EPA says it will eliminate its scientific reseach arm (nytimes.com | comments) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to abolish its scientific research division, a decision influenced by a recent Supreme Court ruling. This ruling enables the Trump administration to reduce the federal workforce and dismantle federal agencies, affecting environmental regulation and research oversight.

• It's really depressing how the US system seems to have existed "on belief". Once somebody set out to damage or destroy it, away it went. Pretty much without a whimper. As I recall, the system was set up with 3 branches of government in tension. Obviously, that was naive.

Broadcom to discontinue free Bitnami Helm charts (github.com/bitnami | comments) Broadcom is set to cease offering free Bitnami Helm charts, a development that may impact users relying on these pre-packaged applications for deployment on Kubernetes. The decision reflects a shift in strategy concerning available resources and support for open-source tools.

• Hi, former cofounder of Bitnami here. I left VMware quite a while ago, so not involved with this. The technical team at Bitnami is still top notch and great people. I am quite baffled at this business decision.
• Broadcom gonna Broadcom. Don't anthropomorphize the lawnmower.

Third patient dies from acute liver failure caused by a Sarepta gene therapy (biocentury.com | comments) A third patient in a Phase I clinical trial for SRP-9004, a gene therapy by Sarepta Therapeutics designed for Limb-Girdle muscular dystrophy Type 2E, has died due to acute liver failure. This incident follows two prior fatalities linked to the same therapy, raising concerns about its safety profile.

• Their stock is down 90% over the last 6 months, 37% today. That's not good.
• I've been working on a piece about how humans effectively have hardened firmware, and gene therapies need to do A LOT to try to get around the various defenses our bodies evolved. I should probably finish that article...

Meta says it wont sign Europe AI agreement, calling it growth stunting overreach (cnbc.com | comments) Meta has refused to sign the AI agreement proposed in Europe, describing it as an overreach that could hinder growth. Joel Kaplan, Meta's global affairs chief, expressed concerns on LinkedIn, stating that Europe is misdirecting its efforts regarding artificial intelligence regulation.

• Kaplan's LinkedIn post says absolutely nothing about what is objectionable about the policy. I'm inclined to think "growth-stunting" could mean anything as tame as mandating user opt-in for new features as opposed to the "opt-out" that's popular among US companies.

Valve confirms credit card companies pressured it to delist certain adult games (pcgamer.com | comments) Valve has acknowledged that credit card companies applied pressure to remove specific adult games from its platform, Steam. This development raises concerns about the implications for content moderation and corporate influence in the gaming industry, with critics suggesting it sets a troubling precedent for future game availability.

• It is sad that in 2025 this needs to be repeated: fiction is not real. This statement imply that: * Simulated violence is not violence. * Simulated sex is not sex. * Simulated sorcery is not sorcery
• Considering their volume, I find it hard to believe that Valve couldn't find another, more lenient payment processor with similar fees.

LibreOffice slams Microsoft for locking in Office users w/ complex file formats (neowin.net | comments) LibreOffice accuses Microsoft of deliberately employing intricate XML file formats to restrict users to its Office suite. This latest criticism joins a series of complaints from LibreOffice regarding Microsoft's practices aimed at maintaining customer loyalty through technical barriers.

• After having worked for many companies, I think the complex file formats is likely due to employee turnover, pressure from management to just get shit done, and careless coding. Not ill intended anti-competitive practices. The locking in is likely an unintended bonus for Microsoft.

CP/M Creator Gary Kildall's Memoirs Released as Free Download (ieee.org | comments) Gary Kildall's memoirs, showcasing his significant contributions to the development of operating systems and the startup culture, are now available as a free download. His children highlight his role in shaping early computing with CP/M, which influenced many subsequent technologies.

• Absolutely loved when I randomly caught an episode of Computer Chronicles back in the old time days.
• I read the first part back in 2016 when it was released (spoiler: it was worth it). Still waiting for the rest to come, but it seems that the Gary's Kildall memoirs project is not being pursued.

Linux and Secure Boot certificate expiration (lwn.net | comments) Linux users with Secure Boot enabled are facing an upcoming expiration of a key from Microsoft that affects the shim bootloader. After September, many systems may not boot unless they have an updated shim signed with a new Microsoft key. While solutions exist through firmware updates, the transition could pose challenges for users and distributors.

• Just out of curiosity, how good is the secure boot experience these days? I've had to disable it on all my installations because of either nvidia drivers or virtual box modules. In general Arch based distros didn't seem too friendly for secure boot set up.

Hundred Rabbits – Low-tech living while sailing the world (100r.co | comments) Hundred Rabbits chronicles their low-tech lifestyle while sailing, sharing updates on their projects and experiences. They’ve engaged in community assistance, navigated challenging weather, and are involved in creative endeavors like book writing and game development for platforms such as Playdate. Their monthly log reflects their journey through various picturesque locations and collaborative efforts.

