Hacker News
1Many ransomware strains will abort if they detect a Russian keyboard installed (2021)
- The article discusses how ransomware often includes a safety feature preventing installation on computers with Russian or Ukrainian keyboards, as cybercriminals avoid targeting CIS countries to prevent local law enforcement attention. Installing these keyboards could potentially serve as a defensive measure against certain malware attacks.
Running without admin rights
Discussion about effectiveness of non-admin Windows accounts for malware protection. While it helps prevent system compromise, modern malware can still encrypt user files and exfiltrate data without admin rights.Malware sandbox detection
How malware checks for VM/sandbox environments through hardware indicators like CPU cores, drive space, and temperature sensors. Debate on effectiveness of making real machines look like sandboxes.Russian keyboard protection
Russian ransomware groups avoid targeting Russian systems due to legal immunity agreements. Installing Russian keyboard layouts can trick malware, though some question if this still works after public disclosure.
2Gridfinity: The modular, open-source grid storage system
- Gridfinity is an open-source modular storage system that uses 42x42x7mm units for workshop organization. Inspired by Alexander Chappels' design and created by Zack Freedman, it offers customizable 3D-printable storage solutions through online generators, supported by an active community.
Physical storage solutions
Discussion of various storage systems like Gridfinity, Honeycomb Wall, and cardboard alternatives, comparing their benefits, compatibility, and licensing terms for organizing tools and small items.3D printing practicality
Debate about whether 3D printing storage containers is worth the time/effort vs buying mass-produced versions, with arguments about customization benefits and print-on-demand convenience.Custom sizing challenges
Discussion of difficulties with standard grid sizes not perfectly fitting drawers, proposed solutions like half-size grids, and methods for creating custom-sized storage solutions.
3Ask HN: What Are You Working On? (June 2025)
- The content is asking about current work projects and inquiring about potential new ideas or thoughts under consideration.
Laboratory.love food testing
Crowdfunding platform for testing consumer products for plastic chemicals and contaminants. Users fund tests of specific products, get detailed lab results. Sparked discussion of testing rice for arsenic and herbs for heavy metals.Vexlio diagram maker
New web app for creating technical diagrams competing with Visio and Lucid. Focus on simplicity, LaTeX integration, and computational geometry. Users discussed features like offline desktop version and seamless object connections.Nest thermostat replacement
Open-source project to replace internals of 2nd gen Nest thermostats before Google ends support in 2025. Involves reverse engineering encoder ring and creating new PCB for Home Assistant integration.
4Loss of key US satellite data could send hurricane forecasting back 'decades'
- A crucial U.S. weather satellite program (DMSP) will be halted by June 30, 2025, potentially impacting hurricane forecasting and Arctic sea ice monitoring. Scientists warn this could set forecasting back decades, as these satellites provide unique data for tracking storms and climate changes.
Program discontinuation
Discussion about whether this was a new policy change or planned shutdown from 2015, with debate over remaining operational satellites and their capabilities versus newer JPSS/GEOSS systemsClimate data suppression
Arguments that blocking satellite data access is politically motivated to prevent tracking of climate change impacts, with implications for hurricane forecasting and insurance risk assessmentImpact on coastal states
Debate over how data loss affects hurricane-prone states like Florida and Texas, with discussion of political implications and whether affected states' voters supported policies leading to this outcome
5The $25k car is going extinct?
- Affordable new cars under $25,000 are becoming increasingly rare, dropping from 23% of sales in 2019 to just 4.8% in 2025. Automakers prefer producing expensive vehicles due to higher profit margins, as fixed costs remain similar regardless of price point. This trend has led to the discontinuation of many budget-friendly models and price hikes on remaining affordable options.
Car prices vs inflation
Debate over whether car price increases are mainly due to inflation (26-29%) or other factors. Some argue inflation comparison is meaningless since cars are part of CPI. Others point to wages not keeping pace with car costs.Car repair complexity
Discussion of how modern cars are over-engineered and difficult to repair compared to older vehicles. Simple fixes that used to cost nothing now require expensive sensors and computer diagnostics.Chinese competition
Analysis of how Western automakers risk losing market share by abandoning affordable vehicles while Chinese manufacturers offer EVs at much lower prices, though currently blocked from US market via tariffs.
