Al Lowe on model trains, funny deaths and working with Disney
This article features an interview with veteran Sierra game developer Al Lowe, discussing his experiences and contributions to beloved adventure games like the Leisure Suit Larry series. Lowe shares insights into the development process, creative challenges, and enduring legacy of his work in the gaming industry.
Hoot: Scheme on WebAssembly
The article discusses the Hoot, a new social media platform that aims to provide a more respectful and constructive online experience by encouraging users to ask thoughtful questions and engage in meaningful discussions.
First Proof
The article presents a new deep learning model, termed 'CascadeX', for object detection and instance segmentation. The model demonstrates state-of-the-art performance on several benchmark datasets, highlighting its potential in real-world computer vision applications.
OpenCiv3: Open-source, cross-platform reimagining of Civilization III
OpenCIV3 is an open-source project aimed at creating a modern, free, and fully customizable civilization-building game. The project aims to provide a robust and extensible platform for players and developers to create and share unique game experiences.
Stories from 25 Years of Software Development
The article reflects on the significant changes and advancements in computing over the past 25 years, including the rise of the internet, smartphones, cloud computing, and social media, and how these technologies have transformed various aspects of our lives and society.
Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback
https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.12501
Software factories and the agentic moment
This article discusses the importance of infrastructure access management, highlighting how strongDM's platform helps organizations securely manage and monitor access to their critical systems and resources.
Start all of your commands with a comma (2009)
The article discusses the use of commas in Unix command-line interfaces, highlighting how commas can be used to separate multiple commands and how this can be useful for improving the readability and organization of complex command sequences.
The Waymo World Model
The article discusses Waymo's development of the Waymo World Model, a new simulation platform for autonomous driving that aims to improve the safety and performance of self-driving cars by creating a highly realistic virtual environment to test and train AI systems.
France's homegrown open source online office suite
Vocal Guide – belt sing without killing yourself
This article provides a comprehensive guide to vocal training, covering topics such as proper breathing techniques, vocal warm-ups, and exercises to improve range and tone. It offers practical advice for singers at all levels, from beginners to experienced professionals.
The AI boom is causing shortages everywhere else
The article discusses the growing investment in artificial intelligence (AI) technology and its potential impact on the economy, including concerns about AI-driven job losses and resulting labor shortages in certain industries.
Coding agents have replaced every framework I used
The article discusses the resurgence of software engineering as a highly sought-after and respected field, driven by the increasing reliance on technology in various industries. It explores the factors contributing to this trend and the growing demand for skilled software engineers.
A Fresh Look at IBM 3270 Information Display System
The article provides an overview of the IBM 3270 Information Display System, a widely used terminal interface for mainframe computers in the 1970s and 1980s. It discusses the system's history, technical specifications, and its continued relevance in modern computing environments.
What Is Stoicism?
Stoicism is an ancient Greek philosophy that emphasizes living in accordance with reason and virtue, focusing on personal responsibility, self-control, and emotional resilience. The article provides an overview of the key principles and practices of Stoicism, highlighting its enduring influence and relevance in modern times.
72M Points of Interest
The article discusses Overture's web-based system for managing Point of Interest (POI) data, which allows developers to efficiently manage and display POI information on their applications. It highlights Overture's features for creating, updating, and analyzing POI data, making it a useful tool for location-based services.
Unseen Footage of Atari Battlezone Arcade Cabinet Production
This article provides a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the iconic Atari Battlezone arcade cabinet in the 1980s, featuring previously unseen footage that offers insights into the manufacturing process and the dedication of the Atari team.
Where did all the starships go?
The article discusses the decline of science fiction in mainstream media, exploring factors such as the genre's perceived niche appeal, the rise of other popular genres, and the challenges faced by science fiction authors in gaining mainstream recognition and success.
Show HN: Look Ma, No Linux: Shell, App Installer, Vi, Cc on ESP32-S3 / BreezyBox
Example repo: https://github.com/valdanylchuk/breezydemo
The underlying ESP-IDF component: https://github.com/valdanylchuk/breezybox
It is something like Raspberry Pi, but without the overhead of a full server-grade OS.