• This is a fascinating website which I look forward to exploring a bit more, along with the authors personal sites. Are there any other off-grid low-tech sites/projects/sites like this? I remember another interesting site that was being run off solar posted here on HN that went down when the batteries went out.

A look at IBM's short-lived "butterfly" ThinkPad 701 of 1995 (fastcompany.com | comments) The IBM ThinkPad 701, launched in 1995, featured a unique 'butterfly' keyboard design that expanded from a compact width of 9.7 inches to a more comfortable 11.5 inches, showcasing innovative engineering. Despite its remarkable features, this model's production was short-lived, sparking curiosity about its rapid discontinuation.

• I had one just as they were leaving the retail market. I loved that compact little guy. Trackpoint nub and full-size keyboard, very lightweight for the time, and I was mostly programming in EMACS via a terminal emulator when I wasn't MUDding via terminal emulator or writing specs.

My Self-Hosting Setup (codecaptured.com | comments) A software engineer shares insights from their extensive journey with self-hosting tech. Initially exploring various methods like Docker and Ansible without settling on one, they shifted focus to a 'good enough' philosophy after recognizing the need for control over personal data. Detailing goals, requirements, and the tech stack including NixOS and Docker, they aim to help others navigate self-hosting effectively.

• I’ve got to appreciate putting the matrix server on Coruscant if nothing else :)
• How are you securing taris? Where is your local network firewall? Which one are you using? Why did you go with Nextcloud instead of using something more barebones, for example a restic server?

I'm Rebelling Against the Algorithm (varunraghu.com | comments) The author reflects on the negative impacts of algorithm-driven technology, recalling a time when news feeds ended, not perpetually scrolling. They advocate for a personal rebellion against addictive tech through activities like reading, outdoor walks, and using apps that encourage pauses before accessing social media.

• At some point this leads to "abolish the DMCA". Otherwise everybody figuring out how to disable the infinite scrolling or control your own subscriptions gets punished by the dark-pattern-pushers through the legal system. Unscramble ROT-13 in order to stop a full-page autoplaying video? Federal felony.

AI capex is so big that it's affecting economic statistics (paulkedrosky.com | comments) AI capital expenditure (capex) is significantly impacting economic statistics, inflating numbers and drawing parallels to the historical railroad boom. The surge in AI investments is reshaping financial metrics and may signal a broader economic transformation.

• I don't know... 1.2% of GDP just doesn't seem that extreme to me. Certainly nowhere near "eating the economy" level compared to other transformative technologies or programs like: - Apollo program: 4% - Railroads: 6% (mentioned by the author) - Covid stimulus: 27% - WW2 defense: 40%

Asynchrony is not concurrency (kristoff.it | comments) Loris Cro's blog post argues that asynchrony, defined as the ability of tasks to execute out of order while remaining correct, is frequently misunderstood and conflated with concurrency. By clarifying these terms, he highlights how this confusion has led to duplicated efforts in library development and subpar experiences for developers using asynchronous code.

• The author does not seem to have made any non-trivial projects with asynchronicity. All the pitfalls of concurrency are there - in particular when executing non-idempotent functions multiple times before previous executions finish, then you need mutexes!

How I keep up with AI progress (nilenso.com | comments) Atharva Raykar shares his strategies for staying updated with the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). He emphasizes the importance of continual learning in AI, offers resources like courses and newsletters, and highlights community engagement as key to understanding the constantly evolving technology landscape.

• Maybe I’ve been missing some important stuff, but it seems the most relevant and important updates eventually just bubble up to the front page of HN or get mentioned in the comments
• Actually no I do not have to keep up
• Simon Willison's weblog is almost enough, highest S/N

Trying Guix: A Nixer's impressions (tazj.in | comments) The author, an experienced Nix user, candidly shares their impressions of Guix after their first weekend of experimentation. Noting significant architectural differences between Guix and Nix, the author highlights Guix's strict adherence to software freedoms, the complexity in package management and version control, as well as the contrasting community dynamics and documentation quality. While Guix offers a structured ecosystem, the initial user experience can be frustrating, especially regarding hardware compatibility and onboarding.

• Its nice read. We need more of comparative posts by user familiar with both nix and guix. We see bias with most discussions. Only cons with Guix I see is, lack of infrastructure and less volunteers to work on guix eco-system. If its solved, I can imagine guix can improve exponentially.

When Root Meets Immutable: OpenBSD Chflags vs. Log Tampering (rsadowski.de | comments) The article focuses on the OpenBSD operating system's use of the `chflags` command to secure system logs against tampering. It discusses the implications of setting immutable flags on logs, emphasizing the protection against unauthorized alterations and the security advantages of enforcing a higher secure level within OpenBSD.

