Hacker News
1Show HN: Use Their ID – Use your local UK MP’s ID for the Online Safety Act
- A user created a website that generates AI-mockup IDs for UK Members of Parliament based on postcodes, as a form of protest against the Online Safety Act. Due to high demand, users are advised to use known postcodes like WC2B6NH from Kier Starmer's constituency.
Third-person UK government activism
Discussion about the history of activist websites monitoring UK government, including "They Work For You" and similar sites, with recognition of early digital activism efforts and contributorsLegal and identity concerns
Debate about potential legal issues around identity fraud, with discussion of whether the site could face legal consequences despite its satirical nature and concerns about advertising that the IDs work on real servicesPolitical voting analysis
Analysis of UK MPs' voting patterns on the Online Safety Act, with discussion of how different parties voted and apparent contradictions between parties' stated positions and actual votes
2Study mode
- OpenAI introduces study mode in ChatGPT, a new learning experience designed to help users work through problems step by step rather than providing direct answers. The feature includes interactive prompts, scaffolded responses, personalized support, and knowledge checks to promote active learning and deeper understanding.
Using LLMs as study partners
Discussion focuses on benefits of asking "stupid" questions without embarrassment and getting step-by-step guidance, while acknowledging concerns about hallucinations and need to verify information.Challenges with LLM responses
Debate around LLMs' tendency to confidently give incorrect information rather than admit uncertainty, with examples of hallucinations and suggestions for better prompting techniques.Study efficacy research
Call for controlled studies on Study Mode's effectiveness vs traditional learning, including questions about benefits over self-directed study and potential integration with spaced repetition tools.
3Claude Code weekly rate limits
- Anthropic is implementing new weekly rate limits for Claude subscribers starting August 28, affecting less than 5% of users. The change aims to address policy violations and ensure fair system access, with most Max 5x users getting 140-280 hours of Sonnet 4 and 15-35 hours of Opus 4 weekly.
Weekly vs other rate limits
Users debate pros/cons of weekly vs daily/hourly limits, with many concerned about being locked out for a full week. Discussion reveals anxiety about opaque usage tracking and intentional design to make users conserve usage.Usage transparency
Strong demand for clear visibility into remaining usage limits. Users frustrated by inability to track consumption, forcing conservative usage. Some recommend third-party tools like ccusage to monitor limits.Power user impacts
Debate around heavy users consuming excessive resources ($13k worth for $200), leading to stricter limits. Some view it as abuse while others argue they're just using what they paid for within terms.
4Sign in with Google in Chrome
- Google displays "Sign in with Google" banners on websites like Yelp in Safari and Firefox, but not in Chrome. While Chrome users avoid these banners, they face a different One Tap dialog when signed into Google. This can be disabled in Chrome settings, showing how Google favors its own browser over competitors.
Privacy and tracking concerns
Users express strong concerns about Google tracking visits and collecting personal data through the popup, especially problematic on sensitive sites. Many share methods to block tracking using uBlock Origin and browser settings.FedCM standard implementation
Discussion of Google's implementation of the FedCM open standard, with debates about whether it's truly open or an anti-competitive move. Mozilla and Safari's tepid response to implementation is noted.User experience disruption
Users complain about the popup being intrusive, causing accidental clicks, and disrupting content viewing. Many compare it to cookie banners as another example of deteriorating web experience.
5My 2.5 year old laptop can write Space Invaders in JavaScript now (GLM-4.5 Air)
- A blog post describes testing the GLM-4.5 Air model on a MacBook Pro, showcasing its ability to generate functional HTML/JavaScript code for a Space Invaders game and create SVG art of a pelican on a bicycle, while reflecting on the rapid advancement of coding-focused language models in 2025.
Progress of open-source LLMs
Discussion of rapid advancement in open-source LLMs over past 2 years, from basic models to now being only ~6 months behind commercial state-of-the-art, with focus on local running capability and fine-tuning improvementsModel capabilities on older hardware
Debate about whether current consumer hardware is being underutilized for AI, with some arguing models are inefficient and could run better on existing machines vs others noting training still requires massive computeFine-tuning techniques
Exchange about tools and methods for LLM fine-tuning, with recommendations for Axolotl, Unsloth and other frameworks, while noting challenges of fine-tuning without destroying model capabilities
6I designed my own fast game streaming video codec – PyroWave
- The article discusses the development of a specialized video codec optimized for low-latency game streaming over local networks. It explores an approach that sacrifices compression efficiency for minimal latency by removing motion prediction and entropy coding, while using wavelet transforms for image processing.
