Hacker News
1Plain Vanilla Web
- This guide explores modern web development without frameworks or build tools, focusing on Web Components, CSS, and vanilla JavaScript techniques. It's designed for experienced developers seeking simpler, maintenance-free alternatives to complex frameworks.
Framework necessity
Debate over whether frameworks are truly needed, with some arguing plain JS/HTML suffices for most sites while others point out frameworks' benefits for complex apps. Division between simple content sites vs. complex web applications.Web components viability
Discussion of web components' limitations around data passing, state management and overhead. Many feel they aren't a complete replacement for frameworks like React/Vue despite being useful for component encapsulation.Website vs. web application
Many B2B/internal tools don't need complex web interfaces - spreadsheets and email often work better. Web interfaces add unnecessary complexity when simpler solutions like file templates would suffice.
2Leaving Google
- A software engineer reflects on leaving Google after 19 years, primarily working on the Go programming language. He discusses his contributions, including adding generics support and managing the team, while acknowledging Go's unexpected success and evolution. Despite leaving, he remains interested in Go's future development.
Ian's positive impact
Numerous Googlers praised Ian Lance Taylor's code review style as polite, firm and informative. His contributions to Go, gcc and other projects were highly valued and his departure seen as a significant loss.Google's cultural shift
Discussion focused on how Google has changed from engineering-driven culture to more corporate environment with increased management pressure, AI focus, and declining autonomy, leading to exodus of senior engineers.Early Google nostalgia
Debate about whether a company like early Google could exist today, with most agreeing its engineering-focused culture was unique to that era and unlikely to be replicated in current business environment.
3US vs. Google amicus curiae brief of Y Combinator in support of plaintiffs [pdf]
Breaking up Google's services
Debate over consequences of dismantling Google - some argue it would destroy essential services while others contend breakup is necessary to restore competition. Core dispute centers on whether Google's integration of services is beneficial or anti-competitive.Government antitrust timing
Discussion of antitrust action coming late in Google's dominance cycle, similar to Microsoft case. Questions whether regulation happens after peak market power when alternatives (like AI) emerge rather than during peak monopoly period.Search index separation
Proposal to separate Google's search index from other operations, with debate over feasibility and impact. Some support it as promoting competition while others warn it could destroy Google's business model.
4One-Click RCE in Asus's Preinstalled Driver Software
- A security researcher discovered critical vulnerabilities in ASUS DriverHub software that could allow attackers to execute malicious code through its update mechanism. After reporting the issues to ASUS, they were patched and assigned CVE-2025-3462 and CVE-2025-3463. While no evidence of exploitation was found, ASUS acknowledged the researcher in their hall of fame.
Responsible disclosure debate
Debate over whether responsible disclosure helps or hurts security. Some argue immediate public disclosure forces companies to act faster, while others say it puts users at risk. EU regulations and liability discussed as alternative solutions.ASUS's poor security practices
Criticism of ASUS for not offering bug bounties despite $15B market cap, having repeated security issues, and poor software quality. Many users express losing trust in the company and vowing to avoid their products.Hardware vendor software issues
Discussion of widespread problems with hardware manufacturer software, including buggy drivers, unnecessary bloatware, privacy issues, and poor security practices. Linux cited as having a better hardware support model.
5Observations from people-watching
- An insightful observation of human behavior at weddings, exploring how people's internal states manifest through their interactions, body language, and conversational patterns. The author describes various personality types, from those who exude genuine happiness to those masking insecurities, and how trust and self-acceptance shape relationships.
People reading abilities
Discussion about how accurate people are at "reading" others, with many arguing it's often projection and confirmation bias, though some defend it as a real skill when done carefully with proper awareness of limitationsJudging vs observing
Debate over whether the author's observations are insightful people-watching or overly judgmental assumptions, with arguments about the ethics and validity of making quick assessments of strangersWedding observations
Specific discussion of observing people at weddings, including debate over whether such a specific context allows for valid generalizations about personality and behavior
6The Deathbed Fallacy (2018)
- The article challenges the "Deathbed Fallacy," which is the assumption that deathbed regrets should guide how we live today. It argues that deathbed perspective isn't reliable for three reasons: it's not a representative state of life, people misunderstand their past selves, and today's world differs significantly from when most dying people lived their lives.