It captures a lot of the old school DOS era coding experience. I created a custom fast text mode driver, plan to add VGA-like graphics next. ANSI text demos run smooth, as you can see in the demo video featured in the Readme.
App installs also work smoothly. The first time it installed 6 apps from my git repo with one command, felt like, "OMG, I got homebrew to run on a toaster!" And best of all, it can install from any repo, no approvals or waiting, you just publish a compatible ELF file in your release.
Coverage:
Hackaday: https://hackaday.com/2026/02/06/breezybox-a-busybox-like-she...
Hackster.io: https://www.hackster.io/news/valentyn-danylchuk-s-breezybox-...
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/esp32/comments/1qq503c/i_made_an_in...
Monty: A minimal, secure Python interpreter written in Rust for use by AI
Monty is a Python library that provides a set of utilities for working with data, including type casting, data validation, and handling of missing values. It aims to simplify data processing tasks and improve the overall quality and reliability of data-driven applications.
Learning from context is harder than we thought
The article discusses Tencent's research into AI systems that can understand and interact with human language, with a focus on developing advanced language models that can engage in natural conversations and assist with a variety of tasks.
Making geo joins faster with H3 indexes
The article discusses how the team at Floe used the H3 geospatial indexing system to significantly improve the performance of geo-join operations, achieving a 400% speed improvement over their previous approach.
British drivers over 70 to face eye tests every three years
The article discusses the growing concern over the potential negative health and environmental impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. It highlights the need for increased regulation and oversight to ensure the responsible development and deployment of AI technology.
Hackers (1995) Animated Experience
The article discusses a hacking incident that occurred in 1995, where a group of hackers gained unauthorized access to a government agency's computer system. It explores the motivations and techniques used by the hackers, as well as the aftermath and implications of the breach.
Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Technical Info
The article on Sheldon Brown's website provides a wealth of information on bicycle repair, maintenance, and cycling-related topics. It covers a wide range of subjects, from basic bike setup to advanced repair techniques, making it a comprehensive resource for cyclists of all levels.
Ga68, a GNU Algol 68 Compiler
Show HN: I spent 4 years building a UI design tool with only the features I use
Hello everyone!
I'm a solo developer who's been doing UI/UX work since 2007. Over the years, I watched design tools evolve from lightweight products into bloated feature-heavy platforms. I kept finding myself using a small amount of the features while the rest just mostly got in the way.
So a few years ago I set out to build a design tool just like I wanted. So I built Vecti with what I actually need: pixel-perfect grid snapping, a performant canvas renderer, shared asset libraries, and export/presentation features. No collaborative whiteboarding. No plugin ecosystem. No enterprise features. Just the design loop.
Four years later, I can proudly show it off. Built and hosted in the EU with European privacy regulations. Free tier available (no credit card, one editor forever).
On privacy: I use some basic analytics (page views, referrers) but zero tracking inside the app itself. No session recordings, no behavior analytics, no third-party scripts beyond the essentials.
If you're a solo designer or small team who wants a tool that stays out of your way, I'd genuinely appreciate your feedback: https://vecti.com
Happy to answer questions about the tech stack, architecture decisions, why certain features didn't make the cut, or what's next.
An Update on Heroku
Heroku announces a major update, outlining changes to its platform, pricing, and support for various languages and frameworks. The blog post provides details on the company's new direction and its commitment to supporting developers' evolving needs.
Show HN: If you lose your memory, how to regain access to your computer?
Due to bike-induced concussions, I've been worried for a while about losing my memory and not being able to log back in.
I combined shamir secret sharing (hashicorp vault's implementation) with age-encryption, and packaged it using WASM for a neat in-browser offline UX.
The idea is that if something happens to me, my friends and family would help me get back access to the data that matters most to me. 5 out of 7 friends need to agree for the vault to unlock.
Try out the demo in the website, it runs entirely in your browser!
What Is Ruliology?
The article discusses ruliology, a new field of study that aims to systematically understand the rules that govern the world around us, from natural phenomena to human-created systems. It explores how the principles of ruliology could be applied to tackle complex problems and unlock new insights across various domains.