.

A beginner-friendly JavaScript library designed to help users create video games without requiring prior programming knowledge, offering an accessible way to learn game development.