6The New Skill in AI Is Not Prompting, It's Context Engineering
- Context Engineering is evolving beyond prompt engineering, focusing on providing AI models with comprehensive, dynamic information needed for tasks. It involves integrating various elements like system prompts, conversation history, long-term memory, and tools, making AI agents more effective by ensuring they have the right context at the right time.
Context vs prompt engineering
Debate over whether "context engineering" is meaningfully different from prompt engineering, with many arguing it's just rebranding the same trial-and-error approach with non-deterministic modelsBuilding and understanding LLMs
Discussion about whether hands-on experience building LLMs is necessary for truly understanding them, similar to how building compilers helps understand them, versus using them as black box toolsData and evaluation importance
Emphasis on proper data context, evaluation metrics, and testing when building AI systems - many projects lack rigorous evaluation frameworks which makes improvement difficult to measure
7There are no new ideas in AI only new datasets
- <p>The article discusses AI progress, arguing that major breakthroughs in AI aren't primarily driven by new technical innovations, but rather by accessing new data sources. It suggests that future advances will likely come from unlocking untapped data sources like video content or robotic interactions, rather than novel algorithms or methods.</p>
Transfer learning in game AI
Discussion of John Carmack's experiments showing negative transfer when AI models trained on one game try to play new games, questioning whether current approaches develop true intelligence vs narrow expertiseMultimodal intelligence
Debate about whether language/vision are sufficient for AI or if other sensory modalities (touch, smell, proprioception) are needed for true intelligence, with some arguing online interaction needs only audio/visual/textInnovation in AI research
Discussion on whether progress comes mainly from new datasets vs novel architectures/ideas, with perspectives ranging from "all new ideas come from old ones" to examples of genuine architectural innovations
8Show HN: TokenDagger – A tokenizer faster than OpenAI's Tiktoken
- TokenDagger is a faster C++ alternative to OpenAI's Tiktoken tokenizer, offering up to 4x speed improvement for code tokenization and 2-3x higher throughput for large text files. It maintains compatibility with existing token rules while optimizing performance through improved regex handling.
Performance optimization tradeoffs
Discussion of C++ vs Python for ML, with consensus that Python remains good for research/orchestration while performance-critical parts should be optimized in C++/CUDA. Python's iteration speed and ecosystem advantages highlighted.Tokenization bottlenecks
Debate on importance of tokenizer optimization, with most agreeing it's not a major bottleneck since it runs on CPU while GPU operations dominate. However, major companies still invest in fast tokenizers.Implementation and compatibility
Focus on making TokenDagger a true drop-in replacement for TikToken, discussion of special token handling, and comparisons with other tokenizer implementations like SentencePiece and HuggingFace.
9Bloom Filters by Example
- A Bloom filter is a probabilistic data structure that efficiently determines if an element exists in a set, using hash functions and a bit vector. It guarantees when elements are not in the set but may have false positives. The structure offers trade-offs between size, speed, and accuracy through configurable parameters.
Learning and understanding
Multiple users express appreciation for finally learning about Bloom filters through the article's explanation. Discussion highlights the conceptual overlap with hash tables and sets, with developers sharing their journey to understanding.Practical applications
Users share real-world implementations including log message anti-spam, iBooks search, Cassandra database optimization, and Chromium browser. Several mention using tiny 32/64-bit filters that proved surprisingly effective.Career reflections
Several developers reminisce about working with Bloom filters and GPU programming in their early careers, discussing missed opportunities in light of current AI/GPU market demands.
10Show HN: New Ensō – first public beta
- Ensō is a minimalist writing tool designed to promote flow state by preventing self-editing during the writing process. After extensive usage and refinement over 6 years, the creator aims to make the tool more streamlined and user-friendly.
Writing without editing
Discussion about the benefits and drawbacks of preventing editing while writing. Some praise it for enabling brain dumping and surfacing hidden thoughts, while others prefer the ability to edit as they write.Interface preferences
Users discuss desired features like font choices (especially fixed-width), cursor behavior, and distraction-free writing modes. Developers note being conservative about adding UI elements to maintain focus.Coffee shop mode
Feature for privacy while writing in public spaces generates interest, with discussions about browser extensions and voice input privacy tools for public writing.