Game engine integration with video codecs
Discussion of potential optimizations by having game engines cooperate with video encoders, including using motion vectors, depth buffers, and separate UI layers, though some argue existing solutions are already well-optimized.VC-2 and JPEG XS codecs
Comparison of VC-2 (open, royalty-free) vs JPEG XS (patented) for ultra-low latency video compression. JPEG XS improves on VC-2's techniques but requires licensing for commercial use.Latency optimization approaches
Discussion of different methods to minimize encoding latency, from hardware encoders like NVENC to custom codecs, and tradeoffs between compression, quality and speed. Sub-10ms latency is considered benchmark.
7FDA has approved Yeztugo, a drug that provides protection against HIV infection
- The FDA has approved Yeztugo, a groundbreaking HIV prevention drug providing near-complete protection through twice-yearly injections. Gilead Sciences is making the drug accessible globally by offering it at no profit to low-income countries and through royalty-free agreements with generic manufacturers.
Drug effectiveness claims
Discussion of clinical trial results and criticism of "100% effective" marketing claims, with data showing ~99% effectiveness in trials and debate about statistical significance of zero infections in some cohorts.Pricing and access
Debate about how Gilead will cover R&D costs while making drug accessible - charging high prices to insured Americans while offering lower prices in developing nations and to uninsured patients.Administration benefits
Advantages of twice-yearly injection format compared to daily pills, particularly for medication adherence and vulnerable populations where carrying HIV medications could be risky.
8Wikimedia Foundation Challenges UK Online Safety Act Regulations
- The Wikimedia Foundation is challenging the UK's Online Safety Act's Categorisation Regulations in London's High Court on July 22-23, 2025. The foundation argues that new regulations threaten Wikipedia's volunteer contributors' privacy and safety, while potentially undermining the platform's integrity and resource allocation.
Parental controls vs state control
Debate over whether online safety should be managed through existing parental controls rather than government regulation, with arguments about parental responsibility and the practicality of device-level restrictions.Wikipedia's legal challenge
Discussion of Wikipedia's narrow legal challenge to avoid Category 1 classification, with criticism of their limited scope and suggestions they should take stronger action like blocking UK access.Encryption and government control
Historical parallels to past attempts to restrict encryption in UK and France, discussion of export controls, and concerns about government overreach in controlling online communications.
9Stop selling “unlimited”, when you mean “until we change our minds”
- Anthropic implemented weekly usage limits on Claude Pro and Max subscriptions, following a pattern seen with other AI companies who initially offer unlimited access before adding restrictions. This approach frustrates power users and damages trust, especially among developers who built workflows around these tools.
Cancellation difficulties
Users report problems canceling Claude subscriptions, with complaints about unclear cancellation processes and dark patterns. After exploration, cancellation option found buried in billing settings. Discussion reveals similar issues with other AI services.Unlimited plans controversy
Debate over whether "unlimited" plans are sustainable or ethical. Many argue true unlimited isn't possible, while others criticize companies for not being transparent about limits. Discussion of pay-per-use vs subscription models.AI dependence concerns
Discussion about whether developers must use AI to remain competitive. Some argue it's essential for future work, while others counter that it's overhyped and may lead to skill degradation and overreliance on tools.
10How to make websites that will require lots of your time and energy
- A satirical guide on making web development unnecessarily complex, suggesting ways to waste time and energy by over-relying on dependencies, prematurely adopting frameworks, and implementing needless compilation steps when building websites.
ORM debate
Extensive discussion on pros/cons of ORMs, with some advocating for their benefits in code organization and security, while others warn of performance issues. Consensus emerges that ORMs are useful for CRUD but need careful use.Over-engineering
Discussion about developers' tendency to make things unnecessarily complex, whether due to career development needs, enjoyment of coding, or lack of discipline in keeping things simple.Build complexity
Debate around compilation/build steps, frameworks, and dependencies, with focus on whether modern web development has become needlessly complicated versus necessary sophistication.