Hacker News
1US Trade Court finds Trump tariffs illegal
- US trade court judges ruled Trump's global tariffs illegal, siding with Democratic states and small businesses who challenged his use of emergency law. The court gave the administration 10 days to address the ruling but provided no specific instructions for unwinding the tariffs.
Legal basis and powers
Discussion of constitutional separation of powers, executive authority limits, and various laws (like Tariff Act of 1930) that govern presidential trade powers, including debate over emergency powers abuseCourt enforcement
Debate over whether court rulings matter anymore given recent precedent of ignoring judicial decisions, and whether individuals in government could face consequences for non-complianceEconomic impact
Discussion of potential refunds for illegally collected tariffs, effects on prices, corporate behavior around maintaining higher prices, and implications for government budget planning
2WeatherStar 4000+: Weather Channel Simulator
- A basic weather display interface prompting users to input their location to access weather information.
Recreating WeatherStar 4000
Someone reverse engineered the WeatherStar 4000 weather report system, writing new firmware to replicate 90s Weather Channel graphics. The creator taught himself assembly and C during the project, though hasn't shared the software publicly.Music nostalgia
Discussion about The Weather Channel's iconic smooth jazz/fusion background music, including artists like Pat Metheny and The Rippingtons. The music triggered strong nostalgic reactions and memories for many viewers.DIY implementations
Users shared their own recreations of the Weather Channel display, including a Raspberry Pi setup with 3D printed CRT-style monitor, and requests for adapting it for different uses like streaming and international locations.
3Japan Post launches 'digital address' system
- Japan Post has introduced a digital address system that assigns seven-digit codes to physical addresses, enabling automatic address input on online shopping sites. Users can register through Yu ID service, with their codes remaining constant even after address changes. Major companies like Rakuten are considering adopting the system.
Package delivery innovation
Discussion of future delivery methods, including mobile lockers, dynamic routing to find recipients, and privacy benefits. Debate between door delivery vs pickup locations, with Poland's parcel locker system cited as successful example.Japan's addressing system
Commentary on Japan's complex address numbering based on chronological building additions rather than street names. The new digital system maintains this complexity while adding convenience for updates.Privacy and security concerns
Discussion of risks around digital addresses being discoverable by third parties, potential for stalking, and Japan Post's countermeasures including immediate code deletion and abnormal search detection.
4Deepseek R1-0528
- DeepSeek-R1-0528 is a text generation model with 685B parameters that offers multiple tensor types and inference capabilities. The model has gained traction in the community with 7 spaces using it, 2 finetunes, and 1 quantization variant. It's part of the DeepSeek-R1 collection which includes 9 items.
Hardware requirements
Discussion of computing resources needed to run the model locally, from expensive server setups with 768GB RAM to quantized versions on consumer hardware, with most agreeing it's impractical for average users to self-hostOpen source status
Debate about whether the model is truly "open source" since only weights are available, not training data. Discussion of what open source means in AI context and how different artifacts need different classificationsModel benchmarks
Questions about model performance and reliability of benchmarks, with some arguing benchmarks are becoming less meaningful as models are tuned specifically for tests rather than general capabilities
5My website is ugly because I made it
- A personal reflection on web design philosophy, describing how the author evolved their website from minimalist to deliberately chaotic, embracing imperfection and personality over conventional design wisdom, much like a mother preferring her child's art over professional pieces.
Joy in building vs having
Many developers prefer handcrafting their personal websites over using templates because they find joy in the building process itself, likening it to maintaining a classic car - it's about the journey and creative control rather than the destination.Handcrafted showcase
Developers share their bespoke websites and tools, including custom static site generators, CSS frameworks, and unique features. They take pride in building everything from scratch and continuously improving their sites.Ugly vs conformity
Discussion around whether "ugly" personal websites represent valuable non-conformity in an increasingly templated web, with some praising uniqueness while others argue for balance between creativity and usability.
6Long live American Science and Surplus
- American Science & Surplus, a quirky retail shop in Milwaukee facing financial challenges, launched a GoFundMe to help with relocation costs. Known for its eclectic mix of scientific equipment, novelty items, and unusual merchandise, the store has become a beloved local institution that provides a unique shopping experience for curious minds of all ages.
