Hacker News
1Kill your Feeds – Stop letting algorithms dictate what you think
- Social media algorithms have evolved from connecting friends to controlling what we see and think. Companies prioritize engagement over user wellbeing, creating algorithmic bubbles that reinforce beliefs and breed extremism. Users can fight back by directly accessing content, avoiding feeds, and being mindful of manipulation tactics.
Giving credit for ideas
Discussion about properly attributing content inspiration, specifically regarding an article being based on a Technology Connections video, with general agreement that sharing similar ideas isn't stealing if credit is given.Recommendation algorithms
Debate on the value vs. harm of algorithmic content recommendations, with some arguing for their discovery benefits while others advocate for user control and "responsible" recommendation systems.Breaking feed addiction
Strategies for reducing dependence on social media feeds, including reframing online arguments, focusing on individual subreddits, and finding alternative ways to discover content without algorithmic manipulation.
2Introducing command And commandfor In HTML
- Chrome 135 introduces new command and commandfor attributes for buttons, enhancing web interactivity and accessibility. These attributes enable declarative behavior control, replacing older popovertarget attributes and simplifying common functionality like opening menus, toggling actions, and managing dialogs without complex JavaScript implementations.
Comefrom and goto history
Discussion of programming language history around COMEFROM/GOTO constructs, with jokes about INTERCAL's implementation and comparisons to modern event handling, highlighting how old concepts get reinvented in web technologies.Html vs javascript complexity
Debate about whether moving functionality from JS to HTML attributes is beneficial or just shifting complexity around. Some argue it improves readability and accessibility, while others warn about recreating programming features in HTML.Platform standardization concerns
Discussion about how quickly web features are deprecated/replaced, browser compatibility issues, and whether the constant evolution of web standards makes it harder for alternative browsers to compete.
3Europe's most wanted man plotted my murder and that of my colleague
- The article details how investigative journalist Christo Grozev became a target of FSB surveillance following his team's exposé of Alexei Navalny's poisoning. Jan Marsalek, a fugitive fraudster working with the FSB, organized surveillance operations using Bulgarian and Austrian operatives, though their efforts were often amateurish and ineffective.
Wirecard investigation
German authorities investigated FT reporters instead of Wirecard's Jan Marsalek, who was likely a Russian agent. Austrian politicians helped him escape. Discussion of potential movies/shows about the scandal ensued.Navalny assassination
Debate about Putin's motives for poisoning Navalny, with consensus that it serves to intimidate future opposition and demonstrate power. Discussion of Russia's pattern of using poison against enemies.Russian surveillance tactics
Detailed discussion of FSB's elaborate attempts to track journalists and activists, including device theft, tracking installations, kidnapping plots, and surveillance on flights.
4AI tools are spotting errors in research papers
- Two new AI tools, the Black Spatula Project and YesNoError, are being developed to detect errors in research papers, including calculations, methodology, and references. While showing promise in catching mistakes, these tools face challenges with false positives and require human verification.
AI as error detection tool
Broad support for AI helping catch mistakes in papers before/during peer review, though concerns about false positives. Most agree it should augment not replace human reviewers and could help catch statistical/technical errors outside reviewers' expertise.Potential for fraud
Discussion of how bad actors could use AI to make fraudulent papers harder to detect, though counterarguments note that published papers remain subject to future improved detection tools and reproducibility requirements.False positives burden
Current implementation shows high false positive rate (~35%), creating extra work for researchers. Debate over whether the overhead is worth it, with some comparing to similar issues in AI-generated software bug reports.
5Feds Link Cyberheist to 2022 LastPass Hacks
- U.S. federal investigators confirmed that a $150 million cryptocurrency heist in 2024 was linked to the LastPass data breach from 2022, where thieves cracked master passwords to access victims' cryptocurrency wallets. LastPass denies any conclusive evidence connecting the thefts to their security incident.
