Hacker News

1Ireland shuts last coal plant, becomes 15th coal-free country in Europe (2025)

Ireland became the 15th coal-free country in Europe by shutting down its 915 MW Moneypoint coal plant in County Clare. The closure was enabled by Ireland's increased renewable energy generation, particularly wind power which provided 37% of electricity in 2024. The plant will remain as an oil-burning backup facility until 2029 under emergency instructions only.
Coal phase-out tracking and accuracy
Discussion about which European countries have truly never used coal power, with corrections noting Malta, Estonia (oil shale), and others did use coal historically. Debate over accurate tracking of coal commitments and timelines.
Energy imports vs local production
Debate whether countries can claim to be "coal-free" while importing energy from coal-burning neighbors. Discussion of consumption-based vs production-based emissions accounting and Europe's deindustrialization.
Ireland's energy costs and policy
Irish commenters discuss rising energy prices after moving away from domestic coal, with debate over whether renewable transition or other factors (data centers, gas prices, infrastructure) are responsible for costs.

2Agent Safehouse – macOS-native sandboxing for local agents

Safehouse is a macOS-native sandboxing tool that protects against AI agent errors by restricting file system access. It uses a deny-first model where agents only access explicitly granted directories, blocking sensitive files like SSH keys and AWS credentials. The tool installs as a single shell script and automatically sandboxes popular AI agents like Claude and Codex while allowing safe access to current project directories.
Sandboxing approach and effectiveness
Creator explains Agent Safehouse is a policy generator for sandbox-exec that runs agents locally with minimal permissions. Users praise its simplicity but note limitations with file access and process control. Discussion covers tradeoffs between local sandboxing vs cloud isolation.
Security threat models
Two distinct problems identified: accidental destructive actions (solved by filesystem sandboxing) vs prompt injection attacks where agents already have credentials in memory. Debate over whether sandboxing helps with credential exposure and network-based attacks.
Alternative sandboxing solutions
Multiple competing approaches discussed including Sandvault (using Unix users + sandbox-exec), containerization with Docker/Apple containers, and specialized tools like Matchlock with secret injection via MITM proxy for credential protection.

3Ask HN: How to be alone?

A 38-year-old person is struggling with living alone for the first time after a long relationship ended. They find weekends particularly difficult, feel hollow without someone to share daily experiences with, and compare their isolation to "solitary confinement with internet." They're seeking advice and stories from others who've made similar transitions from family life to independence.
Physical exercise and routine
Extensive debate about daily gym attendance vs. proper recovery, with many advocating for consistent physical activity including strength training, cardio, yoga, and outdoor activities like running and cycling as essential for mental health and social connection.
Building social connections and community
Strong emphasis on joining clubs, volunteering, attending religious groups, taking classes, and creating regular social touchpoints. Many stressed that humans are social animals and isolation exacerbates depression.
Learning to be comfortable alone
Discussion of treating solitude as a skill to practice rather than endure, with suggestions for structured alone time, meditation, and reframing loneliness as an opportunity for self-discovery rather than a life sentence.

4US Court of Appeals: TOS may be updated by email, use can imply consent [pdf]

Terms of service legitimacy and enforceability
Discussion centers on whether arbitrary ToS terms should be legally enforceable, with users arguing that power imbalances make current contract law absurd. Many compare it to unreasonable scenarios like McDonald's dictating how to eat burgers.
Disconnecting from digital services
Users share experiences canceling streaming services and avoiding tech dependencies. Discussion covers alternatives like Plex servers, physical media, and the tradeoffs between convenience and privacy/control.
Unilateral contract modifications
Debate over whether companies should be allowed to change existing contract terms without explicit user consent. Users question the legitimacy of "continued use implies agreement" and discuss car infotainment systems forcing ToS updates.

5FontCrafter: Turn your handwriting into a real font

6How the Sriracha guys screwed over their supplier

7LibreOffice Writer now supports Markdown

8I ported Linux to the PS5 and turned it into a Steam Machine

9Building a Procedural Hex Map with Wave Function Collapse

10Cloud VM benchmarks 2026