Terminal perspective
First-hand account from someone with terminal cancer discusses how priorities shift but core values remain, challenging assumptions about deathbed wisdom. Objects and projects lose meaning while relationships gain importance.Religious wisdom
Ancient religious/philosophical texts across cultures have long advocated contemplating mortality to guide life choices, suggesting deathbed regrets are just a modern version of timeless human wisdom.Work-life balance
Debate over whether deathbed advice overemphasizes personal relationships vs career/financial security. Discussion of tradeoffs between immediate gratification and future wellbeing, and sampling bias in deathbed perspectives.
7I built a native Windows Todo app in pure C (278 KB, no frameworks)
- A native Windows Todo application built with C and Win32 API, offering essential task management features like creating, editing, and deleting todos, along with system tray integration and auto-start capabilities. The app stores data persistently in AppData and maintains a clean Windows look and feel.
Win32 API programming
Discussion of Win32 GUI programming techniques, including memory functions, API wrappers like WTL, and Raymond Chen's blog insights about API design decisions dating back to 8088 processor daysApplication size
Debate about the 278KB executable size, with many arguing it could be much smaller through optimization techniques like proper linking options, DLL usage, and compiler flagsModern vs native features
Discussion of missing modern features like DPI awareness, tab support, and text selection, with suggestions for adding them through manifest files and API calls
8In 2025, venture capital can't pretend everything is fine any more
- A critical analysis of the venture capital industry's struggles in 2025, highlighting its heavy reliance on AI investments (particularly OpenAI) while other sectors decline. The industry faces challenges from Trump's tariffs, higher interest rates, and lack of successful exits, with no clear strategy for recovery except hope.
Ai progress assessment
Debate over whether recent AI models show meaningful progress vs early versions, with some arguing improvements are marginal while others point to advances in vision, speech and multimodal capabilitiesVenture capital dynamics
Discussion of VC business models, management fees, and changing investment patterns, with focus on how VCs make money regardless of fund performance through management feesMicro-saas trend
Emergence of smaller, bootstrapped SaaS businesses as alternative to VC-funded scaling, with entrepreneurs leveraging personal brands and communities instead of traditional venture funding
9Address of Pope Leo XIV to the College of Cardinals
- The newly elected Pope addresses the College of Cardinals, expressing gratitude for their support and choosing the name Leo XIV. He emphasizes continuing the Church's path following Vatican II, focusing on missionary work, social justice, and addressing modern challenges like artificial intelligence while defending human dignity.
Catholic views on AI and human dignity
Discussion of how the Church sees AI as potentially threatening human dignity, with debate around Catholic theology on souls, intellect and whether AI truly poses theological/philosophical challenges.Industrial revolution parallels
Comparison between AI's impact and industrial revolution effects on society, with focus on how technological gains were eventually but slowly distributed, requiring social reforms to benefit majority.Papal document interpretation
Analysis of Rerum Novarum and its modern relevance, debating whether it primarily focused on rejecting socialism or offered meaningful solutions for protecting workers' rights.
10For $595, you get what nobody else can give you for twice the price (1982) [pdf]
Commodore 64 technical comparison
Discussion of C64's marketing claims vs competitors, focusing on questionable comparisons in RAM, display capabilities, and "smart peripherals." Notable debate about C64's disk drive having its own CPU but being slower than competitors.Programming experience
Mixed experiences learning to program on C64 - some found BASIC limiting and frustrating with its reliance on POKE commands, while others credit it for launching their programming careers and appreciate its depth.Price and market position
Analysis of C64's $595 price point ($2,017 in 2024 dollars) and market positioning against higher-end computers, with debate about excluded lower-cost competitors and regional market differences.