• It is not the same, but I do use "chattr +i" on a file (which applies the immutable attribute) on Linux to a file that otherwise would have been overwritten by programs that do not give a damn whether I want it to or not, and in my case it was easier to just make that file immutable, mainly: /etc/resolv.conf.

Data on How America Sold Out Its Computer Science Graduates (ifspp.substack.com | comments) The article critiques how America's education system has failed its computer science graduates by not aligning skills with job market demands, leading many to face underemployment and overqualification. It highlights the disconnection between academic training and practical job requirements in the tech industry.

• > That's equal to 82% of our graduating class who are guaranteed jobs ... Guaranteed jobs? Sir, this is not France ;)
• I’ve been hearing about this for decades. It keeps happening because republicans need their cheap labor and democrats need foreign voters. The people in power have tremendous political incentives to keep the pipeline flowing.

Claude Code Unleashed (ymichael.com | comments) The author shares insights from utilizing Claude Code while building Terragon, focusing on enhancing productivity with cloud-based AI code assistance. Key aspects include running multiple agents seamlessly and optimizing workflows through the Terragon platform, which automates task management and reduces developer overhead.

• Can someone explain to me like I'm from 2020 what these multiple agents are for? Is it something like starting five different Claude Code sessions in parallel to fix five different issues? Or are they collaborating in some capacity?
• This article reads like an ad for the author’s product.

Show HN: I built library management app for those who outgrew spreadsheets (librari.io | comments) A new library management application has been developed to meet the needs of users transitioning from spreadsheets. This tool offers features such as book management, report generation, and personalized organization, catering to those seeking a more structured way to manage their home libraries.

• Care to share any thoughts about what tech stack you've used to put this together? Which libraries/frameworks you used, whether you would again if you were starting again today. I don't have a need for this app personally, but I love hearing the (candid) experience reports when people build nice things like this.

lsr: ls with io_uring (rockorager.dev | comments) The article introduces 'lsr', a new implementation of the 'ls' command utilizing the io_uring API to perform I/O operations efficiently. It reports that 'lsr' significantly reduces the number of system calls, leading to faster performance compared to traditional 'ls' versions, showcasing benchmarks that illustrate its speed advantages.

• Love it. I'm trying to understand why all command line tools don't use io_uring. As an example, all my nvme's on usb 3.2 gen 2 only reach 740MB/s peak. If I use tools with aio or io_uring I get 1005MB/s. I know I may not be copying many files simultaneously every time, but the queue length strategies and the fewer locks also help I guess.

Inspect ANSI control codes and escape sequences (ansi.tools | comments) The ANSI Escape Codes tool allows users to view and inspect ANSI escape sequences through a user-friendly web interface. It features an input area for code submission, visual output display, detailed tables listing control codes, and tools for manipulating text. No data leaves the user's browser, ensuring privacy.

• "\u001b[0m — reset" ... what? Why SGR is not called by name, while, e.g. CUU is? strange... According to which terminal or standard it interperts sequences? Is this tool really helpful? It does look nice! But it does not help with the corneriest cases that would benefit from such tool the most.

Cancer DNA is detectable in blood years before diagnosis (sciencenews.org | comments) Research indicates that traces of cancer DNA can be found in blood samples years prior to a formal diagnosis, offering potential for earlier detection and intervention. This finding underscores the importance of liquid biopsies in cancer diagnostics, presenting a non-invasive method to identify malignancies at a much earlier stage.

• Blood testing sounds like a great opportunity for a startup…….

Fully homomorphic encryption and the dawn of a private internet (bozmen.io | comments) Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) enables computations on encrypted data, offering the potential for a private internet where user queries remain confidential. Although currently impractical due to significant computational overhead and data size, advancements show FHE algorithms are improving rapidly, enhancing the possibility for widespread adoption.

• > The entire business model built on harvesting user data could become obsolete. This is far too optimistic. Just because you can build a system that doesn't harvest data, doesn't necessarily mean it's a profitable business model. I'm sure many of us here would be willing to pay for a FHE search engine, for example, but we're a minority.

Psilocybin decreases depression and anxiety in cancer patients (2016) (nih.gov | comments) A 2016 randomized double-blind trial involving 51 cancer patients demonstrated that psilocybin, a compound found in certain mushrooms, leads to significant reductions in depression and anxiety for those facing life-threatening conditions. The study revealed both short-term and long-term benefits of psilocybin treatment on patients' psychological well-being.

• The study design does try to mitigate blinding issues and expectancy effects, but with half of the participants reporting past use of hallucinogens, this is not going to be very effective blinding. A majority of your low dose 1st group likely very much realizes that they're on the inactive dose.