Impact on young makers
Multiple stories of the store helping students with science fair projects and inspiring youth interest in electronics. Staff provided patient guidance and encouragement, leading some into technical careers.Decline of surplus stores
Discussion of how these stores have shifted from selling genuine surplus electronics to consumer goods. Attributed to manufacturing moving overseas, reduced surplus availability, and competition from online retailers.Similar stores nationwide
People sharing memories and recommendations of similar surplus/electronics stores across US cities, with many noting beloved locations that have closed due to rising rents and changing retail landscape.
7Getting a Cease and Desist from Waffle House
- A developer created an unofficial Waffle House Index website during Hurricane Helene by scraping store closure data, leading to social media attention and eventually receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Waffle House for trademark violations, though the interaction ended amicably despite the site being taken down.
Trademark and legal concerns
Discussion of whether removing branding would have allowed the site to continue, trademark defense requirements, and various examples of cease & desist letters received by other projectsMade-up scientific names
Debate about companies using invented scientific-sounding names for marketing, particularly around Danone's yogurt bacteria naming and whether this practice is acceptable or misleadingWaffle house index usage
Discussion of how FEMA uses the Waffle House Index informally to assess disaster impact, and Waffle House's desire to distance itself from being associated with disasters
8Gurus of 90s Web Design: Zeldman, Siegel, Nielsen
- In 1997, three influential web design philosophies emerged with the rise of Flash and CSS: David Siegel advocated for using HTML "hacks" to enhance visual appeal, Jakob Nielsen championed simplicity and accessibility, while Jeffrey Zeldman sought to balance aesthetic design with usability standards.
Nielsen's usability approach
Valued for empirical testing with real users and focus on functionality over aesthetics. While critics found him rigid, his emphasis on usability proved influential. Many now recognize he was right about core principles like consistent navigation and fast loading.View source and web evolution
Nostalgia for early web's transparency through view source vs modern obfuscated JS. Discussion contrasts simpler HTML/CSS approaches of the past with today's complex implementations and lost ability to learn directly from others' code.Web design history
Reflection on key figures like Zeldman and Siegel and how perspectives shifted from flashy design to usability focus. Era marked by books, community learning, and transition from print-inspired to web-native design approaches.
9Compiler Explorer and the promise of URLs that last forever
- The article discusses the evolution of Compiler Explorer's URL sharing system from 2012 to 2025. Due to Google's goo.gl link shortener being discontinued, the author is working to preserve thousands of legacy links by creating a database of old URLs, emphasizing the importance of controlling critical infrastructure and preserving programming knowledge.
Link preservation approaches
Discussion of various methods to preserve web content, from PDF saving to browser extensions like SingleFile, with debates about storage space, searchability, and organization of archived pages.URL permanence challenges
Exploration of why URLs don't last forever, including infrastructure impermanence, domain changes, and costs of maintenance, with suggestions for alternative approaches like content-addressed systems.Google's URL shortener shutdown
Impact of Google shutting down goo.gl service, particularly on Compiler Explorer's shared links, and broader discussion about reliance on third-party services for critical infrastructure.
10Run a C# file directly using dotnet run app.cs
- .NET 10 Preview 4 introduces a new feature allowing developers to run C# files directly using 'dotnet run app.cs' without needing a project file. This simplifies getting started with C#, making it more accessible for learning, prototyping, and quick scripting while maintaining compatibility with full project capabilities.
Startup performance concerns
Discussion about .NET script startup overhead of ~0.5-2 seconds, with debates about exact timing, comparison to other languages like Python/Swift, and potential improvements through caching and AOT compilation.Powershell replacement potential
Debate about whether this could replace PowerShell scripts, with some arguing it's superior for .NET shops while others note PowerShell's unique advantages and existing .NET integration capabilities.Linqpad and existing tools
Discussion about how this affects existing tools like LINQPad, with mixed views on whether it obsoletes them due to LINQPad's superior visualization features but dated text editor.