Password manager security architecture
Discussion of how 1Password's two-factor encryption with secret key provides better security than LastPass's single password approach, and how LastPass's unencrypted metadata made targeting valuable vaults easierLocal vs cloud password management
Debate between offline password managers like KeePassXC vs cloud services, discussing tradeoffs between security, convenience and syncing across devices/family membersLastPass breach handling
Criticism of LastPass's poor incident response, weak security practices (low iteration counts), and dismissive stance toward evidence linking breaches to cryptocurrency thefts
6PayPal honey extension has again "featured" flag in Chrome web store
- Multiple users report negative experiences with Honey, criticizing it as a scam that steals from affiliates and content creators. While one user praised it for saving money through coupon codes, most warn against using it and suggest searching for discount codes directly through Google instead.
Chrome's decline and alternatives
Discussion of Chrome becoming "disgusting" with manifest v2 removal and support for scam extensions, leading users to consider alternatives like Firefox and Vivaldi, though each browser has its own drawbacksHoney's deceptive practices
Examination of how Honey, while marketed as a coupon-finding tool, actually colludes with merchants and hijacks affiliate commissions. Discussion of its high rating despite controversy and influencer-driven popularityUser behavior with affiliate links
Debate about whether users should click affiliate links vs searching directly, with some arguing for convenience while others express concerns about tracking and security
7Ask HN: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?
- Seeking individuals who wear prescription glasses but experience vision issues during screen time for a research discussion. No sales involved. Contact via comment or email at jbornhorst@gmail.com for a 20-30 minute chat at your convenience.
Computer-specific glasses
Many users report success with "intermediate distance" or "computer" glasses specifically prescribed for screen viewing distance (~3ft), rather than using standard or progressive lenses, which can cause strain and headaches.Lens material quality
Discussion of how lens material affects vision - high-index materials can cause chromatic aberration. Glass provides best quality but is heavy, polycarbonate is poor, while Trivex offers good balance of properties.Eye strain causes
Users discuss how reduced blinking when using screens leads to dry eyes and strain. Solutions include artificial tears, proper monitor positioning, and getting checked for conditions like keratoconus.
8Undocumented backdoor found in Bluetooth chip used by a billion devices
- Researchers discovered an undocumented backdoor in widely-used ESP32 microchips that could enable device impersonation, unauthorized data access, and potential network attacks. With over 1 billion units deployed in IoT devices worldwide, this security vulnerability poses significant risks for connected devices.
Backdoor classification debate
Discussion whether undocumented hardware debugging commands constitute a true "backdoor". Most argue it requires local access and is common in hardware, while others warn about potential security implications.Device access implications
Debate about security risks of low-level device access - some argue it's harmless if requiring local control, others worry about persistence and privilege escalation scenarios through Bluetooth interfaces.Impact on open hardware
Concerns that sensationalized security reporting could discourage hardware manufacturers like Espressif from maintaining open approaches and documentation, pushing them toward more closed systems.
9Vtm: Text-Based Desktop Environment
- vtm is a text-based application that creates terminal user interfaces using text cells in a matrix format. It can run in its own GUI window on Windows or in terminal emulators on Unix-like systems. The tool allows nesting of console applications to build text-based desktop environments and supports multiple platforms including Windows, Linux, and BSD variants.
Terminal vs GUI evolution
Discussion about how GUI replaced TUI, only for TUI to make a comeback with GUI-like features, and even GUIs implementing terminal emulators, creating a full circle of interface evolution.Project classification
Debate about whether this is a terminal multiplexer like tmux, a tiling window manager, or its own unique thing that combines aspects of both with drag-and-drop functionality.Mouse vs keyboard workflow
Contrasting views between users who prefer mouse-based window management versus those who favor keyboard-driven workflows like tmux/vim, discussing efficiency and cognitive load.
10Show HN: Open-Source DocumentAI with Ollama
- RLAMA is a document processing tool that enables local document indexing, querying and interactive sessions across multiple file formats using Ollama models. It supports various document types, offers easy management through simple commands, and ensures all processing happens locally for data privacy.
Chunking and RAG implementation
Discussion of how the tool lacks document chunking functionality, limiting its effectiveness for large documents. Users suggest implementing proper chunking with metadata and showing search results alongside AI summaries.Security and privacy concerns
Users discuss file system access concerns, data sharing risks, and suggestions for containerization. Discussion includes recommendations for using Docker containers and limiting internet access.Technical architecture
Developers discuss the tech stack using Go, Ollama API, and local filesystem storage. Debate around using established vector databases versus custom implementations, with suggestions for alternatives.